Doctor Lin leaned crookedly against the car door, looking at Yuehua’s profile.
She was not as attractive as Zeng Xiaoya upon closer inspection, nor did she have that air of good fortune, but she was not ugly either. In terms of looks, the two of them were quite well-matched.
“Yuehua, from now on, live for yourself. When you get your salary, save it for yourself. You are not young anymore. If you marry without any money of your own, life after marriage will be very difficult.”
“It is acceptable to support your parents, but your brothers are not your responsibility. You do not need to take care of them.”
Yuehua glanced at him, then focused on the road without speaking.
Doctor Lin continued to ramble on with his advice.
“How much is your monthly salary? You work yourself to death, yet you are reluctant to spend more on yourself. As soon as your mum calls, you hurriedly transfer your salary to her. If it is not enough, you even borrow from me or colleagues.”
“I am telling you, when your family asks for money, giving a few hundred yuan is fine, but if they ask for more, say you do not have that much. You need to know how to play poor. Do you not pay rent? Do you not need money for food?”
“The money you earn through hard work should first be spent on yourself. Save any surplus. If your family truly needs help, you can take out a portion to assist.”
“Do not keep giving everything to your family. Your mum asks time and again, wanting more and more each time. If you always satisfy her, she will think you are living extravagantly outside and earning a high income.”
“You say the money you transfer to your mum is spent on her, which is at least justifiable since she is your own mother, but most of the time it actually goes to your brothers. They are not your obligation. You live frugally yourself.”
“Look at your clothes. How many years have you been wearing them? Since you started working at my clinic, you have been wearing these same clothes. After so many years, you still wear them. You cannot even buy two new outfits a year.”
“Look at Ye Qi. She spends all her salary on herself. How carefree her life is.”
After a moment of silence, Yuehua said, “Her family has good conditions. Her parents provide a safety net. They bought her a flat and a car. She works just to pass the time when bored. How can you compare?”
“Boss, do not lecture me. I know what I am doing. Before marriage, I will help my family a bit with the money I earn, but after marriage, I will not continue helping them like I do now.”
“I have told my parents clearly. Once I marry, I will only give them a few hundred yuan during festivals. It will not be possible to give like I do now. I will have my own little family, and of course I will put my own little family first.”
“Their family property will be left to my brothers. Naturally, it will be my brothers who provide for them in old age. As a married-out daughter, I will just visit occasionally and buy some small gifts. Since the property goes to the sons, providing for parents is the sons’ affair.”
This was how things were done in Yuehua’s hometown. Every household arranged it this way. All property went to the sons, and providing for parents was also the sons’ responsibility. They would not ask daughters. Daughters just gave whatever they felt like, as they wished.
“Boss, when your own family needs help, can you really not help?”
“You cannot do that either. When advising others, you can spout a load of big principles, yet you overlook yourself. Actually, boss, you help your family relatives even more. I think the reason Doctor Zeng has never accepted your feelings”
Yuehua paused, then continued, “is that she feels your original family would be a burden. You earn a high income, but you have too many relatives to support. Look at your family relatives. Whenever they have a headache or fever, they call you.”
“When they come to Dongguan for treatment, they ask you to arrange it. If they need medicine, they take it from your clinic. Most importantly, they do not bring money. You cover their food, accommodation, and medical expenses.”
“If they need to be hospitalised, we employees even have to help deliver meals to them.”
