Chapter 13 — Don't Use The Two Words 'Filial Obedience' To Tie Me Down

After writing, I put down my pen and looked at the page, feeling for the first time in my heart that I had the initiative. Not controlling others. It's about controlling yourself. Maybe some people will say I'm calculating, cold, and not like a "traditional" daughter-in-law. But I don't care. Those reviews did not help me stay up at night, did not help me take care of sick people, nor did they help me endure decades of repetition. The person who has to do all that… is me. So I have the right to figure it out for myself. The night was very late. I turned off the light and lay down, but my heart was still as tense as a string. I know the upcoming "four-party meeting" will not be easy. But no matter what, I have to go through this step to the end. There is no turning back. Chu Ngon raised his head to look at me, a bit of guilt flashed in his eyes, but was quickly covered by fatigue. I turned around, my voice was not loud but enough to make everyone quiet down.

“Chu Manh, don't talk so lightly.”

"You said my job isn't hard, so come to my company and try it for a month. You said it's convenient to take you home. Is it convenient for your family or convenient for mine?"

Chu Manh was stopped by me, his face stiffened.

"Sister-in-law, I don't have any other intentions, it's just that it's more convenient for you, and your house is near the hospital, so it's convenient for mom to have a follow-up check-up later. If she knew you kept avoiding me like that, she would feel very uncomfortable."

“Don't worry.” I said calmly.

“Mom wouldn't know.”

Chu Manh was stunned:

“What do you mean?”

“The doctor said, your mood should not be agitated right now.”

"I'll say it first, whoever dares to add salt and fish sauce in front of you and make you agitated, that person is solely responsible."

The hallway was immediately quiet. Her husband frowned:

“Knowing Nghien, don't talk so harshly, everyone is for mom, you're too cold like that.”

“Who is the cold person?” I looked straight at him.

"From the moment my mother entered the hospital until now, the person who signed the papers was my husband, I paid the deposit, and the person who stayed up at night was Chu Ngon."

"And the two of you, coming in less than an hour a day and already saying you're busy, now you're standing here assigning work to others. You were also once a patient's family member. Don't you feel guilty when you say that?"

He was speechless, his face turned red, but he did not dare to raise his voice in the hospital. Chu Manh gritted his teeth and his voice sharpened:

“Sister-in-law, you also gave up money, you also gave up work, isn't it for the old house in the future?”

"Now you refuse to take your mother home. If she leaves the house to you, won't you lose?"

As soon as the words came out, her husband immediately pulled his hand:

“Keep your voice down.”

But it's already late. The words "old house" are like a needle, piercing the outer shell. The fire I had been suppressing for a while... was ignited by that sentence. I looked straight at Chu Manh and slowly asked:

“Can you say that again?”

Chu Manh has some regrets, but the words have been said, he can only be stubborn:

"I said, aren't you so enthusiastic because of the old house in your mother's hands? Who doesn't know about this, so there's no need for you to pretend to be noble."

Chu Ngon's face immediately darkened:

“Chu Manh, you are enough.”

“Did I say it wrong?” Chu Manh's voice trembled, but he still tried to argue.

"Mom is so sick, how much money did it cost? When she gets better in the future, you see who she will leave the house to. Such a cunning sister-in-law, who knows what is in her heart."

I took a deep breath. My heart suddenly felt cold definitely go. From the moment she was hospitalized until now, I have always told myself that I spend money and effort out of minimal gratitude, not for anything. I even thought in my heart that it would be best for her to keep that house for retirement, or to divide it equally between the two brothers, which originally had nothing to do with me. But in Chu Manh's eyes, every little thing I do... turns into calculation. It's ridiculous.

"Okay." I nodded.

“Since we've talked to this point, let's get straight to it.”

I turned to Chu Ngon:

"Brother, first solve the immediate problem. After mom is discharged from the hospital, who will take care of her?"

Chu Ngon said in a dry voice:

“Don't rush to answer.” I interrupted.

“Let's clarify one thing first.”

I looked towards Chu Manh:

“You just mentioned the old house, so let's start from there.”

Chu Manh was immediately alert:

“What do you want to do?”

“Do nothing.” I said calmly.

“Just remembered something. Mom sold part of the old house before and used it to help you pay the deposit to buy a house, right?”

Her husband's expression changed:

“Sister-in-law, why do you bring up the past, it was my mother's will.”

“I didn't say it wasn't voluntary.” I replied softly.

“Whose name is the rest of the old house now in?”

Chu Manh reflexively looked at her husband, her lips pursed tightly:

“In my mother's name, what, are you going to force your mother to make a will? You're so impatient.”

“I'm not impatient.” I shook my head.

"I just want to make one thing clear, I won't interfere with whoever you want to leave the house to in the future, but before that, everything must be transparent."

“Transparency of what?” Chu Manh smiled wryly.

“I ask you, how much is your mother's pension each month, how has she spent these past years, and how much has she supported you?”

“If you don't know, we can go ask your colleague or look at the bank statement.”

Chu Manh was asked until his face turned pale and he stuttered: