Overcoming challenges in love
In the eyes of outsiders, he and she were really poor. Both were college graduates from rural areas, each working a job that required early starts and late finishes. When they got married, their parents didn’t contribute much financially. They pooled their savings to make a down payment on a one-bedroom apartment, with the remaining payments spread over many years. One person’s salary went to the mortgage, the other’s to living expenses.
Their apartment was on the top floor. In this city where every inch of land was precious, they had no extra money for renovations. Cabinets, shoe racks, dressing tables, and wardrobes were all made by him with borrowed tools and materials in his spare time. “Though small, it’s fully equipped.” This year, they bought a water heater, and next year, they added a computer… Gradually, they managed to equip their home with all the necessary appliances.
After paying off the mortgage each month, they put the remaining money in an envelope in the drawer for whoever needed it. Life was indeed tight. During the Golden Week holidays, while colleagues and friends were either traveling or shopping, they spent their holidays differently.
One day, they would ride bicycles to the suburbs with two books and bask in the sun all day. The next day, they would bring fishing gear to a pond and enjoy fishing and relaxing.
Sometimes, they couldn’t even afford bread, let alone roses. When times were particularly tough, their meals consisted mainly of cabbage and potatoes. Stir-fried cabbage, cabbage salad, cabbage with dried shrimp, potato salad, spicy potato slices… He was amazed at how she came up with these variations and enjoyed every meal. On special days like Valentine’s Day, birthdays, and anniversaries, he always surprised her.
A delicate keychain, a cartoon wallet for coins, a book she longed for, a scarf she adored… These gifts were not expensive, some were even free, but each time, she was delighted.
She loved snacks and fruits, so he quit his 30-year smoking habit to save money for her favorite dried plums and fresh seasonal fruits. He loved dumplings, and initially, she bought frozen ones. Gradually, she learned to make them from scratch, from mixing the filling, making the dough, rolling the skins, to wrapping the dumplings herself.
Her clothes were all bargains from roadside shops, but she always made them look unique. She was skilled in needlework and enjoyed modifying her clothes, making them look new. He had a few brand-name suits for formal occasions but preferred casual wear. They saved on clothing to support their parents in the countryside, easing their burden.
Their apartment was cold in winter and hot in summer. In the northern winter, ice would form indoors as they couldn’t afford heating. Every day after work, he would rush to the cold kitchen to cook, set up the electric blanket for her, and let her warm up in bed.
In the summer, the apartment was scorching, especially at night, making it hard to sleep. She tried every possible way to cool the room, drawing curtains during the day and mopping the floor repeatedly after work.
When they were dating, she couldn’t even cook properly. Marriage transformed her from a girl who never touched household chores into a frugal homemaker. She learned to cook various dishes, making every meal delicious and visually appealing. She even mastered making different kinds of homemade noodles, steamed buns, flower rolls, dumplings, and noodles, which tasted much better than store-bought ones.
He, on the other hand, changed from a carefree bachelor into a considerate family man. Throughout the year, he never let her touch cold water. He always pumped air into her bike every morning.
Their home was small, their food simple, and their lifestyle frugal. Private cars were a distant dream, gourmet meals at five-star hotels were out of reach, and traveling by train or plane was unrealistic. Yet, happiness was close. There is no poor marriage, only poor lovers. If our hearts are filled with love, even the poorest marriage will become rich.
Thank you for reading! ” Sitestorys “
