Chapter 20 — After Taking Mother Away, We Changed Our Lives

She is the spiritual pillar of the company. She is the “Mother King” of all of us. I held up my phone… Walking towards the stage. Looking at that woman sweating in the light, full of life... I called out loudly. So loud that the entire activity center heard it.

“MY SON SAID I WAS HOSPITALIZED!”

Stop immediately. Everyone turned their heads to look at me at the same time... Then looked at my mother on stage. My mother also stopped moving. One hand on hip... Take a light breath. She looked at the phone in my hand... At first she was a little stunned. As if I understood something. On her face appeared a smile mixed with amusement, contempt and relief. She did not step off the stage. Just put your hips up... While shaking your waist to the beat of the music... While responding loudly towards me. That sentence... Through the phone speaker... Clearly reached Ly Duong's ears thousands of kilometers away.

“Tell him to stay in the hospital on his own!”

“This lady is busy!”

“Don't delay me leading the team to get the neighborhood champion!”

The entire activity center was silent at first. Laughter rang out and applause erupted fiercely. On the other end of the line... There was dead silence. I can almost imagine the look on Ly Duong's face right now. Can't believe it. After a long time... He used a voice like a lost soul and muttered.

“No way…”

“Mom… why are you with me?”

“Shouldn't she… shouldn't she be at home…”

“Cooking rice for your dad?”

The corners of my lips curled up, becoming colder and colder.

“Ly Duong.”

“Do you still think…”

“Am I still the Ly Nguyet of three years ago?”

“The person you kicked out of the house…”

“Can you trample at will?”

“Do you still think…”

“My mother is still Mrs. Vuong Cam that year?”

“The person you treat as a free nanny…”

“If you want to throw it away, then throw it away?”

“I tell you.”

“Times have changed.”

“The woman you said should stay home and cook for your father…”

“Currently the founder of Mother Love Food Company.”

“Being president is worth more than a hundred million yuan.”

“It's the CEO of this company.”

“Want money?”

"Okay."

“Our company is recruiting line workers.”

“Salary 3,000 yuan a month, accommodation included.”

“Do you want to come try?”

The breathing on the other side of the phone immediately became rapid and heavy. Full of anger and humiliation.

“Ly Nguyet!”

“Don't be too much!”

“That 1,000,000 yuan…”

“I lost everything!”

“Dad was also so angry that you had a stroke!”

“Now bedridden!”

“The whole family is at the end of their tether!”

“Do you really want to see death without saving you?!”

He also revealed his true face. I quietly listened to everything. Every word was said clearly to him.

“Ly Duong.”

“From the moment you guys decided to take that 1,000,000 yuan…”

“Since you guys kicked me and mom out of the house…”

“We are no longer family.”

“Your life and death…”

“It has nothing to do with me.”

“Your father is bedridden?”

“It's because you made him so angry.”

“You should take responsibility for yourself.”

“No money?”

“It's because you destroyed it yourself.”

“Then go find it yourself.”

“Stop calling me.”

“This is the last time.”

“Take care of yourself.”

I didn't give him any more chances to open his mouth. Definitely hang up the phone. Drag that number straight to the blacklist forever. The river wind blows... Bringing with it a bit of cold air. Also completely swept away the last smell of decay of the past. The first time… Me feel so relieved. After hanging up the phone... I turned around. I don't know when... The activity center was completely quiet. All eyes were on me. There is sympathy. There is respect. There is also sentiment. My mother came down from the stage. She walked in front of me... Took the phone from my hand. She looked at the dark screen for a long time. She raised her head... Smiling at me. In that smile... There is no hatred. There is no resentment. Not even the slightest bit of gloating. Only calmness remains after completely letting go.

“Nguyet Nguyet.”

“Let's go home.”

She said softly. I nodded. We don't pay attention to the turmoil behind us anymore. Just like that through the crowd... Leave the company building. That afternoon... I canceled all meetings and social events. Take your mother for a walk to the shopping center she likes the most. I bought her a silk scarf... Which she has liked for a long time... But because she was afraid of money, she never had the heart to buy it. She was as happy as a little girl... Standing in front of the mirror, she tried again and again for a long time. We went to eat local food that she liked best. Order a full table of food. Exactly what mother and son had imagined countless times... When they first set foot in Dung Thanh that year. While eating... We talked a lot. Talking about stupid things from when I was little. Talk about her youthful dream. No one mentioned that phone call again. No one mentioned the so-called "family" again. It's just an insignificant piece of background music in life. The wind blew... Then it disappeared. After eating... It was already dark. My mother and I followed the riverbank... Slowly walked home. The night wind blew across my face. Cruise ships on the river are brightly lit with lights. It's been a long time... My mother suddenly spoke up.

“Nguyet Nguyet.”

“I don't blame them anymore.”

“From now on…”

“I always don't understand…”

“Why is your father and your brother…”

“It's possible to be so cruel.”

“But now…”

“I think it's clear.”

“They are not heartless.”

“But it's just… pitiful.”

“Their whole life…”

“Caught up in that small place.”

“Locked up in the old ideas of male superiority and female inferiority.”

“They think money is everything.”

“Thinking that boys are gods.”

“They don't know…”

“A woman…”

“Rely on yourself…”

“You can also live brilliantly.”

“They don't understand even more…”

“A real asset…”

“Not the number in the bank account.”

“It's the dignity of being alive.”

“And the ability to love others.”

“We don't need to hate them.”

“We should pity them.”

“This whole life…”

“They will never understand…”

“What we have today…”

“How precious.”

I listened silently. Looking at my mother's face sideways under the city's neon lights. That line... But it's strangely steadfast. That moment… I suddenly felt… She wasn't just my mother anymore. She is like a philosopher. An intelligent person. A wonderful woman... Used her whole life to suffer... In exchange for true awakening. I reached out... I held her hand tightly. That hand... Warm but full of strength.

“Mom is right.”

“We…”

“We have been people from two different worlds for a long time.”

Coming home... I received a text message from Lam Phong.

“Is everything okay?”

I answer in two words. He sent another message.

“Tomorrow we will have a video conference with the US distributor.”

“Are you ready, my CEO?”

I laughed. I Step out onto the balcony... Looking at the city's brilliant lights below your feet. The fight belongs to me… It's still a long way. But I also know… I will no longer be afraid of any challenge. Because behind me... There is a kingdom called "Mother's Love"... That we built together. Our story… Has touched countless people. But only I understand clearly. This has never been a story of "playfulness". It's a story about…

“Return home.”

A girl... Bringing her mother... Breaking the cage called "family love". Overcoming thorns and storms... Finding the place where they truly belong. A warm home. A roof filled with light. I picked up my phone... Take a photo of the bright torch light before my eyes. Then post it to your friends circle. Do not write any status lines. But I know... Anyone who sees that photo... will understand. In that brightest light... There's a sparkling future... Nothing can beat... Ours.