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The in-laws jump at divorce for grandson's computer
By Peng Deyu/Shirley Xiaobi Dong (Nanfang Weekend)
Updated: 2005-11-21 09:27
My father- and mother-in-law live in the country. My wife and I work in the
city. Since we live far away from them and we are both busy with work, we seldom
pay them a visit except on holidays.
One day, very unexpectedly, they visited us. My mother-in-law even brought
with her a whole pack of freshly-picked oranges. I treated them to tea and
cigarettes, then we sat down.
My mother-in-law was in a very good mood, with a broad smile on her face. My
father-in-law is a modest man who usually doesn't talk much, but he was quite
talkative that day.
I was quite puzzled, and wondered what had happened to them that made them so
happy.
After chatting with us for a while, my mother-in-law leaned forward and said
to me furtively, "your father-in-law and I came to town today to get a divorce."
I was so surprised that I thought there was something wrong with my hearing.
"What did you say?" I asked her to repeat.
"Divorce, you got it?" she raised her voice. When I confirmed that there was
nothing wrong with my hearing, I turned from being surprised to being completely
stunned.
I pointed my finger at my mother-in-law, then at my father-in-law, and
started to console them, "what's wrong with the two of you? You've been married
for such a long time. Are there any problems so serious that you cannot solve
but with a divorce? You have suffered and overcome all difficulities together
over these years. Now things are getting better and better day after day. Why do
you...?"
I noticed that my father-in-law was trying to hide his smile.
Seeing that I was taking this seriously, my mother-in-law laughed and cut in,
"to tell you the truth, we are getting a fake divorce."
A fake divorce? What's that for?
Marriage is certainly not a game, especially for an old couple that
has come through so much and shared so many things with each other. I could
not understand at all.
My mother-in-law saw the puzzlement on my face, and spoke again furtively,
"these days, the townships are merging with one another. We have to move, too.
There will be a compensation of about 8,000 yuan [approximately 1,000 dollars]
per capita, and an additional amount of over 5,000 yuan [approximately 600
dollars] for moving cost per family. Now that your father-in-law and I have
divorced, we can divide our family. Now we are two families, instead of one. So
we can get an additional moving allowance of several thousand yuan. It's very
easy and fast to get a divorce nowadays. We had all the paperwork done in less
than half an hour. I can buy my grandson a computer with the extra we may
get..."
I was so surprised. I knew that every time my son visited his grandma, he
would ask her to buy him a computer. But I could never imagine that she was
going to make money 'at a price of their marriage.' My mother-in-law even
proudly showed the certificate of divorcement to me.
I was speechless. "What is your plan from now on?" I was worried about the
inconvenience of their separation.
My mother-in-law doped out my thought, and said breezily, "we can still live
together after the divorce. Nowadays, there are so many young people living
together without marriage. Who will bother old people like us?"
I was really taken aback. I never expected that my mother-in-law was so
avant-guard. I felt that I was outdated.
The old couple are my in-laws. But money is so bewitching that it can turn a
legal couple that has been together for such a long time into a nominally
illegal state.
I saw the two of them off after dinner. Watching them leave, I could not help
shaking my head and falling deep into meditation.
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