Vuong Khang, 40, from Hanoi, is the youngest of four brothers, all of whom are married.

The nearly 3,000sqm family property in Thien Loc Commune, Hanoi, is the priceless legacy left by their parents. Today, it has become a peaceful home for three families, with a fourth set to return and build a house there in the near future.

Hoa, 36, Khang's wife, said the second eldest brother built a house on the family land in 2008. Two years later, the eldest brother also built his home nearby. The two houses shared a common entrance, with no fences separating them.

In 2011, Hoa married into the family. Two years later, the third brother also tied the knot, and all four couples have lived together in those two houses, cooking in the same kitchen and sharing the same dining table.

“After living together for a while, the second brother's family faced some hardships, so they moved out.

“In 2018, having bounced back financially, he bought another piece of land a few hundred meters away to build a house. Now that house happens to fall under a real estate project, so in the near future, he and his wife will return to build a house on the family land to live alongside their own flesh and blood,” Hoa said.

As for Hoa and her husband, in 2017, they built a tube house on another plot of land for both living and business purposes. In 2025, that house was cleared to make room for a real estate project, and partly because she found urban life suffocating and cramped. She decided to “leave the city for the countryside,” building a new home on the family land.

“My mother-in-law and my brothers and sisters-in-law encouraged us to move back here and build a house so that mother, children, and siblings could gather around. We also desired that, so we happily went along with it,” Hoa said.

The nearly 3,000sqm land plot features three houses belonging to three sons, sharing a gate and a compound, with no boundary walls constructed. For commuting convenience, Hoa’s family recently built another gate. The remaining land portion is still preserved, waiting for the second brother's family to return and erect their home.

All three houses were built following garden-villa architecture, offering spacious and airy environments. The house of Hoa and her husband was built on a 500sqm plot following Japanese architectural style.

Desiring a space flooded with natural light, she and her husband used a system of large glass doors and windows. The simple yet sophisticated and cozy style makes the house stand out.

“This is what my mother-in-law has long yearned for. She hoped her children would live close by her side. However, she never forces or pressures anyone, letting her children choose and arrange their own lives.”

She often tells us: ‘As long as you are happy, no matter where you build your home, I am deeply pleased’.”

Living in perfect harmony

Hoa's father-in-law passed away three years ago, and her mother-in-law currently lives with the eldest son's family. Three small families totaling around 15 members share the compound. The second brother's family lives nearby, so they frequently swing by to hang out and gather for meals.

Hoa shared that each family carries out their daily life in their own private home. The shared compound is where everyone grows flowers, plants ornamental trees, and enjoys life together.

The brothers live in such harmony that they gather for drinks and meals every few days. At these times, the spacious compound serves as an ideal space for the four families to bond.

“In daily life, everything runs smoothly and peacefully. Whichever house cooks something delicious will bring it over to the others, and if anyone happens to run out of fish sauce, salt, or rice, they just run across the yard to ask one another.

My mother-in-law walks around all four houses every day, helping her children look after things,” Hoa said.

The Hanoi bride added that for the family to maintain such warmth and harmony, the mother's role is more crucial than anything else.

She likened her mother-in-law to a wonderful air conditioner for her children - cooling things down when it gets hot, and warming things up when it gets cold. Her mother-in-law has fulfilled this role of “keeping the family fire burning” for all these years.

Thanh Minh