Mother-in-law had to clean the house after losing a bet with her daughter-in-law.

Before officially "living with her mother-in-law", Ms. Thuy Oanh, born in 1987, only met her once, at her and her husband's wedding held in Hue. Ms. Oanh's first impression of her mother-in-law was a kind woman, smiling a lot but also quick to cry. When her husband led her into the wedding hall, she cried. That moment helped Ms. Oanh understand a part of this "new mother".

"When we said goodbye to return home, my mother cried a lot. I knew I loved her," said the Vietnamese bride in France.

Many people said that Ms. Oanh's marriage was like "gambling", because before agreeing to marry her husband, she knew nothing about his family. A few days before the flight to France, she encouraged herself that her new life would be full of excitement.

"I couldn't imagine what it would be like to live with foreign parents-in-law. I just thought I would try to learn to cook Western dishes, learn French and treat them well. I believe they will respond with kindness," Thuy Oanh confided.

Ms. Thuy Oanh with her husband and French parents-in-law.

After a long journey, the weather was quite cold, Ms. Oanh stopped at Narbonne station. At the station, her husband's parents welcomed her. Mrs. Marie-Thérèse, Ms. Thuy Oanh's mother-in-law, put a warm coat on her daughter-in-law's shoulders and looked at her affectionately. As soon as she got home, the Hue woman was even more surprised when she entered the bedroom that her mother-in-law had tidied up. The bedding was printed with orchids, Ms. Oanh's favorite flower, and smelled of fabric softener. Next to the bed, Mrs. Marie placed a vase of fresh flowers, next to it was a hand-embroidered picture of Vietnam. She said it was for her daughter-in-law to look at whenever she missed her mother's homeland.

On the first day at her husband's house, Oanh was "shocked" when she woke up at 9am. The Vietnamese bride rushed to the kitchen, worried that her mother-in-law would be upset. Contrary to her expectations, Marie greeted her daughter-in-law with a gentle smile. She asked Oanh if she slept well, then explained the French habit of waking up late. Oanh's mother-in-law advised her daughter-in-law to sleep more because the housework had been completed.

Ms. Thuy Oanh boasts that her mother-in-law cooks well and is willing to change the menu frequently. For more than a month at her husband's house, she has enjoyed many strange dishes, prepared to suit Vietnamese tastes. Mrs. Marie also stored a lot of rice to cook for her daughter-in-law from Hue. Ms. Oanh's preference for seafood is also satisfied by her mother-in-law, even though her husband's family members do not like seafood.

Because she was not good at cooking French food, Oanh often asked her mother-in-law to do chores for her. But Marie did not agree because she was afraid that her daughter-in-law would be tired. In the morning, before her daughter-in-law woke up, she quickly grabbed all the dirty clothes and put them in the washing machine. After drying them, Oanh's mother-in-law ironed them so that her daughter-in-law could wear them.

Mrs. Marie-Thérèse and Ms. Oanh at their wedding ceremony held in Hue.

Feeling guilty for her mother-in-law's thoughtfulness, Ms. Oanh thought of a plan to invite her to play a betting game. While the mother and daughter were watching a TV show, Ms. Thuy Oanh suggested that each of them choose a contestant, and whoever's contestant lost would have to do all the housework.

"I chose the weaker contestant, but in the end he still won. I had to 'bite the bullet' and sit on the sofa surfing the web while my mother-in-law cleaned up by herself. When my husband came home, Marie told him about my 'trick' and the two of them laughed together," Thuy Oanh recounted her failed "plot".

Oanh's mother-in-law is very proud of her Vietnamese daughter-in-law. She talks about her to everyone she meets and shows off her son's wedding album. When her friends compliment her on her beautiful daughter-in-law, Marie is very satisfied. From someone with a basic knowledge of French, Thuy Oanh has improved noticeably after only one month of being tutored by "teacher" Marie. The Hue woman confided that she was touched by her mother-in-law's patience and happy when she gently explained each pronunciation and grammar mistake.

"The French have a habit of calling their parents-in-law by their first names, but I find that not close. I asked permission to call them dad and mom to show my love. At first, my parents-in-law were not used to it, but then they seemed to enjoy it. Sometimes, I showed off my sewing skills by helping Marie's mother with her dress. Every afternoon, my mother and I went to exercise, played cards, and played puzzles together. She still insisted on competing with me for housework. As for me, I quickly adapted to life in a foreign land. My 'process' of living with my mother-in-law was that simple. Until now, I often joke with my husband: 'If you want to move out, then live alone. I want to continue living here with my parents'", said Ms. Thuy Oanh.

According to ngoisao.net