A Red Bomb
Your close friend ignored your wedding invitation.
Should you do the same to her?
December 01
Even and Joy fell in love during their second year of university. Shortly after university, they got married. They had a beautiful wedding banquet. It was the happiest day of Joy’s life. But one thing bothered her: Her classmate Jenny did not come to the banquet and never even gave them a red envelope. Joy had considered Jenny a close friend. She couldn’t imagine why Jenny had ignored their wedding invitation.
One year later, Joy had almost forgotten the matter. But today she received a painful reminder in the mail: a wedding invitation from Jenny.
If you were Joy, what would you do?
Decision 1
Even: So what are we going to do about this “red bomb” from Jenny?
Joy: I’m at a loss. I don’t know what she expects from us.
Even: Yeah. Everyone knows if you get a wedding invitation, you should give a red envelope. But Jenny acted like she didn’t know that!
Joy: Right. And when I’ve seen Jenny since our wedding, she has acted like nothing happened. I just don’t understand it. But I’m tempted to do the same to her.
Even: You mean pretend like never even got the invitation?
Joy: Exactly. Then I’m not outright rude. But we also don’t have to give her anything.
Even: Sounds fair to me!
December 02
Decision 2
Even: You’re not going to give Jenny a red envelope, are you?
Joy: I don’t know…I’m tempted not to. But I don’t want to be stingy just because she was.
Even: Well, why not, honey? That’s kind of how red envelopes work. They are all about paying people back. And we don’t one Jenny anything.
Joy: True. But it just seems petty not to give her one. I’d rather follow the golden rule: Treat others as you want them to treat you.
Even: That is a good rule. It’s not an easy one to follow, though.
Joy: You’re right; it’s not easy. But we should still try.
Even: OK, we’ll give her a red envelope then.
Decision 3
Even: So do you think we should give Jenny a red envelope?
Joy: I guess so. I do want to attend her wedding banquet. Lots of our friends will be there.
Even: We can’t go to the banquet and not give a red envelope.
Joy: Right. But we also don’t have to give her too much money.
Even: Good idea! Even if we only give her a little bit, that’s more than she gave us.
Joy: Exactly! But I’ll feel funny when the people who are recording to amounts see what we gave.
Even: Me, too. But… oh, well. If they were in our shoes, I bet they’d do the same thing!
Word Bank
Banquet (n) 宴会，盛宴
I ate a lot of good food at the wedding banquet last night.
Reminder (n) 提醒；助人记忆的事/或物
I might forget about the meeting. Can you send me a reminder?
Tempt (v) 引诱，想要
That chocolate cake looks delicious! I’m tempted to eat a slice.
Outright (adj) 全然地，彻底地
That was outright dishonest of Brad to lie to Susan like that.
Stingy (adj) 小气的，吝啬的
I think Holly is a stingy person. She hates to spend money on anyone.
Petty (adj) 心胸狭窄的，
Ron and Kate never argue about important things. Their arguments are always about petty things.
Attend (v) 参加，出席
Madison can’t attend this meeting, but she’ll come to the next one.
In someone’s shoes (idiom) 处于某人的景况，
What would you do if you were in my shoes?
More information
At a loss (idiom) 困惑不解
I don’t know what to say. I’m really at a loss.
The golden rule (n) 金科玉律
The golden rule is a famous saying: “Do to others what you want others to do to you
Talk about it
If you are Joy,which decision would you choose?Why?
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