When Brother Yang stuffed 50,000 yuan into my hand, I couldn't hold back my tears anymore. In my most difficult moments, the only person willing to lend a helping hand was a "brother" who was not related by blood.
My stepmother, Dow, came to our house when I was 8 years old. It was less than two years after my mom died, and I still remember her vividly, because she was still wounded on the first day she came. Later, I learned that my stepmother had been abused by her ex-husband and had to flee. Although she called it an escape, in fact it was just a change of village, and in order not to be separated from her children, she chose to stay nearby, because she was reluctant to stay away from her children.
In the first few years, the stepmother often secretly went back to visit her son, but many times she was discovered by her ex-husband, who was almost beaten again and even stopped. My stepmother's son, Zhang Yang, was a few years older than me, but he dropped out of school early, wandered around the county, and made some bad friends.
My dad would talk to Zhang Yang every time he met him, even though Zhang Yang wasn't interested in it. From time to time, my dad would give Zhang Yang some pocket money. I was very dissatisfied with my dad at the time, thinking that he was like a "hot face and a cold ass", marrying a second-married daughter-in-law and taking care of her son.
Maybe it's because I know that my stepmother has always been very good to me, and I can even say that she is better than my biological mother. My dad wanted me to call her mom, but my stepmom said it didn't matter what I was calling, as long as I was comfortable, so I kept calling her aunt.
After graduating from junior high school, Zhang Yang left his hometown, and I also received training at a technical school, studied auto repair, and worked in a car repair shop after graduation. However, my job income was meager, but my father suffered from stomach cancer and the family ran out of savings. After my father died, we were also in a large debt. Even though my stepmother and I struggled to pay off our debts, our relatives continued to pursue them, even despite our plight.
When I came home this year, I found that my stepmother was not doing well. I realized that someone came to the door again to ask for debt, and my stepmother had been paying off the debt for the family. I suggested that she go to Zhang Yang, but she said that this was her home, and she would not leave, and I knew that she could not rest assured of me.
My stepmother invited me to see Brother Yang, and he came back this year with his girlfriend. I brought a gift and was about to go, but my stepmother said that we were all a family and didn't need to care about it, so she only took some food and took me to Brother Yang's house.
Brother Yang was very happy to see us, introduced his girlfriend, and praised my car repair skills. I felt very happy and my sister-in-law was also very welcoming and made me feel warm. After dinner, my stepmother and I were about to leave, but Yango stopped me and handed me a bag with a stack of cash.
I excused myself and said I didn't need it, but Brother Yang said that it was his and his sister-in-law's intentions. I was touched by the fact that he mentioned how my stepmother and I helped him in his most difficult times. I couldn't help but shed tears, and Brother Yang patted me on the shoulder, making me feel comforted. At this moment, I realized that the goodness of human nature is so precious. Although my father left us, the last gift he left me was such a kind "brother".
Blood ties are important, but in my heart, the warmth of humanity is even better. I believe that with Brother Yang's support, my future will be even better!