Chapter 1 — After Winning 4.8 Million Yuan, I Realized Home Is A Place To Return To

I won 4.8 million yuan in the lottery. I didn't change my car, nor did I quit my job. Just quietly bought three small apartments in the city. One day, my father called to say that the old house was about to be cleared, there would be a compensation amount, and he wanted me to come home on the weekend so the whole family could discuss it together. I thought my brother and sister would ask me how much I got. I also thought she would scold me for only looking at my grandmother's money. However... Dad just quietly pushed the savings book towards me, then asked exactly one question:

"You always say you live a good life... We just want to know, which of your statements is true?"

Only that day did I understand... The hardest thing to give has never been money. It's the life I've kept hidden for more than ten years. Three months after winning the lottery, my dad called me.

"An Nhien, can you come home this Saturday?"

"What's wrong, dad?"

"The old house is about to open the road, there is a compensation amount. Your brother and sister are both back, so our whole family sat down to discuss."

I quietly turned off the notification that the rent had just been transferred. The prize was 4.8 million yuan. After taxes, I had 3.84 million yuan left. I used that money to pay off a two-bedroom apartment, and also paid deposits for two other small apartments. Three keys rest in the drawer. In the house, no one knew about it.

"I'm very busy these days, I might not be able to take a break."

Dad was silent for a few seconds then said:

"Then tell me the bus departure time, I'll go to the station to pick you up."

"No need, I can go home myself."

"Send it to dad too."

I replied once and then hung up. La Thien at the opposite table raised her head.

"Is it a family member calling again asking for money?"

"Not."

"How much do you send home each month?"

"My story."

She smirked.

"Just asking out of curiosity. Even the jacket you have to wait for a seasonal sale to buy, who cares about your money."

I didn't reply. Only send the completed plan to team leader Chu Khai. La Thien tapped on the partition.

"Please also send me a copy of the project proposal for Van Khe Square project. Team leader Chu told me to check it for you."

"He didn't tell me."

"If you don't believe me, ask yourself."

At that moment, Chu Khai stepped forward.

"An Nhien, send it to her. This project cannot be allowed to go wrong."

"I'm the one who does all the main planning. Tomorrow I can present directly to customers."

"Aren't you supposed to go home this weekend?"

La Thien immediately interjected:

"Her family is about to divide the compensation money, but they don't have the mind to worry about the project."

Chu Khai frowned slightly.

"If you ask for leave, let La Thien report."

I raised my head to look at him.

"She can't answer customers' questions."

"Then you can write out the entire question and answer session."

"What about the name of the person who did it?"

Chu Khai's face immediately darkened.

"It's all a company project, do you still want to consider adding your personal name?"

I upload documents to a shared system. But still retain the original draft with its entire edit history. As soon as La Thien received the documents, she immediately stood up.

"That's right. Your family matters are more important, just leave the work to me."

Having finished speaking, she held my plan and walked straight into the meeting room. I took half a day off. When it was time to leave work, Chu Khai returned his leave application.

"You have to be online on Saturday morning. If a customer has an unexpected question, answer immediately."

"At that time I'm sitting in the passenger car."

"Then prepare first. Adults should not always use family problems as an excuse."

I looked straight at him.

"You told me to leave the reporting to someone else."

"The company trained you for six years, and now you're told to cooperate just once and still feel unfair?"

I resubmitted my leave application. The reason is just four words: Personal matter. Chu Khai returned again.

"Add specific reason."

"It's inconvenient to say."

"Hua An Nhien, don't be so stubborn."

I closed the computer.

"The labor contract does not stipulate that I have to report family matters."

At that moment, La Thien walked out of the meeting room and placed a stack of documents on my desk.

"Team leader Chu only cares about you. I heard your compensation is not small, come home early and keep an eye on it. Once a girl gets married, she comes home late and no longer gets any money."

I bent down to look at the stack of documents. Right on the cover... The presenter's name has been changed to La Thien.

"Who gave you the change?"

"Company arranges."

"I asked who changed the name."

Chu Khai stood behind La Thien.

"I changed it. If you have any opinions, let's talk on Monday."

I picked up my bag.

"Okay. We'll talk clearly on Monday."

Returning to my apartment, I pulled out my old backpack from under the bed. The zipper is almost half broken, but I still don't have the heart to replace it. I put in two sets of clothes, then took a red envelope and put in 2,000 yuan. Last year, Dad fell once. He always said it was okay, but his sister said that every time he went away, his leg still hurt. I want to take my father to the district hospital for a checkup. But I'm afraid that if I give too much money, my dad will ask. The phone suddenly rang. It's my brother, Hua Thanh.

"Dad said you'll be home at the end of the week?"

"I heard there was compensation money, so I came to make a fuss today. Don't pay attention to her when you get back."

"What is she causing trouble?"

"She said that when her grandmother was still alive, she lent her father 20,000 yuan, so the old house must also have a part of her."

"Is there a loan note?"

"No. Dad said to pay it back a long time ago, but she refused to accept it."

I tightened the envelope in my hand.

"How much is the compensation?"

"360,000 yuan. What dad means is that each of the three brothers got 80,000 yuan, and the rest went to repair the roof."

"You and Ninh both agree?"

The brother laughed.

"What if not? Do you think the whole family gathered to fight over the inheritance?"

I don't answer. He was silent for a few seconds then said:

"An Nhien, our family used to be poor, but that doesn't mean everyone in our family only knows about money."

"I don't think so."

"That's good. I'll cook on Saturday, what do you want to eat?"

"Whatever."

"You can say whatever you want every time. Ninh said you like to eat ribs, I bought them already."