Chapter 3 — Grandma said in a dream that the numbers were lucky, my husband panicked and asked for a divorce

Trieu Ngoc Lan's mother-in-law's eyes were sharp as knives. She stared at me, as if wanting to bore a hole in my body. The atmosphere on the dining table immediately froze. Chu Minh Hien's face was even more unsightly than that of a dead person. He kept winking at me, to the point that his lips were about to be bitten and bleeding. But I deliberately pretended not to understand.

"It's just a very normal series of numbers."

"Mom, why are you so stressed?"

I smiled, gently throwing the question back.

"Mom stressed?"

The mother-in-law immediately felt like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. The voice suddenly rose high.

"Mom, what is there to be nervous about?"

"I just saw this girl in broad daylight dreaming about getting rich!"

She paused for a moment. Then quickly regained his familiar gentle look. Continuing to play the role of a benevolent elder.

"Them Tham, listen to mom's advice."

"To live, you must know reality."

"The story of bread falling from the sky is all a lie."

"Look at you and Minh Hien."

"A stable job, a house and a car."

"How peaceful life is."

"Stop thinking about such nonsense."

"Lest your heart give birth to wrong thoughts."

The words sounded extremely secretive. Just implicitly blaming me for not being realistic. Just hinted that my current life is all thanks to your son. I secretly laughed coldly.

"Mom is right."

"But I'm still curious."

I turned to look at Chu Minh Hien.

"Why was his reaction so big?"

"As soon as I heard that number, my phone was smashed."

"What can I say, that number sequence is a curse."

"It will tear the family apart."

"Do you know what the cause is?"

I deliberately emphasize four words: Broken home. Trieu Ngoc Lan's face immediately changed continuously. From pale white to pale blue. From pale to red. The expression is so unique that it's hard to describe. She glared fiercely at Chu Minh Hien. With eyes full of reproach: Useless thing! Chu Minh Hien immediately shrunk his neck. Bow your head down to the bowl of rice. As if I wanted to crawl into it. The mother-in-law coughed loudly. Clearly trying to regain control of the conversation.

"That's all old stories from many years ago."

"Why do you listen to Minh Hien talk nonsense?"

"My father-in-law and I believed in those things that year..."

She paused for a moment.

"...just passed away."

"It's not a curse."

"It's a lesson."

"A lesson that must be paid in blood."

Her voice was firm. It sounds as if the truth is that simple. But his eyes continued to avoid him. A wife mentions her husband's death. There is no grief. There is no mourning. There is only the impatience of wanting to wipe away all involvement. Too unusual.

"What lesson?"

I continued to inquire.

"That's..."

The mother-in-law was asked until she was speechless. Right at that moment. Her savior appeared. The door was pushed open forcefully. My husband's sister, Chu Dinh, rushed in like a gust of wind.

"I'm starving to death!"

"What's delicious today?"

She pulled out a chair and sat down. Pick up your chopsticks and prepare to pick up food. But as soon as I saw the dining table, almost no one had touched their chopsticks and the stiff faces of the three of us. She immediately stopped.

"What's going on?"

"Is the tripartite trial underway?"

Up until now, Chu Dinh and I have not been compatible. Every time I open my mouth, it's like I'm carrying sharp thorns. The mother-in-law just saw her youngest daughter. Like a drowning person grabbing a life preserver.

"You talk too much!"

"Hurry up and eat!"

She scolded while discreetly winking. Chu Dinh immediately understood. Eyes roll around. The tip immediately pointed straight at me.

"Did your sister-in-law make your mother angry again?"

"I'll say it first."

"Just because your brother is gentle doesn't mean the Chu family is easy to bully."

I'm lazy to argue. Just picked up the bowl and quietly ate. My silence seemed to make them think I had gone into the water. Mother-in-law and Chu Dinh exchanged looks. Then the tosser and the catcher begin.

"Dinh Dinh."

Mother-in-law smiled faintly.

"Last night your sister-in-law dreamed that she was about to become rich."

"Really?"

Chu Dinh immediately exclaimed exaggeratedly.

"So I have to congratulate my sister-in-law."

"Or do you think my brother makes too little money and can't support you anymore?"

"Do you want to rely on lottery tickets to change your life?"

"It's truly a daydream."

Even Chu Minh Hien couldn't hear it anymore.

"Chu Dinh, please stop saying a few words!"

"Did I say something wrong?"

Chu Dinh was immediately dissatisfied.

"Look at her, her face looks like our whole family owes her 8,000,000 yuan."

"I just broke a phone."

"Tomorrow I'll buy her a new one."

"What's the need to show that appearance to anyone?"

I slowly swallowed the last bite of rice. Then pick up a tissue to wipe the corners of your mouth. Throughout the whole process, I didn't say a word. Wait until they say enough. I just raised my head to look at Chu Minh Hien.

"I'm done eating."

"I still have work to do this afternoon. I'll go back to my room first."

Having finished speaking, I stood up. From beginning to end, I never looked at my mother-in-law and brother-in-law once. Just go straight towards the bedroom.

"Look!"

"Look at her attitude!"

Behind him, Chu Dinh's shrill voice rang out. I closed the bedroom door. Completely isolates all outside sounds. I'm not angry. Not even a little bit. Because right now, I'm sure of one thing. That series of numbers... Like a Pandora's box. Chu Minh Hien and her mother-in-law used every means to lock it up. Concealment. Times of intentionally avoiding the topic. They are all proving one thing. Inside that box... Hides a secret capable of destroying the entire Chu family. I walked over to the bed. Bend down to pick up the smashed phone. It can't boot at all anymore. But it's okay. I remember everything. Not a single number is missing. I pulled out the nightstand drawer. Get paper and pen. Based on memory, I slowly rewrote each series of numbers. Stroke by stroke. After finishing writing. I looked at the numbers on the page for a long time. Stunned. Outside the living room, the sound of arguing could still be heard. I heard Chu Dinh grumbling. The sound of mother-in-law coaxing. And Chu Minh Hien's suppressed, frustrated voice. It seems he is saying:

"...I told you not to mention it again! Everyone must..."

The back part is too small. I can't hear clearly. I carefully folded the paper. Then double it again. Then I pulled open another drawer. That's where Chu Minh Hien and I keep our identification papers and important documents. I searched for each one. At the bottom of the drawer. My hand touched something cold and hard. It's an iron box with a lock. That is Chu Minh Hien's "private territory". You once said it's just inside Some souvenirs from my student days. Never let me touch it until now. Before, I didn't care at all. But now... I looked at the piece of paper in my hand. Look at that iron box again. A crazy thought suddenly appeared in my head. If Chu Minh Hien refuses to talk. The mother-in-law also refused to speak. Then I'll find the answer myself. I took a deep breath. Get up and go to the wardrobe. I remember very clearly. Chu Minh Hien has a set of spare keys. Always hangs on the innermost hook of the cabinet. I opened the wardrobe. Slide your hand behind the pile of clothes. Very quickly I touched the cold set of keys. There are more than ten cars of different sizes on it. I don't know which one is the key to opening the other box. Hold the keys in your hand. I returned to the bed. My heart was beating so violently that it felt like it wanted to jump out of my chest. I have a strong premonition. Just open this box. Every secret. Any doubts. All will be answered. I squatted down. Take out the iron box. Choose a key that is closest in size. Fingertips trembled slightly. Slowly insert the key into the lock. Then rotate slightly. A very soft sound rang out.