Returning to her hometown without warning, the daughter-in-law choked up when she saw the scene at her husband’s parents’ house

During Tet, my husband was busy on duty so he did not visit his hometown. On the occasion of the April 30 holiday, he was favored by the agency to return home earlier. We discussed it without informing each other and went home silently to surprise our parents-in-law. My daughter is excited about the plan to “suppress” her grandparents.

While sitting in the passenger car, the baby kept smiling and repeating over and over: “Grandma must be very happy.” I will hug you and kiss your cheeks a lot.”

My daughter absolutely loves going to her grandfather’s hometown. Because, grandparents love her so much that even children can recognize it.

If we announce a visit, our grandparents will buy everything for their granddaughter. Grandma often buys clothes, stuffed animals, and toys, and grandpa comes in and out to see if the avocado and dragon fruit trees have ripe fruit. I came home to visit and bought a gift that wasn’t much. I opened my grandmother’s refrigerator and felt embarrassed. My grandparents’ refrigerator was always full of meat, fish, yogurt, jelly… and there were so many chickens and ducks in the garden that I couldn’t eat them all.

My daughter excitedly said: “Your refrigerator and garden are like Thach Sanh rice pots, no matter how much you eat, you won’t run out of delicious dishes.”

Seeing her joy, my parents-in-law laughed with tears in their eyes. Looking at that scene, I never thought or planned to travel during the holidays. Whenever they have free time, the whole family takes each other to visit their grandparents.

This time, I invited my husband and daughter to come home quietly, also to see how my husband’s parents lived and ate in the countryside. Because I have read the stories of young people far away from home a few times, and when they come home they see their parents eating frugally.

After 7 hours of driving, we arrived at the small town. The smoke-like mist blends in the dim streetlights, strangely peaceful.

I took my daughter’s hand along the small road, while my husband carried his bag and walked heavily behind. The small town was bright in the early morning without a soul in sight, and every house was still closed.

The quiet space was awakened by my daughter’s shrill voice. Arriving at the gate of his grandfather’s house, he called out loudly: “Grandpa, open the door for me.”

My grandparents were preparing breakfast and ran to the gate to pick up their grandchild in shock. My child hugged his grandfather’s neck and laughed.

My husband and I stood still, looking at our parents’ meager dinner tray without saying a word. An egg marinated in fish sauce, a plate of boiled vegetables for breakfast for two elderly people. After a meager meal, grandparents will have to go to the garden to work under the hot sun.

I hesitantly turned to look at my husband. He quickly carried his luggage into the room and did not come back out. I entered the room and saw him with tears in his eyes. I turned around, went down to the kitchen, and put the bag of fruit in the refrigerator. I was stunned when the refrigerator was empty, with only a few bottles of filtered water and a bunch of spinach.

I was angry and asked my parents-in-law why they didn’t buy meat and fish, make chicken and duck to eat. The mother-in-law smiled gently and waved her hand: “My parents are old, they don’t eat much. The money given by my husband and I, my mother leaves it there, when I come home, I buy delicious food, so the whole family can eat together and be happy.”

Without letting me interrupt, she continued: “The family’s eggs are from the chickens, I bought more vegetables in the morning. That’s all two old people ate. But this time, the kids didn’t say anything before coming home, and their parents would have gone to work later.”

As soon as she finished speaking, she took the phone from her pocket and called someone: “Now, my husband and I can’t go to work. My grandchild came to visit, I just stayed home to play with him.”

She could not hide her joy in each sentence and intonation. When I heard it, my heart throbbed, forgetting all my sadness.

I went into the room and encouraged my husband: “I can’t be there to take care of my parents, so the days I can be near must be quality. I took mother and child to the market, bought more vegetables to mix with chicken salad, and he made a pot of tea and chatted with dad.”

People often say that when tears flow, children can never repay their parents for all their efforts in giving birth and nurturing them. Everyone becomes a parent, and their biggest wish in old age is to welcome their children and grandchildren home.

Reader Nhu Nhi

‘There’s Vietnamese football tonight, will you be home in time?’

I still remember the days when the whole family gathered around the TV to watch football. After a long holiday this year, we arranged to return to that beloved house and corner of the room.

During the holidays, my son invited me to go back to my hometown, my mother choked up ‘It’s all sold out, where can I go home’

Every holiday and New Year, my mother is excited to go home to see relatives and relatives. Thinking about how other people have hometowns and homes to return to but I don’t, my mother hides her tears from me.

Receiving the call from my hometown, I absent-mindedly missed my grandmother and regretted the days when I was busy making money

Every time I return home on April 30, my grandmother often cooks sour snakehead fish soup with Southern flavors for her grandchildren. Now the image of my grandmother retreating to the kitchen is a thing of the past.