Chapter 36 The Second Half of the Fairy Tale
Getting married and having children is when the real adventure of life begins. The husband may cheat, transfer property, commit domestic violence, and there are endless bad assumptions; the woman may die in childbirth, be disliked by her family due to unemployment, or change her heart and cheat; and as for the children, the future is completely unpredictable and is a completely uncontrollable factor.
I don't dare to ask for a good life. Being able to live an ordinary life until death is the best wish. If I were single, I would only need to take care of my parents' health, send off my loved ones, and finally wait for the end of my life in peace.
Wang Qingwei knew that if he told his family about his job change and salary cut, they would inevitably argue. After much deliberation, he asked He Xiaolan to go shopping with him at Huiju under the pretext of buying a toy for Yueyue, and to stop by the Sam's Club across the street to buy a Christmas present.
"There are still more than 20 days left, why rush?"
"We haven't gone shopping together for a long time, so it's a good time to go out for a walk."
"Wang Qingwei, did you take the wrong medicine? These words don't sound like they came from your mouth. Qian Helin must have taught you that."
The two of them walked to the third floor of Huiju. There was a Russian kitchen there that had been open for a long time, but they had never eaten there. They decided to go there if there was no line. He Xiaolan had mentioned several times before that she wanted to try the restaurant, but Wang Qingwei had read some reviews that said it was "average," so he never made it.
While waiting for the dishes to be served, Wang Qingwei drank glass of water again and again, and hesitated for a long time before telling He Xiaolan about his unemployment and job change.
As He Xiaolan listened, she suddenly remembered the question Qin Tiantian had asked earlier. This kind of life wasn't stable at all. When women were advised to get married, they always said, "Find someone to lean on, so you can have someone to rely on in the future." But no one ever mentioned the following part: "If you lean on the mountain, it will fall; if you lean on people, they will fall apart."
"Let's change it." She had expected to lose her job. Wang Qingwei's behavior and the time he showed up at home had been so unusual recently. Something must have happened. But they were lucky and had found work again.
So she quickly persuaded Wang Qingwei to think more positively, "People move and live, trees move and die. You can't just hang yourself on a tree. It's good to have a job first. Our family won't starve for a while."
Wang Qingwei was quite surprised: "You're not angry?"
"What's there to be angry about? It's not like you quit on your own initiative. After all, Tao Lin is quite disloyal - when you first joined the company, he praised you to the skies, but when something went wrong, he just kicked you out." He Xiaolan's hand tightened as she cut the steak. She felt like Tao Lin was on her plate. If she didn't cut him into pieces today, she would not be able to vent her anger.
He Xiaolan said she didn't care and wasn't angry, but her mind was racing. According to Wang Qingwei, his salary had been cut in half. If they had used all their money to pay off their mortgage, there wouldn't be much left. Using the compensation to pay off part of the mortgage in Tianjin would save them at least enough to cover their living expenses each month.
"Xiaolan, why don't we sell our house in Beijing first, then we will have less pressure."
Wang Qingwei thought about it for a long time and finally came up with this solution. When they bought the house, it was over 32,000 yuan per square meter. They paid a down payment of over 1 million yuan, and the rest was a loan. Even with the interest over the years, if they sold it, they would lose at least 500,000 yuan, which was heartbreaking.
"Let's ask the real estate agent first," He Xiaolan put down her knife and fork, quickly checked the real estate app, and sighed, "It might not sell well even if I put it up now. We don't have anything here: a subway, a supermarket, a school, nothing you need. If I sell it too high, no one will buy it. If I sell it too low, I'll lose money."
It was almost eight when they got home that evening. Wang Qingwei went to shower first, and He Xiaolan sat alone in the living room, surveying the small house. She hadn't really looked at it in a long time. Although Wang Qingwei and his mother had made the decision when they bought it, the house itself was quite satisfactory. It was a well-decorated commercial property, and they could just buy some simple furniture and move in. Excluding the common area, the 80-plus square meters were filled with her possessions over the years. From empty to overflowing, every item held a trace of her thoughts.
