Chapter 1 — Being Slagged by My Mother-in-Law in the Crowd, I Turned to Sell the House

BEING SLAPED TWICE BY YOUR MOTHER-IN-LAW IN THE MIDDLE OF A CROWD? I RETURNED TO SELL THE HOUSE, THE NEXT DAY MY WHOLE FAMILY OF 16 FOLLOWED UP ON THE SEAT. My mother-in-law, right in front of all my relatives, slapped me twice. Just because my brother-in-law's son fell, I didn't have time to help him up. The whole house was crowded with sixteen relatives, but not a single person stood up to say a word for me. I held my burning cheek and turned my head to look at my husband. He leaned back on the sofa playing on the phone, his eyelids not even bothering to lift:

"Mom beat you because she wanted to be good for you, don't be unreasonable."

I laughed. That afternoon, I immediately took two houses in my name before marriage to deposit with a broker. I sold it several tens of thousands of yuan cheaper than the market price, so in just three days the entire deal was completed. As soon as the money entered my account, I immediately blocked all contact methods for their entire family. That same night, I pulled my suitcase and flew straight to Sanya. A week later, my husband went crazy, looking for me everywhere like a lost soul. Because that morning, the homeowner brought a security guard to the door and threw all the luggage of 16 family members right out. No one left. Today, the wind outside is especially noisy. My name is On Tinh. After three years of marriage, what I was waiting for was not my husband's love, but two slaps from my mother-in-law. The crisp sound echoed throughout the living room. The left side of my face immediately went numb, followed immediately by a burning sensation like fire. One more. In the same position, with the same force, I was beaten so much that I staggered back two steps, my ears ringing like thousands of mosquitoes flying around. The entire living room fell into dead silence. On the sofa, next to the dining table, on the balcony... sixteen people were crowded together. All are relatives of my husband, Giang Ha. Since the day we moved into this large apartment - the house I bought with my own money before marriage - they naturally came to live with us. At this moment, all sixteen people were like sixteen clay statues. People are surprised. People are indifferent. People are happy to watch funny plays. But no one said a single word to help me. The person who beat me was my mother-in-law, Luu Ngoc Tran. She still maintained the same position as she had just swung her hand, her thin fingers trembling slightly from using too much force. Triangular eyes full of malice stared at me as if wanting to devour me.

"What a useless thing! I can't even look after a child!"

“Every day makes me so angry that my heart hurts. Today I must teach you properly!”

The reason is so ridiculous that it's ridiculous. Ten minutes ago, my brother-in-law's three-year-old son ran wild in the living room, tripped over his own feet and hit his forehead on the corner of the coffee table, instantly turning red. I was cutting fruit in the kitchen, the farthest person. Wait until you hear the cry, drop the knife and run out, the baby has already been hugged and comforted by its mother. But Luu Ngoc Tran doesn't think so. She rushed forward, pushed me away from the baby, pointed straight at me and cursed. Blame me for being blind. Curse me cruelly. Cursed me for intentionally standing by and watching her golden and silver grandchildren get injured. I tried to explain. But she just didn't listen. That's why there were two resounding slaps at first. The room was full of relatives. My father-in-law. Giang Ha's younger brother and younger sister. Together with their families... Eat the food me, at my house, spending my money. Yet at this moment, everyone simultaneously shut their mouths. I hugged my burning cheeks and slowly raised my head. His eyes crossed Luu Ngoc Tran's angry face and looked towards the sofa in the living room. He leaned back on the sofa, his fingers scrolling extremely quickly across the phone screen, from beginning to end without looking up once. The sound of video games echoed loudly in this suffocatingly silent space, sounding extremely sarcastic. Did he hear that? Of course I heard it. He just doesn't care. My heart sank little by little, as if being pulled straight to the bottom of the cold sea. I don't cry. Also don't cause trouble. I just looked at him, stubbornly wanting to get even a reaction. Perhaps my gaze was too hot, he finally lost patience and raised his head. The handsome face that I once loved so deeply now only looked angry and cold. His eyes stopped on my red, swollen face for less than a second before moving away. Thin lips opened slightly, saying words that were more painful than those two slaps.

"Why are you looking at me? Mom beat you because she wanted to be good for you, don't be unreasonable."

Because it wants to be good for me? Don't be ignorant. Those nine words were like a cold knife stabbing straight into the softest place in my heart, then fiercely twisting. The last bit of warmth was completely crushed. Suddenly I burst out laughing. In this stuffy atmosphere, my laughter sounded especially shrill. Luu Ngoc Tran was shocked:

"What...what are you laughing at? Are you crazy?"

Giang Ha also frowned and finally sat up straight from the sofa, her eyes full of scrutiny and warning. I don't pay attention to them. Just slowly, word by word, say it to yourself. These three years... I retracted my gaze and didn't look at anyone anymore. Then turned around and quietly walked back to his room. From behind, there was the sound of Luu Ngoc Tran's cursing and Giang Ha's impatient coaxing voice.

“Look at his attitude!”

“Okay mom, why bother with her, let her calm down for a while and that's it.”

I turned around and locked the door, blocking out all the outside noise. The world is finally quiet. I went to the balcony and pulled back the curtains. The afternoon sunlight was so bright that it made my eyes sting. But I don't cry. From today onwards, those people are not worthy of letting me shed even one more tear. I took out the phone, my fingertips turned a little white because I squeezed too hard. I don't call my parents. Also don't call your friends. I opened my contacts and found a name I had almost forgotten. The person I call is Tieu Vuong, a real estate consultant. The phone is quickly connected.

"Hello, Ms. On Tinh? Hello, hello! Long time no contact, how have you been?"

Tieu Vuong's voice was still as enthusiastic as before. I leaned my back against the cold glass, looking at the crowded traffic downstairs, my voice calm as if I were talking to someone else.

“Tieu Vuong, I want to sell the house.”

"Ah? Selling the house?"

Obviously he was very surprised.

“Sister, your two houses are in such beautiful locations and the rent is so high, why do you suddenly want to sell them?”

I don't explain.

“Um, sell both.”

I have two houses bought entirely with my own money before marriage. One main house is where sixteen family members live Giang Ha is crowded in now, the large apartment is one hundred and eighty square meters wide. The other is a small apartment in the city center, currently for rent. The other end of the line was silent for a few seconds. Perhaps Tieu Vuong thought I was having financial difficulties so he asked:

"Sister, are you short of money? If you just need to turn around capital, I wouldn't advise you to sell now..."

“No.”

I interrupted him.

“Selling 50,000 yuan below market price, requiring full payment at once, the quicker the transaction, the better.”

My voice was so cold that it did not allow anyone to refute. Tieu Vuong was stunned by my decisiveness. He didn't advise anymore, his professional instincts immediately made him switch to working mode.

“Okay Ms. On Tinh, I understand.”

"That big apartment, when is a convenient time for me to bring guests to see the house?"