The Chinese woman and her husband decided to stay in the city because they had had bad experiences returning home for Tet for many years.
Article by author Ly Thu Nhan on Toutiao platform (China)
At the end of the year, my husband and I were both on Tet holiday but had no intention of going back to our hometowns. We had just received our train tickets back. While everyone was busy packing their luggage, taking their suitcases to the train station and boarding the plane, we were cleaning the house to celebrate the first Tet in the city.
Last night, my mother-in-law called to ask when she would be returning to her hometown. My husband just said that he would not be returning this year because the vacation was too short. The answer made my mother-in-law extremely surprised. She tried to convince me but failed, so she called me privately. At this time, I also honestly replied that every time I returned to my hometown to celebrate Tet with my husband and I, it was "like a battle", it was too tiring and tiring, so we decided to stay in the city this year.

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My mother-in-law angrily said, “If you don’t want to, don’t come back,” and then hung up. My husband and I both felt much more relieved. Many people would wonder why we work far away all year round, and only want to reunite with our family during Tet. In fact, it’s not that we don’t miss home or are unfilial, it’s just that some things happened during Tet last year that made both of us feel discouraged when thinking about going back.
During Tet, some people are busy, while others are indifferent.
On the 28th of last year, my husband and I had just returned to our hometown and had not yet had time to rest when my mother-in-law hurriedly urged us: “Hurry up and pack your luggage and come out here, there is still a lot of work to do.” My mother told us to go to town to buy Tet couplets and tea and cakes to entertain our guests, then come back to do the laundry and clean all the furniture in the house before the new year.

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After finishing all the assigned work, both my husband and I were so tired that we felt dizzy. My husband wondered why our brother and sister-in-law had so much time at home but waited for us to come home to clean and shop. He could not give any reason, only said that near Tet, we should not pay attention to small things to keep the family atmosphere harmonious.
In fact, this did not happen every year, but almost every Tet, my husband and I were "busy from head to toe" while my husband's family was indifferent. However, we always encouraged each other to try to forget it and celebrate Tet more happily. Only on the 4th day of Tet that year, my husband and I felt so angry that we did not want to go back to our hometown.
Conflict "flared up" after a party
The story is that my father-in-law invited relatives to our house for a party, and we were very willing to prepare carefully to welcome the guests. My husband and I went to town early in the morning but still did not have time to buy enough ingredients as my father told us to, and as a result, he scolded us right in front of the house. We hurriedly went to find more gifts for the guests, and when we got home it was 10am, when my husband woke up and lazily sat on the sofa watching TV.
Busy all morning but by noon, my husband and I were still in charge of the kitchen, no one else helped because my mother-in-law said she was not well, my father did not know how to cook and my husband had gone somewhere. Because there were few people and too much work, it led to a mistake: a fish with scales that were not scraped off, and goose feathers that were not processed thoroughly.

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My husband's parents were immediately dissatisfied when they saw it. Luckily, all the relatives praised the delicious food, and their faces improved. After the meal, my husband and I still couldn't rest, but had to wash the dishes, clean the house, and see the relatives off. But my husband's parents were still dissatisfied, complaining that the food was slow to arrive and that the gifts weren't enough.
My husband usually rarely argues with his parents, but this time he couldn't help but speak up: "We work hard all day and still get scolded, but where are you and your sister-in-law today?" His words stunned his father-in-law, but he still loudly asserted that his son must not argue with his father, and that he must know how to help his brother and sister-in-law.
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That night, my father and I argued for a long time, and finally my husband and I went to the city early the next morning. The conflict has not been resolved until this year because neither side is willing to "give in" to make peace. As a result, my husband proactively discussed with me about returning the train ticket this Tet, not going back to the hometown anymore, to spend the rare time of the year to rest instead of being busy with housework for his parents and siblings.
If next year's Tet is ready, we will still return. We just hope that all family members will make an effort and share the responsibilities with each other. That way, everyone can enjoy the happy atmosphere of welcoming the new year instead of feeling as heavy as the past Tets of my husband and I.
Source: https://giadinh.suckhoedoisong.vn/me-chong-giuc-ve-que-an-tet-nhung-vo-chong-toi-tra-ve-tau-o-lai-thanh-pho-vi-mot-bua-co-tu-nam-ngoai-172250108150431945.htm
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