Chapter 1 — Bowl of Rice Sees into People's Hearts

My frugal mother-in-law only cooked rice for two people every day. I didn't make a fuss. On the ninth day, I immediately asked for a divorce. My mother-in-law cooked rice, forever only cooking for two people. A bowl of rice, a plate of food, a bowl of soup, just enough for her and my husband. The first time I sat at the table, she smiled on the outside but was unhappy on the inside: "Oh my, I forgot you also eat at home." My husband didn't even lift his head: "My mother is used to saving money, don't worry." I didn't care. The next day, as soon as it was time to eat, I immediately took my bag out, went to the small restaurant downstairs to order three dishes and one soup, and was extremely satisfied. For eight consecutive days, I did not explain a single sentence. On the ninth day, I pushed open the door and entered the house, and a long-lost aroma wafted from the kitchen. Mother-in-law tried to force a smile: "Are you home? Today I stir-fried two more dishes." On the dining table, three sets of bowls and chopsticks were neatly displayed. But I just smiled, the words I said made the mother and daughter's faces immediately darken like the bottom of the pot... 01The third day after my mother-in-law moved in, for the first time in the kitchen there was no bowl from me. That day I got off work ten minutes late. Before I could even change my shoes, I heard the sound of bowls and chopsticks hitting the table. On the dining table is a plate of meat stir-fried with green chili, a bowl of seaweed egg soup and two bowls of rice. Tran Hao sat next to the window, his mother-in-law Liu Que Phan sat opposite him, each person had a bowl. I stood at the door, still holding a bag of fruit bought from the company. Luu Que Phan raised his head to look at me, his smile was very faint. "Are you back?" I nodded, placing the fruit on the tea table. "What did you eat today, Mom?" Her hand holding the chopsticks stopped. "Oh my, I thought you worked overtime today and didn't eat at home." Tran Hao lowered his head to pick up the food, as if he didn't hear. I looked at the clock on the wall. Seven twenty. In the morning, before leaving the house, I said I would return on time tonight. I didn't expose it, just asked one question. "Do you still have rice, Mom?" Luu Que Phan immediately stood up and opened the rice cooker. The bottom of the pot is clean, not a single grain remains. She closed the lid of the pot again, her voice carrying a bit of shyness. "It's almost undercooked." At this time, Tran Hao raised his head. "Mom is old, cooking rice can't be accurately estimated, don't take it to heart." I looked at the two full bowls of rice, saying nothing. Luu Que Phan seemed to be afraid that I would think too much and hastily added, "How about let me cook you some noodles?" Her mouth said so, but she sat back in her chair. The chopsticks once again reached towards the meat plate. I put down my bag and went into the kitchen to look around. The cutting board has been washed, the pot has been scrubbed, and even a little green onion is gone. It's not that she can't estimate it. It's that she didn't intend to cook mine in the first place. I poured a glass of water and sat down on the sofa. Tran Hao frowned. "Why don't you eat?" I said: "There's no rice." He said: "Then cook some yourself." I looked at him. "I ate the rice my mother cooked, and asked me to cook a little myself?" His expression was not very good. "Manh Tinh, don't exaggerate small things, my mother is used to saving." The two words "thrifty" he said very fluently. Like a blunt knife, it doesn't hurt when cut, but it makes your heart cold. I don't argue. I picked up my phone, opened the food ordering app and then closed it again. Finally, I put on my coat and took my keys out. Tran Hao called after me. "Where are you going?" I didn't stop changing my shoes. "Let's go eat." The moment the door closed, I heard Luu Que Phan lower his voice: "Women these days are truly pampered to the point of giving birth." That night, the small restaurant downstairs was very crowded. I sat next to the wall, ordered beef stew with tomatoes, stir-fried green vegetables, half a portion of soup and a bowl of rice. As the heat hit my face, I suddenly felt sad

