Being debt-free really is as liberating as they say; those words have never failed me.
Fu Ying, an ordinary working girl from the countryside, didn’t just buy a one-way ticket to Guangdong Province after finishing junior high. In fact, she had been studying in Yangcheng alongside her parents ever since her junior high school days.
Her early schooling was quite good. In the eyes of others, she was a bookworm, a straight-A student. Her parents pinned high hopes on her getting into university to bring honor to the family name. The reality, however, was that she could neither test into senior high school nor university. For migrant students to take the high school or college entrance examinations in Guangdong Province, residence permits and social security contributions were required. Yet Fu Ying's parents were just ordinary grassroots workers on assembly lines. To save money for the tuition of both her and her younger brother, they chose to have their company cash out instead of paying into social security or obtaining residence permits.
Fu Ying had no choice but to attend a vocational school or go straight to work, though Mom Fu insisted that her daughter continue her education. Since vocational school required living on campus, Fu Ying traveled to the school by herself; her parents couldn't bear to lose a single day's wages by accompanying her.
The day before leaving for school, Dad Fu said to her, "From now on, you'll have to rely on yourself for your livelihood. We don't understand studying or professional matters, but if you need money, let me know. Anything related to your studies, I will definitely buy for you."
Those three years at vocational school taught her professional knowledge, but they also taught her about worldly indifference. After six years in Yangcheng, she still looked like a rustic country girl, frequently mocked and ostracized by her classmates.
After entering the workforce, she wanted to change, to integrate into big-city life, and to provide a better life for Mom Fu and Dad Fu. She started following her colleagues in applying for credit cards, eating fancy meals, and going to parties, all under the high-sounding banner of "enjoying a high-quality lifestyle."
In the beginning, her expenses weren't large, and she could barely manage the repayments. The young girl, lost in the indulgence, had no idea of the price she would pay in the future. She also began using credit cards and opening online micro-credit accounts. When the lockdown suddenly cut off her income, she discovered she had already run up a debt of 20,000 yuan. When she tried everywhere to borrow money and failed, she turned to online loan apps. Still unemployed and unable to repay, she only woke up to reality when her debts soared to 50,000 yuan. Terrified of defaulting and of her family finding out and being furious or utterly disappointed in her...
The amount wasn't huge, but it was a lingering torment in her daily life. For two years, she saved money, didn't dare change jobs, and cut expenses wherever she could. She wanted to start a business, but she had no capital and didn't dare take the risk. She wanted to find a higher-paying job, but with only a vocational school diploma—and many jobs offering low starting pay while requiring her to cover her own food and lodging—she ultimately had to settle for a position that didn't pay much, but offered food and lodging to help her save.
In the depths of late-night depression, she had thought countless times about ending it all, but knowing the debt wasn't cleared and fearing it would fall on her parents' heads kept her going. It was a kind of spiritual pillar holding her up.
She endured it all in the end and paid it off completely.
She had a boyfriend, and his situation was much like hers. Relying entirely on themselves, the two of them saved money bit by bit to pay off their debts.
Her boyfriend used an online credit line, which he had paid off last month. As for Fu Ying, she had several different platforms, which she negotiated with and paid off one by one. This afternoon, as soon as her salary came in, she paid off the very last installment. The moment it was cleared, it felt as though the shackles had been lifted from her body.
After getting off work, Fu Ying walked happily on her way back, wondering whether to buy a cup of milk tea to celebrate with her boyfriend. She had been economizing for so long that she hadn't even dared to buy a single cup of milk tea a month.
Never underestimate a young person's determination to save money.
The young couple ate in the company cafeteria whenever they could; when they couldn't, they often just boiled noodles, adding nothing more than an egg at most. Their 520 holiday gifts and birthday presents were carefully handpicked—practical and inexpensive—which better suited their current reality.
Right now, they needed a cup of milk tea to elevate this joy.
The milk tea shop was crowded. It being the summer vacation, there were dozens of orders ahead of hers. She found a seat to wait and sent a message to her boyfriend. Amid the noisy clamor of voices, she suddenly felt a bit sleepy. Fu Ying wanted to close her eyes for a moment; her phone would alert her when her number was called, and the loudspeaker would announce it too, wouldn't it?
The 31st of May—just today's date.