Chapter 1 — Freedom Is The Most Precious Gift

My mother-in-law always likes to take my things and give them to others. Furthermore, the items she took became more and more expensive. I once mentioned this to my husband, but he ended up calling me petty. He also said: "For the sake of keeping peace between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, what is that worth?" Okay, how can you understand if something doesn't happen to you, right? Then I'll let you feel it for yourself. 1 I was determined to have a serious talk with my husband about my mother-in-law taking my things and giving them to other people. Because just now, I discovered that the jar of lotion my brother gave me was missing — a 60ml bottle, more than three million! I quickly searched the whole house but still couldn't find it. I immediately went to ask my mother-in-law, she said: "Ah, today Lac Tung's younger sister came to visit mom for a while, then saw that there was a jar of ice cream in my place that was almost unused, so mom told her to take it away, it would just be a waste to leave it there." My head was pounding: "Mom, it's not that I don't use it, it's that I regret not daring to use it. A bottle of more than three million, I only dare to use a little bit each time, but you gave it to someone else?" My mother-in-law glared at me: "So what? You and Lac Tung both work and have income, so it's okay to buy it back. His sister just graduated from college and hasn't worked yet, so how about you give her some things? If you have money in your hand, you should think about your relatives. Letting everyone live a little better is the right thing to do, don't be so stingy." “But that was my brother's birthday gift, I couldn't even bear to buy it.” “Then tell your brother if he has money to give it to another child.” Having finished speaking, she threw away her apron and walked out. I was so angry that my head hurt. This isn't the first time she took something from me and gave it to someone else. From small things like fake nails to big things like household appliances, many of the things I bought were secretly taken away by my grandmother, under the pretense of maintaining family relationships. But in my eyes, that's just her borrowing my things to please others, making people think she's generous and talented. Last time it was a microwave — a gift at my company's year-end party. Before I could even open the box, she gave it to Lac Tung's uncle. The microwave at my house has been used for three years. This time I was planning to replace it with a new one, but she gave it away to someone else. I got angry and argued with her, then she said: "If you can still use it at home, keep using it, don't be so petty." In the evening I told my husband, he just said: "After all, it's a gift from the company, so that's it, don't think too much. I'm just a little prideful. Don't take it to heart." I was angry for a few days and then let it go... Later I discovered that my mother-in-law was taking more and more things from me, and the value was also getting higher and higher. Now, even a bottle of lotion worth more than three million she arbitrarily gives to others. Even so, he boldly told me: "If your brother has money, tell him to buy another one for you." I was so angry that my head hurt. Think back to things like fake nails, kettle, microwave, oven, luggage... The more I think about it, the less worth it, those things are all new, I haven't even had time to use them yet. 2 Lac Tung returned home, his face not looking very good. Before I could say anything, he spoke first: "Did you make mom angry again?" I had a lump in my stomach and a tightness in my chest. "Why did you make her angry? It's her It's okay to make me angry. She took the bottle of lotion my brother gave me and gave it to someone else, that bottle is over three million!” Lac Tung just frowned a bit, seemingly considering it before opening his mouth: "Anyway, it was my brother's gift, I didn't spend money to buy it, she just gave it to me." I looked at my husband, who every time something happened, took his mother's side, feeling completely disappointed. “So what you're saying is… whose fault is this?” I asked calmly. He smiled, reached out to hug me: "You know how your mother is, you have to comfort her, like a child. Don't compare yourself with your mother, give in to her a little." I kicked his leg: “Go away! What age am I in my early twenties and must I yield to a woman in her fifties? What the hell are you talking about! Go to the study room and sleep tonight.” I was so angry that I slammed the door and locked him outside. I really don't understand why my husband became like that. Every time something happened, he never stood by my side, only knew how to make peace, making his mother more and more unreasonable. Apparently he used to treat me very well in the past. But since half a year