Chapter 2 — After Winning 4.8 Million Yuan, I Realized Home Is A Place To Return To

After hanging up the phone, I picked up the envelope. Then put it down again. Finally, I still stuffed it back into my backpack. I didn't tell my brother... What I'm worried about is not 80,000 yuan. But after knowing that I have three houses... Everyone will look at me with a different look. What I'm more afraid of... is that they will ask why they won the jackpot and hid it from the whole family.

"Hua An Nhien, wait a minute."

The next morning, La Thien stopped me right in front of the elevator door.

"The client has an additional meeting this afternoon. You have to stay."

"My bus ticket is for 10 o'clock."

"What qualifications do you have to ask me?"

La Thien put the phone in front of me. In the company chat group, Chu Khai just sent a message:

"The Van Khe Square project is coordinated by La Thien and fully coordinated by Hua An Nhien."

La Thien put away her phone.

"Do you read clearly?"

"Then go to the meeting room."

"My leave request has been approved."

"Who approves?"

"Personnel department."

At that moment, Chu Khai stepped out of the elevator.

"I haven't agreed yet."

"According to company regulations, leave of less than three days only needs approval from the human resources department. Yesterday you returned my application twice but did not give any work reason."

"You are determined to confront me today, right?"

"I just asked for leave according to regulations."

La Thien stuffed the printed plan into my hand.

"An Nhien, stop pretending to be so noble. Isn't your family dividing the money? Don't want to receive a salary anymore?"

There were three colleagues left in the elevator. Someone bowed their head. Someone quietly stepped aside. I turned to the last page of the plan.

"The data here is wrong."

La Thien immediately snatched it back.

"What's wrong?"

"If you're in charge, find it yourself."

"Obviously this is a document you made."

"The version I submitted last night had no errors."

Chu Khai raised his hand to block the elevator door.

"You stay here and fix it before you go."

"During my leave, I have no obligation to accept any additional work that arises."

"If you dare to go, if something happens to the project, you will be responsible."

I opened my phone and turned on recording.

"Please say that again."

Chu Khai immediately fell silent. La Thien was so angry that she burst out laughing.

"Are you still recording?"

"To protect myself."

I entered the elevator. Before the door closed, Chu Khai pointed straight at me.

"You better give me an explanation on Monday."

I calmly replied:

"The one who needs to explain... isn't me."

As soon as the car left the city, Hua Ninh's sister texted.

"Sister, where have you been? Dad asked you five times already."

I replied:

"I just got in the car."

Right after that, she sent another photo. Dad is sitting in front of the bus station gate. At the foot is a thermos.

"Dad was afraid that she hadn't had breakfast yet, so he boiled some corn and brought it along."

I stared at the photo for a long time. A moment later, Hua Ninh asked again:

"You... are still in the previous shared room, right?"

My finger paused on the screen.

"Why do you suddenly ask that?"

"You said you went to the city for six years and didn't even have a room of your own, yet you still got 80,000 yuan worth of paintings."

"Dad, did you hear that?"

"Yes. Dad kicked you out too."

"Don't argue with me."

"If you say that to me, why can't you argue?"

I typed a few words. Then delete it again. Finally, just answer one question:

"I don't live in a shared house anymore."

Hua Ninh immediately asked:

"Have you moved house?"

I turned off the phone. Are not reply. The old lady sat next to her holding a bag of oranges. The mouth of the bag slipped and two fruits rolled to the floor. I bent down to pick it up and gave it back to her. She kept thanking me, then asked me if I had to go home to celebrate.

"I'm going to discuss something with my family."

She smiled kindly.

"If you're still willing to sit down and discuss, that means you're still a family."

When the car arrived in town, Dad waited for more than an hour. As soon as he saw me, he immediately reached out to pick up the backpack.

"Why are you still using this? Wasn't the zipper broken a long time ago?"

"It's still usable."

"Put Dad in the car."

"It's not heavy, I can hold it myself."

He won't win anymore. Just give me the thermos.

"The corn is still hot, eat one ear first."

"I'm not hungry yet."

"My brother said the ribs have to be stewed for a while longer to be delicious."

I received the thermos. Dad took the electric scooter and slowly walked home next to me.

"Are you busy with work these days?"

"Is it good?"

"Is the money enough to spend?"

He nodded. Every time father and son called, the questions and answers were almost identical. What I said... It's not necessarily a lie. Just never finished talking.

"I won't take 80,000 yuan."

As soon as the rice was served on the table, I spoke first. My brother picked up a plate of ribs and pushed it towards me.

"Let's eat first."

"Let me and Ninh share the compensation money. Dad will also keep more of his share."

The girl put down her chopsticks.

"I don't need it."

"You heard what I said, right?"

"It has nothing to do with you."

My brother scooped a bowl of soup and gave it to his father.

"Dad, tell me."

Dad took out a notebook from the cupboard.

"The money hasn't been received yet. I've written down the division in advance, you guys have a look."

A total of 360,000 yuan. Repairing the roof and toilet costs 90,000 yuan. Brother 80,000 yuan. Sister 80,000 yuan. I'm 80,000 yuan. The remaining 30,000 yuan was saved for his father's medicine. Behind each account carefully write the recipient's name.

"I don't agree."

I pushed the notebook back. Dad raised his head.

"Where is it unreasonable?"

"Dad's money for medical treatment is too little."

"Dad has rural insurance."

"Dad's leg needs to be checked again."

"Checked."

The girl immediately raised her head.

"When was that?"

Dad glanced at her. The brother continued:

"I took my dad away last month. It's just an old injury, nothing serious."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

The younger sister pouted.

"Every time I call, I say I'm busy. Dad doesn't dare say anything."

I was silent. Dad tapped lightly on the table.

"Ninh, say a few less words."

"Am I wrong? She never said anything to my family. She didn't say anything about moving, and didn't say anything about her job. During Tet, my father sent her 2,000 yuan, and the next day she transferred it back."

"I can support myself."

"We know. But you always put up a wall, not letting the whole family enter."

The brother picked up a piece of ribs and put it in his sister's bowl.

"Eat your food, don't be hot."

Hua Ninh did not move his chopsticks.

"Haven't you always thought that just receiving a little something from your family..."

"...will I have to pay back more later?"

I look at you. The baby's eye sockets were red.

"When I was young, my family was really poor."

"But now..."

"No one sits around and calculates how much an ice cream cost you in the past."

Dad bowed his head and looked at the notebook.

"An Nhien."

"This 80,000 yuan is not to compensate you."

"It's not like I'm in debt to my family."

"You are my daughter."

"What does the house divide..."

"Inherently, there must be a share child."

"But I'm really not short of money."

"Whether it's missing or not is up to you."

"Should I tell you or not..."

"...it's dad's business."