Chapter 23 — After the Fire Ends, I Return

“Hua Duong, when you rushed in to save me that year, do you regret it?”

I paused: “Yes.” His shoulders slumped. I continued: "I regret not seeing you clearly sooner." * Leaving the meeting room, Tham Duat was silent the whole way. After getting in the car, he spoke:

“Thank you.”

I asked: "Thank you for what?"

“You stopped me just now.”

"If you lose control, you will fall into Lam Vi's scheme."

Khuong Van poked her head up from the backseat: "So where is that recording? She said we can never guess, usually that will be the most eye-catching place." A picture suddenly flashed in my mind. On Lam Vi's birthday party, she carried that sparkling handbag. Van Lan lobby, silver dress, flower wall. And the bag she said she wanted to show off to Luc Canh Xuyen first. I turned to Tham Duat: "Go to Lam's house." Tham Duat immediately started the engine. Khuong Van asked: "What have you thought of?" I replied: "The thing that Lam Vi cannot bear to leave the most." Khuong Van slapped her thigh and spanked: "Bag!" * The Lam family's villa gate is tightly closed. As soon as Tham Duat got out of the car, the security guard came out to block him.

“Brother Tham, Boss Lam is not home.”

Tham Duat asked: "Is Mrs. Lam home?" The guard shook his head: "No." I stepped forward: "What floor is Lam Vi's room on?" The guard was alert: "Miss Hua, you can't come in." Khuong Van crossed her arms: "Of course these guys didn't rush into the door. Then wait for the police to arrive." The guard's face changed. At this moment, the curtains on the second floor moved slightly. I saw Mrs. Lam's face. She also saw me. A few minutes later, the big door opened. Mrs. Lam stood in the living room, still wearing her expensive silk pajamas, her face haggard.

"Hua Duong, Vi Vi has been harmed by you like this, what else do you want?"

I said, “I want her birthday party bag.” Mrs. Lam's face changed: "What bag?"

“That day in Van Lan lobby, she was carrying that bag.”

"It's his personal belongings, what right do you have to claim it?"

Tham Duat spoke up: "By hiding evidence inside." Mrs. Lam sneered: "Evidence? You Tham family can now examine whoever's family they want to examine?" Outside the door, a police siren sounded. Khuong Van chuckled: "Now it's not the Tham family asking for an examination, it's people coming to work according to the law." The coldness on Mrs. Lam's face could no longer be maintained. When the police entered the house, Mrs. Lam still tried to intervene: "My daughter's room is very messy, let me go up and clean it up first." I said: "You can't go up." She glared at me: "Hua Duong, you will be punished." I replied: "If there really is retribution, you Lam family must line up before me." Lam Vi's room smelled of perfume. In the dressing room, bags lined an entire wall. Khuong Van looked at her and was tongue-tied: "She complained about being poor and miserable, but the result was that her bag was worth more than my life." I quickly found a silver handbag. It was placed in the middle glass compartment, exactly like a trophy. Mrs. Lam rushed forward: "Don't touch it!" The police stopped her. The bag opened, inside were only lipstick, powder and a small mirror. Mrs. Lam breathed a sigh of relief: "See? It's nothing." I picked up the small mirror. The mirror rim is thicker than usual. Tham Duat took it and used his finger to rub a circle around the edge: “There is a gap here.” The technician removed the mirror rim. A tiny memory card fell on the table. Lady Lam's face was gray. Khuong Van cursed: "It's really hidden in the most eye-catching place." The memory card was taken for examination. Mrs. Lam sat down in her chair and suddenly burst into laughter.

"Do you think you've won if you get this? That year, not only the Luc and Lam families participated. Even the Tham family, there were people who wanted Tham Van dead!"