Feigning innocence, I asked, "Mom, what are you talking about? What did I do wrong again?"
My mother said in a hushed but exasperated tone, "I told you to buy high-end gift sets, but you didn't get any! Instead, you bought all this junk!
"You're making us look bad. Your future brother-in-law's family will think our family is so poor that we're eager to get rid of your sister!
"Hurry up and go to a specialty store to buy the most expensive gifts. Then send them along with your sister's bag to us!"
I hurriedly said in a helpless tone, "Sorry, Mom, but I was unexpectedly assigned a business trip this morning. I've already sent the bag to Julia. Please make sure to pick it up. Besides, my future brother-in-law's family is not that materialistic. They won't look down on those gifts."
...
My mother, clearly not caring about her surroundings, snapped, "So you're not coming? What about us and your sister? This place is run-down and shabby. Are we supposed to clean it up ourselves?"
...
Her remarks made my future brother-in-law's family more upset, but she didn't realize at all what was wrong with her words.