The night after my best friend Chloe's thirtieth birthday party, which I threw for her. Less than ten minutes after we parted ways, she suddenly sent me a WeChat message: [Babe, shouldn't you return the wedding gift money I gave you as a birthday blessing? You know I don't plan on getting married.] [I thought you would consciously give it to me tonight, which is why I treated you to a big meal and asked you out. I didn't expect you not to mention a word about it.] [Hmph, bad woman, I spent so much money tonight in vain, my heart hurts.] She even playfully stuck out her tongue in an emoji. But I couldn't relax. If I recall correctly, she gave a thousand dollars as a gift for my wedding. But the birthday gift I gave her tonight was a gold necklace worth nearly ten thousand dollars. Not to mention when she got into college and found her first job after graduation, I gave her red envelopes (cash gifts) to celebrate. As for tonight's meal, I admit the standard of a hundred dollars per person isn't low, but... 1 I've never been one to hold back, so I asked her directly. "Are you facing any difficulties?" "No, I just feel like I won't get married in the future, so I want to get the gift money back in advance, heehee." But... She wasn't the only one who gave me wedding gift money. When she went to college and started working, the red envelopes I gave her kept increasing in value. When she got into a state-owned enterprise, I happened to land a big project, so I not only gave her five thousand dollars but also took her on a trip to Europe. At that time, she happily held my cheeks and kissed me, saying she would be my best friend forever. She said when I got married, she would definitely give a huge red envelope that would blind my eyes. I clenched my small fist with great ambition and said, "Then I must perform well on this trip." In the end, I paid for all the gifts she brought back for her relatives and friends. Although later when I got married, she only gave a thousand dollars. But I didn't care at all. I knew that although her job at the state-owned enterprise looked glamorous, the income wasn't high. Besides, her family has always favored boys over girls, always finding ways to squeeze money out of her to subsidize her younger brother. I really felt sorry for her. Actually, considering our past relationship and decades of friendship, when she made such a request, I should have transferred it to her without thinking, raising both hands and feet in approval, and maybe even praising her for "new thinking and brave behavior." I shouldn't be so twisted and sad. And the reason why it's like this now is simply because of the knot in my heart from a while ago that hasn't been untied until today. While I was lost in thought, she guessed my thoughts based on years of tacit understanding. [I know you gave me red envelopes when I got into college and found a job, but those were your blessings for me, right?] [If you had also gotten into a double first-class university instead of a second-tier one, I would have given you one too.] [If you had gotten into a state-owned enterprise, civil service, or public institution, I would also have returned a large red envelope to you. I wouldn't let you suffer a loss.] [But you didn't get in, you can't blame me for that, right? In this case, if I gave you a red envelope, wouldn't you feel like I was mocking you?] If we look at it from this angle, then her wedding red envelope should also be returned to her by me when she gets married, right? It's just that I suddenly couldn't say these words. If a friendship is calculated to this extent, what's the point of continuing the relationship? I suddenly hesitated whether to transfer a thousand dollars to her directly and then slowly cut off this relationship. The decency of adults, cutting off contact is always leaving silently, without declaration, and without special emphasis. I didn't reply for a long time. Chloe misunderstood my motive. She sent a few screenshots somewhat angrily. [I'm not just asking you. Other friends consciously transferred immediately and wished me happiness. Look at you, friends for so many years.] [Why are you so calculating?] [A thousand dollars is just a fraction of your salary. Is it worth it?] [Just like the Haidilao compensation last time. If I don't ask you actively, you never know to give it. Even when I ask, you are reluctant. This stingy and shabby style really hurts our friendship, you know?] The Haidilao compensation was because a customer urinated in the hot pot base at Haidilao, causing a public opinion crisis. To restore its reputation, Haidilao gave ten times compensation to customers who dined at Haidilao after that day. During that time, she said she was in a bad mood and kept pestering me to treat her. Although I was busy with projects and didn't have time at all, I was afraid she would be more depressed staying alone, so I abandoned a big client and satisfied her. She ate very happily. 