Chapter 1 — Husband's Death Certificate

My husband faked his death because of a minor, I turned around and went to get a death certificate. The Master once said that my husband, who was the captain of the fire department, would die by accident five years later. I angrily kicked over his fortune-telling booth. “What nonsense are you talking about, my husband saved countless people, how could he have an accident!” Four years later, I have always been cautious. Whenever there is danger in a rescue drill, I proactively ask to go with the team, to protect my husband behind. Until the fifth wedding anniversary, the new propaganda officer came and confessed to him with red eyes, threatening that if he did not agree, she would jump from the rooftop. The next day, my husband proactively asked to go help with the fire at the chemical factory in the west of the city, and also brought along the propaganda officer who had just confessed to him yesterday. Three days later, news of my husband's death came, and along with that news, was a parcel. Inside is a photo. It was a photo of my husband and his junior propaganda officer, the two of them embracing each other on a hotel bed, kissing passionately. 【Sister-in-law, Captain Tham doesn't mind pretending to die and wants to be with you.】 【You've monopolized him for so many years, now he's mine.】 At the bottom of the box, put a dozen used condoms. After watching, I sat absent-mindedly in the living room for three hours. I did not go to the shrine to pay my respects. Instead, I printed out all the documents and prepared to go to the Fire Department to open the death certificate. No matter what, from a legal perspective, this widowhood issue must be finalized today. I walked into the Team's management room. The door behind him closed with a "click", separating him from the bright sunlight outside. “Doctor Lam.” A young officer came to greet him, the tea cup in his hand almost hit the door frame. Surely he had never welcomed a family member who immediately came to make a death certificate after receiving news of her husband's death like me. “Please bear your sorrow.” I nodded, not answering. I went straight to the office window, took out my citizen identification card, marriage certificate, accident death certificate from my bag, and placed them on the table one by one. "Hello sir, I came to make a certificate of death for my husband Tham Nghien." Sitting in the window was an older comrade in his fifties, wearing glasses on the bridge of his nose. “Doctor Lam.” "Captain Tham is a hero. Over the years he has led the team to save many people, everyone remembers clearly. The organization will not let the hero's family suffer." I looked at the emulation flags hanging behind him. In it there is a flag that reads: "Against the current of the sea of fire, the pillars of the people." It was a flag sent by the family of a child whose life I had stayed up for three nights to fight for. At that time, the reporter pointed the entire lens at Tham Nghien. I stood next to the ambulance, my gloves were covered in blood, no one took a picture of me. "Thank you, I understand. Please follow the correct procedure." The older comrade sighed and typed a few things on the computer. “Here, the family members sign.” He produced a form and a pen. I see that the back of the "Widow" column is empty. Widow. This word now for me is not an identity, but a key. The tip of my pen pressed down very hard, signing down the words "Lam Thinh". The older comrade took the red seal and stamped it directly on the certificate. “Poof.” The sound is very dull. Like the sound of a coffin descending into the ground. He handed out the paper with the red stamp, along with the application to receive the death benefit. “Doctor Lam, the procedure is finished.” I took the paper, folded it in half, and put it in the inside pocket of my white blouse. There used to be a photo of me and Tham Nghien together. "Thank." I turned around and walked out. As soon as I pushed the door open, the bright sunlight hurt my eyes. I took out my phone and dialed a number that was so familiar I didn't even need to look. “Help me pay some money.” “The account for purchasing rescue equipment is in Tham Nghien's name, all family members

