Chapter 7 — Awakening Brick

“You ask your mother.” “How clean do you think she is?” The police officer shouted at him to shut up. But my mother's hands were so cold that they were not like the hands of a living person. For the first time I saw real fear in her eyes. Don't be afraid of being beaten. Don't be afraid of not having money. It's about fear that a secret that has been buried for many years will be dug out of the ground by Duong Duc Hai.08On the way to the police station, mother didn't say a word. She sat in the back row, her fingers tightening on the patient's sleeve. The piece of cloth was held by her until it was wrinkled. I don't force her. I know that what Duong Duc Hai just said was more cruel than ten slaps. The reason why he was able to suppress her for more than twenty years was definitely not just based on his fists. Arriving at the station, Duc Duc Hai and Duc Giang Duong were separated to take statements. Ma Thuy led Duong Hao to sit in the hallway. Grandma Wei was still crying, crying and scolding her mother for not having a conscience. Mom sat next to me, her back straight. But I could see her knees shaking ever so slightly. The police called her in to add to the report. As soon as she stood up, Duong Duc Hai's room suddenly heard the sound of banging on the table. "I said the money is for the family!" "She is my wife, what if I take her papers?" The door quickly closed. The hallway was quiet again. Mom closed her eyes. I helped her go in. The police asked in great detail. Who keeps the salary card? When did I lose my ID card? Where is the savings book kept? Whether or not the signature on the loan contract is acknowledged. At first, my mother spoke very slowly. Then the words became clearer and clearer. "The salary card is always in Duong Duc Hai's hand." "He said that women who hold money will spend it carelessly." "Every month after receiving salary, he only gives me three hundred yuan to buy food." "I keep my normal ID in an iron box." "After I was admitted to the hospital yesterday, Ma Thuy came into my room." "The signature on the contract is not mine." "I also did not receive the money." Every time she said a sentence, the light rang out. The fire in my heart burns stronger again. The police recorded everything. Finally he asked: "What is the weakness that your husband just mentioned?" Mother's face immediately changed. She looked at me. I also looked at her. Her lips trembled for a long time. "More than twenty years ago, before giving birth to Tieu Am, I left the Duong family for three months." I was stunned. I have never heard her mention this. She bowed her head. "That's when he hit me for the first time." "I ran back to my mother's house." "Then I found out I was pregnant." "The Duong family said the child was not his." "They forced me to go back and kneel in front of the street to explain." "My mother, to protect me, took out the medical certificate from that year." "The month of my birth was completely identical." "But Duong Duc Hai always used this to throw dirty water on me." Head I let out a buzzing sound. I finally understood. His so-called weakness is simply not true. It was just a rope he put around my mother's neck. I asked: "So all these years he has always used this to threaten you?" Mother nodded. "He said that if you dare to divorce, he will say I am not from the Duong family." "He said he will make me unable to raise my head for the rest of my life." My throat felt like something was blocking it. I thought she was patient because she was afraid of not having a place to live. It turned out that she was also afraid that I would be pointed at by others. She has carried the dirtiest rumors on herself for more than twenty years. I held her hand. "Mom." "Whose child I am is not up to him to decide." "You also don't owe anyone your innocence." Tears immediately fell from her eyes. The police officer was silent for a moment. "If he used a fabricated story to threaten you, that could also be recorded." "But right now the most important things are domestic violence, salary cards and impersonating loans." Mother nodded. "I agree to explain everything clearly." When the record is finished,

and went out, it was almost noon. Duc Hai Duong was taken to another room. Duc Duc Giang stood at the end of the hallway, his face covered in sweat. As soon as she saw us, Ma Thuy immediately ran over. "Sister-in-law, Duc Giang was just confused." "He didn't take that eighty thousand, he just guaranteed it." "Can you help the police, not to drag him in?" Mom looked at her, suddenly asked: "Did you take my savings book?" Ma Thuy's face stiffened. "Why are you still talking about this?" Mom did not avoid her eyes. "Did you take it?" "Ma Thuy still speechless. "I won't take it." Duong Hao next to him suddenly said: "Mom, don't talk anymore." Ma Thuy suddenly turned his head. "Shut up!" The shout was too hasty. So quickly that everyone looked at her. I looked at Duong Hao. "What do you know?" Duong Hao bowed his head. "I don't know anything." I stepped forward. "Last night you stole my phone, money was withdrawn this morning." "You better think carefully." "What you say now can still be counted as proactive reporting." "Wait until the bank camera is taken out, you will have no chance to regret." Duong Hao's face turned white little by little. Ma Thuy rushed to cover his mouth. "He's still young and doesn't understand, why are you scaring him?" The policeman came out of the office.