Nguyen Thi Oanh, born in 1997 and originally from Hai Duong, now lives in Hai Phong - just 200 meters from her parental home after getting married.

She once believed hers was already a special kind of fate. But five years after her wedding, life unfolded another unexpected chapter: her younger sister married her husband’s younger brother.

Two sisters becoming daughters-in-law in the same family - their story quickly drew attention.

Oanh met her husband, Nguyen Van Binh (born in 1993), in 2016 through a match arranged by both families.

“My husband’s family had moved to the South when he was young, and only later returned to Hai Phong,” she recalled.

“Our parents came from the same village, so they already knew each other well. When his family came back, his parents joked with mine: ‘You have two daughters, remember to leave one for our family.’ That’s how we were introduced.”

With their families’ encouragement, Oanh and Binh quickly developed feelings for each other. In less than a month of getting to know one another, they decided to marry, celebrating their wedding in the joy of both families.

At the time, Binh’s younger brother Nguyen Van Bien (born in 1998) had just turned 18, while Oanh’s younger sister Nguyen Thi Thuy (born in 1999) was 17. Through family gatherings, Bien and Thuy began to meet and talk, gradually forming a connection of their own.

“Our homes are close. After I had my child, Thuy often came over to visit. That’s how she and Bien spent more time together and eventually fell in love,” Oanh said.

Unlike Oanh’s whirlwind romance, Bien and Thuy’s relationship faced challenges. After Bien returned from military service, the couple went through a period of separation before finding their way back to each other, realizing they could not live apart.

When they made their relationship public and decided to marry, opinions were divided. Some viewed it as a fortunate match, bringing two already close families even closer.

Others worried that such a union might complicate relationships, blurring the lines between siblings and in-laws.

“I only advised my sister to think carefully. But if she truly believed in her feelings, she should go ahead,” Oanh shared.

“Both families fully supported their decision. My parents said: ‘It’s a joy that both our daughters become daughters-in-law in the same family. In the future, whether in happiness or hardship, you must support and care for each other.’”

In 2019, Oanh and her husband moved into their own home, located right next to her in-laws’, separated only by a fence.

In 2021, Thuy and Bien held their wedding. Once again, the two families became even more closely connected. The young couple lives separately but shares the same yard with Bien’s parents. For the past five years, the two sisters have continued living side by side.

“What’s special about our family is that all the siblings live in the same neighborhood,” Oanh said.

“My parents-in-law have three sons. The eldest lives with them, Thuy and Bien live in another house on the same land, and we live right next door. Everyone gets along and supports each other.”

Living so close, the sisters see each other every day. Each morning, they only need to step outside to catch a glimpse of one another. In the evenings, they often visit each other’s homes - helping with chores, sharing stories, or walking together to their parents’ house just 200 meters away.

“When our parents visit our in-laws, they can see both daughters at once. And when we go back home, we always go together.

Wherever we go, we go together. On weekends, we gather at our parents’ house for lunch and at our in-laws’ for dinner. On special occasions, we buy gifts together for both sides,” Oanh said.

When either set of parents falls ill, both couples step in to care for them. When one family faces difficulties, the other offers wholehearted support.

Sisters by blood, now also sisters-in-law; brothers connected not just by marriage but by birth - they stand by each other without calculation.

For Oanh, that is the greatest happiness of all: sharing her life, her home, and her journey as a daughter-in-law with her own sister.

Thanh Minh