Chapter 1 — After My Mother-in-law Bought Me a 3 Million Yuan Death Insurance Package

The compensation specialist said my ex-mother-in-law bought me an accident insurance package worth 3,000,000 yuan (about 10.8 billion). But the problem is… I'm already divorced. The third day after holding the divorce certificate in my hand, I received a strange call.

“May I ask, are you Ms. Tham Tu Lan?”

The female voice on the phone sounded stiff, business-like, without any emotion.

“It's me, may I ask who you are?”

"I am a customer service specialist at Vinh An Insurance Company, employee code 3751. I am calling to confirm an insurance contract in your name. Currently you have an accidental death insurance package with high compensation. The insurance buyer is Ms. Vuong Thuy Hoa, the beneficiary is also Ms. Vuong Thuy Hoa, the insurance amount is 3,000,000 yuan. Please do you know and agree to participate in this insurance package?"

There was a ringing sound in my head, like someone was hitting me in the back of the head with an iron hammer. Accidental death insurance. Beneficiary: Vuong Thuy Hoa. 3,000,000 yuan. Vuong Thuy Hoa... is my ex-mother-in-law.

"What are you talking about? I don't know this at all! I never agreed to let anyone buy insurance for me!"

"Ma'am, our system shows that this contract was valid seven months ago. The file contains a photocopy of your identity card and a confirmation of agreement to participate in insurance with your handwritten signature. Currently the contract is still in normal status, each month the insurance premium is automatically transferred from Ms. Vuong Thuy Hoa's account."

Seven months ago. At that time, I was not yet divorced. At that time, Vuong Thuy Hoa was still living in my house, eating the food I cooked every day, and using the money I earned to go to treatment.

"I have never signed any insurance consent form! That signature is definitely fake!"

"You need to contact the insurance buyer with this issue, or bring your identification documents to the transaction counter to handle the dispute. My side is only responsible for calling to confirm according to the process."

The other person's voice was so calm that it was like reading a script.

"Wait. You just said accidental death insurance... what does that mean? If I die, will she receive the money?"

"That's right. If the insured dies due to an unexpected accident, the beneficiary will receive the full compensation amount of 3,000,000 yuan at once."

My hands started shaking. Not serious illness insurance. Not health insurance. It's accidental death insurance. Only when I die will Vuong Thuy Hoa get those 3,000,000 yuan. If I were still alive, this contract wouldn't be worth a penny.

"May I ask if there is anything else you need to learn? If not, I wish you a happy life."

The other person hung up the phone. I stood in the middle of the yard of my homestay, the phone still pressed to my ear for a long time without letting it go. The sunshine in May is extremely bright. The luffa trellis in the yard has covered the bamboo frame. In the kitchen, a pot of old hen stew for guests was still simmering. But my whole body was cold from head to toe. Seven months ago she bought this insurance package. Seven months ago, she just moved into my house. Every day she complained of leg pain and couldn't walk. She asked me to take care of her. I served her for seven months. After that, she forced me to divorce. At that moment, I suddenly remembered something. About a month before the divorce, Vuong Thuy Hoa went everywhere in the village to speak My face is very bad, I must be seriously ill. At that time, I just thought she was too talkative and didn't know how to keep her mouth shut. Now that I think about it, she had already started clearing the way since then. I rushed into the house, rummaged through the drawers, took out all the papers and checked each one. The ID is still there. Household registration book still available. But half a year ago, I redid my ID card once. At that time, Vuong Thuy Hoa said she wanted to help me go to town to pay for health insurance, so she took the original. Three days later she returned it, saying there were too many people in line so it was late. At that time, I even thanked her for helping me run errands. I immediately called my ex-husband, Tran Dai Quan. The bell rang seven or eight times before someone picked up. On the other end of the line, the chaotic sound of mahjong was heard.

"Hello? What's going on?"

"Tran Dai Quan, your mother bought me an accidental death insurance package worth 3,000,000 yuan, the beneficiary wrote her name. Do you know about this?"

The other end of the line was silent for a second.

"What are you talking about? What insurance?"

"Vinh An Insurance Company just called to confirm! Purchased seven months ago! If I die, she will receive 3,000,000 yuan! Are you all crazy?"

"There's no such thing. Don't listen to the wind and think of a storm. My mother is an old woman from the countryside, she knows nothing about insurance."

His tone was too calm. Scary calm.

"Tell her to call me and explain clearly! If she can't explain, I'll call the police!"

"Okay, okay. Don't overdo it, it's probably just a misunderstanding. Besides, even if you really buy it, it's for your own good. If something happens, there's some security in the house."

Because it's good for me? The beneficiary writes her name and calls it for my good?

“Tran Dai Quan, if you are also involved in this matter, just wait.”

"Are you threatening me? Tham Tu Lan, we're divorced, stop threatening people with reporting to the police. My mother is old, if you dare to make a scene, the whole village will curse you for being ungrateful."

He hung up. In the kitchen, the pot of chicken soup was still boiling, the heat seeping through the curtains and flying out. For the first time, I felt like the house I had lived in for five years was like a tomb. The next morning, I went to the transaction counter of Vinh An insurance company in town. Staff looked up all contract information. Clear black and white paper. Insurance signing date was October 17 last year. The certificate of agreement to participate in insurance is signed "Tham Tu Lan". I stared at those three words for a long time. The handwriting is very similar to mine. But the last stroke of the word "Lan" is too rushed. That's not how I write.

“I didn't sign it.”

The counter staff looked awkward.

"Ma'am, we do not have the right to confirm the authenticity of the signature. You need to go through an official handwriting inspection procedure. But I can tell you that if the insured person does not know this at all, then it is true that they can request to invalidate the contract. It will just take time."

"If it's fast, it's two months, if it's slow, it's half a year. If it's related to signature forgery, the police may still have to get involved."

Two months to half a year. During that period, the other insurance contract remains in effect. If I have an "accident", Vuong Thuy Hoa will immediately receive 3,000,000 yuan. By the time I left the counter, my legs were weak. On the way back to the village, passing by the grocery store in the village, there were a few women sitting gossiping and gossiping. As soon as he saw me, his voice immediately dropped. But I can still hear the last part.