After all, we had already been discussing our marriage. Troy and I had met each other's parents and added each other as friends.

When I received a message from Troy's mother, I was still thinking if there was something wrong. But when I saw the content, I couldn't help but frown.

[Wendy, Troy works hard to earn money. As a daughter-in-law of the Shaw family, you must learn to be thrifty and manage the household well.]

[There are many high-end things in the big city. It's just a New Year's Eve. You shouldn't buy and spend everything.]

[You know, as a woman working hard in Atlanta, if it weren't for Troy, it would be difficult for you to live this kind of quality life on your own, right?]

The entire screen was filled with this short essay, and every word and sentence was accusing me of spending too much money.

Being scolded for no reason, I felt a bit angry.

I had been with Troy for so many years, and I had long known that we had no support.

I lived with him in a narrow rental house and commuted by subway.

Although my monthly salary was considered top-notch in the company, I was not willing to buy expensive cosmetics, and I had never asked for gifts on holidays or anniversaries.

Even when preparing for the wedding, I only looked at the few wedding planning companies with the best cost performance.

I did these in order to buy a house that belonged to both of us as soon as possible.

What did I do wrong to make her scold me like this?

Just because Troy sent me 40-dollar red envelope?

But 40 dollars was not even one percent of my monthly salary.

I suddenly remembered a blogger I saw on a short video just now.

She asked her boyfriend to book the top floor of the tallest building in Atlanta just to watch a magnificent drone show.

After a trip, at least one or 400 thousand dollars was needed.

The comments section was full of self-proclaimed slaves joking.

I didn't have any emotions at that time.

But now, I still envied that girl a little.

If I had money, I probably wouldn't have to be called materialistic for receiving so little money now.

When Troy went home, I couldn't completely detach myself from my emotions.

Seeing me with red eyes, he frowned and put down the small cake in his hand.

"What's wrong? What happened?"

I threw my phone at him in anger.

"Take a look at what your mother said to me."

Troy took the phone and finished reading the chat records.

His expression was a bit ugly, as if he couldn't believe his mother would say such things.

"My mom..."

Troy sighed.

"Wendy, my family is in the countryside and the conditions are not good. My mom is used to being frugal, so she may speak inappropriately for a moment. I'm sorry."

With his explanation, I couldn't calm down at all. I just sneered, "What does it have to do with me, Troy, if your mom is used to being frugal? I just accepted a 40 dollars red envelope from you, that's all!"

"I dare not accept this red envelope anymore, I'll return it to you."

I had always had a mild temper, but Troy became a little flustered when he saw that I was really angry.

He held me in his arms.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I made you suffer."

"I will talk to my mom, Wendy, can you please not be angry anymore?"

"Look, I brought you a small cake, your favorite strawberry cake."

It's one thing if he didn't say that, but when he said it, my grievances well up from the bottom of my heart.

I leaned on Troy's body and my tears fell heavily.

"Troy, I dare not eat the cake. How much have you spent on me over the years, you know about it."

Troy's body stiffened for a moment, and he reached out to stroke my back.

"Hmm, I know."

With my head lowered, I didn't see the complexity that flashed through his eyes.

After hugging Troy like this for a while, my emotions calmed down a lot, and I gave him a way out.

"Let me see the cake you bought."

Troy breathed a sigh of relief and handed me the cake as if he what he gave me was a treasure.

"Well, this shop is now very popular. I queued for half an afternoon to buy it."

The small cake was indeed exquisite.

When did Troy start to know about popular shops?

When I told him about these shops before, he never had any patience to listen to me.

Who could be the friend who went shopping with him?

My heart was in chaos.

Before going to bed at night, I habitually opened the short video app and saw the woman I saw last time."

Today's content was about her shopping with her boyfriend.

The man who didn't appear in the camera generously and readily bought various expensive cosmetics for her.

In the video, the woman with fair and smooth skin smiled brightly.

"Sisters, remember, as women, we should love ourselves more!"

I subconsciously touched my face.

Once upon a time, I was also the focus of attention in school.

I was good-looking and good at studying.

But at the last class reunion, they all said I had changed.

My skin was dull, and I was not willing to buy expensive clothes. Even though I was not yet thirty, I looked more and more like a shrewd aunt in the market.

I turned my head and looked at the soundly sleeping Troy beside me.

Compared to my dullness, time hadn't left too many traces on his face.

Of course, although we were saving money to buy a house, his investment in himself was far greater than mine.

I used to not care, but now, I couldn't help but reflect.

Was my choice really right?

The video continued to play, and the two of them continued to buy things along the way. When they pass by a dessert shop in the mall, they stopped.

"Oh, this shop is so popular recently, there are so many people." The woman casually mentioned.

The boyfriend standing beside her immediately went to line up.

I saw the name of the dessert shop, which was the same shop that Troy brought me a cake from.

What a coincidence.

I wondered if Troy was also in line at that time?

But the video stops here, and I didn't see any familiar figure in the crowd.

I felt a little annoyed for no reason.

The cake was indeed delicious, but Troy's treatment towards me was really not even one-tenth of what the woman's boyfriend in the video treated her.

I knew it's not good to compare them, but I couldn't help but have internal conflicts.

Was I not worth being treated well by others?

Although I felt a bit uncomfortable, I didn't show it in the following days.

The adult world was not just about love.

After the holiday, both Troy and I returned to our jobs.

He was still the workaholic who would not reply my WhatsApp message, and I sat at my desk dealing with endless work.

Troy called me.

His father got drunk and fell into a ditch and was seriously injured and needed to go back to his hometown.

As a future daughter-in-law, it was only natural for me to be present.

I asked for two days off from my boss and went back to my hometown with Troy.

The brick house in the countryside was crowded with visiting relatives.

When Troy's mother saw Troy rushing back, her wrinkled face was filled with surprise.

But that surprise instantly turned into dissatisfaction when she saw me.

"Why did you bring her back?"

I was at a loss when I heard this with bags of supplements in my hands.

"Mom!" Troy tugged at her sleeve, "Don't say that about Wendy."

Troy's mother glared at me and turned back into the house.

I didn't know why she had such hostility towards me.

When we met the parents before, she was kind and gentle, even holding my hand and saying I was a good girl.

Why did she completely change in just a few months?