Everyone in the village knows Mrs. Luu – the hardworking woman who wears a tattered hat all year round and pushes an old tricycle around the city collecting scrap metal. For twenty years, she has collected beer cans, plastic pieces, and milk cans to support her son, Hao, in his education.
“Study, only with knowledge can you change your life.” – she often says, then silently rummages through the trash.
Hao understood his mother’s suffering. But every time he sees his mother’s back bent over the stinking garbage, his heart still aches. He vows: “From now on, I will definitely give my mother a different life.”
After many years of hard work, Hao passes the medical school entrance exam and becomes a doctor. The entire poor neighborhood is filled with pride:
– Mrs. Luu’s son Luu is really good, his mother collected garbage and raised him to be a doctor!
Hao works in a big city and rarely returns to his hometown. When he falls in love with the daughter of the hospital director, Ms. Minh Anh, he hesitates to talk about his mother.
He is afraid. Afraid of disapproving looks, afraid of people thinking that he is “uneven in society”.
But Minh Anh’s love is sincere. He says:
– I love you, not your past.
Hao burst into tears. He thought, maybe he will get lucky.
The wedding date is set at a luxury hotel. Minh Anh’s father, Mr. Trong, is a well-known businessman. He did not like Hao from the beginning, but because his son begged, he agreed.
That day, Mrs. Luu wore an old ao dai that her neighbors had saved their money to rent. He sat quietly in the corner, lying in a shiny suit and sparkling lights. His calloused hands trembled as he held the wedding envelope – only 2 million, the amount he had saved for a few months.
When the wedding ceremony began, Hao held his wife’s hand and walked to the stage. The MC introduced:
– We would like to invite representatives from both families to speak.
Mr. Trong adjusted his tie, preparing to step forward. But at that moment, Hao suddenly took the microphone, his voice trembling:
– Before we begin, I would like to introduce the most important woman in my life.
The stage lights went down, Hao turned to the back of the auditorium:
– Mom! Come here with me!
Everyone was in a panic. Mrs. Luu was confused, not daring to step forward, stammering:
– Oh… I’m so rustic, people will laugh at me.
Hao ran downstairs, grabbed his mother’s hand and pulled her up amidst hundreds of eyes. He choked:
– This is my mother – the garbage collector who raised me. Without my mother, I wouldn’t be here today!
The entire hall fell silent. At that moment, everyone was moved.
But what no one expected was that when Mr. Trong, Hao’s father-in-law, saw Mrs. Luu’s face, he suddenly became cold. His whole body trembled, then he knelt down in front of her.
A choked voice said:
– You… are you Ms. Luu?
He stepped back, his face pale:
– You… Trong?
The entire hall gasped. Minh Anh looked at her father in confusion, while Hao was stunned.
Mr. Trong:
– More than thirty years ago… you saved me from the market fire. At that time, you left all your belongings behind and were seriously injured. I looked everywhere but couldn’t find you… I never expected to see you again today, and you are my son’s father-in-law!
The entire audience gasped. Everyone was amazed.
Mrs. Luu stood up, tears streaming down her face:
– I only remember saving a man, then losing my house in that fire. Since then, I have been drifting, making a living by collecting garbage. Unexpectedly…
Mr. Trong knelt down, his voice choked:
– I have been indebted to you all my life and I have not been able to repay you! Without you, I would not be here today. I kneel down to thank my benefactor, who is also my son’s mother-in-law.
Applause echoed throughout the auditorium, mixed with emotional tears.
Minh Anh hugged her mother-in-law and said tremblingly:
– Mom, I am proud to have you!
Hao knelt down next to his mother, hugged her shoulder, tears falling. Mrs. Luu choked:
– I don’t need anyone to thank me, it’s enough to see you happy.
After the wedding, Mr. Trong returned to his hometown and rebuilt the old house where he lived. He said:
– This is the only way I can repay the old love.
Their story spread far and wide, and everyone who heard it was touched. People no longer called Mrs. Luu was called “the garbage collector,” but she was called by a respectful name: “The great mother.”
Now, whenever she sees her children and grandchildren gathered in their new home, she just smiles. Her life may be covered in dust, but her heart is brighter than gold.
And people still tell that story as a lesson:
Don’t judge a person by the clothes they wear, because tattered clothes hide a great heart.