SINGAPORE — A man took to Reddit after having trouble with his girlfriend. The girlfriend felt slighted because his mum gave her a CNY red envelope (angbao) containing $10.
“She feels slighted by it because 10 dollars is the lowest she got among all the ang pows she got from her relatives. And she expects the notes to be new notes instead of used note,” he added. As for him, he wrote that the angbao is “just a gesture and the amount don’t really matter.”
He continued, “I was trying to defend my parents saying probably got to do with the job and income my parents had(now they are retired), so that’s what they think is ‘good enough’. But my gf thinks I’m brushing aside her feelings and being defensive of my parents.”
He added that this is the same amount that he, his siblings, their spouses and all the grandchildren received. His girlfriend, however, “thinks there is a standard rate for” the amount that should be in angbaos.
When his girlfriend asked how much he would give as an angbao to his parents, he replied, “maybe $100.”
“She said, ‘why not 10 dollars? Or $50? Because you think it’s not appropriate right?’ But I thought the amount I gave is just based on what’s comfortable for me,” the man wrote.
Calling the situation “frustrating,” the man asked for other Redditors’ opinions on how to get his girlfriend to see his point of view.
Some Redditors commenting on the post immediately saw red flags concerning the man’s girlfriend.
“Every angbao received is a blessing,” another netizen wrote.
“Yeahh it’s become more of a formality than anything… Idk if this is common, but my parents/ aunties always talk beforehand to make sure that at the end of the day each family is receiving as much as much as they’re giving. I know most family friends do this too,” a Reddit user agreed.
Another told him to ask his girlfriend if she thinks her behaviour is appropriate.
“ If you two can’t even come into simple agreement who is right or wrong, y’all gonna have a lot financial trouble in the future,” wrote one.
“Your GF whack bro,” one female Redditor wrote flatly. 
/TISG