Chapter 2 — After a 100-Yuan Humiliation, I Became a Wealthy Heiress

Chu Hao was the most impatient, immediately jostling, looking at the phone screen in my mother's hand. When he saw the series of numbers on it clearly— The excited expression on his face immediately froze, turning into utter shock. He unconsciously read out:

“Dear customer, for your xxxx card account, the current balance is…”

He stopped. He rubbed his eyes, as if he couldn't believe what he just saw. Then, with a voice that was almost shouting—

“One hundred yuan?!”

“The balance… is only one hundred yuan?!”

Not a hundred thousand. Not ten thousand. Not even a thousand. One hundred yuan. 100.00 yuan (about 350,000 VND). That number was like a resounding slap, hitting everyone present in the face. The air... was dead silent. Everyone was stunned. The expressions on their faces ranged from curiosity to surprise, then to confusion, and finally settled into a look of irony. My mind is blank. The feeling of humiliation rose like a tide, engulfing me without even being able to breathe. I clearly felt all the blood in my body rushing to my face, my cheeks were hot as if they were being burned. That seemingly brilliant, well-intentioned gift— Just a carefully calculated trick. A public "behave" scene, right in front of all relatives. Ms. Tu Le's face instantly turned pale. But her reaction was scary fast. She rushed forward, snatched the phone from my mother's hand, glanced at it and screamed shrilly:

“No way!”

“I have clearly deposited 100,000 yuan!”

"Is the ATM machine faulty? Yes, it's definitely broken!"

As she spoke, she was about to pull the card out of the machine. But my mother was one step faster, holding her hand tightly. Mother's voice trembled with anger, but each word was chillingly clear:

“Sister, the machine is not wrong.”

“Wrong is the human heart.”

“Why did you do that?”

"Tinh Tinh is your biological niece! Why do you cruelly humiliate her in front of so many people?"

Ms. Tu Le was asked until she was speechless, her eyes were panicked, and she kept dodging.

“I… I don't have… I must have taken the wrong card!”

She quickly found an excuse, like a drowning person reaching for a straw.

"That's right, I definitely took the wrong card! I have too many cards in my wallet, this card was originally only 100 yuan! As for the card with 100,000 yuan... I forgot it at home!"

Both weak and clearly exposed. Who would confuse a card worth only 100 yuan with a card worth 100,000 yuan? Who could make such an elementary mistake on such an important occasion? It was a lie that— Everyone understood clearly. But no one exposed it. They just looked at Ms. Tu Le... With eyes as if they were watching a farce. The lie was exposed right in front of everyone, Ms. Tu Le's face turned red and white. She also wanted to justify something more. But my father - Tu Kien Quan - quickly rushed forward and stood between her and her mother. His face was red, both embarrassed and angry. But the funny thing is— The person who made him angry was not a liar. But the one who exposes the truth.

"Phuong Lan! Haven't you done enough?"

He growled, trying to suppress his anger.

"What's the point? Do I have to make everyone lose face like that?"

"I told you I got the wrong card! What else do you want?"

“Can't you hold back a little for this house?”

My mother looked at my father, eyes filled with disbelief, tears welling up in her eyes.

“Tu Kien Quan, can't you tell right from wrong?”

"It is she who is humiliating us! It is she who is trampling on the face of our entire family!"

“You don't protect us, but you're still on her side?”

"In your heart, my mother and I... aren't that valuable?"

Dad's eyes briefly avoided, but he quickly retorted:

"Why isn't it worth it? Didn't you do it for this house?"

“Brother-in-law's company is about to sign a big contract, your position may also change!”

"I have offended you now, what should I do? What should I do with this house?"

“Can't you understand a little bit?”

I stood aside, coldly watching the entire drama before my eyes. Looking at her, I blatantly turned black and white upside down. Looking at my father trying to calm me down, I turned to blame my mother. Looking at the crowd of relatives surrounding me, it was like watching a free show. Each person's face— In this moment became terrifyingly clear. Ugly to the end. Over the past eighteen years, the so-called friendship, the fake warmth— In an instant, it was torn apart. What is revealed inside is only calculation, deceit and naked malice. My heart... gets colder little by little. Like being thrown into an ice hole in the middle of a cold winter. In their eyes, I'm just a tool. Something that can be used at will and made fun of at will. My dignity. My mother's feelings. Not worth a penny— Compared to her father's job and her reputation. The pain and anger were like wild beasts, tearing at my heart. Grandmother Vuong Ngoc Tran also stepped forward. She didn't even look at my mother, she directly grabbed her hand, her voice filled with sadness:

“Le Le, don't get attached to her.”

“She's just a housewife who doesn't understand things and has a shallow mind.”

“Go, let's go back to the room, don't pay attention to it.”

She pulled her to leave, but when she passed my mother, she stopped, her voice harsh:

“Phuong Lan, I told you, our Tu family doesn't owe you anything.”

"It's your blessing for Kien Quan to marry you."

"Just live your life in peace, don't dream about climbing high and causing trouble all day long."

“If you dare to cause trouble again today, get out of the Tu family!”

My mother's body trembled violently, tears fell like rain. I looked at her pale face. Look at those desperate eyes. A stream of cold fire rose from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. I took a step forward, blocking my mother's face. I pulled out the card from the ATM. Then, go straight in front of her. Amid everyone's surprised looks, I held up the card. My voice was terrifyingly calm. She felt uneasy when I looked at her and unconsciously took a step back.

“What… what are you doing?”

I looked straight into her eyes, each word clear:

“This card, give it back to me.”

I showed my card.

“Even though my family is not rich, we can still afford this 'big gift'.”

“100 yuan… you keep it and spend it.”

“Anyway, someone with a big business like you needs money everywhere.”

Having finished speaking, I stuffed the card directly into her Chanel shirt pocket. Her face immediately turned red and purple like a pig's liver. Grandma was so angry that she trembled, pointed straight at me and scolded:

"You've betrayed me! You've betrayed me! You ungrateful person! How dare you talk to your aunt like that!"

I didn't bother to answer. I turned around and held my mother's cold hand.

“Mom, let's go.”

Mom looked at me stunned, tears falling even more. I looked at her, my eyes determined.

“This house… is not worth staying in.”

Having said that, I didn't look at anyone else. Grab mom, go straight out of the hotel. Behind him, his father's voice shouted:

"Tu Tinh! Stop for me! If you dare to step out of this door today, don't come back again!"

I don't turn around. Also don't stop. Stepping out of the hotel lobby, it was a hot summer night outside. I held my mother's hand and walked into the vast darkness. From today, everything... is different. My mother and I walked in the middle of a quiet street at midnight. The summer night wind blew, but it couldn't dispel the cold in my heart. I held my mother's hand tightly. Her hand was cold and still shaking non-stop. We went far away, away from that gorgeous hotel, away from those ugly faces. Finally, my mother couldn't bear it anymore. She knelt down on the sidewalk, hugged her knees, and let out the sobs that had been suppressed for half her life. The cry was not loud. But like a dull knife, it cuts into my heart. I sat down and gently patted her back.

“Mom, stop crying.”

“Because those people… aren't worth it.”

Mom raised her head and looked at me with teary eyes. There is pain, regret... and a fierceness that I have never seen.

“Tinh Tinh... it's my fault for you.”

"Mom, you shouldn't... you shouldn't be so impulsive, making me lose face in front of so many people."

My heart sank. At this point... she still blames herself.