My husband’s grandfather berated me harshly at the hospital, and when I heard my sister-in-law’s mocking laughter, I realized how foolish I had been.

This was my second New Year’s holiday with my husband’s family. I don’t have my own family to return to, as I’m an orphan. My parents passed away early, and my grandmother, my only remaining relative, passed away three years ago.

Growing up, I was always aware of my situation, so I didn’t dare fall in love. I feared people would look down on me for being an orphan with no support. However, fate had other plans, and I met a kind and genuine man who eventually became my husband after a long period of hesitation and fear.

A Bit About Us

My husband is from the city. We met while working part-time at a tea shop. At the time, I thought he was in a difficult financial situation like me, working to make ends meet. Little did I know, he was friends with the shop owner and was only working there temporarily while transitioning between office jobs.

Seeing his kindness and diligence, I grew fond of him. He helped me a lot at the tea shop, often buying me food because he knew I was frugal. After two months, he left the tea shop and started working as a teacher at an international elementary school. Despite leaving, he visited me at the shop daily, bringing me treats and gifts on special occasions like my birthday. No one had ever treated me so well, and before I knew it, I had fallen for him.

On New Year’s Eve 2021, he confessed his feelings for me. By the end of that year, he proposed. At first, I was terrified and refused, but after understanding my fears, he reassured me and promised we’d build a happy home together. At that time, my grandmother’s health was failing. Wanting her to see me in a wedding dress, I agreed to marry him. Unfortunately, she passed away before we could hold the engagement ceremony, leaving me utterly alone.

A New Family, New Challenges

From that point on, my husband was my only family, and I cherished our small unit. However, my in-laws weren’t as welcoming. Except for my kind mother-in-law, most of his relatives looked down on me for my background. Being an orphan from the countryside didn’t sit well with them. They doubted my education, assuming my college degree was fake.

Thanks to my husband’s unwavering support, I found the strength to endure their prejudice. When our daughter was born, I focused entirely on our little family, ignoring gossip and judgment.

I started an online flower shop, which did well. My earnings soon surpassed my husband’s teaching salary. This financial independence slowly softened my in-laws’ attitude toward me. My husband and I rented a place of our own, and though we couldn’t afford a house yet, I enjoyed our freedom. Occasionally, we visited his family, bringing gifts for everyone. His parents and grandparents welcomed us warmly—everyone except my sister-in-law.

The Trouble with My Sister-in-Law

My sister-in-law, ten years older than me and also in the education field, had always disliked me. She often blamed me for things I hadn’t done, like eating offerings meant for the ancestors or taking fruits intended for others. Even my husband didn’t get along with her, but arguing with her was futile—she was too cunning. We decided it was best to avoid conflict.

However, avoiding her wasn’t always possible. Today, I paid dearly for trusting her.

The Incident at the Hospital

Last week, my husband’s grandfather was injured in an accident while exercising in the park. He suffered a fractured bone, torn ligaments, and some bruising, along with a minor heart issue. The family took turns caring for him at the hospital. Today was my sister-in-law’s turn, but she claimed she was busy and asked me to fill in.

Despite being swamped with work due to the holiday rush at my flower shop, I agreed. My sister-in-law stopped by my house beforehand and handed me a bag of bird’s nest drinks, saying they were a gift from a student’s parents and would be good for Grandpa. Grateful for her thoughtfulness, I took the drinks without inspecting them.

When I gave the drinks to Grandpa at the hospital, he was initially pleased. But moments later, he noticed a “Buy 1 Get 1 Free” label on the packaging and became furious. Someone in the hospital room commented that these were cheap, industrially processed drinks with no real bird’s nest, only jelly-like fungus. Enraged, Grandpa threw the drinks on the floor, shattering the bottles. The shards cut my foot, causing it to bleed.

He then launched into a tirade, accusing me of being uneducated and stingy, buying cheap, near-expired products to harm his health. I couldn’t defend myself, knowing he wouldn’t believe me if I told him the drinks were from my sister-in-law. When I called her for clarification, she laughed mockingly and denied everything, telling Grandpa I was lying.

In that moment, I realized I had been naive to trust her. It was a painful lesson learned in front of an entire hospital room.