ago, when he used the excuse that he wanted me to be less burdened and brought his mother here to take care of food and water for daily living, everything began to change. In this house, I gradually became an outsider, while mother and child lived happily and comfortably. I saw it clearly - the sweet words of men were all lies. Anything that says "you are always the most important" is all empty talk. It's clear that everything puts my mother first, forcing me to endure everything. However, in the past six months, I have endured the pain that I needed to endure, and now I don't want to endure it anymore. My breasts are also my breasts, I can't let them bully me like that forever. I called Lac Tung's sister-in-law. "Tomorrow night, sister-in-law and Tieu Viet come over to my house to play. Didn't you tell me last time that you would bring the boy over to play? Come over for dinner tomorrow, I'll cook some delicious food for you two." Lac Tung's sister-in-law smiled happily: "Okay, no problem!" I smiled and hung up. Tomorrow will definitely be a day that makes me happy. 3 After work the next day, I came home and went straight to the office. I took the fountain pen that Lac Tung treasured the most and put it in a slightly low drawer. Tieu Viet is almost six feet tall this year, with that eye level just enough to see right away. Lac Tung has to work overtime, probably coming home very late. My mother-in-law hadn't cooked for a long time, so I had to make a full dinner myself, then wait for my sister-in-law to come. “Wow, my sister-in-law has become even more beautiful these days.” I complimented one sentence, making my sister-in-law - Giang Chi - smile from ear to ear, then turned around and complimented me on how skinny I looked. {Read full on page Nguyet Hoa Cac} The mother-in-law sitting next to me laughed, hugging Tieu Viet: "Let me see who your eldest grandson is, he's handsome again." After eating, my sister-in-law and I prepared to wash the dishes. "Tieu Viet, go to the book room and play. Last time I bought some books and put them on the table, see if you like them." Tieu Viet happily replied: "Yes, thank you!" I smiled and patted the boy's head. The mother-in-law also smiled brightly, holding Tieu Viet's hand: "Let's go, I'll take you there." If there's a book you like, she'll give it to you." I smiled as I watched the two of them enter the study room, then leisurely went to wash the dishes. Sure enough, when I finished washing and walked out, I saw Tieu Viet holding a fountain pen box, looking intently with an extremely excited expression. I sit went down next to the boy: "Does Tieu Viet like this pen?" Tieu Viet nodded: "Auntie, look, this pen is so beautiful, it also has a dragon image, I like dragons the most!" I smiled, saw my mother-in-law coming, and gently took the pencil case back from Tieu Viet's hand. "This pen belongs to your uncle, it's very important to him. Let's wait for him to come home and ask him first. If he agrees, I'll give it to you, okay?" Tieu Viet's face showed disappointment, but still nodded in agreement. My mother-in-law immediately rushed forward, snatched the box back and stuffed it into Tieu Viet's hand. "No one uses fountain pens anymore, so why keep them? It's too crowded! Tieu Viet rarely likes anything, so why give it to her?" I looked awkward: "Mom, this pen belongs to Lac Tung, should I ask him what he means?" The mother-in-law put her hands on her hips and sneered: "Why are you asking, he already said it yesterday - the things in this house, you can give them to anyone you want! Our family is not short of money, if you like, you can buy a new one!" I was so angry that I was shaking - Lac Tung actually said that to his mother. Okay, I'm really too lenient. "Okay, okay, whatever mom says, just let it go, I won't stop you anymore." "No, it's my grandchild! Whatever you like, grandma will give it to you!" At ten o'clock at night, Lac Tung had just returned from the party, smelling strongly of alcohol, making me feel nauseous. He was indeed very self-aware and went straight into the office. I followed in and said, "Husband, Mom took things from our house and gave them to someone else." Lac Tung immediately picked up the book on the table and threw it at my feet, angrily: "I'm very tired today, can you stop talking about these things? Do you understand what patience is? Every day you bring up trivial things to bother me. I go out and work hard to earn money for you, but when I come home I have to listen to your nagging, do you bother me too much?" This time, Lac Tung used alcohol to say all the words in his heart. I nodded: "Okay, I don't bother you anymore, you can rest." Stepping out of the office, I almost laughed out loud - if you knew that the fountain pen you bought for ten million was given to someone else by your mother, I wonder if you would still be able to say I "bothered" you?