Chapter 8 — After Divorce, I Counted 10 Years as a Nanny

What really brought down the Chu family was her mother-in-law's hospitalization. She had a hot temper and couldn't sleep or eat for several days. She suddenly had high blood pressure in the middle of the night and had to be taken to the hospital. Chu Minh Xuyen called me, but I didn't listen. Half an hour later, Chu Minh Huy called from an unknown number, his voice sounding a bit panicked for the first time.

"Sister-in-law, mother is hospitalized. The doctor asked what medicine she normally takes. We don't know. Can you come over for a visit?"

I sat by the bed in the dormitory, silent for a few seconds. Ms. Duong, who was next to me, heard it and asked me.

“Are you going?”

I bowed my head, my fingernails digging into my pale palms. Saying you don't have a soft heart is a lie. After all, that's the person I've been taking care of for ten years. I remember the medicine names, dosages, and precautions better than her. But the more I understand, once they turn around, they will think that I am still Lam Van, just call and appear immediately. I took a deep breath and spoke to the other end of the line.

“I can take a photo of the prescription and send it to you, but I won't come.”

“Sister-in-law, the doctor said it's best to have family…”

“So you guys are family.”

My voice was calm.

“She has two sons, no shortage of family.”

The other side immediately fell silent. A few seconds later, I reopened the data saved in the cloud, found my mother-in-law's medication list, follow-up records and notes in the last two years, and sent it over. After sending, I placed the phone face down on the table, my palms sweaty. Ms. Duong looked at me and gently patted my shoulder.

“I'm not accidental.” she said, “I'm just learning not to continue to carry other people's lives.”

I bowed my head and said nothing. But that night, I slept very peacefully. Maybe because I finally understand, honesty and sacrifice have never been the same. On the day of court, Vuong Le also arrived. She was dressed simply, without makeup, looking more haggard than before. During the break, she suddenly came up to me, speaking a bit awkwardly.

“Sister-in-law, I came today not to help you, but to testify for you.”

I was a bit surprised. She bowed her head and looked at the floor, her voice very low.

"In the past, I was jealous of you. Thinking you didn't need to work, my mother often praised you for your kindness. After I gave birth, I realized how tiring it is to raise a child. Then I understood, my mother praised you not because she loved you, but because you were willing to work, easy to use, and didn't resist."

“Now I know, in that Chu family, whoever endures the best is the most unlucky.”

I looked at her, both wanting to laugh and feeling sad.

“Will you go too later?” I asked.

She paused, her eyes avoided, and took a long time to speak.

"I don't know. But I will remember your steps today."

In court, Hua Tinh presented very clearly the basis for claiming compensation for housework. She even compiled the reference costs of nurses, nannies, hourly maids, and tutors into a table, item by item. The judge asked me what household chores I mainly took on over the past ten years. I didn't cry, nor was I emotional. I just calmly repeat, over the years, what time did I wake up, how many meals did I cook, when did my father-in-law need to turn over, how many treatments did my mother-in-law do, what time did my brother-in-law's children pick me up, one by one. By the end, even I was a little panicked. It turns out that over the years, I have done so much. Chu Minh Xuyen sat opposite, almost from beginning to end don't raise your head. He, in turn, wanted to argue at first, saying it was mutual care between family members. The judge asked him.

"So what housework do you specifically do? Do you know the daily medicine of the elderly? Do you understand the care process? Who is in charge of picking up and dropping off children after school? Is it clear about the main expenses in your family?"

Chu Minh Xuyen opened his mouth, but could not answer a word. At that moment, I suddenly felt very ironic. Ten years in the Chu family, I was like a shadow, no one remembered what I did. But when it comes to court, it is those small, specific, seemingly insignificant things that become the strongest evidence. The day of judgment was very beautiful and sunny. The court approved the divorce. The old house belongs to me. The common assets were redistributed. Because Chu Minh Xuyen arbitrarily transferred money to Tran Nghien, he was determined to have improperly handled assets, so he was divided less. In addition, the court also accepted my claim for compensation for family work. The amount of money was not too large, but enough to make the Chu family lose face. When I walked out of the court, I stood on the steps, basking in the sun, and suddenly felt light. It was as if something I had carried on my back for ten years had finally been put down. Chu Minh Xuyen chased after him, his face haggard as if he had just stayed awake for three nights. I stopped. He looked at me, for the first time there was a bit of struggle in his eyes that I had never seen before.

“Do you really not leave any gratitude behind?”

I looked at him and suddenly felt very funny.

“Chu Minh Xuyen, that thing called gratitude, your family used it up first.”

His lips were white, it took him a long time to say a word.