After retirement, my mother-in-law moved in with my husband and I. The first night she gave me a red silk bag, inside was something that startled me.

Living a good life will surely bring good fortune. A red bag is a worthy reward for a filial child.

My father-in-law passed away early, and my mother-in-law lives with my brother and his wife. He and his wife are always arguing and fighting. My mother always goes to work alone (she is a secondary school teacher), and comes home to cook for her two grandchildren. As a son-in-law, I sometimes get angry at my brother-in-law’s treatment of my mother.

He thinks that taking care of and educating the children is the grandmother’s responsibility. When my mother is sick, he only asks her about her. My wife has to go home to take care of her, take care of her medicine, and cook porridge. Her sister-in-law lives in the same house but also pays little attention to her mother-in-law.

One time, my mother-in-law fainted while teaching in class. The principal called my wife, who was working away from home, so she called me again and asked me to take my mother to the hospital. I left my work and went to take care of my mother-in-law. Early the next morning, my brother-in-law arrived, reeking of alcohol.

He even blamed his mother for fainting, and said that when she woke up, she should go home, instead of staying in the hospital, it was expensive and there was no one to cook for the two children. I was so angry that I told him to go home. So my brother-in-law really went home. There was really no cure.

After that, my mother-in-law asked for 3 months of unpaid leave from teaching to recover her health. But she still had to take her grandchildren to school and clean the house. I was so angry that I wanted to take her to my house, but she refused. My mother-in-law said it was not the right time yet.

This November, my mother-in-law officially retired. The day after receiving the decision, she called my husband and I to a family meeting. She announced that she would come live with us. My brother would have to take care of his children himself.

The husband-in-law was so angry when he heard that. He loudly said that since his mother was retired, she had free time, so why didn’t she take care of the children so that he and his wife could take care of them later. “Mom, go live at your daughter’s house. If you get sick in the future, don’t call your son.” The sister-in-law also seemed unhappy, thinking that her mother was being biased. When she was busy, she lived with her husband and her, and when she was free, she came to live at my house.