laugh. In a family, whether there is a place for you or not, it turns out there is no need to fight. The dining table will be the first thing to give the answer.02The next morning, Liu Que Phan woke up very early. When I left the bedroom, she was cooking porridge in the kitchen. The aroma of millet porridge wafted out, the edge of the pot lid rose in thin white steam. On the dining table were placed two bowls. One is placed in Tran Hao's position, one is placed in her position. I stood at the kitchen door and watched for a few seconds. Luu Que Phan turned his head, as if he just saw me. "Are you awake?" I said: "Yes." She put the spoon in the pot and stirred. "I didn't cook much porridge today, if you want to eat, wait a little longer, I'll warm up the dumplings for you." I asked: "Where are the dumplings, Mom?" Her eyes moved. "It seems there are still in the refrigerator." I opened the refrigerator. Inside was only half a cabbage, two onions and a bag of braised beef with soy sauce that Tran Hao liked to eat. No dumplings. Luu Que Phan immediately laughed. "Oh my, mom remembered wrong." Tran Hao came out of the bedroom, buttoned his sleeves and said: "Don't cause trouble early in the morning, it won't be on time." I closed the refrigerator door. "I'm not causing trouble." He said: "There's a problem with your tone." Liu Que Phan brought the porridge to the table, cautiously said: "Okay, okay, Mom, drink a little less, give Tinh Tinh half a bowl." Having finished speaking, Mrs. He actually picked up my bowl. That bowl is white porcelain with thin edges that I bought myself when I got married. She scooped up two spoons of thin porridge, not even half the bowl, and placed it on the edge of the table. "Let's eat first to fill your stomach." I looked at the bowl of porridge so thin that I could see a person's shadow, but didn't accept it. Tran Hao lost patience. "Mom has already given it to you, what else do you want?" I suddenly felt the anger from last night disappear. Not because I thought it through. But because I understand. There are people who do not know that you feel sorry for yourself. They just make sure that you will be patient. I picked up my bag. "I'm going to the company to eat." Tran Hao put the chopsticks firmly on the table. "Manh Tinh, you're just being reasonable." I turned my head to look at him. "I'm not asking you to be moderate, you don't care how I eat." The smile on Luu Que Phan's face faded. "Tinh Tinh, mom only has good intentions." I said: "If you have good intentions, there's no need to cut half a bowl of thin porridge from someone else's bowl." Her face immediately stiffened. In the elevator, I smelled the smell of porridge clinging to my body. Arriving at the company, I bought a cup of hot soy milk, an egg and two small dumplings in the canteen. My colleague Tieu Duong sat down opposite me and casually asked: "Are you here so early today?" I took a bite of a bun. "There's no breakfast at home." She smiled and said: "Aren't you married?" I also laughed. "Getting married is not a restaurant card." This sentence was said very gently. But in my heart I silently decided something. At noon, Tran Hao sent a text message. "Come home early tonight, don't make mom feel awkward." I looked for a long time. In the end, I only answered with two words: "Not going home."03At six thirty that evening, I turned off the computer on time. Tieu Duong asked me: "Going home?" I put the computer in my bag. "No, going to eat." Behind the company there was a family restaurant, the owner recognized me. I sat down alone, she smiled and brought the menu. "Are you still going alone today?" I said: "Yes." She asked: "What do you want to eat?" I ordered three dishes and one soup. Sweet and sour tenderloin, stir-fried garlic salad, spicy tofu and squash meatball soup. The lady was stunned. "Can I finish it?" I said, "Just eat slowly." When the food was brought out, I took a photo. Do not post on your personal page, nor send it to Tran Hao. I just saved it to an album. Like leaving yourself a proof. Not to prove who is right and who is wrong. But to remind myself not to continue to be fooled by the word "savings". A quarter past seven,

Tran Hao called. I watched the screen flash three times before answering the phone. His voice was very heavy. "Where are you?" "Eating dinner." "Outside again?" "Yes." He stopped for two seconds. "Already cooking at home." I smiled. "How many people cook?" The other end of the line was silent. After a while, Luu Que Phan's voice interjected. "Tinh Tinh, today I cooked rice, you can go home and warm it up." I asked: "What about the food?" Her voice was a bit self-pitying. "There's only a little food left, Mom and Hao Hao have already eaten." Tran Hao took the phone. "Don't talk sarcastically like that." I picked up a piece of tofu. "I'm eating rice, there's no time to argue." He said: "You're done." Such a waste of money, don't you need to worry about household expenses anymore?" I put down my chopsticks. "You spend your own salary, is there a problem?" He seemed choked up. "Husband and wife, don't divide it so clearly." I looked at the food on the table, the cold feeling in my heart became more and more stable. "The rice can still be divided clearly, why can't the money be divided clearly?" He hung up the phone. The owner brought a small plate of pickles. "The restaurant gave it to you." I said thank you. She looked at me. "Eating alone must be delicious." I nodded. This saying is more realistic than any comforting words in the house. At nine o'clock in the evening, I returned home. The living room lights are on, Tran Hao is sitting on the sofa. Liu Que Phan was cleaning the table. When he saw me come in, he deliberately threw down the towel. "The rice outside is delicious, isn't it?" I changed my shoes. "That's okay." Her expression became even more unsightly. "We were kind enough to leave the rice for you, but you still showed your face." I looked towards the table. Empty. Even the bowl has been washed. I didn't argue, just said: "There's no need to leave anything later." Tran Hao suddenly stood up. "Manh Tinh, are you going to confront the whole family?" I raised my eyes. "It's not a confrontation." "I just don't want to let myself continue to be hungry."04 After that evening, the atmosphere in the house was like being covered with a damp cloth. Tran Hao did not speak. Liu Que Phan also did not speak. The more the two of them didn't speak, the louder the noise in the kitchen became. The next afternoon, before leaving work, I looked at my phone. Tran Hao did not text. Liu Que Phan also did not text. I turned off the computer, picked up my bag and left the company. Tieu Duong chased after her. "Still not coming home to eat today?" I said: "Not going home." She looked at me. "Are you arguing?" I laughed. "No, just adjusting the place to eat." She understood, didn't ask further, just said: "Then let me go with you, anyway I don't want to go home to eat instant noodles." We went to a clay pot restaurant next to the company. The shop's premises are not large, with a red plastic curtain hanging in front of the door. As soon as I entered, the heat turned my glasses white. The owner carried a clay pot from the back kitchen, shouting to be careful as he walked. I ordered a pot of beef vermicelli, green vegetables and fried eggs. Tieu Duong ordered rib rice. While waiting for the food, she used her chopsticks to gently tap the edge of the table. "Your husband really doesn't care?" I bowed my head and tore the tissue. "He does." "How does he manage?" "Tell me not to worry." Tieu Duong couldn't help but laugh, then immediately retracted it. "This is the most useless sentence." I said: "Yes, it's even more difficult to hear than not saying anything." When the pot of food was brought up, the soup was still boiling. The stewed beef is soft and falls apart as soon as you pick it up. I ate slowly, until my forehead sweated, and the choking feeling in my heart eased a little. After eight o'clock, I returned to the apartment complex. As soon as I arrived at the door of the building, I saw Liu Que Phan standing downstairs.