This story is from Strange Tales from Make-Do Studio. The An family had two sons. The elder, An Dacheng, married Chen Shanhu, a kind and gentle woman. Dacheng's mother, Shen Shi, was irritable and harsh, frequently beating and cursing Shanhu, who never complained. Eventually, Shen Shi forced Dacheng to divorce Shanhu.
After Shanhu left, Shen Shi tried to find Dacheng a new wife, but no one dared marry into the family due to her notorious temper. Later, the younger son, Ercheng, married Zanggu, who proved even fiercer than Shen Shi. Shen Shi now had to adjust her behavior to Zanggu's moods, yet was often scolded by her. Ercheng, being weak, did not dare intervene.
Shen Shi eventually fell ill from overwork and asked her elder sister to wait on her. Delicious food was sent daily from her sister's home. Shen Shi sighed, "How happy I would be to have a daughter-in-law like my sister's."
After recovering, Shen Shi visited her sister and praised the daughter-in-law. Her sister revealed, "Shanhu is a good woman, yet you abused her. The food you ate during your illness was prepared by Shanhu. She earned money by spinning yarn to buy ingredients for you. Where else could you find such a devoted daughter-in-law?"
Hearing this, Shen Shi was filled with shame and cried, "It was my fault!" At that moment, Shanhu emerged from the back room and knelt before her mother-in-law. Overcome with remorse, Shen Shi beat her chest in regret. Dacheng and Shanhu then remarried.
Through subsequent hardships, Shanhu's example eventually educated Zanggu, who became determined to thoroughly rectify her ways. Thereafter, all five members of the An family lived happily together.