Chapter 17 — After My Mother-in-law Bought Me a 3 Million Yuan Death Insurance Package

I put the envelope away.

“Zhao Loi.”

“You are a good person.”

He laughed.

“I'm not a good person.”

“I just do what I should do.”

It was afternoon when we returned to the village. Luu Tieu Yen is waiting for me in the homestay.

"What's wrong? How many years?"

"Vuong Thuy Hoa eight years. Tran Dai Quan four years."

Tieu Yen slapped her thigh hard.

"Eight years! That's great!"

“Let her go to jail for eight years!”

“You're over seventy years old when you go out!”

“Let's see if it can harm anyone else!”

She ran into the kitchen and poured two glasses of wine, stuffing one into my hand.

“Tu Lan, you must drink today.”

I'm not a person who likes to drink alcohol. But today I picked up the glass, tilted my head back and drank it all. Spicy wine rushes down the throat, burning hot into the stomach. Tieu Yen looked at me with red eyes.

“Do you know what I hate the most?”

"It's not Vuong Thuy Hoa who cheated on insurance money."

“It's not like she bought a dog.”

"It's that she ate the rice you cooked... while calculating your life."

“You served her for seven months.”

“Wash clothes, cook rice, stew soup, carry medicine.”

“What does she see you as?”

“It's a check.”

“You live for the insurance money.”

“If you die, it's 3,000,000 yuan.”

I put the glass down.

“Over what, over!”

Tieu Yen wiped her eyes.

“Whoever dares to bully you in the future, I will be the first to step up.”

I laughed. Outside the yard, the sound of a tram could be heard. Chu Phuong has come to work. She walked into the yard, saw me and hesitantly walked closer.

“Miss Tu Lan, I heard the verdict was announced today.”

“My mother asked me to pass on a question to you.”

“My mother talked that day at the market… she will never forget it for the rest of her life.”

“She said she was sorry for you.”

It's aunt Trieu Nhi. Aunt Truong's neighbor — the one who refused to sell me tofu. I looked at Chu Phuong.

“Go tell your mother.”

“Next time you go to the market, stop by here and sit down.”

“I invited her to eat fish.”

Chu Phuong nodded strongly then turned and went into the kitchen. While cleaning up the restaurant in the evening, Lam Vi called.

“Boss Tham, congratulations.”

“I have seen the results of the trial.”

“Thank you.”

“I have more good news.”

“Her homestay was voted by the City Tourism Association as ‘Ten most outstanding rural culinary locations of the year’.”

“Next week there will be an awards ceremony at the city exhibition center.”

“You have to come receive the award.”

I was stunned.

“Can you register for me?”

"Not necessarily."

“Good guest reviews on the platform already qualify.”

“It's your skills and your personality that help you get it.”

I stood in the yard, the phone pressed to my ear, looking up at the grape arbor above. This year, luffa and grapes both grew very well. The leaves are green, covering the entire roof of the truss. Sunlight filtered through each gap in the leaves, falling to the ground in broken pieces of gold.

“Your Homestay… how is business?”

"It's okay. What's wrong?"

“Next time you come to eat fish…”

“I don't take money anymore.”

“That won't work.”

“I came to eat voluntarily.”

“Your craftsmanship is worth that price.”

“No one gets free food.”

I laughed. Really laughed for the first time since half a year. After hanging up the phone, I sat under the grape arbor, dumbfounded looking at the empty yard in front of me. Half a year ago... This yard was cold and cold. There wasn't a single guest. Outside the gate are full of false rumors. The whole village spread words about wanting to take people's lives. The ex-mother-in-law was in the dark sharpening her knife. The ex-husband in the detention center pretended to be pitiful. And now... In the yard, six tables were set up and turned upside down to dry. The spice shelf in the kitchen is filled with newly purchased bottles. There's still fish in the freezer for tomorrow. There is a new sign on the wall. Lam Vi did it for me. Use a soldering iron to engrave four words:

“Homestay Thanh Son.”

I gently stroked the letter surface with my hand. The wooden panel is warmed by the sun. From today... This yard only welcomes guests. No more wolves.