On the road of life, love and responsibility are intertwined in our hearts. I am Zhang Xia, a 40-year-old woman from Shanxi, living an ordinary and busy life. I have been married to my husband Qiao Lei for more than ten years, we have a son and a daughter, and life seems to be peaceful, but there are unsatisfactory twists and turns.
My eldest son is about to take the high school entrance examination, and my youngest daughter is in the critical period of junior high school, so in order to be able to take better care of them, I put down my work and concentrate on cooking nutritious meals at home and taking on some odd jobs in my spare time. This is a responsibility to my children and a love for my family.
However, it wasn't all smooth sailing in my marriage. Before marrying Qiao Lei, I had experienced a failed marriage. Although that marriage was not long-lasting, it caused me endless troubles. My mother used to be angry for a long time because of this, and it wasn't until Qiao Lei appeared that she regained her strength.
Qiao Lei is a man my age, he has no marriage experience, and even though I am married for the second time, he doesn't care. I was so impressed by his sincerity that we soon came together and were married a year later.
However, life after marriage was not what I wanted. Since I was married for the second time, my mother-in-law didn't like me and didn't even talk to me for a long time. Qiao Lei often persuaded me to be tolerant, saying that this is the old man's thinking, don't care. In order not to embarrass him, I never had a conflict with my mother-in-law.
We originally lived in my hometown, I took care of the children at home, and Qiao Lei went out to work. Although life is not easy, we still try to maintain the warmth of our family. As time went on, I also tried to start a small business at home to increase my family's income. The in-laws live in their hometown, and although they don't come and go often, they live a pretty good life.
However, a sudden accident shattered our peace. My mother-in-law had a sudden cerebral infarction, and although she was sent to the hospital in time, the function of her right leg was impaired, and her ability to live was greatly affected. In order to take care of my mother-in-law, we had to take her into our home, and this became a big challenge for our family.
During the days when I was taking care of my mother-in-law at home, Qiao Lei and I took turns to take care of her daily life. However, the attitude of my in-laws made me feel uneasy. They chose to ignore it, which made me feel helpless. What was even more unacceptable to me was that my father-in-law offered to let my mother-in-law stay in my house for a long time, but he was willing to give me a salary. This bothered me and I didn't know how to say no.
During the Chinese New Year, my sister-in-law learned of my parents-in-law's request, but she thought that I was willing to take my in-laws home for money. Her accusations made me angry, and I was reluctant to accept her attacks. Although my husband stood up for me, I rejected my in-laws' proposal, and I was not willing to sacrifice my dignity and freedom for money.
This incident became a conflict between me and my husband, who thought I was not filial, and I felt that he did not understand my situation. I didn't want to give up my life, and I didn't want to lose my freedom for money. Although this decision may bring more difficulties, I am willing to work hard for my own happiness and that of my children.
At this crossroads in my life, I don't know if I'm right or wrong. But I believe that as long as I stick to my heart, no matter what scenery lies ahead, I will bravely meet it.