For my mother-in-law's birthday I gave 1,000 yuan, my sister-in-law mocked me for being stingy, but when I saw the gold jewelry she gave, I laughed

(From a reader submission, images in this article are from the internet)

For my mother-in-law's birthday I gave 1,000 yuan, my sister-in-law mocked me for being stingy, but after I saw the gold jewelry she gave, I laughed

When there are many people in a family, it is easy for comparison and rivalry to arise. I have always believed that being honest about what you have is what is real, and that pretending to be rich when you are not is ridiculous. But then I saw the gold and silver jewelry my sister-in-law gave my mother-in-law, and I was so embarrassed I could not say a word.

My relationship with my elder sister-in-law is not very good, because I think she is a particularly vain woman. Her family's financial situation is not very good, but she still loves to boast to outsiders about how great and wonderful her family is. When neighbors and relatives chat together, she always has to win the argument. For example, she loves to brag about her child, saying her son is the smartest and ranks first in his grade every time. But the truth is not like that at all; her son's grades can only be considered above average. Listening to her makes me very embarrassed, and I think it is ridiculous. Does she really think others know nothing? What is even more speechless is that she always says her family is wealthy and her monthly salary is very high, but when it comes time to contribute money collectively for something, she always gives the smallest share. I somewhat cannot stand her and cannot tolerate her, but after all, my mother-in-law lives with her, so I do not say anything.

For my mother-in-law's birthday, my husband and I went back to celebrate. Before going, I kept thinking about what to give. My husband said to just wrap a red envelope with 1,000 yuan, not much, so that when Mom accepts it she will not feel uneasy. After all, my mother-in-law is a frugal person, and her greatest wish is for us to live well.

But who would have thought that while my mother-in-law, the birthday celebrant, was very happy, my sister-in-law was dissatisfied. Looking at our "thin" red envelope, she said: "Ha, you go out to work and build such a big career, yet for Mom's birthday you only give so little money, so stingy. Once you get married, you turn your elbow outward and do not give Mom a more expensive birthday gift." I was very unhappy at the time, but in order not to make my mother-in-law's birthday unhappy, I held it in, yet I kept a grudge in my heart and wanted to see what she had given that made her so smug.

Then the moment the gift was unwrapped, I was completely shocked. My sister-in-law's gift looked like a full, dazzling jewelry box, but the signs of it being a counterfeit were too obvious! The most eye-catching gold bracelet among the jewelry had especially rough quality and patterns. Although I am a layperson, a careful look was enough to reveal the trick. If my mother-in-law really wore this fake bracelet out, it would be strange if her friends did not laugh at her. Thinking of this, I was so angry I laughed.

I told my husband about this privately. My husband told me not to make a fuss and planned to remind Mother himself, but also to spare my sister-in-law's dignity. Being real about whatever ability you have is what is true; pretending to be rich when you are not does not make you truly rich. I think being poor is not a problem; self-awareness is very important. To be honest, with a sister-in-law like this, I am also very speechless. How should I continue communicating with her?