Chapter 1 — After Notarizing 5 Houses, I Just Got Married

One day before the marriage registration date, my aunt - To Nha Cam - called.

"Nien Niem, before going to register tomorrow, I will notarize all five houses in my name as pre-marital assets."

I was stunned for a moment.

"Miss, is this okay? If Tran Hao finds out..."

“If he was honest with you, he wouldn't care about these things.”

Her voice was very calm, but I clearly heard her determination to not allow rebuttal.

"After notarization, go register. You can't miss even one apartment."

Since I was a child, I no longer had my parents, and my aunt single-handedly raised me. I don't know how she does business outside, I only know that she has never let me suffer. These five houses are little by little, she transferred to my name over the years. A sophisticated apartment in the city center, 80m², worth more than 7,000,000 yuan. A luxury riverside apartment on Ban Giang street, 160m², river view, worth 15,000,000 yuan. An independent villa in the east of the city, with garden and garage, worth more than 30,000,000 yuan. A school district house in the old neighborhood, 60m², worth more than 5,000,000 yuan. There is also a business premises on the commercial street, the annual rent is more than 400,000 yuan, the value of the store alone is about 20,000,000 yuan. Combined, nearly 80,000,000 yuan. To be honest, Tran Hao does not know the full situation of these houses. He only knew I had a luxurious apartment to live in. I have never mentioned the remaining apartments. What she said was not wrong. Notarization is not to protect anyone, just to keep a way out for yourself. The next morning, I went to the notary office. Five houses, five notarized copies, the procedure went very smoothly. When the notary gave me the documents, he looked at me one more time.

“Miss Su, your pre-marital assets are quite a bit, it is correct to notarize them.”

I smiled, put five notarized copies in my pocket. Then go straight to the Civil Affairs Department to meet Tran Hao. He was wearing a white shirt, his hair was neat, and he was holding a bouquet of roses in his hand.

“Have you been waiting long?”

“I just arrived too.” He smiled and gave me flowers. “Let's go, Mrs. To.”

The moment he held the red book in his hand, Tran Hao hugged me and took a photo.

“Can you post it to your circle of friends?”

“You should post it.”

He composed a status line, accompanied by a photo:

“For the rest of my life, I hope to receive more guidance.”

I looked at his face sideways, still feeling quite lucky in my heart. We've known each other for three years, been in love for two years, and he's never been bad to me. Although his family background is ordinary, he has the will to progress, working as a sales team leader at a mid-range company, with a monthly salary of more than 20,000 yuan. We walked out of the gate of the Civil Affairs Department. The sunlight was so beautiful, he held my hand. I thought he was going to say some romantic words. Indeed, he did open his mouth.

“Wife, there is something I want to discuss with you.”

“What?”

"You know my younger brother, Tran Luong. Next year he will also get married. The girl's family requires the man's family to have a house before marrying."

I said nothing.

"My elegant apartment is normally left empty... see if I can... transfer it to its name?"

I stopped walking. Just registered. The red ink on the notebook has not yet dried.

“Change the name to your brother?”

"Just let it borrow it. Later, when I have money, it will give me another house."

"Tran Hao, that apartment costs more than 7,000,000 yuan. What do you mean by borrowing?"

His expression stiffened slightly, but very quickly forced a smile.

"We're a family now. Besides, you don't lack an apartment, aren't you renting in Ben Giang?"

He didn't know that the house in Ban Giang was also mine.

“Is this your idea, or your mother's idea?”

He paused for a moment.

"My mother mentioned it, but I think it makes sense. Luong Luong is my younger brother. If he can't get married, my mother complains every day."

I withdrew my hand from his palm.

"Impossible."

"No way, no way. That's my pre-marital house, I've already notarized it."

His expression immediately changed.

"Notarization? What notarization?"

"Notarized pre-marital assets. Just finished it this morning."

The atmosphere was silent for a few seconds. Tran Hao looked at me and said no more. The bouquet of roses was still tucked under his arm, the petals were pressed to the point of distortion.

"What do you mean? Before registering, you had it notarized? Are you wary of me?"

“It is a normal legal procedure.”

"Normal? It's just a marriage registration, but you're going so far?"

His voice rose sharply. Passersby started looking over. I don't want to quarrel right in front of the Civil Affairs Department.

“Go back and talk.”

"No. Today I'll make it clear. Who told you to notarize? Is it you?"

I don't answer. He smiled coldly.

"I knew right away. From the beginning, you looked down on my family."

"Tran Hao, notarization is a matter of notarization, your brother asking for a house is a matter of asking for a house. Two different things."

“So tell me, how many houses do you have?”

I looked straight into his eyes.

“Is it important?”

"Of course it's important! I'm your husband!"

“You are my husband, not my property manager.”

He tightened his grip on the bouquet of flowers, the veins in his hand bulging. I turned around and walked towards the parking lot. Behind him, he called out: "To Niem!" I don't turn around. When I got to the car, I took my phone and texted her a message.

"It's notarized, all five houses. You're right."

She answered immediately.

“Is it enough to leave the Civil Affairs Department?”

I looked at the screen and typed two words. She didn't text back anymore. But I saw her WeChat status changed to one sentence:

“Love you.”

I sat in the car and started it. In the rearview mirror, Tran Hao was still standing at the entrance to the parking lot, the bouquet of flowers in his hand hanging down. The first day we got married, I wanted a divorce. As soon as that thought appeared, I even found it funny. But the more ridiculous story lies behind. At three o'clock in the afternoon, my phone was flooded with calls. First call: mother-in-law Trieu My Lan.

"To Niem, Hao Tu said, you're taking the whole house to be notarized? What do you mean? Our Tran family is really poor, but not to the point of looking at your houses! Luong Luong wants to get married, frankly speaking, it's the right thing to do if you lend a hand!"

Second call: father-in-law Tran Kien Quoc.

"Nien Niem, your mother has a hot temper, but it's not without reason. We're a family, if we're too calculating, we'll lose our feelings. That notarization thing... can you think of a way to cancel it?"

Third call: Tran Luong's brother-in-law.

“Sister-in-law, I don't necessarily want your house, but my girlfriend's family over there is pushing too hard—”

Fourth call: Tran Luong's girlfriend, Ton Tieu Vu.

"Miss To Niem, I heard Luong Luong say you have a few abandoned houses? We're not picky, just give us one house."

Four calls, each more absurd than the last. I didn't hear anything back any event. But in the family group, it's already blown up. Tran Hao's family group - the group he pulled me into before he married. Trieu My Lan sent a very long voice clip. I clicked to listen. The main idea is: To Niem married into the Tran family, but on the day of registration, she went to notarize pre-marital assets, clearly not considering anyone. Luong Luong said frankly, her younger brother was about to get married, and if she became her sister-in-law, if she didn't help, what face would she have as a human being in the future? Below, a group of relatives spoke up. Tran Hao's second aunt: "Young people these days are already taking all kinds of precautions." Tran Hao's cousin: "Once you're married, you're part of the same family. Why make such a clear distinction?" I read every line, then placed the phone face down on the table.