My paternal grandparents had nine children, and my father was the eldest. Before he turned 17, my father took on almost all the major responsibilities in the household because after him, my grandmother gave birth to four daughters and could not handle heavy work. Back then, my father had to take care of his siblings and tend to the fields during the day while helping my grandmother make bricks to build a five-room house in the evening. My grandfather worked as the commune’s clerk and did not engage in household chores.
When my father turned 17, he joined the military, later leaving his hometown and settling in a big city. After my grandmother passed away, my grandfather transferred all their properties and land to their youngest son, who only has two daughters and no male heirs. Only after completing the paperwork did my grandfather call his children back home to make an announcement. Thus, despite my father being the eldest son and my younger brother being the direct heir, neither of them inherited anything from our grandparents.
My father was extremely dutiful and partial towards his side of the family. He always prioritizes his parents and siblings. Nevertheless, my grandfather favored his youngest son and entrusted all ancestral land to him. From a traditional perspective, my youngest uncle should not be the heir in this situation because he has no male descendants to pass down the family’s properties to in the future. My grandfather belonged to the older generations, yet he went against traditional norms,
Despite this, my father still honored the decision without any objections or complaints. As grandchildren, we also had no say though we still felt upset because our father had dedicated his whole life caring for our grandparents only to receive nothing in return.
What is your viewpoint on this matter?
Reader Lien Chi
*This opinion was translated into English with the assistance of AI. Readers’ views are personal and do not necessarily match VnExpress’ viewpoints.