Chapter 5 — After Divorce, I Made My Husband's Family Bankrupt

Seven or eight people wearing worker uniforms stood blocking the door, some took videos, some banged on the rolling doors.

"Open the door! You haven't paid your vegetable debt for three months, now you're pretending to be dead?"

“Chu Khai, if you don't pay today, I'll file a lawsuit tomorrow!”

"There's two hundred thousand left for meat! I've been in debt for half a year!"

Truong Khai Son slowed down.

“Can you come down and see?”

"No need."

I leaned back in my chair, watching the scene fade away behind me. Many of the people who supplied goods to the Chu family were contracted by me personally. Now they stand blocking the door to collect debt. As for Chu Khai, he did not dare to show his face. Back at the hotel, I lay on the bed and looked at the ceiling. Five years ago, the day I married into the Chu family, Trieu Le once said:

"Diep Thanh, once you enter this house, you are one of the same family. Your family's recipe is also from the Chu family. Family members don't say two words."

Then I nodded. Now that I think about it... what she said wasn't wrong. Family members don't say two words. So they say all the things worth saying, do all the things worth doing, and it still seems obvious. The phone vibrates. Messages from unknown numbers:

"Diep Thanh, you're really cruel. Bach Anh has invested 2,000,000 yuan, we've found a replacement supplier. Do you think the Chu family can't survive without you? Dream!"

Not signed, but the tone is Chu Dinh. I turned over and didn't answer. The next morning, I went to the factory to check the second batch of goods for Dinh Vi. Just arriving at the gate, I saw a white BMW parked on the side of the road. The car door opened and a woman in a light blue dress got out. She took off her sunglasses and looked me up and down.

“Diep Thanh?”

“Bach Anh.”

She smiled slightly.

“Zhu Kai's fiancee.”

Bride. Divorced in less than four days. Really fast.

“What's the matter?”

“Nothing.” Bach Anh came closer, half a head taller than me. “Just wanted to see what the ex-wife who made Zhou Kai so uncomfortable looked like.”

“See now?”

"Already." She nodded, her voice light. "I'll be honest. Chu's restaurant is having trouble. I invested 2,000,000 yuan and want to get it back. Your recipe, name the price."

“Not for sale.”

“One hundred thousand?”

I was silent.

“Two hundred thousand?”

I still don't speak. The smile on Bach Anh's face faded.

"Five hundred thousand. Buy outright."

“Miss Bach.” I looked at her. "Have you ever thought about why Chu Khai would rather divorce than directly ask me to buy the formula?"

She frowned slightly.

"Because he knows I will never sell. You invest 2,000,000 yuan, how long can it last?"

Bach Anh looked at me for a few seconds. Then laughed, very softly:

"Miss Diep, a divorced woman, why do you have to be so stubborn? Take 500,000 yuan and leave. Isn't it better to have nothing to do with you in the future?"

"Not good."

I also laughed.

“Because this formula… is worth 800,000,000 yuan.”

Bach Anh's face changed. Obviously she didn't know the contract with Dinh Vi. Don't even know that 80,000,000 yuan is just the first year's guaranteed price, behind it is also the profit from 17 stores.

“Miss Diep—”

“No sending off.”

I turned around and walked into the workshop. Behind him, the sound of high heels rang out a few times and then stopped. Next, the BMW engine roared and sped away. Uncle Tran walked out of the factory.

“General Manager Diep, who is that person?”

“Heavenly Gold of the Bach family.”

“Which Bach family?”

“Real estate in the city.”

Uncle Tran frowned:

“What did she come for?”

“Buy the recipe.”

“You… don't agree?”

I looked at him one by one female. Uncle Tran smiled wryly:

“I asked too much.”

"Ah, General Director Diep, the court has responded. The application to preserve the assets of the Chu restaurant was approved this morning, all seven stores' accounts have been frozen. Also..."

Uncle Tran paused for a moment.

"The large apartment Chu Khai bought was also borrowed under the restaurant company's name. Now the account is frozen, the bank is asking to withdraw it soon, I'm afraid I won't be able to keep that apartment."

I stood in front of the factory door, looking at the production line running non-stop. The rumbling sound of the machine was as thick and steady as the heartbeat of something that had just come back to life.

“Is there anything else?”

"Chu Dai Phuc was admitted to the hospital this morning. Heard that he had a sudden increase in blood pressure, so he was taken away by ambulance."

Uncle Tran lowered his voice:

"Trieu Le ran everywhere to borrow money. Chu Dinh went online to ask for donations."

“Donate?”

"Yes. The title is 'Seek help! Father-in-law has brain hemorrhage, restaurant goes bankrupt, please help'."

“How much is it?”

“I just saw… more than two hundred yuan.”

Uncle Tran finished speaking, nothing more. Neither do I. The line behind continues to run, each new package of ingredients comes out of the oven, the packaging machine clicks regularly. Steam rises, the smell of spices is strong and warm.