2 She kept saying that having me as a friend was the luckiest thing in her life. She gave full emotional value. So I was very happy too. Although later because I lost that client, I lost nearly fifty thousand in commission and was severely criticized by the company boss, thus missing the promotion to vice president. But I still felt everything was worth it. Maybe because my family's economic conditions are okay and I am an only child, I don't value money very much. I always feel it's enough if there's enough money to spend, and the definition of enough is very flexible—spend more if there's more, spend less or none if there's less. Until the urine pot incident broke out, and Haidilao's compensation of five thousand dollars was hit into my account. She suddenly became extremely depressed. Nine out of ten times I asked her out, she was unwilling. The only time she came out, she was full of heaviness and couldn't lift her spirits no matter what. I panicked, thinking something happened to her recently that made her unhappy, so I couldn't help asking repeatedly. Only then did she tell me it was because I didn't share the compensation money with her. "Haidilao compensated everyone who ate the urine pot. It's a mental compensation. It was just hit into your account, doesn't mean it's all for you." "You should consciously share it with me instead of waiting for me to ask. This makes me look so greedy. Actually, I don't care about this money at all. I only care if you think of me and treat me as your best friend." "I don't know why you think like this. In my opinion, we didn't necessarily eat the urine pot. If it were an ordinary catering company, they wouldn't even compensate. Haidilao is a big enterprise; they focus on public opinion and mass perception, so they spend money to control public opinion, turning bad things into good things, and disguisingly improving customers' favorability towards them." I tried to explain to her. But she wouldn't listen to anything. She stubbornly believed she ate the urine pot, was hurt, but didn't get the compensation she deserved. And the reason for all this was that I kept it. I took advantage of her. This statement was unbelievable and unacceptable to me. That day we broke up unhappily. She posted the question on Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book), asking who was right and who was wrong, and then sent the link to me. Those siding with me and those with her were probably fifty-fifty. But she deleted all comments unfavorable to her and only sent the comments siding with her to me. Then she unilaterally inputted until 2 AM, the core idea was very clear, that is to ask for the two thousand five hundred dollars that should belong to her from me. [I don't care about this money at all, but I really don't like that the friend I've known for so many years is such a despicable and stingy person.] She said finally. That night I also had insomnia. But I was sad for a long time and still didn't transfer the money to her. I thought somewhat in a dead end, if she treated, and got this compensation, I would be happy for her, might jokingly ask her to treat again, but would never ask for this money. Even if she actively sent it to me, I wouldn't accept it. It's ridiculous to say, she kept emphasizing she wasn't for money, and I also felt I wasn't for money, but we fell out quite coldly just because of this compensation. Before today, we hadn't contacted each other for two weeks. The sparks on various chat apps were extinguished. In the afternoon at work, she actively sent a message saying she wanted me to celebrate her birthday in the evening, she said she would treat. I thought she regretted falling out with me so stiffly and intended to reconcile. 3 I was so happy at the time, I even left work an hour early and ran to the gold shop to buy her a birthday gift. Just because she once cried and told me that the bracelet she bought for her mother with several months' salary was taken by her mother to the gold shop and exchanged for a watch, which was given to her younger brother. "I also like gold jewelry, but I never bear to buy it for myself." "I couldn't bear to buy a gold bracelet for myself, but I bought it for my mom. My mom didn't appreciate it at all and gave it away immediately." "I'm so stupid, why didn't I keep it for myself to wear?" Sometimes when we were tired from shopping and drinking bubble tea, she would excitedly drag me into the gold shop and try them on over and over again. Sitting there for more than an hour, but never willing to really buy. [Several friends I messaged have returned the gift money, only you are left. are you going to give it or not?] She might have waited too anxiously and couldn't help sending another message. I couldn't control my emotions and pressed the voice button to send: "Do you really think I'm reluctant to part with that one thousand dollars?" [I know you are not short of money. It's precisely because I know that I can't understand why you can't be straightforward?] [The birthday gift I gave you today cost me nearly ten thousand, do you know?] I am willing to spend ten thousand on you, would I be reluctant to return one thousand to you? What I care about is... I typed cracklingly in the dialog box. Before I could send it out. She had already sent a message: [I didn't ask you to give such an expensive gift. You were willing to do this yourself, right? Whatever birthday gift you give is a gesture. I won't appreciate it if it's expensive, nor will I be angry if it's cheap, because this is your intention as a good friend, and I accept it all the same.] [But wedding gift money is different. It's a custom, a social atmosphere, a feudal tumor. We women of the new era should resist.] I suddenly felt there was no need to argue anymore. I silently transferred one thousand dollars to her, not wanting to say another word. She received it instantly. And didn't reply a single word. Just not long after, she posted a Moment on WeChat. The picture was a few chat records. Other friends wished her a happy single life after transferring money. But only me, she stopped at the place where I sent a confused black face