They say a parent’s love knows no bounds, but of course, this usually comes with the assumption that the children are responsible human beings who are capable of taking care of themselves without getting into trouble.
Which is why a couple in Singapore recently decided to sever their ties with their 33-year-old son.
And before you jump to conclusions, Huang Yunping (Hanyu pinyin), the mother of the family, recently sat down with Shin Min Daily News to explain why.
Son Was from Previous Marriage, Came to Singapore Without Any Notice in Advance
When speaking to Shin Min, Mdm Huang explained that her son, Xiao Zhenyao, is from a previous marriage of hers.
In particular, Mdm Huang, a Malaysian, was left a widow after her ex-husband passed away 22 years ago.
Apart from Xiao, she had to raise two daughters as well.
After her ex-husband’s passing, she got to know 68-year-old Su Qiyuan, whom she later married and moved to Singapore with.
Mr Su and Mdm Huang told reporters that Xiao grew up in Malaysia and worked in New Zealand illegally for some time.
However, when the COVID-19 pandemic started, he became unemployed.
Thereafter, he suddenly arrived in Singapore in June last year without informing his parents in advance.
The couple also revealed that Xiao started to work as a food and beverage (F&B) staff member at a recreational club when he came to Singapore.
Due to the nature of his job, he did not move in with his mother and stepfather after moving to Singapore.
Initially Helped Pay Off Son’s Debt
At the end of March this year, Mr Su and Mdm Huang found out that Xiao had been borrowing money from loan sharks.
In particular, they discovered that he owed the loan sharks $11,000.
At that point, they decided to help Xiao tide over that difficult period, prompting them to take money out of their savings to help him pay off his debt.
They did so on 17 April this year.
However, the couple soon found out that Xiao continued to borrow money from other loan sharks just two days after that.
And he didn’t just borrow from one loan shark.
He borrowed from five.
According to Mr Su and Mdm Huang, Xiao borrowed $1,000 from each loan shark.
With regards to Xiao’s behaviour and constant borrowing of money, AsiaOne reported Mdm Huang describing him as a “frequent” loan shark customer.
He had apparently started to borrow from unlicensed moneylenders at the age of 18 and continued to do so even after moving to Singapore.
Mdm Huang also revealed that Xiao denied being addicted to gambling but never gave his parents a proper reason as to why he was borrowing so much money.
The couple added that they are at their wit’s end with regards to helping their son pay off his debts.
Apart from having no income, they just helped Xiao pay his debts two months ago, rendering them even more helpless.
Parents Tried to Control His Bank Account After Paying His Debt, but He Applied for a New Card
Apart from that, Mr Su and Mr Huang recalled how they tried to control Xiao’s bank account after helping him pay off his debt in April.
They attempted to do so by controlling his bank account and telling him he could ask them for money (for sensible expenses, of course) if he needed it.
Although Xiao initially agreed to this information, he went against his word by lying to the bank that he had lost his bank card.
This allowed him to apply for a replacement card, which he used to withdraw the remaining money he had left in his bank account.
Loan Sharks Also Harassed Other Family Members
According to the couple’s recount, Xiao’s actions have also affected other people around him.
Xiao’s sister, who is based in the United Kingdom (UK), mentioned that she received multiple harassment messages from the loan sharks that her brother had borrowed money from.
Mdm Huang’s son-in-law also said that he once saw a post on the internet that had Xiao’s face on it.
The photo was to highlight the fact that he owed the loan sharks money.
Apart from that, Xiao’s cousins in Malaysia and China have also allegedly been threatened by loan sharks as well.
Even Colleagues and Flatmates Were Affected
Beyond Xiao’s family members, even his colleagues and flatmates got embroiled in the issue.
Apart from his colleagues receiving threats from loan sharks, the manager of Xiao’s workplace also told his parents that his work permit would be revoked if he continues to be uncontactable.
Mdm Huang also revealed that the loan sharks once locked the gate of a flat in Bedok that Xiao was co-renting with other residents.
The flatmates called Mdm Huang to inform her of the situation, which was how she found out about her son’s debts.
As for what Xiao is up to right now, Mdm Huang claimed that he has completely vanished and that she has been unable to contact him at all.
She said that he would usually contact her often to borrow money without returning it, but this behaviour stopped over the past two weeks or so.
The last time she and Xiao had any kind of contact was almost a fortnight ago, on 13 June.
Apart from that, Xiao took down all of his social media accounts.
Regarding her son’s behaviour, Mdm Huang expressed exasperation at how Xiao is still behaving in such an immature way despite being an adult.