After much thought, Yang's father sucked the last of his cigarette and crushed it in the ashtray, saying, "No matter what background a daughter-in-law comes from, if you start to have doubts later, neither your mother nor I will help you."
Some wealthy traditional families are unsatisfied with their daughters-in-law, treating them no better than servants. The men would wine and dine outside while the mothers-in-law oppress their daughters-in-law, all because the ladies came from humble backgrounds.
Yang's father despised such behavior. To be so madly in love one second then marrying off the next, and soon enough when the passion dissipates, they go seeking excitement from elsewhere.
As for the elder generation, while they allow the younger generations into the household, they treat them poorly, considering themselves superior.