The scene when they moved in when Yueyue was one year old is still vivid in her mind: friends brought housewarming gifts and had a lively meal and drinks in the house; Hua Hudie smiled and said that He Xiaolan had finally settled down in Beijing and had her own little home. She no longer had to worry about the landlord's mood or the sudden increase in rent.
But now, this place was about to be sold, and they would have to return to their old days of rootless wandering. But they couldn't let themselves be suffocated. Maybe after selling the house, they would get lucky and win the lottery first prize, and move directly to Guangqu Jinmao Mansion.
From childhood to adulthood, whenever she couldn't see tomorrow, He Xiaolan would always comfort herself with this: What if? What if tomorrow would be better? It was with countless "what ifs" that she reached the age of thirty-seven. Wang Qingwei couldn't sleep at night, so he rolled over in bed a few times before sitting on the sofa. He Xiaolan got up at the sound of him, and they each poured a glass of wine. When you really can't sleep, drinking a glass is the easiest way.
"Don't worry about it," He Xiaolan clinked his glass. "You were able to find a job even after losing your job. You're already better off than most people. Every family has its own way of living. Let's just tighten our belts for now. It's not like we haven't been poor before."
"I just feel sorry for you and Yueyue," Wang Qingwei said in a muffled voice, "Everyone said so many nice things when we got married, but until now, nothing has been fulfilled." He felt that his life was quite a failure, but not a complete failure. Every time he was half a step away from his goal, he would be beaten back to the starting point, and then start over again over and over again, seeing the end just before his eyes, but he would return to the starting point again.
"Do you know what I was thinking when I first saw you during our blind date?" He Xiaolan poured some more wine into her glass. The long night always brought back some memories.
"What are you thinking about? You think I'm very handsome and charming." At this time, Wang Qingwei did not forget to tease He Xiaolan.
"Go away. Don't you have any idea what you look like? If you don't know, go look in the mirror."
The two people clinked their glasses, and even the glass cup given as a gift when buying instant noodles could make a crisp sound. So what if there was no high-end red wine glass?
"Then what do you like about me?" He asked anxiously. They had been married for so many years, but he had never heard He Xiaolan talk about her first impression of him.
"You're a man who could get married," He Xiaolan said honestly. "Unlike He Guoqiang, who's smooth-talking and full of scheming. I still remember the first thing you did when you walked in and sat down was show me your bank card balance and say, 'Ten more years of hard work, and you'll be able to buy a house in Beijing.'"
"But now, this house might have to be sold again," Wang Qingwei smiled bitterly, "the boast I made back then was not long enough before it was broken." There was only bitterness in Wang Qingwei's voice. He drank the wine at the bottom of the glass in one breath and burped loudly.
This is the second half of the fairy tale. After the wedding, the prince and princess enter marriage. The man, stripped of his finery, becomes a toad, burping when eating, farting when sleeping, and even snoring. They begin to quibble over expensive spare ribs, accusing each other of inconsiderateness. After reconciliation, they become frugal with travel, hesitating over the sausage at the scenic spot. These disagreements fill the marriage, becoming a habit over time. When they reach their seventies or eighties, looking back on their wedding vows, they feel like a curse binding them.
The couple sat leaning against each other, with the turned-off TV illuminating their figures. They did not look glamorous at all, their pajamas were pilling, and the sofa covers were not of the same pattern. Even when they talked about the romantic past of their youth, they looked tired.
The gifts Wang Qingwei gave to He Xiaolan when they were dating are still in use at home. From microwave ovens to bread machines to ovens, each one of them hits He Xiaolan's sore spot, but they still got married. After all, a microwave oven can cook for seven or eight years, and He Xiaolan can buy a bouquet of flowers herself.