and question marks. The caption was: [Best friends for more than ten years, didn't expect to fall out over a mere one thousand dollars.] She didn't even blur my avatar and WeChat nickname. My heart suffocated for a while, not knowing what to do. Suddenly I saw my mother-in-law comment under her WeChat: [What's wrong? Is there any misunderstanding between you and Vivien?] She replied very quickly, sounding helpless. [Auntie, I can't say much, I can only say, it's not a misunderstanding.] I suddenly remembered, before she sold loquats for her family, I introduced many customers to her. My mother-in-law bought some for my sake. They added each other on WeChat then. Mutual friends sent messages asking what was going on. In the chat screenshots sent by friends, I saw how she exaggeratedly smeared me. I was reading breathlessly when another friend also sent a screenshot. Good lord, even the wording and sentences were exactly the same, complete copy and paste, she didn't change a single word. I originally wanted to end this friendship here and forget about each other in the world, but I suddenly changed my mind. She said she collected nearly fifty thousand in gift money for her birthday this time. She hands over her salary every month and has to ask for living expenses temporarily. Her family would never tolerate her having so much money in hand. If I tell her mother who favors sons over daughters... But acting like this is too despicable, completely contrary to my principles of conduct all along. I fell into pain. Looking at the phone, really wavering. The phone vibrated suddenly. I looked at the WeChat message sent by the other party, feeling like cold water was poured on my head, standing dumbfounded on the spot. 4 The message was from my husband, Mark Dalton. [Why did your good friend suddenly ask to meet me? Saying your relationships with men were chaotic in high school, saying she has more things to tell me about you?] My finger paused on the phone screen. I didn't know what to say for a long time. After all, I once introduced Chloe very proudly to Mark, saying this is my best friend growing up, the relative I trust most. The words are still in my ears, but like a fierce slap on my face. Overthrowing Chloe is also overturning me who constantly stood up for her in the past. I have to admit, Chloe's move is really impressive. [We had some awkwardness.] I could only explain to Mark like this. [Can you tell me?] He replied quickly, slightly impatient. [Sorry, no intention to probe into your friends and privacy. It's just that she ran to my mom to talk nonsense. My mom just called me. I need to know the reason to explain for you.] I told him everything without concealment. I thought he would reprimand me for being stingy and overly calculating about money, but unexpectedly he saw through the essence at a glance. [Is this a friend? Clearly she treats you as a blood bag to suck. Such a relationship should have been cut off long ago.] Blood bag? I chewed these two words carefully. Not because it's too unfamiliar. But too familiar. I always say this word. Only the object I talk about is Chloe. I always say her parents treat her as a blood bag to feed her younger brother, earnestly advising her to stay away. She always cried uncontrollably telling me she couldn't help it, those were the parents who gave birth to her and raised her. While being hurt, she willingly let her parents suck blood. Thinking about it now, what is the difference between her selling misery and crying poor to me, and her parents showing weakness and suppressing her. When she needs me to pay for her, she asks for help in every weak way. When I refuse, she spares no effort to smear and attack me, disregarding past friendship at all. Thinking of this, my heart was cold, no more softheartedness. I picked up the phone and called her parents. As I expected, her parents indeed didn't know about her asking for the gift money back. Less than ten minutes after I hung up, Chloe called crazily. I hung up, and she sent messages. [For just a thousand dollars, is it worth it? Knowing clearly what kind of people my parents are, you actually ran to tell on me. Do you really want to drive me to death?] [I even regretted a bit just now, thinking I went too far in anger and wanted to apologize to you. Unexpectedly, you are not worth my self-reflection at all!] [Don't you think this is too despicable? Pick up the phone!] Her tone was as domineering as always. And I didn't even want to confront her. Clearly she posted on Moments first, she talked nonsense in front of my mother-in-law and husband first. Although what I did wasn't open and aboveboard, it was just tit for tat. I blocked her and threw her out of my mind. Started busy preparing for wedding-related matters. Fortunately, although my mother-in-law had doubts about me, under Mark's hard explanation, she didn't have a bad impression of me. It's just that my reputation among friends was affected more or less. A few friends thought that although she calculated excessively and wasn't frank enough with me, the fact that her original family was pitiful was also true. Since I saw through her, just stay away, no need to harm her once more. After I informed on her, all the money on Chloe was plundered by her family, and she was beaten severely, unable to get out of bed for a few days. Friend Lisa Woods, who went to see her, came back and shed tears in front of me, complaining to me: "After all friends for many years, your heart is too cruel."
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