Key
- Only child: Refers to an individual who has no siblings, a common phenomenon among those born in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s.
- Family of origin: The family environment in which an individual grows up, which has a profound impact on one's personality and values.
- Drug trafficking: A criminal act of illegally trading drugs, which seriously endangers society.
- Suspended death sentence: The execution of the death penalty is suspended, usually meaning that the death penalty is imposed but a two - year reprieve period is given.
- Family ethics: The moral norms and behavioral guidelines among family members, which maintain family relationships.
Abstract
This episode of Story FM tells the story of Wang Jiao, a 33 - year - old woman from Xi'an, and her older brother. Wang Jiao's brother is nine years older than her. Five years ago, he was sentenced to a suspended death sentence for drug trafficking. Wang Jiao recalled her brother's rough life. He was abused by his father in his childhood and started to work for the family's livelihood before finishing primary school. Although her brother was once a street hooligan and even went to prison, his love and dedication to Wang Jiao never stopped. Wang Jiao's narration shows the complex family relationship and the deep brother - sister bond that is hard to be summarized in simple words. It also triggers people's profound thinking about the family of origin, marginalized groups in society, and the bonds of family affection.
Insights
This story touches on the profound impact of the family of origin on an individual's fate. The tragic life of the older brother is largely due to the domestic violence and lack of love he suffered in his childhood, which led to the distortion of his values and ultimately pushed him onto the path of crime. The story also reveals the living difficulties of marginalized groups in society. They often lack education and stable economic sources and are easily tempted by the bad. In addition, Wang Jiao's complex feelings towards her brother, including both resentment and an inseparable family affection, reflect the resilience of family members in supporting each other and facing difficulties together.
Views
01 "The influence of the family of origin cannot be ignored"
Experiences in childhood have a profound impact on a person's character, values, and behavioral patterns. A bad family - of - origin environment may lead to psychological distortion of an individual and increase the risk of them going astray.
02 "The importance of the social support system"
It is crucial to provide necessary support and help for marginalized groups in society who lack education and stable economic sources. This helps them get out of difficulties, integrate into society, and avoid going down the path of crime.
03 "Family affection is complex and profound"
Even if there are contradictions and conflicts among family members, family affection is still an important bond that holds them together. When facing difficulties, the mutual support and understanding among family members can bring strength and hope.
In - depth
Story FM: The "Debt - Repaying" Lives of a "Drug Addict" Brother and His Sister
Xi'an, China —— In a village in the suburban county of Xi'an, 33 - year - old Wang Jiao told the complex and heart - wrenching story between her and her older brother. Her brother, a man nine years older than her, was sentenced to a suspended death sentence for drug trafficking five years ago, which brought great changes to Wang Jiao's life. Wang Jiao said that everything she is doing now is to pay off the debt her brother owes.
Wang Jiao's family is a blended family. Her parents both remarried, and her brother was brought by her mother after she married her father. Her father was a carpenter with excellent skills. However, in the 1980s, he was addicted to drinking, whoring, and gambling, and was indifferent to the family. He even beat her mother. Her brother grew up under the shadow of his father's violence, which left deep scars on his childhood.
"My father essentially didn't love my brother. He even had a natural hatred for him. He actually beat him since he was a child," Wang Jiao recalled.
Her brother started to shoulder the family's burden at a very young age. Before finishing primary school, he started selling candied haws and collecting scrap, using his young shoulders to carry the family's load. When Wang Jiao was six or seven years old, she had a serious illness. After her parents divorced, she and her brother were separated. When they met again, her brother had become a "sloppy - looking" teenager.
Despite the hard life, her brother's love for Wang Jiao never diminished. He would buy snacks for his sister and stand up for her when she was bullied. When Wang Jiao was in the third year of junior high school, her brother even said firmly that if she was admitted to high school, he would pay her tuition fees.
However, her brother didn't take the right path. He learned welding and mined gold, but he never had a stable job. Gradually, he became a hooligan. Once, to avenge his sister, he went to school and beat a teacher.
After Wang Jiao entered high school, her brother started to get involved in drugs. He trafficked drugs and gambled, and his life went from bad to worse. Wang Jiao's sister - in - law, a junior - college graduate, left with their child after her brother was imprisoned. After her brother was released from prison, he quickly married another girl, but this marriage also ended in failure.
Her brother's life was always in a mess. He often borrowed money from Wang Jiao, and Wang Jiao always lent him all she had. In her heart, her brother was a "tall" person, and she didn't want to see him borrowing money from others humbly.
In 2015, Wang Jiao saw her brother for the last time. That National Day, her brother took her and their mother back to their hometown to pay homage to their grandmother. On the way back to Xi'an, her brother was arrested by the police for using a fake license plate and carrying a controlled knife.
"This was our last meeting," Wang Jiao said with a sob.
After her brother was imprisoned again, Wang Jiao took on the responsibility of taking care of her brother's daughter. She sold her brother's car, used part of the money to hire a lawyer, and left the rest for her mother and niece.
On the first day of the Lunar New Year this year, her brother called Wang Jiao from prison to borrow money. Wang Jiao complained about her own life pressure, and her brother never contacted her again after that.
"I think it's me who has changed, my attitude towards him," Wang Jiao said.
Despite her brother's life being full of hardships and mistakes, Wang Jiao still felt sorry for him. She thought that her brother's tragedy stemmed from his unfortunate family of origin. She wanted to do her best to make up for the harm her brother had suffered.
"If I can make some amends, I will," Wang Jiao said firmly.
Wang Jiao's story triggers people's profound thinking about the family of origin, marginalized groups in society, and the bonds of family affection. The influence of the family of origin on a person is profound. It may shape a person's character and even determine a person's fate. For those living on the margins of society, we need to give more care and help to help them get out of difficulties and regain hope in life.
Wang Jiao's story also reminds us that family affection is complex and profound. Even if there are contradictions and conflicts among family members, family affection is still an important bond that holds them together. When facing difficulties, the mutual support and understanding among family members can bring strength and hope.
Forward - looking thinking
Wang Jiao's story is not just a family tragedy. It also reflects some deep - seated problems in society. How to help children from unfortunate families, how to provide more support for marginalized groups in society, and how to build a more fair and inclusive society are all questions that we need to think about seriously.
We should strengthen the attention and intervention on the family of origin and provide protection and help for children who suffer from domestic violence. We should improve the social security system and provide more educational and employment opportunities for marginalized groups in society. We should strengthen the crackdown on drug - related crimes and create a healthier and safer environment for society.
Only in this way can we avoid more tragedies and ensure that every child can grow up healthily in an environment full of love and care.