Chapter 4 — After Marrying, I Was Pampered

He took something out of his pocket and gave it to me. It's a ring. A simple platinum ring, no diamonds, just the right size.

“Put it on.”

He said:

“They will notice.”

I took it and put it on my ring finger. Fits snugly.

“How do you know the size of my finger?”

"Luc Hanh measured it while you were sleeping."

Me: “…” While I was sleeping, did you send someone to measure my finger? What kind of person is this? Before I could ask, he got out of the car. After two steps, he stopped. Turning my head to look at me, I was still sitting in the car.

“Let's go.”

The voice has no emotion. But he stood there waiting for me. The light shines from behind, drawing a long shadow of him. In the backlight, his features resembled a knife with its sharp edge retracted. I took a deep breath, got out of the car, and walked next to him. He didn't hold my hand. I also did not actively approach. There is fifteen centimeters between us. Just polite enough. The moment I stepped through the gate of the Bui family's house, I had a hunch... Tonight will be extremely exciting. The truth proves that my hunch is always very accurate. Three minutes after entering. The Bui family's uncle-in-law looked at me and asked Bui Tu:

"Whose child is this? New intern?"

Five minutes. The second aunt of the Bui family told me:

“Girl, get me a cup of tea.”

Eight minutes. My cousin Bui Tu pulled my hand and enthusiastically said:

"You also study hotel management, right? My hotel is lacking people..."

I smiled as I listened to everyone speculate about my identity. Maids, interns, service staff, hotel management internship students. No one guessed that I was "Mrs. Bui". I turned my head to look at Bui Tu. He stood three steps away, holding a glass of champagne, the corner of his lips curled up in an extremely discreet curve. He is holding back laughter. This man is holding back laughter. I glared at him. He immediately restored his expressionless expression, took a sip of champagne, and looked straight ahead. At this moment, a voice came from the other side of the hall. Clear, resounding, carrying majesty that leaves no room for doubt.

"Are you here? Where are you? Let me see."

The crowd automatically gave way. An old woman with gray hair but clear mind sat on a red wooden chair, holding a dragon-headed cane in her hand, her back straight. Eyes sharp like an eagle. The old lady of the Bui family. Bui Tu's grandmother. The main character of tonight's party. Bui Tu stepped forward and bowed slightly.

“Grandma, happy birthday.”

The old lady waved her hand, her eyes passed him and looked towards me.

"Who is the person standing behind? Come here."

The whole hall was silent for a moment. All eyes turned to me at once. The eldest uncle-in-law just saw me as an intern and stopped in mid-air. The second aunt who told me to pour tea immediately changed her face. I walked up. Not fast, not slow. High heels clicked on the marble floor, making a clicking sound. Stop. Smile.

"Hello, grandma. I'm Khuong Duong. Bui Tu's wife."

The whole hall was silent. It's a type of numbness in the true physical sense. Even the sound of dishes colliding disappeared. The cup in my sister's hand that she had just told me to pour tea fell onto the carpet, making a dull sound. Cousin opened his mouth into an O shape, enough to fit a whole cherry. The eldest uncle-in-law's expression stiffened as if the pause button had been pressed. Three seconds. Five seconds. Ten seconds. The old lady looked at me for a long time. His eyes were like X-rays, scanning from my face down the ring, from the ring to Bui Tu, and then back again. Then she laughed. Clap your hands on the handrail.

“Good. Come here so I can see.”

I walked closer. She grabbed my hand and turned it over to look at the plain ring. Touch the back of my hand again.

“So cold. Are you stressed?”

“No.”

I said:

“The air conditioner is a bit low.”

She laughed again. This time he smiled deeper, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes appeared.

“Not bad. More interesting than my sister.”

I froze. Do you know Khuong Dao? Before I could think, someone next to me spoke up.

“Mom, do you know about this?”

The speaker is Bui Tu's father, Bui Chinh Thanh. Over fifty years old, his hair is combed without a single strand of tangle, his facial features are about five times similar to Bui Tu's, but less cold, more of the cleverness trained in officialdom. His eyes looked at me with consideration. It's not like looking at a niece-in-law, but like looking at a resume awaiting approval. The old lady raised her chin.

"I don't know. But just look at it and you'll understand. Tu has never brought anyone home."

Bui Chinh Thanh turned to Bui Tu, frowning tightly.

"It's such a big thing, you didn't discuss it with your family before?"

Bui Tu stood next to me half a step, neither forward nor backward. He put down the champagne glass, his voice was light as if he was reporting the weather.

"It's already been discussed. I sent an email to dad's secretary. Dad won't see it."

