The daughter got married in the city, and had just given birth less than a month ago. Her mother in the countryside had to sell all her pigs and chickens for a few coins…

My daughter got married in the city and just gave birth less than a month ago. In the countryside, I had to sell all the pigs and chickens, empty all the money in the jar, and carry gifts on the way, just hoping to visit my grandchild. But as soon as I set foot in the door, my in-laws curled their lips and said something that cut like a knife. I grabbed the live chicken and threw it right in the middle of the house and declared…

I remember that morning it was pouring rain, the whole village went to the fields and I was the only one busy tying the chicken cage and the egg bag to the bicycle. My daughter – she gave birth to her first child at a hospital in Hanoi, and went to her husband’s house far away in some high-rise apartment building whose name I couldn’t even pronounce.

I sold all 3 pigs and the newly hatched chickens to get some money for the long trip. With the rest, I bought a few kilos of meat and some gifts from my hometown. I wrapped each item carefully to give to my in-laws and gave money to my grandchild to buy diapers and milk.

I sat in the car for 5 hours, had to change two buses, when I got there I was shaking like a leaf, my legs were tired. As soon as I knocked on the door, my mother-in-law opened it slightly, looked me up and down, her eyes cold as ice:

– “What are you bringing? There is no shortage of chicken and eggs here. How embarrassing!”

I was stunned.

My daughter hugged her grandchild and walked out, her eyes red and her face filled with joy. But before she could help her, the mother-in-law  pouted and said softly but loud enough for me to hear :

– “What do you think? The countryside is still the countryside. Just because a daughter marries a city man, you think she’s classy right away.”

My blood boiled all over my face. I looked at her from head to toe, then  without saying a word , picked up the live chicken in the cage,  threw it straight down into the middle of the house – the chicken flew everywhere, the eggs broke everywhere , then stood up straight, my voice as firm as a nail:

– “I am a country bumpkin. But I do not sell my self-respect. Little money, much heart, if you despise me, then you keep my contempt for others. As for the money I brought with me, I leave it to my daughter and grandchildren – not to buy your family’s contempt!”

Having said that, I pulled my daughter’s hand, stuffed the bag of money into her hand, then turned and walked away.

When I reached the stairs, I heard her calling:
“Hey, don’t be angry, I was just joking…”

But I  didn’t turn back.  She might have said those words “country bumpkin” out of habit, but  I’ll never forget them for the rest of my life.