“I will give you everything I have”

That was the promise Do Enuol, 28, from Dak Lak, made to his future wife, Mi Chen Ayun, 20, from Tan Lap Ward, Dak Lak, when they were dating. It was also because of this promise that Mi Chen agreed to marry him and build a home together in her twenties.

Mi Chen was born into a family with a difficult background. Her father died when she was 10, and four years later, her mother remarried. Although her mother and stepfather took good care of her, Mi Chen sometimes felt that she lacked emotional support. When she met Do Enuol, that void began to be filled.

At the end of 2024, the couple happened to meet at a coffee shop. Mi Chen did not pay much attention to him, but Do Enuol was attracted to her at first sight. After returning home, he searched for her social media account, left a comment on one of her photos and proactively messaged her to get acquainted.

Do Enuol was completely different from the type of boyfriend or life partner Mi Chen had imagined. 

However, Do Enuol did not give up and showed his affection through concrete actions. When he saw that Mi Chen's phone was old and cracked, he bought her a new one. Whenever he came across something delicious or a cute item, he would buy it for her.

When she was upset, he would take her somewhere open and peaceful to help her relax. Once, Mi Chen fainted and had to be rushed to hospital. When Do Enuol heard the news, he hurried there. Seeing her pale and lying on the hospital bed, he burst into tears out of concern and kept saying, “I'm sorry.”

“I initially thought he wasn't the person I was looking for, but after getting to know him, I realized he was exactly the person I needed. He speaks little but does a lot, is caring and always looks after me. I feel like I have found someone I can rely on,” Mi Chen said.

In 2025, Mi Chen went through a particularly difficult period. Worried about her, Do Enuol sent her money to help.

Mi Chen did not want to become a burden on her hardworking boyfriend, so she repeatedly refused his support. The two argued over the issue, and in a moment of anger, Do Enuol said "Whatever happens to me is fine, as long as you don't suffer. I don't dare claim I can give you many grand things in advance, but I will give you everything I have."

His words moved Mi Chen to tears. For the first time, she felt that someone could love her so deeply.

The special commitment over the wedding gifts

At the end of 2025, while she was a final-year student majoring in vocal performance at a college, Mi Chen brought up the idea of getting married.

Do Enuol happily proposed to his beloved. In February 2026, they held their engagement ceremony, followed by their wedding two months later.

According to traditional Ede customs, Mi Chen and the bride's family brought dowry offerings, including cash, gold, pigs, and blankets, to the groom's house to propose marriage.

During the engagement ceremony, the couple made a special commitment regarding the dowry.

"In our future married life, if he asks for a divorce first, he will have to return the entire dowry and pay compensation of VND50 million in cash plus 100 kg of pork. Conversely, if I ask for a divorce first, I will have to pay that same amount of cash and pork.

My husband and I made this commitment in front of relatives from both sides, so it is a serious promise, not a joke," Mi Chen recounted.

Also during the engagement ceremony, a custom that left a strong impression on Mi Chen was the practice of dropping money into basins. 

After performing the ritual, the bride and groom sat in the middle of the house with two basins placed in front of them, where relatives and friends from both sides dropped money as small gifts for the young couple. 

After marriage, in accordance with Ede tradition, Do Enuol moved into Mi Chen's home to live with her family. He works in agriculture and coffee cultivation, while Mi Chen balances her studies with supporting her husband.

Thanh Minh