Chapter 1 — Breaker Reveals the Truth

Forced to pay 3,980 yuan for electricity, I had a bridge collapse, my brother-in-law panicked. My sister's monthly electricity bill is 3,980 yuan. My brother-in-law threw the bill in my face: "You stay home every day and turn on the air conditioner, you have to pay this money." But during the day I go to work and return to my room at night. I rarely even enter his door. That day, the whole family went to dinner, I passed by his house, and conveniently pulled down the bridge. The next day, the management called my sister's phone: "The 7 large electricity consuming machines in your basement have all stopped working. Are the things inside okay?" My sister's face immediately turned pale. My brother-in-law rushed out the door like a crazy person: "Who told you to turn off the power!" 01 When Thieu Canh Xuyen threw the electricity bill in my face, I was peeling an apple for my nephew Trinh Trinh. The edge of the paper passed my chin and fell to the ground. 3980 yuan. Black numbers printed on white paper. In the living room no one spoke. My sister Duong Nhan stood at the kitchen door, still holding a cooking knife in her hand. My mother Phuong Boi Tran sat on the sofa, her face darkened. “Duong Tue, what your brother-in-law said is not wrong.” "I run to my sister's house every day. As soon as I turn on the air conditioner, it runs all day long. I can't always force my brother-in-law to pay this amount of money." I looked at the bill on the ground and didn't bend down to pick it up. “You run here every day?” Thieu Canh Xuyen smirked. “What, dare to use it but don't dare to accept it?” "Trinh Trinh comes to pick you up after school. On weekends, you come to eat. If you don't turn on the air conditioner, then who will?" I gave the peeled apple to Trinh Trinh. Trinh Trinh mumbled: "The last time I came, it was last Wednesday." Thieu Canh Xuyen's face changed. “What do children know!” Duong Nhan quickly stepped forward and pulled Trinh Trinh's hand. “Don't skimp.” I looked at her. She didn't look at me. These past few years, standing in front of Thieu Canh Xuyen, she has always been like that. First bow your head, then apologize, and finally clean up the mess for him. I put the fruit peeler back in the plate. “During the day I go to work at the pharmacy, and return to my room at night.” “This month I came to your house, a total of four times.” “No more than two hours at a time.” Thieu Canh Xuyen leaned back on the sofa. “Is that how many times you say it?” “Who testified for you?” I took my phone out of my pocket and opened the shift schedule. “The principal's attendance schedule.” I opened the payment screenshot in the host's group again. “The electricity bill where I live alone is 92 yuan.” “Where I live has air conditioning.” “I don't need to run to your house to use the kettle.” Phuong Boi Tran frowned. “My brother-in-law doesn't mean that either.” “It's just that the pressure is so great.” I laughed. "His pressure is so great, can he put a cap of four thousand yuan for electricity bills on my head?" Thieu Canh Xuyen suddenly stood up. “Duong Tue, don't give me face without needing it!” “Your sister married me, and over the years, she has eaten and lived with me.” “You took advantage of being my little sister, so I turned a blind eye.” “Now I ask you to pay some electricity bills, are you being fair with me like that?” I looked at Duong Nhan. “Sister, do you also think I should pay this amount?” Duong Nhan's lips moved. The pot of soup on the stove boiled and gurgled. She turned around and turned off the stove. “Let's eat first.” This sentence is colder than Thieu Canh Xuyen's bill. I won't say anything more. Trinh Trinh reached out and pulled my sleeve. “Auntie, don't be angry.” I patted the boy's head. "No problem." Thieu Canh Xuyen picked up the bill and slammed it down on the tea table. “Send me the money tonight.” “Not even a penny short.” I picked up my bag. “No transfer.” The living room immediately fell silent. Phuong Boi Tran patted her thigh. “Duong Tue!” I looked at Thieu Canh Xuyen. “Whoever uses electricity, pays.” Thieu Canh Xuyen stared at me, his eyes fierce. “Please say it again.” I opened the door. “Whoever uses electricity, pays.” Before the door closed, I heard Duong Nhan softly call my name. I didn't look back. While taking the elevator downstairs, an announcement jumped out from the management group. "Users with abnormal electricity meters in this building please contact the management to check immediately." I'm inherently dumb

