Chapter 4 — After a 100-Yuan Humiliation, I Became a Wealthy Heiress

I just want to be with my mother. Enjoy this rare peace. After cleaning, the house is old but clean. Mom took out two blankets from the closet. Slightly damp, but still smells of sunshine. We lay on the small bed. Mom hugged me, like when I was a baby.

“Tinh Tinh… your college tuition…” mother's voice was full of worry.

I know what she's thinking. 100,000 yuan is fake. We have almost nothing left. Tuition and living expenses in Bac Dai... are not small numbers. I held my mother's hand, my eyes determined.

“Mom, don't worry.”

“If the car reaches the mountain, there must be a road.”

"If you pass the Bac Dai exam, you can also earn your own money to go to school."

“We… won't beg them anymore.”

In the darkness— I seemed to see a path. Full of thorns. But at the end… is light. And the starting point of that road— It is the small house that belongs to both of us. The next morning, my mother and I were awakened by the bright sunlight. The old house's windows face east, allowing unprotected sunlight to pour in. We washed our faces briefly, then started cleaning the entire house. Every little corner is cleaned thoroughly. When we moved into my grandmother's room, in an old wooden chest— We discovered something unexpected. It was a locked camphor wooden chest, emitting a light fragrance. The key... was in a small drawer on her dressing table. Mother and daughter almost held their breath as they opened the chest. There was no gold, silver or jewels inside. There were only a few cheongsams she had worn when she was young, a thick diary, and a small box wrapped in red cloth. Mother picked up the diary, her hand gently caressing the yellowed cover. Her eyes immediately turned red.

“This is your grandmother's diary.”

The handwriting inside is elegant and neat, recording each simple piece of life. I curiously leaned closer. Mom turned to a page and gave it to me. That page... records the story of Ms. Tu Le borrowing money to start a business. In the diary it was written:

"Today, Le Le came and said she wanted to do business and wanted us to sell this house to raise capital for it."

"You and I don't agree, this is Lan Lan's only pre-marital asset, and also the last support of the old couple."

"Le Le cried very pitifully, saying we were biased, saying we raised her for so many years was all a lie."

“But he doesn't know, we've almost given him all our savings.”

"That's the dowry prepared for Lan Lan..."

"We didn't tell Lan Lan because we were afraid she would feel uncomfortable."

"I just hope Le Le remembers the friendship and treats Lan Lan a little better in the future."

"This…?" I was surprised.

Mom held the bracelet, her eyes full of nostalgia.

“This is your grandmother's dowry... also a family heirloom.”

“In the past, my grandmother's house used to be a well-ordered family with very good conditions.”

“Later on, a lot of things were sold... only this bracelet remained.”

“She said… she would leave it to mom, and then pass it on to you.”

"I thought... this bracelet was sold to cure my illness a long time ago... but I didn't expect..."

Mother's voice choked. I looked at the jade bracelet in her hand. There were countless emotions in my heart. This is not just a piece of jewelry. It's the quiet, heavy love of my grandmother. It lay dormant for many years— Transcending time, appearing at the time of our greatest difficulty. Just have it… My college tuition… there will be a way to solve it. At that moment— A violent knock on the door rang out, breaking the silence.

"Phuong Lan! Open the door! I know you're in there!"

It's my father's voice - Tu Kien Quan. He… how did he find his way here?! My mother and I looked at each other. There was surprise and caution in his eyes. The pounding on the door became stronger and stronger, as if wanting to break the door in.

"Phuong Lan! Tu Tinh! Get over here quickly!"

"Do you think you're done hiding here? I'll tell you—there's no door!"

"Quickly hand over the house key! This house belongs to the Tu family!"

That shameless tone made me angry. But mother was strangely calm. She pulled me behind her, signaling me not to speak.

“He can't get in.” mother said.

We underestimated his brazenness. The banging on the door suddenly stopped. Right after that— Was the sound of a key being inserted into a lock. He… has the key?! Mother's face immediately turned pale. She suddenly remembered— Many years ago, Tu Kien Quan secretly added an extra key. Then he said... It was just in case she lost it. At that time, my mother thought he was thoughtful. Now that I think about it... I just feel cold. Opened from the outside. Tu Kien Quan stood there. Behind him are grandmother Vuong Ngoc Tran, and Ms. Tu Le. Three people, standing neatly like a "complete family". But their eyes— Just like a group of robbers breaking into someone else's house. Greedy, complacent. Tu Kien Quan's eyes immediately locked on the jade bracelet in his mother's hand. His eyes lit up, like a hungry wolf seeing its prey.

"I knew right away! I knew right away that a woman like you is good at hiding things!"

He rushed forward, reaching out to grab the bracelet.

"This is something from the Tu family! Give it here!"

Grandma also followed suit:

"Phuong Lan, if you marry into the Tu family, your body and belongings will all belong to the Tu family! Quickly give the bracelet to my son!"

Ms. Tu Le stood with her arms crossed, standing outside watching the play, her lips curled up sarcastically. Mother was pushed and staggered. The bracelet almost fell to the ground. I immediately caught my mother, quickly snatched the bracelet back, and hid it behind my back. I looked at the three people in front of me. The "relatives" I once trusted. Their faces... right now are so ugly that they make people nauseous. A surge of unprecedented strength surged through my body. I stood in front of my mother. Like a cornered animal. I raised my phone and turned on video recording. My voice was calm— But cold to the bone.

“Tu Kien Quan.”

“This is the last time I call you dad.”

"This place was Ms. Phuong Lan's private property before marriage."

“It's your own house.”

“You guys now—immediately—get out.”

“If not, I will report to the police and accuse you of 'illegal entry' and 'intentional robbery'.”

“Let's see at that time, the law will say who this bracelet... and this house belongs to.”