Chapter 1 — Healing After Days of Neglect

When the lottery center employee gave me the bank card, his hands were shaking slightly.

“Miss Lam, after tax deduction, the account received 79,800,000 yuan (≈ 279 billion VND).”

I took the card and conveniently stuffed it into my life jacket pocket. 79,800,000 yuan. For the past three years, I've been living in a cramped room, eating banh man tuu every day, and finally waited for this day. The phone rang. It's my father, Lam Duc Hau.

"Van Van, let's go home, the matter of compensation for the old house has been finalized."

My heart beat slightly fast. Old house compensated? It's an old house of 300 square meters right in the city center, worth a few million yuan at the very least. Two joys come at the same time. I called a car and forty minutes later was standing in front of the old house. The living room was full of people. My sister, Lam Huyen, wore a mink coat and sat cross-legged in the middle of the sofa like a queen. Her husband, Tran Hao Vu, stood behind, holding a cigarette in his hand, his eyes cold. My mother, Trieu Ngoc Hoa, was struggling in the kitchen. Hearing me enter, she stuck her head out to take a look, then quietly withdrew again.

“Dad, has the compensation been received?”

I rubbed my hands and stood at the door, my voice a bit waiting. Lam Duc Hau sat on the chair and coughed twice.

“Received, total 4,200,000 yuan (≈ 14.7 billion VND).”

4,200,000 yuan. I immediately calculated in my head. Even if divided by 3–7, I can still get more than 1,000,000 yuan (≈ 3.5 billion VND). Plus the prize money, enough to buy a decent house in the city.

“My sister got married early and has always taken care of her parents over the years.”

Lam Duc Hau stopped for a moment, his voice as if he had made up his mind a long time ago.

“The compensation money… I decided to give it all to your sister.”

I was stunned.

“...It's over?”

Lam Huyen bowed her head and sipped tea, from beginning to end not even looking at me once. The air in the living room was thick. But in my pocket, that bank card seemed to be silently glowing. 79,800,000 yuan. I suddenly... wanted to laugh. Tran Hao Vu burst out laughing.

"Van Van, it's not like you don't know how hard it has been for so many years. You live alone outside, rent a house, and you're not married yet. What do you need so much money for?"

“So what about you?” I asked.

Lam Duc Hau did not speak. Trieu Ngoc Hoa came out of the kitchen, his hands still covered in flour.

"My sister's family, the boy will go to private school next year, Hao Vu also needs capital to do business, my sister needs this money more than me."

“What about you?” I asked again.

"If you eat enough by yourself, the whole family won't be hungry. If you save a little, that's fine." Trieu Ngoc Hoa wiped his hands. "Besides, your sister won't mistreat you in the future."

I looked at Lam Huyen. She finally put down her teacup and looked up at me.

"Van Van, if you're really short of money, I'll give you a bag of lucky money during Tet."

4,200,000 yuan in compensation, in exchange for a red envelope. I said nothing. Unzipping my shirt up to my neck, I turned and walked straight out.

"Where are you going? You haven't eaten your rice yet!" Trieu Ngoc Hoa called after him.

I pushed the door. Outside it is snowing. Walking to the beginning of the alley, Tran Hao Vu's voice drifted out through the window through the wind.

"Forget it, what can she do? A person with a monthly salary of 3,000 yuan, even if he gave her 4,000,000 yuan, he wouldn't be able to keep it."

Lam Huyen's laughter echoed in the background. I reached out and touched the card in my pocket. 79,800,000 yuan. The corners of his lips couldn't help but curl up. I called a taxi.

“Driver, go to Binh Giang area Nhat Hao.”

Binh Giang Nhat Hao area, the most expensive project in the city, has an average price of 180,000 yuan per square meter. Today, I went to see a house. The next morning, my sister called.

“Van Van, why did you walk so straight yesterday? Mom makes chive dumplings, which I like."

"I already ate."

“Don't be angry, Dad is just for the whole family. I don't spend much alone. With my sister, the boy goes to school, Hao Vu does business, we need money everywhere."

“Ah yes, has your room's heating been fixed yet? Last time I came, I was so cold I wanted to die.”

“Okay then, let's work properly. When Tet comes, I'll buy you a new outfit."

She hung up. I sat on a genuine leather sofa in the transaction room of Binh Giang Nhat Hao. On the table are hand-ground coffee and macarons. The sales manager stood next to him, so respectful that he almost bowed his head.

“Miss Lam, the river-facing apartment you see is 238 square meters, total price 42,000,000 yuan. If we make a one-time payment, we can reduce it by another percent.”

“One time payment.”

“Yes, I immediately prepared the contract.”

I took a bite of macaron. The phone rang again, this time it was my mother.

“Van Van, your sister said you weren't happy yesterday?”

"Do not have."

“That's good. Mom told me this, your sister's car has been running for five years, Hao Yu wants to change the car, see if you have any savings, lend them 20,000 yuan in advance?"

"Do not have."

“You've been working for three years and haven't saved any money?”

“Rent is expensive.”

“That's why mom told me to go home. Well, if you don't have it, that's fine, I'll go ask someone else."

She hung up. The sales manager returned with the contract.

“Miss Lam, please take a look.”

I signed my name and swiped my card. 42,000,000 yuan. There are more than 37,000,000 yuan left on the card. When I walked out of the transaction room, I saw a familiar figure. Phuong Vien, my college roommate, is also my only friend. She was squatting on the side of the road eating pancakes.

“Lam Van? Why are you here?”

She looked me up and down, then looked at the sign behind her.

“What are you doing here? Visiting?”

The piece of cake in her hand almost fell to the ground.

“What did you say?”

“Win the lottery.”

"How much?"

“Definitely don't let them know your new address. It's strange that Binh Giang Nhat Hao didn't go crazy when he was known."

“Don't worry, I said I'm staying at a friend's house.”

“Ha ha ha ha stay here? Your house worth more than 40,000,000 yuan is called living? Lam Van, you are really cruel."

I smiled softly. It's not that I'm evil. It's just that up until now, they have never considered me a family member. Twenty-six years of living in that house, I will forever be a forgotten person. When he was young, Lam Huyen wanted to learn piano. The yearly tuition was 20,000 yuan, and my father paid without saying a word. I wanted to learn how to draw, the yearly tuition was 3,000 yuan, but he said it was a waste of money. During the university entrance exam, Lam Huyen passed the second-class exam, and my father opened three banquet tables. I passed the first-class school, he just said: "Girls don't study so much." After going to work, Lam Huyen married Tran Hao Vu, my father gave me 200,000 yuan as a dowry. As for me, up to now, no one has ever introduced an object. I have never told anyone these things. But now... there's no need to tell anymore. 79,800,000 yuan. That is my best support. The doorbell rang. I opened the door. The person standing outside was Co Tham. He held a plate, with a few pieces of cake on it.

“Congratulations on the housewarming, neighbors, have some sincerity.”

I received the plate. He glanced in in.

“Alone?”

“More than two hundred square meters, living alone is a bit empty.”

“I'm used to it.”

He smiled lightly.

“If you need help, just knock on the door.”

He turned and left. I closed the door and took a piece of cake to try.