h skimmed through. But the next second, I saw the photo sent in the group. In the corner of the photo, there is an electric clock. The serial number of the electric meter is the Tang Nhan family. The numbers jump extremely fast. So fast that it's not the same as the electricity consumed by a household of three. I stared at that photo for a few seconds, then saved it. The elevator door opens. Thieu Canh Xuyen's voice chased down from the hallway. “Duong Tue, if you don't transfer money, don't step into this house in the future!” I pressed the close button. Before the elevator door closed, I raised my eyes to see him standing at the end of the hallway, clutching a set of keys in his hand. On that key chain, hang a black door opening card. On the card was written “Basement B2”. 02 The next day at noon, Duong Nhan called me three times. I don't answer the phone. The pharmacy is busy. Elderly people lined up to get medicine, children cried, printers beeped continuously. After work, I called back. As soon as the phone rang, Duong Nhan immediately said: "Tue Tue, about last night, don't have a harsh confrontation with your brother-in-law." I hung the white blouse in the closet. “I called to ask you to apologize?” She was silent for two seconds. "Not." “Early this morning he was angry again at home.” "Say you don't understand, say your grandmother's family has no manners." I closed the closet door. “What about you?” “Do you also think I have no manners?” Duong Nhan's voice gradually faded. “I know it's not because you use electricity.” As these words were uttered, the wind in the hallway seemed to stop blowing. I leaned my back against the wall. “So why didn't you say anything last night?” She didn't reply. I heard the sound of bowls and chopsticks hitting each other on the other end of the line. Along with Thieu Canh Xuyen's frustrated voice. “Who are you calling again?” Duong Nhan was confused. “No more talking.” Phone disconnected. I looked at the black screen. She knows. She always knows. At eight o'clock at night, I went to her house to give her the exercise book that Trinh Trinh had left behind for me. The person who opened the door was Trinh Trinh. As soon as the boy saw me, he immediately pulled me into the house. “Auntie, please keep quiet, Dad is in the study room.” The living room does not turn on large lights. On the dining table is half a bowl of cold rice. Duong Nhan sat at the dining table, his face not looking good. I put down the exercise book. “Have you eaten yet?” She nodded. "Already ate." I looked at that half bowl of rice. "Older sister." She avoided my eyes. The study room door suddenly opened. Thieu Canh Xuyen walked out. When he saw me, his face immediately darkened. “Who let you come?” I said: "Give me the things." He stared at my bag. “Once you're done, leave.” Trinh Trinh hugged the book and hid behind me. When Thieu Canh Xuyen saw it, his face became even more ugly. “Trinh Trinh, go back to your room to do your homework.” Trinh Trinh did not move. Thieu Canh Xuyen's voice was low. “Don't you understand?” Duong Nhan quickly stood up and led Trinh Trinh into the room. I looked at Thieu Canh Xuyen. “Are you that afraid of me staying at your house?” He smirked. “I'm afraid you're stealing things.” I nodded. “Then call the police.” Thieu Canh Xuyen choked. I took out my phone and placed it in my palm. “Call now.” "Tell your sister-in-law to come to your house to bring you exercise books. I suspect she stole things." “Tell the police to come and search.” Thieu Canh Xuyen's facial muscles tightened. “Stop scaring me.” I didn't pay attention to him and turned around to leave. Just arriving at the mysterious gate, the voice of the management board's butler was heard outside the door. "Mr. Thieu, the power line is in basement B2. We still advise you to ask an electrician to check it." Thieu Canh Xuyen's face suddenly changed. He rushed out the door in one step, blocking the butler's face. “Haven't I told you before, there's no need for managers!” The management board's butler held the registration book in his hand. “But the electricity consumption in the past two months has been too high, the system keeps warning.” “Furthermore, the temperature in the underground storage room is not normal.” Thieu Canh Xuyen lowered his voice. “Shut up.” I stood in the mysterious entrance, not moving. Duong Nhan came out of the children's room and also heard it. Half of the color on her face faded. “Basement B2?” She looked at Thieu Canh Xuyen.

“Didn't you say that storage room was empty a long time ago?” Thieu Canh Xuyen turned around, his voice was very stiff. “The management is talking nonsense.” “Don't listen.” The management board's butler looked at me, then looked at Duong Nhan. "Ms. Duong, records of swiping magnetic cards in and out of your house's basement B2 have been very frequent lately." “If there are things inside, it's best to check periodically.” Thieu Canh Xuyen snatched the registration book. “Who gave you permission to bring this up here?” The management board housekeeper was also angry. "Mr. Thieu, I'm just reminding you according to regulations." “If you do this again, I will report to the director.” Thieu Canh Xuyen stuffed the notebook back. "Fuck off." The door slammed shut. Duong Nhan stood rooted to the spot. She looked at the set of keys at Thieu Canh Xuyen's waist. The black magnetic card waved once. I also saw it. Thieu Canh Xuyen bowed his head following our line of sight and immediately stuffed the key into his pocket. “Look at what?” Duong Nhan's voice trembled. “What exactly is there in basement B2?” Thieu Canh Xuyen pointed straight at her face. “Stop asking questions.” “In matters of the house, I am the one who decides.” I picked up the bag of exercise books on the shoe cabinet and gave it back to Trinh Trinh. Trinh Trinh's palms were cold. I looked at Duong Nhan. “Sister, I have a day off tomorrow.” “If you want to go to basement B2, I'll go with you.” Thieu Canh Xuyen turned his head. “Duong Tue, you dare!” I looked at him. “If I dare or not, you will know tomorrow.” The ferocity on Thieu Canh Xuyen's face could not be hidden. He pulled out his phone and dialed a number. After the phone rang, he only said one sentence. “Change the door locks tomorrow, immediately.” 03 Duong Nhan the next day did not dare to go to basement B2. She sent me a text message. “Tue Tue, don't worry about it for now.” Followed by an apology emoji. I stared at those words for a long time. It's not that she doesn't want to manage. But she didn't dare. In the afternoon, Phuong Boi Tran called and told me to go out to dinner in the evening. I said no. She was immediately unhappy. "There's a happy event at my uncle's house. The whole family is going. If you don't go, what will happen?" “Did you argue with your brother-in-law again last night?” I neatly arranged a few boxes of medicine on the shelf. “He made me pay 3,980 yuan for electricity.” Phuong Boi Tran paused. "Your brother-in-law said a bit harshly, but don't count on family members." I laughed. “Then tell him not to calculate this number 3980.” The other end of the line was silent. After a moment, she suppressed her anger and said: "Your sister's life is not easy, how about you help her as a sister?" I said: "Her life is not easy, it's not because of me." Phuong Boi Tran angrily hung up the phone. At seven o'clock in the evening, I get off work. The bus passed by Duong Nhan's house. The gate of the residential area hangs red lanterns. Many people went to the hotel to eat, the parking lot downstairs was half empty.