"It's better to borrow a house than to borrow it in pairs." What exactly does this sentence mean?

The meaning of "I'd rather borrow a house to stop mourning than borrow a house in pairs" is a hypothesis. That is to say, if there is only one choice between "borrowing a house to stop mourning" and "borrowing a house in pairs", I'd rather choose "borrowing a house to stop mourning" than "borrowing a house in pairs".

Both of them are not good things, and both of them are unavoidable things in the old society and countryside, and both of them will bring bad results to families. However, the consequences of "borrowing a house in pairs" are much more serious than those caused by "borrowing a house to stop mourning". Under the psychological influence of people seeking advantages and avoiding disadvantages, if they have to choose one or the other, they have to choose "borrowing a house to eliminate their worries" when there is no other choice.