Chapter 2 — 19 Lakhs 2, Buying Out a Family

As soon as my words ended, the atmosphere in the living room seemed to freeze. Truong Tu Mai's face turned pale and her eyes became even more panicked.

“What money… I just came back last night and talked about these things.”

She tried to avoid it. Chu Hao immediately continued, his voice full of provocation.

"What do you mean? Are you suspecting us of swallowing money?"

“Mom's card is always with her, we've never touched a penny!”

Ly Mai stood beside her, her voice sharp and sour.

"That's right, we still have to spend our own money to take care of food for our mother. Unlike everyone else, that's a good thing to say."

The three of them, as if they had rehearsed in advance, quickly stood on the same side. As for me, I became an outsider who came to cause trouble. I don't argue. Emotions do not solve problems. I just looked straight at Truong Tu Mai.

“Mom, give me your bank card and phone.”

“I checked where the money went.”

Like a cat whose tail was stepped on, she immediately screamed.

"Why did you take my card! Don't you trust me?"

“Mom, you're this old, can you still trick me?”

Chu Hao also stepped up to block me like a wall.

“Chu Tinh, don't be too harsh!”

“Mom's health is not good, I forced her when I just got home, what do you mean?”

I looked at the clumsy performance in front of me and felt cold to the bottom. If there really is no problem, why don't you dare show it to me? This… there is definitely a problem.

“I'll say it again.”

My voice wasn't loud, but each word felt like cold ice shots.

“Give me your card and phone.”

My eyes made them feel guilty. The living room fell into a tense situation. Truong Tu Mai hugged her chest and began to moan.

“Oh… my heart… isn't right… I'm about to get sick…”

Chu Hao and Ly Mai immediately gathered around, one giving back punches, the other offering water.

“Mom, don't be angry, because this kind of unfilial person is not worthy!”

“Look what you forced your mother into!”

I stood there, coldly looking at the play before my eyes, not moving at all. I know, if I soften my heart now, I will never know the truth. Seeing me unmoved, Truong Tu Mai's "illness" seemed to get worse. She was breathing heavily and speaking intermittently.

"Tieu Tinh... don't force me anymore..."

“That money… maybe your father took it…”

My father - Chu Kien Quan - passed away from cancer three years ago. I stared at her, trying to figure out if this was a joke. But no. Her expression was full of pain and helplessness, as if that was the only explanation. Chu Hao also pretended to have just remembered and slapped his thigh.

"That's right! I remember! Before dad died, he did take mom's card!"

"He said he had an investment that could yield several times more profit. He planned to surprise the whole family!"

Ly Mai also nodded continuously.

"That's right, at that time dad even told us not to tell you, saying we should wait until we earn money then tell us."

The three of them, juggernauts, pushed all the responsibility onto one person who couldn't open his mouth to justify it. It's ridiculous. It's wild. My father was the most gentle person when he was alive. He didn't even know how to play mahjong, let alone invest. What's more, the money I transferred was within the past two years, when he was already... I looked at them and suddenly felt tired. Using one lie to cover up another lie... isn't that tiring? I stood up and did not continue to bother.

“If so.”

I walked in front of my father's photo and looked at the gentle smile on the photo.

“Tomorrow morning, I will go to the bank and print all the statements of this account since my father passed away."

“Every single item, compare clearly.”

“I want to see how a deceased person... spent 190,000 of my money in two years.”

Having finished speaking, I no longer looked at their pale faces. I turned around to go back to my room. As soon as her hand touched the door handle, behind her back, Truong Tu Mai suddenly let out a scream that almost collapsed. I turned my back to them, my hand still on the cold doorknob. Truong Tu Mai's "don't go" rang out, sharp, panicked, like a spear piercing the layer of lies they had just hastily built up. I slowly turned around. The living room... was eerily silent. Chu Hao and Ly Mai's faces immediately turned pale, looking at Truong Tu Mai as if they were looking at someone who had just betrayed everything. She herself was dumbfounded, her hand covering her mouth, her whole body trembling, clearly knowing that she had just said something wrong. I didn't step closer. Just standing at the door, a few meters away from them, coldly looking at her.

“Why can't you go?”

My voice was very soft, but each word hit like a hammer.

“Is that why bank statements… will expose your lies?”

“Or is it because my father… can't crawl up from the grave to spend that money?”

Truong Tu Mai's lips trembled, she couldn't utter a word. Chu Hao suddenly reacted, rushed forward, grabbed her hand and shook it vigorously.

“Mom! Mom, what are you talking about?!”

“Mom, are you old? It was dad who took the money!”

As he spoke, he squinted his eyes and signaled, his expression so fierce that it distorted. Ly Mai also quickly chimed in.

“That's right, mom, don't be afraid, sister-in-law just threatened. How can the bank check the account of the dead person?

They are still trying to struggle. Trying to glue together the broken lie. I looked at them, no longer angry, just a bitterness that penetrated to the bone.

“In the household registration, I am my father's daughter.”

"Since you passed away, I am one of the legal heirs and have the right to examine all of your assets and accounts."

“This… don't you know, or are you pretending not to know?”

With every word I said, Chu Hao and Ly Mai's faces became a little whiter. Obviously, they had never thought about this. In their minds, when people die... that's the end. I looked at my mother who was on the verge of collapse.

“Mom, this is the last chance.”

“Where did the money… go?”

“If mom still covers for him…”

“Tomorrow, we won't go to the bank anymore.”

“Let's go straight to the police station.”

“19 thousand 2 yuan, enough to file a case.”

"At that time, let the police find out... is my father's soul still broken, or is there a thief in the house?"

The two words "police" are like the final blow of a hammer to break the defense line. Truong Tu Mai burst into tears and collapsed onto the sofa.

“Mom said… she said everything… she said everything…”

While crying, she looked at Chu Hao with desperate eyes. There is compassion, attachment... and even resentment. Chu Hao's face was as gray as ashes. He knew… it was all over. Ly Mai sat down on the ground, her eyes were empty, her mouth mumbling.

“It's over… it's over…”

Truong Tu Mai wiped her tears, her voice hoarse.

"Tieu Tinh... don't blame your brother..."

“It… it wasn't intentional…”

That sentence again. From childhood to adulthood, I heard it countless times. Chu Hao broke the neighbor's glass. She said, don't blame your brother, he didn't mean it. Chu Hao stole my lucky money, she said, don't blame your brother, is he still young? understand. Now, 190,000 2 yuan disappeared... she still says that. I didn't interrupt, just listened quietly.

“It… it does business… at a loss…”

“Business?” I laughed coldly, "Chu Hao, he hasn't finished middle school yet, what business does he know?"

Being poked in a painful spot, Chu Hao suddenly raised his head, his eyes were bloodshot, and he roared.

"Why don't I know how to do business! Who are you looking down on!"

A slap landed straight on his face. Chu Hao was stunned. I also stopped. This... was the first time in memory that mother beat him.

“Shut up!” Truong Tu Mai pointed at him, her hands shaking.

“It's come to this and you still dare to argue!”

After beating him, she raised her trembling hand to caress his face, her tears falling more intensely.

“My son… why shouldn't he be like this…”

This mother and child scene… makes me feel nauseous.

“Speak to the point.” I coldly reminded.

Truong Tu Mai sobbed and finally blurted out.

“It… it's involved in gambling…”

Those two words... were like a thunderclap exploding in my head.