Chapter 2 — Breakfast Changes Destiny

Chef Luu looked at Trieu Le Hong: "Did you go to Nam Street last night?" Trieu Le Hong immediately shouted: "I'm going to buy onions, is that okay?" I pointed at her sleeve: "The smell of red oil from the meat shop is very strong, it can't be washed cleanly. Is the stain on that lady's sleeve the smell of onions?" Tieu Ton, who was chopping vegetables next to him, leaned closer to take a sniff, then quickly covered his nose: "It's the smell of red oil." Trieu Le Hong frantically said: "Lin Xuan Duong, you hurt me!" I placed the oil blotting paper in front of Chef Luu: "Who harmed whom, just go to Nam Street and ask a question and it will be clear. The store owner remembers people's faces very well. If someone takes raw meat from the restaurant to exchange, she won't forget." Chef Luu's face darkened: "Trieu Le Hong, follow me." Trieu Le Hong walked past me, gritted her teeth and whispered: "You wait." I tied the apron string: "I'll wait. But you better think about who will pay for the meat money." Before leaving work at noon, Chef Luu returned, but Trieu Le Hong did not return. Chef Luu cleared his throat: "Xuan Duong, this morning you have wronged me." I sprinkled salt into the pot: "Is it okay to say something unjustly?" His old face turned a bit awkward: "So what do you want?" "Say it clearly in front of the entire kitchen team. Also, whoever's turn it is to wash the bucket of rice water today will be the one to wash it, don't push me anymore." Chef Luu was silent for a moment, turned around and said to everyone: "The meat was taken by Trieu Le Hong, it has nothing to do with Lam Xuan Duong. If you don't have proof in the future, don't bite other people." Tieu Ton gave me a thumbs up. I don't laugh. With small disadvantages like this, I made too many concessions in my previous life, and in the end they all thought I was born bowed down. When I got home at dusk, there were several people gathered around the yard gate. Vuong Que Lan sat on a small stool, patting her thighs and crying: "My life is so miserable, my daughter-in-law is unfilial, abandoning a sick old woman like me to go out and be happy, all day long, not even a drop of water can be brought." Aunt Truong saw me and looked wry: "Xuan Duong is back." Vuong Que Lan's cry became even louder: "Everyone, look, it still knows the way to find its way home." I put down the cloth bag: "Mom, this morning didn't you tell Kien Thanh to take you to the hospital? Why didn't you go?" Chu Kien Thanh walked out of the house, his voice very harsh: "I can't ask for a day off." "So no one brought water for mom to drink all day?" I asked Vuong Que Lan. Vuong Que Lan wiped his tears: "What else?" Minh Nguyet ran out from the house: "Mom, grandma lied. This morning dad was at home, poured water to cook noodles for her, and took her out to dry in the sun. At noon, dad went to work, I came home from school and poured her water twice more." Chu Kien Thanh's face changed: "Minh Nguyet, don't talk nonsense." Minh Nguyet bit her lip: "I'm not talking nonsense. Grandma even forced me to kneel down and punch her feet, but I didn't kneel, she said that if her daughter didn't listen, no one would want to marry her in the future." The eyes of the onlookers towards Vuong Que Lan immediately changed. Vuong Que Lan pointed at Minh Nguyet and scolded: "You money-losing girl, I pity you in vain!" I took a step forward to block Minh Nguyet's face: "When did Mom love her? Can she give her a hot meal or buy her a new shirt?" Vuong Que Lan was shaken by my anger and turned to call Chu Kien Thanh: "Look at the good daughter your wife is teaching!" Chu Kien Thanh's face darkened: "Xuan Duong, small children don't understand things, don't make a fuss in front of everyone." "The person who cries in front of everyone is my mother, the person who scolds children in front of everyone is also my mother." I glared at him: "Are you insulting me now?" Aunt Truong interjected: "Kien Thanh, Minh Nguyet, this girl is so honest, you can't open her mouth."

If you open your mouth, you can tell her to talk nonsense." Another neighbor also said: "Elderly people who want someone to serve them can say, don't dump the potty stool on your daughter-in-law's head." Vuong Que Lan couldn't cry anymore. Chu Kien Thanh suppressed his anger and helped her into the house. When I walked in with Minh Nguyet, Chu Vien was standing next to the table rummaging through my cloth bag. I reached out and pressed his hand: "What are you looking for?" Chu Vien withdrew his hand: "Dad said mom got paid. I want to buy a new fountain pen." "If your dad says it, go find your dad and ask for it." "Before, it was all my mom gave me." He argued very eloquently. I carried the cloth bag into the inner room, locked it tightly in the trunk: "It's already ended before." Chu Vien shouted at my back: "Mom, if you don't let me, I'll go tell the teacher that you're mistreating me!" I turned around to look at it: “Go away. By the way, tell the teacher to look at the last five red slashes on your exercise book. If you don't dare to go, I will go personally tomorrow." Chu Vien seemed to have been stepped on his tail and immediately became speechless. Minh Nguyet said in a low voice: "Mom, I've finished my homework, I'm going to boil some water." I held her back: “No need. Today, whoever eats will wash the dishes, whoever uses it will boil water. I'm also a child, not their servant." Minh Nguyet looked at me blankly, then nodded for a long time. The room was quiet for a moment.