Chapter 3 — After the Rain, Nam Son Still Has the Fragrance of Medicine

Suddenly there were two light knocks outside the door. The apartment housekeeper stood in front of the door, holding a delivery box in his hand.

"Miss Gian, the copy of the surveillance camera you sent for storage has been delivered. It needs the owner's signature."

The anger on Co's mother's face suddenly stopped. A lily branch in Tham Nhuoc Lan's bouquet fell to the ground. I took the pen and signed my name. Co Nghien Tri looked at the hotel symbol on the box, his voice suddenly became tense.

“What camera is that?”

I placed the box on top of the carton.

“Something that can see who has entered the makeup room.”

Co's mother immediately spoke first.

"Let's see, who's afraid of who? I also want to see what else you can do."

I didn't open the box. I hugged the cardboard box and walked towards the door. Co Nghien Tri stopped in front of me.

“Where are you going?”

“To my home.”

“This place is also my home.”

I took a look at him.

“Since the moment you turned off the phone when my mother was in critical condition, this place is no longer my home.”

“I didn't turn it off.” Co Nghien Tri quickly explained. "At that time, Nhuoc Lan was stopped by her husband on the highway. Her phone was also broken. He was always worried about handling her matters."

“So my mother had to rank behind her husband.”

“Do I have to calculate like that?”

“How can a dead person count with a living person?”

Co Nghien Tri was stopped by that sentence. Tham Nhuoc Lan took a step forward, her voice weak.

"Sister Thanh Thanh, don't be like that. Nghien Tri is really tired. These past few days, because of me, he hasn't slept well. If you want to blame him, then blame me, don't torture him."

I stopped walking.

“I didn't torture him.”

I looked at Co Nghien Tri.

“I just... don't need him anymore.”

Co Nghien Tri's face looked like someone had just slapped him in front of everyone. Co's mother rushed over and grabbed my carton.

"If you want to go, you can go, but you have to leave your things behind. Our Co family's house, don't try to clean it up."

The box was opened by her, old books, medical records and my mother's sweater were scattered all over the floor. A blue cloth bag rolled out, revealing half of a jade bracelet. Co's mother immediately shouted.

"See! The bracelet is right in his pocket!"

Tham Nhuoc Lan covered her mouth.

“Miss Thanh Thanh, why are you really…”

Co Nghien Tri stared at the jade bracelet, his eyebrows furrowed more and more.

“Thanh Thanh, please explain.”

I looked at the blue cloth bag on the ground. That's not my bag. I squatted down, didn't touch the bracelet, just picked up my mother's sweater from the side, brushing off the dust on it.

“Explain what?”

Mother Co grabbed the bracelet, as if she had just grabbed a knife to accuse me.

"The evidence is clear, are you still going to deny it? Nghien Tri, call the police!"

Co Nghien Tri hesitated.

“Mom, don't make a big deal out of it right now.”

"What is making a big deal out of it? If this story spreads out, how will we in the Co family have the face to see anyone else?"

I stood up.

“Call the police.”

All three people in the room were stunned. Mother Co looked at me suspiciously.

“Do you think I don't dare?”

“I dare you.” I calmly replied. “By the way, let the police see who put this bag in my trunk on camera.”

Tears on Tham Nhuoc Lan's face immediately stopped falling. Co's mother turned her head to look at her. Tham Nhuoc Lan quickly shook it head.

“It's not me, I'm always with you.”

I took the memory card out of the delivery box and placed it on my palm.

“Let's see then.”

Co Nghien Tri reached out to take it. I withdrew my hand.

"Go to the management board meeting room and watch. The TV here is too old, so people won't say the picture is clear."

Mother Co smiled coldly.

"Let's go. Nhuoc Lan, help me."

Tham Nhuoc Lan did not move. Mother Co frowned.

“What are you afraid of?”

Tham Nhuoc Lan squeezed the flower branch in her hand so tightly that the flower stem was broken and water flowed out. I looked at her.

“Just now I wanted to give flowers to my mother, are you not feeling well now?”

Co Nghien Tri lowered his voice and asked.

“Nhuoc Lan, that bag wasn't put in by you, right?”

Tham Nhuoc Lan raised her head, tears rolling down again.

“Nghien Tri... even you doubt me?”

Co Nghien Tri swallowed back the words he was about to say. I put the memory card back in the box.

“Co Nghien Tri, you should really look at your appearance now.”

He frowned.

“How are you?”

“I want to know the truth, but I'm afraid the truth is too ugly.”

There were footsteps outside the door. The apartment housekeeper returned, and next to him was a middle-aged man in uniform.

"Miss Gian, comrades from the police station have arrived. Just now you reported the case downstairs, we brought them up here."

Mother Co's expression immediately changed.

“When did you call the police?”

I stuffed my phone into my jacket pocket.

“When you went through my stuff.”

The middle-aged man looked at the people in the room.

"Who said the jade necklace was lost? Who discovered it? Who touched it? One by one, explain clearly."

The hand holding Co's mother's bracelet felt like it was burned, it wanted to let go but didn't dare to let go. Tham Nhuoc Lan stepped back, her heel hitting the door step, making a dry sound. Co Nghien Tri looked at me and for the first time did not immediately stand up and speak for Tham Nhuoc Lan. I held my mother's photo and stood in the middle of the messy room. I didn't cry, nor did I argue. I'm just saying:

“Investigate the bracelet first, then investigate why my mother missed the emergency room that day.”

The police station's testimony room was not large, the white light shining on it made everyone's faces pale. Co's mother sat on a chair, folded her arms across her chest, and kept complaining.

"At this age, this is the first time I have been brought into a place like this by my unmarried daughter-in-law. Nghien Tri, look at what kind of person you choose."

Co Nghien Tri sat next to her, rubbing his forehead.

“Mom, please stop saying a few words.”

Tham Nhuoc Lan bowed her head and sobbed softly.

"It's all your fault. If you hadn't brought soup, it wouldn't have turned out like this."

I sat opposite, my mother's photo and a temporary cardboard box placed at my feet. The middle-aged policeman inserted the memory card into the computer, and the image quickly appeared. On the screen was the hallway in front of the hotel's dressing room, with guests constantly passing by. Mother Co stared at the screen.

“Fast forward, it's too slow.”

The policeman glanced at her.

“Don't direct.”

In the recording, I wore the engagement suit and helped my mother out of the makeup room. Mother's face was very poor, I always held her arm. Co Nghien Tri looked at the screen, his hand that had just been placed on the edge of the table quietly retracted. Tham Nhuoc Lan's sobs also gradually subsided. A few minutes later, someone wore a dress White walked into the makeup room. Co's mother immediately spoke up.

"It's Nhuoc Lan. What's strange about her coming in to touch up her makeup?"