The story of the 84-year-old man named Liu makes many people feel sad...
Mr. Liu is 84 years old this year. He was born and raised in a rural area in Jiangsu, China. His wife is no longer alive, leaving him alone in the old house.
He has two children, a boy and a girl. The son is quite successful, works in the city, and owns many apartments. He has been his pride for many years. Because his son is busy with work, he can only come home twice a year at most, usually alone. He said that his daughter-in-law is busy with work and doesn't have time to come home with him, and the same goes for his granddaughter.
His daughter lives 10 kilometers away from home. Since his wife passed away from a stroke, his daughter has visited him regularly, taking care of his every meal and sleep. Knowing her father’s situation, her daughter has repeatedly offered to take him back to live with her, but the old man has always refused. He is afraid that people will gossip and laugh at his unfilial son.
Every time he visited his father, his daughter brought him bags of everything from oil and salt to clothes and shoes. Although he did not have a pension, his children provided for him so he still had enough food and clothes.
When Mr. Liu's health was not as good as before, his son took him to the city to take care of him in his old age. Before leaving, he happily announced to everyone that he would not return. Everyone praised the old man for his good fortune, being able to spend his old age peacefully with his children and grandchildren.
However, the joy was short-lived, less than two months later, the old man returned to everyone's surprise. With a dazed look, the old man confided: "It's so stuffy up there, even if you gave me money I wouldn't go back!"
The old man shared that life in the city was luxurious but very different from the simple life in the countryside. On the first day, the old man was shocked to realize that his familiar clothes had been thrown away by his son because he thought they were old and not suitable for life in a prosperous place.
His son bought him new clothes, but the stiff material and the ill-fitting style made him feel uncomfortable. He didn't dare complain for fear of upsetting his son.
Every time he went out, he had to change his shoes outside the door and then walk back into the house barefoot. Meanwhile, the other family members left their shoes neatly inside the house. This made the old man feel like an outsider.
The difference in lifestyle also caused the old man many difficulties. He was not used to using washing machines, modern toilets or having to remember to flush the toilet after each use. The smell from the toilet made his son uncomfortable, which made the old man even more embarrassed.
Living in a high-rise apartment, the old man also has no space to walk around and chat with neighbors like in the countryside. His son's house is on the 30th floor, he cannot take the stairs down. Therefore, every time he wants to go out, he has to wait for the elevator, which is very inconvenient.
After nearly two months in the city, Mr. Liu found that he did not fit in there. So he discussed it with his son and daughter-in-law and moved back to his hometown.
Returning after nearly two short months, the old man was like a lost soul. He thought that his successful children and comfortable lives would be a solid support in his old age, but unexpectedly, his own "piece of land" was the most peaceful place. The old man told himself that even if he were given money, he would not go to the city again.
He still lives alone. His daughter visits him on weekends because she has her own job and family to take care of. If he can no longer live on his own, he is not sure what he will do in the future.
The story of Mr. Liu is a bitter confession of the elderly when entering the twilight of their lives. The old saying goes "children rely on their fathers, families rely on their children", but for Mr. Liu, things are not that easy. Are children the most reliable support when parents are old?
Source: https://giadinh.suckhoedoisong.vn/con-trai-don-len-thanh-pho-bao-hieu-chua-day-2-thang-ong-lao-don-ve-cho-tien-toi-cung-khong-len-nua-172250213161649489.htm
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