Chapter 9 — Dad's Wishes

After watching, the director's face darkened. “They are making it up.” I nodded. "I will follow the legal process, but if the unit feels the impact is not good, I can ask for leave first." The director pushed the request for leave. "There's no need. I've been taking care of my dad for the past few months, and there's been no mistakes at work. Family members have caused trouble, so I shouldn't have to bear the brunt of it." This sentence made my eye sockets heat up. When I left the office, the front desk colleague quietly slipped me a cup of hot soy milk. "Thanh Hoa, don't listen to their nonsense. This morning a man came to the door and scolded him, and was asked to leave by security." I asked: “Who?” She turned over the surveillance camera photo. In the photo, Trieu Khai is wearing a mask, standing in front of the library door holding up a piece of paper. On the paper was written: Unfilial daughter Hua Thanh Hoa, swallowed her adoptive mother's old age money. Lawyer Van finished looking at the photos and immediately contacted the police station. At dusk, Trieu Khai was summoned again. This time, the reasons include disorderly conduct and defamation. Tham Niem Tu called me crying. “Thanh Hoa, do you have to destroy my house?” I stood under the bus stop sign, the wind blew my fingers cold. “When you relayed the rumors, did you think about ruining me?” The crying on the other side stopped. “I'm just impatient.” “I'm just defending my rights.” On the other end of the line came the grandmother's shrill scolding. "Let him sue! I'll see if he dares to sue his biological grandmother!" I hung up the phone. When I got home that night, Tham Van So was sitting in front of the door. She wore an old sweater and held a thermos in her hand. Seeing me, she immediately stood up. “Thanh Hoa, mother stews soup.” I went around to her and opened the door. She followed in and placed the thermos on the dining table. “In the past, your father liked to drink this the most.” I looked at that pot of soup. Rib soup. It was the ribs that Tham Van Chau brought the day before, which she washed and stewed. “I don't drink.” Her hands stiffened. “Are you dirty?” I don't answer. Tham Van So slowly sat down, his tired face as if he had aged ten years. "At Trieu Khai's mother's side, she went to ask. The necklace is still there." I suddenly looked at her. She took out a photo from her pocket. The photo is very blurry. A gold pendant inlaid with jade hangs on a red wooden jewelry stand, the word Hoa on the back is so small that it is almost impossible to see clearly. “She asked for 200 thousand to pay.” Tham Van So didn't dare look at me. “Thanh Hoa, mom has no money.” I laugh. “So?” She tightened her grip on the photo. “You put the money first, I will slowly pay it back later.” The bit of bitterness that had just arisen was completely extinguished by this sentence. "When she bought it for 8 thousand, now she wants 200 thousand. Mom told me to give up the money?" “That's what your mother left you!” Tham Van So panicked. “Don't you want it back?” I stared at her. “I want.” “But this 200 thousand should not be paid by you.” Her face was white. "Thanh Hoa, you can't force me. I really don't have it." Suddenly there were footsteps outside the door. Trieu Khai's mother, Hoang My Lan, stood at the door, behind was Tham Niem Tu. Hoang My Lan held a bundle of red cloth in her hand, smiling until her wrinkles were full. “If you want the necklace, give me money.” She opened the red cloth. Gold necklace inlaid with pearls revealed. Under the light, the jade color is gentle, and the gold edges are rubbed off with old marks. As soon as I extended my hand, she immediately took it back. “200 thousand, not even one penny short.” Tham Van So said in a low voice: "Sister My Lan, they are all relatives, please be less." Hoang My Lan spat at her. "Who is your relative? That year, the Tham family sold me 8 thousand. Now if you want to get it, you can't get it back, just dream!" Tam Niem Tu's eyes were red. "Thanh Hoa, give me the money. Now Trieu Khai has been harmed by you to the point that his job is hanging in the balance, this 200 thousand is considered compensation." I took out my phone. Hoang My Lan immediately laughed. “That's right.” The phone screen lit up, I called lawyer Van and turned on the speakerphone. "Lawyer Van, the necklace is at my house, the keeper is demanding 200 thousand. Would you mind bringing the police here?" The smile on Hoang My Lan's face immediately disappeared. She picked up the red cloth and tried to run. Outside the door, Uncle Chu led security guards to block the hallway. Hoang My Lan was blocked at the door, her mouth scolding very hard to hear. "I paid for it! Ai

dare to rob?” When lawyer Van arrived, the police also went upstairs with him. The testimony of the owner of the old gold shop, photos of old books, a recording of Tham Van So admitting to selling, and the word Hoa behind the pendant, are enough to prove the origin of this relic very clearly. Hoang My Lan was not satisfied. “Whether they steal or sell, I will pay for it!” The police said: "Knowing the origin of the dispute but still taking the opportunity to ask for a high price, first go to the station to clarify." Hoang My Lan immediately panicked. She stuffed a red cloth bundle for Tham Niem Tu. “Nien Tu, take it!” Tham Niem Tu was so scared that he backed away. The red cloth wrap fell to the ground. The necklace slipped off and fell at my feet. I squatted down to pick it up. The word Hoa on the back of the pendant has been very faded over the years. Touching the tip of the finger can still feel the engraving. At that moment, I finally grasped something that should belong to me. Tham Van So cried next to him. “Thanh Hoa, I'm sorry for you.”