Chapter 2 — Half a Life Lost, Half a Life in Peace

His face was red. At that moment, the mother-in-law suddenly shouted:

"No need for Minh Xuyen!"

"Let To Van go!"

"It's more careful!"

I looked at her, slowly smiling.

"Mom, you just fell down and didn't give your biological son filial piety."

"From the outside looking in, people might think the mother doesn't love her youngest son."

The mother-in-law's face immediately changed. She values face more than anything. Especially, you can't let others say you're biased. Co Minh Xuyen was forced to get on the ambulance with her mother-in-law. Before leaving, his eyes looked at me as if he were poisonous. I stood downstairs, watching the ambulance gradually disappear into the distance. The phone in my pocket suddenly vibrated. It's a message from Hua Tinh. 【Van Van, I heard that your mother-in-law fell? Don't let yourself get too tired. Please tell me if there's anything wrong.】 In my previous life, when everyone betrayed me... Only Hua Tinh was by my side. Cry with me. Join me in cursing those ungrateful people. I used to see her as a blood sister. But before she died, I accidentally heard a call between her and Co Minh Vien.

"Minh Vien, To Van is about to not be able to stand it anymore, right?"

"Wait until she dies, we can be together openly."

I looked at the message on the screen, my fingers tightening little by little. Then answered her: 【Don't worry, I'm not tired this time.】 The mother-in-law's test results came out quickly. Femoral neck fracture. The doctor recommended surgery. The expected cost is from 80,000 to 120,000 yuan, not including future rehabilitation costs. In my previous life, when I heard about this amount of money, my first reaction was to take out my bank card to pay. But this time, I just sat on the chair in the hallway, silently without saying a word. Co Minh Vien looked at me.

"Isn't there still money in your card?"

I raised my head.

"That was my pre-marital savings."

He frowned.

"Mom is already like this, why do you still distinguish before marriage or after marriage?"

I ask in return:

"Where is your salary card?"

His face immediately stiffened. From the day we got married until now, Co Minh Vien has never given me his salary card. He always said that when men go out to socialize, they cannot do without money. Electricity and water bills in the house. Market money. Extra tuition money for your child. Money for wedding congratulations, visits, and filial piety from the mother-in-law. It's all added by me. In my previous life, I always thought his pressure was too great. Only later did I find out. Most of that money was spent on Hua Tinh. Her handbag. Her rent. VIP room fee while she was in the hospital. There was even tuition for her daughter's piano class. Thinking of this, my stomach turns cold. Co Minh Vien lost patience and said:

"Don't cause trouble anymore."

"Just advance the money, later, Minh Xuyen and I will split the payment."

All the debts they owe me in their past lives... They are stuck in the words "later". I calmly replied:

"No need later."

I took out a pen and paper from my pocket and wrote a few lines on the back of the hospital bill. 【All costs for Mrs. Co's surgery and rehabilitation are jointly borne by eldest son Co Minh Vien and second son Co Minh Xuyen. To Van only made a temporary advance and was not responsible for the final payment.] I pushed the paper towards them.

"You two sign your names."

"Signed, me You can lend money first."

Co Minh Xuyen immediately jumped up.

"Sister-in-law, what do you mean?"

"A family member still writes a loan note?"

I looked at him.

"It's okay not to write."

He immediately breathed a sigh of relief. I continued:

"Then you two go pay the money yourself."

The smile on his face immediately disappeared. Co Minh Vien's face also turned black.

"To Van, do you have to do something so unsightly today?"

I put down the pen.

"I'm just making it clear."

The mother-in-law heard the movement on the hospital bed and immediately cried loudly.

"My fate is so miserable!"

"No one worries about a broken leg in the hospital."

"The daughter-in-law even forced the two siblings to write debt papers!"

The nurse came over and reminded everyone to keep order. Co Minh Xuyen lost face and lowered his voice to curse:

"Okay, if you sign then sign."

He picked up his pen. But just as he was about to sign, the phone rang. It's his wife, Trieu Lam, calling. He had only heard a few sentences when his face changed.

"Doo Doa has a fever?"

He immediately hung up and stood up.

"My brother, sister-in-law, and daughter have a fever. I have to go home now."

I pressed my hand on the paper.

"After you sign, you can go."

He gritted his teeth.

"Sister-in-law, don't be too harsh."

I looked at him coldly.

"If your daughter has a fever, someone should worry."

"If Mom had surgery, no one would worry?"

I returned all the advice my relatives had given me to him.

"You are my biological son."

"Inherently, I have to shoulder more burden."

Co Minh Xuyen's face was sometimes blue, sometimes white. Finally, you still have to sign. Co Minh Vien also signed. I took the paper and went to pay the deposit. When you swipe your card, your phone displays a balance notification. Looking at the 80,000 yuan that had just been deducted, I no longer felt the same feeling of self-pity as in my previous life. Because this time... I know every penny will be taken back. Surgery was scheduled for the next day. In the evening, Co Minh Vien told me to go home and get some clothes to change for my mother-in-law.

"You go."

He was stunned.

"I don't know where the things are."

"Then ask mom."

He lowered his voice, which already contained anger.

"What's wrong with you?"

I looked at the man in front of me. The person I have loved for fifteen years. In my previous life, when I was dying in the hospital, he didn't even pay a deposit. He said:

"My illness cannot be cured."

"Stop wasting money."

But when he turned around, he bought Hua Tinh a car worth more than 200,000 yuan. Suddenly I felt pitiful about myself in my previous life. So pitiful... Now there's not even much hatred left.

"Co Minh Vien, I'm tired."

He froze, his tone softened a bit.

"I know you're having a hard time. Waiting for mom to get better..."

"No."

I interrupted him.

"I mean..."

"This family makes me so tired."

His expression immediately darkened.

"Don't say such unconscionable things."

I smiled softly.

"Do you see?"

"It's not that I don't understand."

"You just don't want to hear me tell the truth."