Chapter 18 — Behind the Door is Still Home

“There are not many people.”

“Your uncle can drink wine, you have to make him a little bigger.”

Mom didn't listen to me at all, turned to the fish stall owner and said:

“Brother, help me catch that carp, it's over three pounds, let's do it now.”

I won't say any more. I know mother has her own calculations. When I got home, I helped pick vegetables, wash food, and cut food. Tri Tinh sat next to me and picked chives, occasionally starting a few conversations with me.

“Sister, in Guangzhou, do you rent a house alone or do you live together?”

"Alone."

“So it must be very expensive.”

Tri Tinh whispered.

“Here, for more than a thousand yuan, I can rent a pretty good two-room apartment.”

“It's not too expensive either.”

I speak briefly.

“Convenient for traveling.”

“If you really plan to develop there for a long time, you should consider buying a house soon.”

Tri Tinh smiled very naturally.

“Otherwise, house prices will change every day.”

I dry my hands.

“I will consider it.”

“If you can't buy it over there, you can buy it here.”

Tri Tinh laughed.

“If we live closer to our parents, when they get older, they will have someone to take care of them.”

I took a look at her.

“Are you two planning to stay here forever?”

"Sure."

Tri Tinh responded very quickly.

"Chu Hao's job is here, Doan Doan also studies here, and his parents are used to living here and don't go anywhere."

“That's good.”

I said leisurely. Don't ask anymore. The story of "who will this house belong to in the future" will sooner or later be told by Tri Tinh herself. No need to rush. In the afternoon, relatives came one after another. Even my cousin's husband. Everyone brought fruit and large and small gift boxes. The house immediately became noisy. I stood at the door, greeting each person in turn.

“Tri Dao is back.”

As soon as she saw me, she smiled from ear to ear.

“I'm so skinny, look at me, I've lost a lot of weight.”

“Not at all.”

I politely smiled.

“This girl is so real.”

Aunt sighed.

"It's so hard to struggle alone in the outside world. Find someone to get married, you don't have to worry too much."

“You started this topic again.”

My cousin Lam Thien Thien stood next to me and laughed.

"Miss Tri Dao is living like this now, with freedom."

“Can you eat freedom?”

My aunt glanced at her.

“Do you think it's easy to stay home and take care of two kids every day?”

The living room is noisy and bustling. My father poured him wine. Chu Hao sat next to him and added a few sentences, talking about work, cars, and real estate prices. Tri Tinh constantly poured tea, fetched water, and played the role of "gentle daughter-in-law" to the point of being impeccable.

“This is Tri Dao.”

He drank a few glasses so he was a little tipsy and patted my shoulder.

"I heard you work at a big company in Guangzhou? The salary shouldn't be low, right?"

“It's okay, it's enough.”

I smiled faintly.

“Look at your younger brother, what future he has.”

He laughed loudly, pointing to Chu Hao.

"People are stable, in the locality they have a house and a car, and now they have children."

“From now on, your parents will definitely still have to rely on your younger brother.”

"It's good if you go out successfully, but water far away cannot put out a fire close by. If something really happens, it still depends on who is around to take care of it."

These words... Half of them are the straightforward thinking of an older person. Half of it is also "giving face" to my father. Dad was a bit embarrassed and coughed twice.

“Okay, okay, drink my wine, don't say anything like that again.”

"Why are these harsh words? I'm telling the truth."

He laughed happily will.

“In our lives, every family is like that.”

I lowered my eyes slightly. Do not respond. He drank a few more glasses and talked more.

"Tri Dao, if you encounter any difficulties outside in the future, remember to find me."

"You see your younger brother has settled down here, won't this house also be his in the future?"

“Child, don't be like kids these days, thinking about random things all day long.”

I had just finished dragging my suitcase to the end of the bed and turned back to the living room when the door opened. Chu Hao carried a bag of groceries and walked in, his nose red from the cold. As soon as he saw me, he paused for a moment before reluctantly smiling.

“Oh my, it's Tet but you're really coming home right away.”

The tone sounds enthusiastic... But it's clearly reluctant.

“Going to visit my parents.”

I replied leisurely. The two people's eyes met for a moment and then moved away. Mother quickly intervened to make peace:

“Okay, okay, stop standing, quickly wash your hands and eat dumplings.”

The whole family took turns sitting at the dining table. The table is full of dishes. Braised meat. Several plates of hot dumplings are placed right in the middle. Logically speaking... This should be a very happy reunion meal. But the atmosphere at the dining table seemed to be covered with a thin, invisible layer of ice. Just touch it lightly and it will crack right away.

“Tri Dao, eat dumplings first.”

Dad picked one up for me.

“Your mother packed it, it's your favorite filling.”

“Thank you, dad.”

I took it, dipped it in vinegar and ate it. The taste is still as familiar as before.