After getting married, 23-year-old Huynh Nhu from Ba Ria – Vung Tau moved with her husband Bui Nhat Phi (also 23) to live in Xuan Loc, Dong Nai. Nhat Phi’s family runs a gold and jewelry business in Xuan Loc district. After the wedding, the couple lives in their own house within the same compound as his parents.
Not only did she marry a capable husband with a solid family business, Huynh Nhu has also won over everyone with the absolute trust and affection from her mother-in-law. Since the family is business-oriented, Mrs. Pham Thi Tuyet Mai doesn’t expect her daughter-in-law to focus on house chores but wants her to be sharp, skilled in negotiation, and good at sales.
Mrs. Mai recalls the first time she met her daughter-in-law and was immediately impressed because Huynh Nhu was exactly the “ideal daughter-in-law” she was looking for. Nhu’s beautiful and charming appearance made her exclaim, “Oh my, my daughter-in-law is so gorgeous. No wonder my son is head over heels.” Still, she was a bit worried since Nhu was quite young and wondered if her son had chosen well. But after living together, Mrs. Mai saw that Nhu was mature and responsible.
The mother-in-law from Dong Nai shared, “At first, I was worried because my son is still immature, naive. But since my daughter-in-law is so mature, I immediately told her, ‘From now on, I’m off the hook. You have to take on 50% of the responsibility for your husband. I’ll only hold 50% and just support you from behind. The responsibility to watch over and manage your husband is now yours.’”
For Huynh Nhu, her mother-in-law’s friendly and open attitude helped her forget all her previous worries and uncertainties. Mrs. Mai is also very straightforward, telling her daughter-in-law that although they live and eat together, the parents don’t expect to be served meals or household chores. They will ask for help when needed.
Beyond that, Mrs. Mai entrusted the couple with managing the gold shop. At first, she handed over 50% control, but after seeing how well they handled it, she fully handed the business to her daughter-in-law. All profits are managed by Huynh Nhu, who reinvests without needing to report back.
“Every morning, my mom tells me to wake up early and put on makeup before going to the shop. She wants me to always look beautiful. But I’m pretty lazy about makeup. Sometimes I do it just to make her happy,” Nhu laughs.
Mrs. Tuyet Mai explains her special request for her daughter-in-law: “Our business gets customers early in the morning. I always remind my daughter-in-law to get up early and put on makeup to present herself well. When you meet customers, you have to look fresh and confident since you’re in sales.”
After more than five months as a daughter-in-law, Huynh Nhu finds Mrs. Mai very serious about work but also warm and affectionate in their relationship. Since the family has no daughters, she treats her daughter-in-law like her own child.
During the time Mrs. Mai had to have colon tumor surgery, she was deeply moved when Huynh Nhu voluntarily took care of her.
“When I was hospitalized, my daughter-in-law came to take care of me. She even washed my hair right there in the hospital bed. I was so touched. I told her, ‘Nhu, you see, people say mothers need daughters to rely on and confide in, but I don’t need that. Having a daughter-in-law is just like having a real daughter.’ You have to love me to do that for me. Without affection, or if there was distance between us, she wouldn’t have done that for her mother-in-law.”
Source: Mother-in-law and Daughter-in-law
