Chapter 4 — After Divorce, I Counted 10 Years as a Nanny

After getting married, I always took notes. Initially it's family expenses, then it's my father-in-law's medicine, the hours of tossing and turning, and the time of rehabilitation. Later, there are tuition fees, gifted classes, and pick-up and drop-off schedules for the husband's children. At that time, I was just afraid that I would be too busy and make mistakes. Only now do I realize that each of those dense lines is proof that I did not live these ten years in vain. Leaving the restaurant, I went straight to the law office. Lawyer Hua Tinh is my college friend, I haven't seen him for many years. After looking at the statements, copies of house documents and the notebook I brought, her eyebrows furrowed more and more.

“Lin Van, these evidences are very valuable.”

“Can I get a divorce?”

"Okay." She raised her head to look at me, "It's not just about divorce. My house was private property before marriage, no one can touch it. The card my father left behind, even though I used it after marriage, has a record of large expenses, which can prove that most of the money was used for common living and to care for the elderly of the Chu family. As for the funds transferred to Tran Nghien, if Chu Minh Xuyen cannot explain the purpose, it will be considered arbitrarily handling common property, you can absolutely request a division. little of his portion, even demanding a refund.”

I clenched my fingers.

“What about compensation for housework?”

“Can request.”

Hua Tinh said, "During marriage, if one party takes on a lot of raising children, taking care of the elderly, or supporting work for the other party, when divorcing, they have the right to request compensation. This is not my calculation, but my right."

“But they will definitely say that I don't work and that my food and accommodation are all thanks to the Chu family.”

Hua Tinh smiled lightly.

"That's better. Then let's figure it out clearly. How much does it cost to hire a nanny to stay with us for a month, how much does it cost to take care of the elderly who can't take care of themselves per month, pick up and drop off children, cook, clean, take care of things at night, whatever it takes. I worked for the Chu family for ten years, they benefited, and it made me think it was natural. Now it's just a matter of turning that debt over."

Hearing this, my eyes turned red again. Turns out I wasn't being unreasonable. Turns out I didn't have to overdo it. It turns out that after ten years, someone finally saw it. Hua Tinh pushed the tissue towards me.

"There's one more thing, Lam Van, you have to prepare yourself mentally."

“What?”

"They won't let you go easily. The more you want a divorce, the more they will riot. Because once you leave, all the mess you've been carrying all these years, they'll have to face on their own."

What you said is so right. That very night, the Chu family began to riot. First, my mother-in-law led Chu Minh Huy and Vuong Le to stand in front of my room door, banging on the door so loudly that the whole building could hear.

“Lam Van, open the door for me!”

“If you have the guts to leave home, don't you have the guts to open the door?”

"What have you forced Minh Xuyen to become? Outsiders are laughing at our Chu family!"

I didn't open the door and called the police directly. When the police arrived, her mother-in-law was still standing outside wiping her tears. As soon as she saw the police, her face immediately changed and she cried even more pitifully.

"Comrade, I am his mother-in-law. He and his wife quarreled, I came to advise, is that also illegal?"

Vuong Le stood next to her, adding fuel to the fire.

“That's right, we're all family, that's great, we even called the police to arrest our mother-in-law, aren't we afraid of being beaten by God?”

The police looked at me once, looked at them again, his tone was calm.

"It's not okay to make noise that affects others. If there's a conflict, resolve it yourself. If you cause trouble again, then invite them to the police station."

Waiting for everyone to leave, I stood behind the door, hearing the footsteps in the hallway gradually fade away. For the first time, I felt that calling the police was really useful. Before, I was always afraid of making a big deal out of it, afraid of losing face, afraid of what the neighbors would talk about. But now I understand, the people who are most afraid of you making a big deal of it are often the people who always bully you. The next day, I went back to the Chu family. Not because I'm soft-hearted, but to get things. When I opened the door, the kitchen was filled with unwashed bowls and chopsticks, on the floor were children's toys thrown around, and in the living room there was a faint smell of sour food. In just one day, the house has become like this. My mother-in-law sat on the sofa, her face stretched. As soon as she saw me, she spoke sarcastically.

"Oh, do you still know the way home? I thought you were stubborn and would never enter this door again."

I didn't answer, I went straight to the bedroom to pack my clothes. Chu Minh Xuyen followed in, trying to suppress his anger.

“Do I have to do it to this extent?”

“I came to get my things.”

“Is there anything here that wasn't given to you by the Chu family?”

I pulled out the wardrobe, my movements paused a bit. I have heard this sentence too many times. It seems that after a woman gets married, even the clothes she wears and the food she puts in her mouth become something others give her. I put every single thing in my suitcase: identification papers, bank cards, old notebooks, nursing training documents, without even raising my head.

“Don't worry, everything I bring is mine.”

“Lam Van, you're just right.” Chu Minh Xuyen's voice was low, "Divorce is not something you bring up in anger. Go back and apologize to your mother, and this matter is over."

I finally raised my head to look at him. I laughed.

“Chu Minh Xuyen, do you think that as long as you give me a step, I should be grateful and step down?”

He looked at me a little unnaturally and turned away.

“Don't be ignorant.”

“I don't know what to do?”

I closed my suitcase and stood up straight.

"I took care of your father for three and a half years. He had incontinence and I cleaned everything. I helped your mother treat, cook, make medicine, and even cut her toenails. From kindergarten to elementary school, I taught your brother's every handwriting. Tell me, what is it that I don't know?"

His lips moved, taking a long time to form a sentence.

“All these years, I have not mistreated you.”

“You don't mistreat me, so you use my money to support another woman?”

His expression immediately changed. At that moment, a chuckle sounded outside the door. Vuong Le didn't know when she was standing at the door, arms crossed, looking like she was watching a show.

“You, you really hid it well.”

Chu Minh Huy immediately panicked.

“Vuong Le, shut up!”

“Shut up what?” Vuong Li rolled his eyes, "Don't you Chu family like to say that you're one family? So let's make it clear today. Sister-in-law, do you know why your brother has been coming home later and later these past two years? They already have someone outside. That woman I once met, dressed very elegantly. Last year, she even video-called him, her voice was so coy that I got goosebumps."

“Wang Li!”

Chu Minh Xuyen shouted loudly. But it's late. I looked at him, but my heart was not as painful as I imagined. Perhaps because yesterday's statement lines had already stabbed the knife first. Now it's just a matter of exposing the wound for everyone to see. Vuong Le seemed to be choking for too long, so she finished speaking in one breath.

"Sister-in-law, do you really think your brother is so good to you? Last year he rented a house for Tran Nghien, I went to see it myself. Mom also knows. She also said that it's normal for men to play around outside, as long as it doesn't affect the family. You stay at home and take good care of the old and the young, more than anything."

I immediately turned my head and looked straight at my mother-in-law. A flash of guilt flashed across her face, then immediately turned into embarrassment and anger.

“Vuong Le, what nonsense are you talking about!”

“Are you talking nonsense?” Vuong Le laughed, "Then do you dare to let your sister-in-law see the messages between you and me?"

The air in the room seemed to freeze. I stared at Liu Guifen. Her lips trembled, but she couldn't say a word. Turns out it was real. Turns out it's not just Chu Minh Xuyen. It turns out that this whole family has long assumed that I have to stay in the house to serve them, while he can live a different life outside. I nodded slightly, my voice strangely calm.

“Okay, very good.”

Chu Minh Xuyen finally panicked and reached out to pull me.

“Lam Van, listen to my explanation…”

I took a step back, avoiding his hand.

"No need."