It's early morning and a son's mother arrives, complaining about noise from her square dancing, holding turtle soup she simmered ten hours to 'nourish my son' and guard him against that 'vixen.' She scolds daughter-in-law Yulia for sleeping in and not cooking. The son tells his mother to stop and not disturb Yulia. Humiliated, the mother admits she used underhanded means to bring Yulia into the family and decides to overcompensate: she'll treat Yulia lavishly to win her devotion before the truth comes out. Her vow leaves the household tense and the truth looming.