Chapter 2 — Behind the Door is Still Home

Or say I will buy it next time too? It sounds kind of weird anyway. Perhaps my mother also realized that the atmosphere was not right so she quickly changed the subject.

"How long do you have to do your work? It's already thirty at night and everyone is off."

“Almost done mom, just one last thing left.” I glanced at the progress bar on the screen. “Once I'm done, I'll go to sleep right away.”

“That's good, don't stay up too late, it's bad for your health.”

“I know.”

The short silence lasted. There was only the sound of the TV echoing from the other end of the line along with the sound of plates and dishes gently clanging against each other. I suddenly spoke up.

"Where is your father? Does his back still hurt these days?"

"Your father? I'm sitting next to him watching TV. My back is much better, I'm still wearing the medicine I sent you last time. It's just that I'm old, and when it gets a little cold, my joints ache again."

"Mom, tell dad to put on more clothes. Don't waste money on electricity. If it's cold, just turn on the air conditioner."

“It's on.” My mother paused for a moment then lowered her voice. "As soon as my sister came home, she immediately turned on the air conditioner and said she couldn't let Doan Doan get cold."

“Tri Dao ah…”

“I'm alone... do you want to eat Banh Chec tonight?”

I glanced at the food box next to me that had long since cooled, the layer of fat on top had frozen into a milky white color.

“Yes.” I replied. “I ordered food from outside, it was delicious.”

“There's no way food from outside is as delicious as the food at home, it's all MSG.” My mother muttered. "My family made our own cabbage pork filling. Your dad mixed it himself. It's very fragrant. Doan Doan ate several of them right away."

“Is that so… she really eats well.”

I tried to lift the corners of my lips, wanting to smile a little, but I couldn't.

“Nothing else, children are growing up.” My mother seemed to have opened a chat box, talking non-stop. "This year, my sister's family drove home by themselves, the road was jammed. Doan Doan sat in the car crying all the time, making Tri Tinh crazy. It was a little quieter when we got home, then we ran everywhere again."

"Ah yes, how is your sister's small studio doing lately? Last time I heard her say she wanted to change her car?"

I don't like talking about this topic very much. Because whenever it comes to Tham Tri Tinh's story, the story will inevitably slide in an unpleasant direction.

“It should be fine, I didn't ask carefully.”

I answered through the loudspeaker.

“It's normal, doing small businesses doesn't earn much, just enough to live on.” My mother continued to talk to herself. "He also wants to change to a high-riding car, saying it's convenient to take Doan Doan out. From what I see, he's probably short of money, so he wants to change to a better car. Young people nowadays don't know how to calculate anything."

I remained silent, my fingers unconsciously tapping on the keyboard.

“I'm still more stable, work at a big company, monthly salary paid on time.” There was a little more comfort in her mother's voice, but it quickly faded away. "It's just that I live so far from home, I haven't seen you many times a year. Your father doesn't say anything, but in his heart he misses you very much. The other day, when he looked at the weather and saw that your place was about to get cold, he muttered all night, afraid that you would catch a cold."

My nose suddenly stings. I quickly blinked, trying to suppress that feeling.

"I'm really okay, Mom. It's warm in the room, so don't worry about me anymore."

“How can you be a mother and not worry about…”

While my mother was speaking, her voice suddenly drifted away a bit, as if she turned her head to answer someone.

"Okay, I'm here! Tri Dao, mom, don't say any more, Doan Doan wants to drink yogurt, I'll go get it for him. Remember to take care of yourself, go to bed early."

“Yes, mother Please rest early too.”

“Yes, I'm hanging up now.”

“Mom, happy new year.”

“Well, happy new year, my daughter.”

There was a long beeping sound on the phone. But very soon... That sound disappeared again. I was stunned for a few seconds before reacting. Just now, she probably just put the phone down or pressed silent, but didn't actually turn it off. Because I still hear the sound on the other side. On TV, the song and dance performance was playing very enthusiastically, the MC used an excited voice to read New Year's wishes. Doan Doan shouted:

“Grandma! I want strawberry flavor! Don't want the original flavor!”

My sister spoke up:

“Mom, don't pamper her too much, drinking too much yogurt is not good.”

My mother laughed:

“It's Tet, let her have some fun. Come on, Doan Doan, let me put in the straw for you.”

Chu Hao's voice also chimed in, carrying a lazy smile:

“That's right, Mom, you pamper him too much. Oh, what did your sister just call and say? Still not coming back?”

My finger that was about to press the end call button suddenly stopped in mid-air. The light from the computer screen shone on my stunned face. I should have turned it off immediately. Eavesdropping on family members' conversations is not nice, nor is it kind at all. But my finger seemed frozen, hovering a few centimeters above the phone but unable to press down. Maybe because the other side is too noisy. It was so bustling that a person like me working a lonely overtime in a foreign land suddenly gave birth to a shameful greed. I want to hear a little more. Hear the sound of dishes colliding. I heard my little niece whining. Listen to your parents and younger sister's daily conversation. Even if it's just background noise, it's fine. At least it's better than the dead silence in this room.

“Yes, Tri Dao said he wouldn't come back, he's very busy with work.”

My mother's voice rang out, full of helplessness.

“Busy again.” Chu Hao clicked his tongue. “What year is she not busy? Tet is even busier than the city leaders.”

“Please stop saying a few words.”

My mother lowered her voice, but she didn't sound like she had much strength left.

“Did I say it wrong?” Chu Hao didn't care. “She only knows how to transfer money home, but people are nowhere to be seen, so what's the point? ”

My heart felt like it was lightly pricked by a needle. Not really painful. But the bitter feeling kept spreading, causing my breathing to stop. The fingers placed on the keyboard unconsciously curled up. My mother's voice was a little higher.

“Mom, what did I say wrong?” It seemed like he walked closer to the phone so his voice became clearer. “Last year they said there were many events, last year they said they had to be on duty at the store, and the year before that they said they couldn't buy tickets. Yes, her job is important, she earns money, but aren't her parents important? We only meet once a year, so transferring a little money is considered filial piety? Is our family short on money?"

“It's not easy for my sister either…”

My mother wanted to defend me, but her voice became lower and lower.

“Isn't it easy?” Chu Hao laughed faintly. “Sitting in the office, not exposed to the sun or rain, a month earns what I earn in a few months. Tri Tinh and I go home every morning and evening, watch that small shop, and beg customers to place orders, that's what we call extreme. As for her, she's so comfortable, out there alone, she just transferred 6,000 yuan on New Year's Eve to end the matter with her parents?

This time it was my sister's voice, which sounded like she was pulling his hand back.

“It's Tet, so talk less Can you fish? It's also kind of you to transfer money to your parents."

“Have a heart?” Chu Hao snorted coldly. “If you really have a heart, you should go home! Are her parents lacking money? What parents remember is her personality! Don't you see dad? Since the afternoon, I had been watching the time continuously, saying that Tri Dao was probably about to call. What about the results? Waiting forever, all I got was a 'I'm not going home' and a money transfer. What is the calculation?

I stared at the phone. The screen had been dark since it hadn't been touched for so long. In the dark glass surface, a shadowy figure was reflected. My chest tightened. Eye sockets began to burn. It's not that I don't want to go back.