Bui Chinh Thanh's face stiffened. I bowed my head, holding back laughter until my stomach hurt. The relationship between this father and son is truly wonderful. The atmosphere became extremely magical. Until the old lady put her cane on the ground and firmly concluded:

"Okay, you received it. Today is your birthday, no arguing. Let's prepare the party."

Dinner officially begins. I was arranged to sit next to Bui Tu. The round table is very large, but the Bui family is even more crowded. On my left is Bui An, on the right is Bui Tu. Opposite are the eldest uncle-in-law and cousin. On the outside, there is harmony, but on the inside, there are waves. My cousin kept peeking at me. It wasn't exactly a peek, it was almost openly turning his head to glare at me. There was curiosity, dissatisfaction, and doubt in his eyes:

“Based on what?”

I pretended not to notice. Bow your head to eat. The Bui family's food is very delicious. The chicken soup stewed with pine mushrooms is very fresh, the abalone in the Buddha Jumping over the Wall dish is chewy and crispy, and the braised meat sauce is just strong enough. I eat very seriously. Until the cousin finally couldn't hold it in anymore.

“Sister-in-law.”

I raised my head. On the chopsticks was still holding a piece of Dong Pha meat.

“What does your sister-in-law do?”

Her voice was sickly sweet, her eyes filled with malice.

“Currently not working.”

I answered honestly.

“Oh…”

She trailed off.

“So you stay at home to take care of your husband and raise your children?”

“It hasn't reached that stage yet. Right now it's mainly…”

I think.

“Rest at home.”

The eldest uncle-in-law opposite let out a meaningful laugh. It's very light, but on this quiet dining table it's especially jarring.

"Why don't you work at such a young age? Is it true that the Khuong family..."

She didn't say everything, but the meaning in her words was understood by everyone. Everyone sitting here knows about the Khuong family's bankruptcy. They know. Just wanted to point it out right in front of me. I put the Dong Pha meat into my mouth and chewed slowly. Swallow. Use a napkin to wipe the corners of your mouth. Raise your head.

“The Khuong family's story is the Khuong family's story.”

I said:

“No related to me. I married into the Bui family.”

The eldest uncle-in-law's smile stiffened. My cousin refused to give up and continued to ask:

“So what did your sister-in-law do at Khuong's house before? Can't always…”

“Bui Ninh.”

A voice rang out to my right. Cold. Calm down. But that calmness is like a frozen lake surface, with underground waves underneath. Bui Tu put down his chopsticks and looked straight at the person opposite.

“Today is grandmother's birthday party. If you say one more sentence, I will ask Luc Hanh to show on the TV in the hall all statements of the three credit cards that you swiped over the limit in Milan this year."

Bui Ninh's face immediately turned pale. Lips moved twice but couldn't say a word. Bow your head to eat. The eldest uncle-in-law's face was also not very good, but in front of Bui Tu, no one dared to speak up anymore. The whole dining table was quiet. There was only the slight sound of bowls and chopsticks hitting. I tilted my head to look at him. He picked up his chopsticks, as if nothing had ever happened. He picked up a piece of pine mushroom into his bowl. Stop. Pick up another piece. Place in my bowl. The movement is as natural as breathing. But the whole table saw it. Bui An sat on my left, bowed his head to drink soup, the corners of his lips curled slightly. Say nothing. But that curvature is clearly saying:

“Something happened.”

The second half of the party was uneventful. The old lady was happy, drank two more glasses, her voice became louder and louder. She pulled my hand and refused to let go, asking a series of questions. How many people are there in the house? I replied: I don't remember clearly, they also don't remember me clearly. How old are you? I replied: Twenty-three. What major do you study in college? I answered: Literature major. What hobbies do you have? I replied: Eat. The old lady was so happy that she couldn't stop smiling.

“Honest. She likes honest people.”

By the time the party ended, it was almost ten o'clock. The Bui family members left one by one. I followed Bui Tu out. On the way through the hallway, I saw Bui Chinh Thanh coming. He stopped Bui Tu. Look at me.

“You go to the car first.”

That word spoke to me. The tone is polite, but not intended to negotiate. I looked at Bui Tu. He nodded slightly. I immediately left. But after walking more than ten steps, at the corner of the hallway there was a ground-level glass window. The wind blew the curtain up. When I stopped to close the window, a few sentences of their conversation were carried by the wind.

“…That girl from the Khuong family, how do you plan to handle it?”

“No processing required.”

"Bui Tu, I ask you, have you forgotten what you agreed to..."

“I don't forget. But the marriage was registered.”

“This marriage is just…”