Mr. Minh Khang (28 years old) is working in an office in Ho Chi Minh City. He and his girlfriend Ngoc Han (26 years old) met through a friend and have been in love for nearly three years.
Both have stable jobs, Khang is currently paying in installments for a small apartment, and each month he has to set aside a fixed amount for the bank. Han also has her own savings. Therefore, he once thought that their post-marital life would not be too stressful.
Everything changed when Han said that her family owed about 700 million VND.
Han's parents are in the building materials business, but in recent years business has declined. In addition to bank loans, the family also owes some acquaintances. As the eldest daughter, while her younger brother is still in university, Han is currently the main income earner and bears most of the family expenses.
Initially, Khang thought that these debts were private matters of his girlfriend's family. However, that thought gradually changed when Han said that after getting married, she would deduct about 7-10 million VND per month to help her parents pay off debts.
When Khang asked how long it would take to resolve it, Han just shook her head because she could not determine.
A few weeks ago, Han's father suddenly called Khang. He said that the bank was urging a loan and the family urgently needed 300 million VND to mature it. He asked if Khang could provide support first, and then the family would arrange to repay.
Khang was stunned. The wedding had not yet been held, he had not yet officially become a son-in-law, but he had been asked to borrow an amount of money beyond his ability.
He refused because he could not manage this amount of money. After that, Han cried and said she also did not want her parents to do that, but the family had almost no other choice.
What surprised Khang even more was that his girlfriend started thinking about wedding money.
Han believes that if the wedding receives about 200-300 million VND in congratulatory money and gold, the two can keep a part, and the rest will be used to pay off debts for their parents.
Khang asked if so, how much would the two have left after the wedding to start their private life. Han only replied that, in the immediate future, her parents are in difficulty, and the rest can be planned later.
Khang understands that his girlfriend is not a pragmatic person or wants to rely on her husband. She just wants her parents to escape debt, while her younger brother still has many years to study at university ahead.
However, he was shocked and disappointed, starting to worry that his wedding could become a way for Han's family to have more money to settle the debt.
When Khang told his mother, she said bluntly: "I'm marrying a wife, not a debtor. But if you know the circumstances and still decide to marry, then don't blame anyone later.
That sentence made Khang even more embarrassed.
Meanwhile, Han affirmed that she did not force Khang to pay the debt. She only hoped he would understand that as a child, he cannot abandon his parents in difficult times.
Khang once asked if the 700 million VND debt had not been fully repaid, if Han's parents continued to face difficulties later, what would they have to do. Han only asked back: "If it were your parents, would you abandon them?".
That question made Khang not know how to answer.
He said that he still loves and appreciates Han's responsibility. However, he also hopes that after getting married, the couple can save money to buy a house, have children and build their own lives instead of constantly struggling with the expenses arising from the family.
The wedding is being prepared by both sides, but Khang is starting to think about postponing it.
What worries him the most is not the 300 million VND that Han's father just asked to borrow, but the prospect that this will only be the first of many other amounts.
Khang is facing a difficult choice: To continue the marriage with the person he loves and accept to take responsibility for the family with her, or to stop before debts not borrowed by him become pressure in married life.
