Chapter 7 — Forty-two Days of Confinement

He pursed his lips. "So at that time you said you wouldn't go to the hospital..." "I didn't go to the hospital, not because I was 'free and didn't want to go'. But because my every day was full of schedules. Taking care of the children, taking orders, handing over. I had absolutely no spare energy left to serve anyone." He nodded. Nodding many times. "I understand." "I understand." I stood up and went to the kitchen to pour a glass of water. Taking a sip, turning my head, I saw him still sitting on the sofa, bent over, his hands clasped together on his knees. Like digesting one something. In less than three days, the news that Tran Huc knew I was earning money reached his mother's ears. It's not me who said it. It's you who said it. I don't blame you. Maybe he just wanted his mother to know, "Van Van isn't just sitting around at home." The original intention was not bad. But the result was not what he expected. Wednesday afternoon, my mother-in-law suddenly arrived. Without calling first, she rang the bell directly. When I opened the door, she was carrying two bags in her hand, one bag of fruit, one bag of children's clothes. "Van Van, mom came to visit you." "Come in." Go." She walked in, put down the things, stood by the crib, looked at her child for a while, then sat on the sofa. I poured her a glass of water. She took it but didn't drink it, put it on the tea table. "Van Van, Ah Huc told my mother that you're taking on a design job at home." "Yes." "Do you earn a lot?" I looked at her. "That's okay." "That..." She rubbed her hands together. "Does your job mean you need to open some kind of company in the future? Sign up for a studio? "I didn't expect her to ask that. "Not yet. I accept it all in my own name." "Oh." She nodded then was silent again for a while. "That... if I open a company in the future... I see if Tuyet Nhi can..." I put down the glass of water. "Mom, just say whatever you want to say." She smiled wryly. "It wouldn't be easy for Tuyet Nhi to work at that company, she said she wanted to change the environment. I think if I open a company in the future..." "Mom." I interrupted her. "The story about Tran Tuyet scolding me in the residents' group was last month." Her smile stiffened. "Do you know about that?" She did not answer. "She said I was unfilial in front of hundreds of people, posting pictures of my father." Husband is in the hospital with his child's friend circle post. Below are more than twenty people scolding me." The mother-in-law's face changed. "That... he's still young, he doesn't understand..." "It's okay if he doesn't understand. But if he comes to work for me... do you think it's appropriate?" My mother-in-law opened her mouth but couldn't say anything. I stood up and went to the kitchen to bring out the baby's baby food. "Mom, some things have passed, let's let them go. But there are also things that haven't passed yet." She sat for a while longer and then left. When she left, she left behind fruit and clothes, cup of water without taking a sip. The next day, after her mother-in-law left, Tran Tuyet sent me a WeChat message. "Sister-in-law, my mother told me. It was not right for me to post that message that day. I'm sorry." I took a look and didn't reply. Ten minutes later. "Sister-in-law, I didn't mean that. At that time I was just angry because you didn't go to the hospital... Well, I won't explain anymore. Anyway, I'm sorry."I still didn't answer. In the afternoon, she sent another message. "Sister-in-law, I heard that you are doing brand design. Before At the company, I also did work related to planning. If you need help, I can help you for free, without taking money." I put down the phone. In the evening Tran Huc returned, I mentioned this to him. "Today my sister apologized to me, then said she wanted to come help me with the work." His chopsticks paused. "How do you answer?" "Not paying attention." "Van Van..." "I know what you want to say." I put the bowl down. "I want to say she has already apologized, or give her a chance." He did not deny. "Tran Huc, every penny I earn everything in exchange for my own reputation. Customers trust me. If you bring someone in, that person has a problem, what will be ruined is your reputation." "It's not to the extent that..." "She posted my personal story in a group of several hundred people. Do you feel like when she works, can she keep her mouth shut?" He stopped talking. "I decide this for myself. Don't interfere." "Okay." He bowed his head and continued eating. I also bowed my head to eat. This topic ended there. After receiving the second customer introduced by To Vi, One after another, three more customers came. It's all by word of mouth. When my baby was six months old, I had four projects running at the same time. Taking care of the children during the day, working at night. I hired a maid to help me on the day shift, taking care of the baby for three hours in the morning. I started to feel alone and couldn't take it anymore. While having dinner with To Vi, she said: "Sister, you should register for the studio. Find one or two people to help you. Otherwise, there will be a big order in the future, I won't be able to swallow it." I know she's right. Dark That day, I opened my computer and seriously studied the personal studio registration process. Two days later, I went to the Market Management Department to get a business license. I thought about the name of the studio for a long time. Finally, choose a very simple one: Lam Gian Design.