Mai had made a lot of preparations to go to her boyfriend’s house, Rahul, for the first time. She wore a beautiful and elegant ‘salwar-kameez’. She was from an educated family and her values were reflected in the way she spoke. But little did he know that Rahul’s family was going to take an “unannounced test” for him.

That day was Rahul’s grandfather’s 80th birthday. People from the entire family came and a grand feast of about 50 plates was ready. After the party was over, there were dirty utensils strewn all around. Rahul’s mother called May and said in a slightly stern tone: “Look, son, our daughters-in-law here help in the household chores. Please help clean these dishes, there is no need to hesitate. ”

 

But it was not a “little” pot, but a mountain of 50 plates. Rahul’s mother and aunts stood in the distance, smiling, to see what the “city girl” did. Rahul tried to speak, but his mother silenced him.

May didn’t say anything. She calmly took out her phone, made a few calls, and then said, “Aunty, just give me 15 minutes.” ”

Then a small car stopped at the gate. 4 people got into uniform—they were from a professional cleaning service. They had brought with them modern equipment and liquid soap. In no time, they shone all the utensils.

May told Rahul’s mother, “Aunty, I called professional service. Each thali costs Rs 50 for a total of Rs 2500. I have paid. I felt that if I had done it alone, it would have taken a lot of time and maybe not as much cleaning. In this way, the work is done and we can all sit and spend time together. ”

Rahul’s grandfather, who was watching, laughed out loud and said, “Well done! It’s not about washing dishes, it’s about solving problems. This girl is not only intelligent, but also modern. Such a daughter-in-law should come to our house today, lest it slips out of hand!”

Everyone started laughing. Rahul’s mother’s anger turned into pride. Now she often calls May and asks, “Son, when to confirm the wedding date?”

For May, that evening was not just a “test”, but a declaration of her self-esteem and thinking. But the story didn’t end there—the real turning point came after that.

Everyone laughed at Grandpa’s words, but Rahul’s aunt Sudha, standing in a corner of the room, was silent. There was a slight prickle in his eyes. He said in a low voice, “Grandpa, prudence is fine in its place, but there are some traditions in the house.
May heard this, but did not respond. He looked at Rahul. Rahul squeezed her hand lightly—as if to say, I am with you.

After dinner, when everyone sat in the drawing room, Grandpa started a conversation with tea. “May, tell me, what do you do?”
May smiled and said, “Grandpa, I work at a consulting firm. I help companies improve their processes—less time, lower costs, better results.
Grandpa’s eyes lit up. “So what you did today is your job!”
May laughed. “Yes, just applied it at the house level. ”

Rahul’s mother—now with no sternness on her face as before—openly asked, “But son, if you call outside help for everything, how will you run the house?”
May bowed respectfully. “Auntie, there are many ways to run a household. Sometimes with hard work, sometimes with understanding. In my eyes, family time is the most precious. If we can save fatigue and stress with a little money, then that too is service. ”

There was a moment of silence. Then Rahul’s younger sister said mischievously, “Mummy, if sister-in-law comes, I won’t have to wash the dishes either!”
Everyone burst out laughing. The atmosphere became lighter.

The next day, May was preparing to return. Rahul’s mother called him to a separate room. “What happened yesterday… I admit, that wasn’t right,” he said quietly. “I just wanted to see how much you could ‘handle the house’.
May politely replied, “Auntie, managing a household is not only with hands, but also with mind and heart.” I’m not afraid of hard work, but I can’t compromise with humiliation.
Rahul’s mother’s eyes became moist. “Maybe we need to change too. ”

The wedding date was fixed. But before that came another test. The budget was increasing in the preparations for the wedding. The demands of relatives, the pressure of appearances—everything was overwhelming. One day Rahul got upset and said, “May, I am afraid that we may fall into debt.
May opened the laptop, made a sheet, and said, “Don’t be afraid.” Let’s think of it as a project too.
She divided expenses into priorities, removed unnecessary frills, spoke directly to local vendors. Result? The same grandeur, at half the cost.

On the day of the wedding, Grandpa said from the stage, “Today I am not just a daughter-in-law, but a new idea.
Rahul’s mother hugged May. “You taught us that tradition and modernity can be companions, not enemies. ”

There were challenges even after marriage. Sometimes the balance between work and home, sometimes the expectations of relatives. But May and Rahul found a solution together every time. They don’t argue, they talk. Not orders, but consent.

One evening, the same aunt Sudha said, “May, you have proved us wrong.
May smiled and said, “Auntie, I didn’t prove anyone wrong. Just showed that there is more than one way to every problem. ”

The lesson of the story was clear—there is no greater virtue than honor, and no power greater than wisdom.
May not only lightened the pile of 50 plates, but also the burden of generations of thinking. And that was his real victory.