They were both pragmatists, content to simply live their daily lives. Wasteful romance had to be put on the back burner. Life had become a dull, routine affair, consisting of commuting, overtime, and childcare. There were no art museums, no Michelin-starred restaurants, no music festivals to de-stress, and no late-night beach kisses. The only time they went to the beach, they spent a long time searching for the best value hotel with a sea view, only to be caught in a heavy fog in Qingdao, preventing them from seeing anything.
After having a child, they became even more calculating. When they were still in love, they would go to the movies hand in hand. Later, going to the cinema to watch Boonie Bears became a regular movie-going activity, only during the Chinese New Year. He Xiaolan had calculated the cost for Qin Tiantian before: a movie ticket would cost at least 40 yuan, so for three people that would be 120 yuan. Parking and gas would cost at least 30 yuan. Add in food, drinks, and a toy for Yueyue, and the total would be 500 yuan.
I know exactly where the money came from, but I have no idea where it went.
"We will definitely get better." The alcohol took effect, and He Xiaolan's head felt a little heavy, so she leaned on Wang Qingwei's shoulder, still expecting something to happen. Wang Qingwei knew that this was the time for an in-depth discussion. He just withdrew his hand that had groped into He Xiaolan's clothes and was about to take the next step when the phone rang. There was a bug in the program that needed to be fixed quickly.
"Hurry up and get back to work. We're still relying on others to pay our mortgage. I have to go to work tomorrow, so I'm going to sleep first." He Xiaolan didn't know what time Wang Qingwei left the house. When she was woken up by the alarm clock in the morning, Wang Qingwei had already gone to work. He Lianhua sent a video of Yueyue eating breakfast to the group. While eating, Yueyue was still muttering that she was very happy to have a handicraft class today.
"Mom, please put Yueyue's handicraft class materials in her schoolbag so that she won't forget to bring them when she gets to school."
No matter how many conflicts there are between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, as long as they don't completely break up, they still have to continue to get along with each other. Not long after the message was sent, He Lianhua took a photo of Yueyue's schoolbag, and the handmade materials were neatly placed in Yueyue's schoolbag.
In one day, I will be able to go to Tianjin. Being with my daughter, I can forget all my worries. Seeing her small figure carrying a big schoolbag and walking into the school, studying hard all day to fight for an unknown future, my heart feels a little sad. However, she will not have too many worries before Yueyue graduates from university.
The new boss had just arrived and had announced a series of reforms, starting with overtime. He personally reviewed the attendance records for all departments. Lateness for work of less than five minutes resulted in a warning, while lateness for more than ten minutes resulted in immediate dismissal. In the restroom, Jasmine whispered to He Xiaolan, "Sister, the new boss makes Boss Yang look like a living Buddha."
Yes, even bathroom breaks were regulated, euphemistically dubbed as a move towards corporate-style living. Cameras were installed in every corner, and the atmosphere throughout the company had become chilly. Even though it was almost December and Beijing hadn't snowed a single time, everyone's hearts were frozen.
It was ten o'clock in the evening, and no one had left work yet. He Xiaolan had finished all her work, but no one dared to leave until the boss left. He Xiaolan went to the bathroom and saw that Jasmine was already sleepy at her workstation and began to nod. Finally, the boss came out of the office and inspected all the office areas. He was very satisfied with the bright lights.
When she got off work, Jasmine hugged He Xiaolan's arm tightly. Her legs were numb from sitting at her workstation, so she walked a little awkwardly. "Sister, I'm going to give up the house tomorrow. Given the current situation, I think I can just live in the company."
Wang Qingwei was still working overtime at the company, and the last subway to take him home had already left. Normally, He Xiaolan would have taken a taxi, but today she followed the instructions on the map and took bus after bus, and finally staggered home at 1:45 in the morning.
Sometimes she would think that if she couldn't go on, she might as well end her life, but today she didn't even have the energy to pick up a rope and hang herself, and even despair was too troublesome.
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