Chapter 1 — Forcing My Mother to Sleep on the Sofa, Do You Think I Will Resist?

As soon as my mother walked in the door, my husband calmly said that his mother had a backache, so he told her to go sleep on the sofa. I stood there, my whole body cold with anger. Without saying another word, I immediately turned around and booked my mother an administrative suite in a five-star hotel. The next morning, I picked up my mother-in-law's suitcase and threw it out the door. She screamed and asked me where to rely. I looked at her, my voice cold:

"I bought this house. The one who has to go out... is you."

She was stunned. My husband rushed forward and raised his hand to hit me. I calmly raised the phone. The call to the police... had been connected before. The light in the mysterious entrance was pale, illuminating my mother Vuong Tu Lan's wind-covered face, and also illuminating the old suitcase at her feet, the paint had long since peeled off. The smell of greasy stewed meat and cheap perfume on Ly Thuy Phuong's body was mixed in the air, so sweet that it made my stomach churn. My mother had just changed her slippers and stood awkwardly at the door, her hands twisted together, not knowing where to put them. Ly Thuy Phuong - my mother-in-law - held her waist with one hand, let out an exaggerated "oh my" moan, her whole body fell heavily on the sofa, her face looked in pain as if she had just endured torture.

“Grandma, you're finally here.” She weakly lifted her eyelids, but her gaze was as sharp as a knife, glancing at my mother once.

Then, the hand with red nail polish pointed straight at the only living room facing south.

"This is my waist. It's an old illness. The doctor said I need to sleep on a hard bed. I'll use this room. You're in good health. You can sleep on the sofa tonight."

The tone was calm, as if giving an irrefutable command. My husband, Tran Minh, immediately seemed to have received orders and rushed to help his mother.

“Mom, lie down, don't move!”

He turned his head to look at me, frowned, his eyes full of annoyance and blame.

"Lam Van, what about your mother sleeping on the sofa? There's no room! My mother's health is not good, don't you know?"

I looked at my mother's face and immediately turned pale. Her eyes, which were always warm, now only held awkwardness and insecurity, as if she were a burden who shouldn't be here. My heart felt like it was being squeezed in that moment, it hurt so much that I couldn't breathe. Ten minutes ago, with my own eyes I saw Ly Thuy Phuong in the kitchen, holding a cast iron pot in one hand, walking briskly, wrapping dumplings skillfully like a young girl. Her waist... is stronger than anyone else's. Anger spread through my limbs like gasoline on fire, burning until the top of my head throbbed. Over the past three years, all the resentment, patience, and things I swallowed just to exchange for the so-called "peaceful family"... At this moment, it all turned into something cold - hatred. Just as I was about to open my mouth, Ly Thuy Phuong's sour voice ripped through the air.

"Oh, in-laws, your daughter is truly so precious! Our family is so poor, we can't even sleep on a sofa? Haven't we old people always endured this to survive!"

Each sentence was like a poisonous thorn, piercing straight into my mother's heart. My mother quickly waved her hand, her voice so low that it was almost inaudible.

“It's okay, it's okay… I can sleep on the sofa, I'm fine…”

She looked at me, her eyes full of guilt and pity, as if she had caused me trouble. I clenched my hands tightly, my nails digging deep into my palms, that little bit of pain held me back a bit Sober at last. I looked at my mother and forced a smile. Look at the undisguised look of pride on Ly Thuy Phuong's face. Looking at Tran Minh's appearance of taking it for granted. This place… was never home. It is a law school. As for my mother, it was just a knife they used to bury me little by little. Ly Thuy Phuong calmly sent Tran Minh to make honey water for her, completely pretending not to see my mother still standing alone at the door, like a stranger. I swallowed the fishy taste in my throat, without saying a word, turned around and went straight to the bedroom. Behind, the laughter of mother and daughter rang out so naturally that it was obnoxious. The contempt and smugness in it, like a dull knife, cut into my nerves. I took out my phone. The cold screen reflected the bloodless face. Fingers ran quickly over it. That light... is my only weapon right now. When I walked out of the room, my face was so calm that there were no longer any waves. I went straight to my mother and held her cold hand.

“Mom, you don't need to sleep on the sofa.”

My voice wasn't loud, but clear enough to carry throughout the living room.

“I've already booked a hotel for you, Mom.”

Ly Thuy Phuong on the sofa and Tran Minh next to her froze at the same time. She sat up straight, her "painful waist" immediately disappeared, and her eyes were as sharp as knives shooting straight at me.

“What hotel?!” She shouted, her voice cracking with surprise. "There's no place to live at home, so why go out and spend money? Lam Van, have you gone crazy with so much money?"

The corner of my lips curled up into a cold line.

“Five-star hotel, executive suite.”

I deliberately emphasized the four words "administrative suite", clearly seeing the mixture of jealousy and surprise on her face.

"There is a butler available 24/7. Compared to that torn sofa... a hundred times more comfortable."

My mother looked at me in surprise, her lips trembling as if she wanted to say something, but was stopped by my steady gaze. In my eyes right now, there is only one thing left - unprecedented determination. Tran Minh's face was as red as pig liver. He strode in front of me, lowering his voice to each word loud enough for only two people to hear.

"Lam Van, are you crazy?! What do you think this house is? A hotel?!"

His breath came, carrying the familiar smell of cowardice and rotten selfishness.

"Home?" I laughed coldly, my eyes filled with contempt. "A place even my own mother couldn't contain, a place full of lies and calculations... but is it still worthy of being called home?"

My voice wasn't loud, but it was like a resounding slap, hitting both mother and child in the face.

With a "thump" sound, Ly Thuy Phuong jumped up from the sofa.

This time it was real, quick and agile as if I had never been sick before. She pointed straight at my face, spit flying.

"What kind of attitude do you have? If you marry into the Tran family, you are from the Tran family! You criticize my family for being poor, right? Are you planning to leave with your mother? You unfilial daughter-in-law!"