o transactions in the past year, not a single amount should be missed.” Before the death certificate in my pocket had even warmed up, the text message was sent. “Miss Thinh, I found out.” “In that account, in the past year, twenty-six equipment purchases, including one of two million yuan, bypassed the normal approval process and were transferred directly to a personal account.” “Did you find the person?” “The money went through three rounds, finally falling into the account of a woman named Hua Niem.” Hua Niem. It is the propaganda officer in the photo. I stood in front of the squad gate, looking at the ropes hanging from the training tower in the yard. Tham Nghien has always said before that the most feared rescue is the rope breaking. But he himself cut my rope. “Where is the proof?” “If you want to get the original, you can only go to the logistics storage room. Sister, now that I'm there, I'm not sure where they took me." “Whether they give it or not is their business.” I hung up the phone. Early the next morning, I changed into the hospital's emergency clothes and went to the logistics storage room. In the storage room there is a smell of damp paper mixed with the smell of antiseptic. As soon as Mr. Vuong, the case manager, saw me, he immediately stood up from his chair. “Doctor Lam, why did you come here by yourself? If you need anything, I will find it for you.” “All documents from Tham Nghien's last sortie, including equipment delivery notes, vehicle logs, and procurement approval documents.” The politeness on the old Vuong's face stiffened. His hand touched the set of keys on the table, then slowly withdrew. “This is not according to regulations. The accident is still under investigation, documents have been sealed. You are a family member, you should avoid suspicion." “Avoid suspicion?” I looked at him. "My husband died. I came to see how he died. You told me to avoid suspicion?" Old Vuong's forehead was sweating. “That's not what I meant. The superiors have instructions.” “Who advised?” “Doctor Lam, don't make things difficult for me.” I walked around the table, toward the innermost row of iron cabinets. On the cabinet was a piece of paper: "Western Chemical Factory Fire Incident, Sealed." As soon as I put my hand up, a voice rang out outside the door. “Doctor Lam.” I turned my head. A man wearing a dark blue uniform stood by the door, holding a bag of documents. He is not very old, his eyes are very deep, and the buttons on his wrist are not even a bit off. "I'm Co Thua An from the discipline inspection team of the squad." "What is up?" He walked over, his eyes falling on my hand. "These documents have been sealed, the search requires joint approval from the Disciplinary Inspection Team and the Investigation Team." I let go of the closet door. “Sorry, I just wanted to review his last sortie log. I want to know what he went through when he left." This reason is dignified enough. A woman who has just lost her husband wants to know his last moments. Whoever stops him, that person has no humanity. Co Thua An looked at me for a few seconds. He did not give a tissue, nor did he say any words of condolence. He said: “So what?” He took a half step forward, lowering his voice. “I think what the widow is more concerned about is when the death benefit will be transferred to the account.” I looked at Co Thua An. Old Vuong in the storage room immediately appeared to mediate. “Team leader Co, Dr. Lam is not that type of person. Over the years in the emergency center, she has saved so many people, everyone knows it clearly in their hearts." Co Thua An did not pay attention to Old Vuong. He put the document bag on the table and pulled out a photocopy. “Lam Thinh, thirty years old, doctor at the City Emergency Center, Tham Nghien's wife. Within two hours after the accident notice was issued, she applied for a death certificate. Within three hours, she asked someone to investigate Tham Nghien's shopping account. Early this morning, she went to the archives room to ask for the original documents.” With every word he said, Old Vuong's face turned a little whiter. “Doctor Lam, you acted too fast.” I asked: "My husband died, I reacted quickly, is that also illegal?" “Of course it's not illegal.” Co Thua An pushed the paper in front of me. “But she didn't cry, she didn't go to the temple, she didn't meet Tham Nghien's parents, but right away

immediately come to lock down the death. You make it very difficult for me not to be suspicious.” I bowed my head and looked at that piece of paper. Above is my action log. Even the time I entered the management office was clearly noted. “What doubt?” “I suspect you already knew Tham Nghien was not dead.” The bunch of keys in Old Vuong's hand fell to the ground. “Not dead yet?” He bent down to pick it up, picked it up twice before picking it up again. I burst out laughing. “Team leader Co, there must be evidence when talking.” “So I came here to find evidence.” Co Thua An knocked on the iron cabinet. “Unfortunately, you also came.” I took out the death certificate and spread it flat on the table. Eye-catching red seal. “This is provided by your squad. Tham Nghien sacrificed himself for the mission. Now you say he's not dead, are you saying you guys are faking it?" Old King immediately waved his hand. "Doctor Lam, this cannot be said indiscriminately." Co Thua An looked at the certificate but did not move. “I just said I doubt it.” “So you just take it slow and have doubts.” I took the certificate back. “Before you get the evidence to prove Tham Nghien is alive, he is the one who died. Money, houses, vehicles, and compensation in the name of the deceased must all be resolved according to the law." Co Thua An asked: "You are in such a hurry to get these things because of money?" "Correct." Old Vuong was stunned. Co Thua An also paused for a moment. I zipped up my bag. “I stayed up late working overtime for four years, took care of three medical incidents for Tham Nghien, bought medicine for his parents, and paid debts for his sister. While he was alive, I never received any benefits. He's dead, I'm taking back what belongs to me, is there a problem?" Outside the door, someone clapped twice. “Very well said.” Hua Niem stood at the door, wearing a black dress, with a white flower on her chest. There was not even a trace of sadness on her face, on the contrary, it looked like she had just won a battle. “Sister-in-law, Captain Tham's bones are not yet cold, you are already here calculating money. Is someone like you worthy of being a hero's family member?" Old King frowned. “Propaganda officer Hua, this is a storage room, you cannot enter casually.” Hua Niem didn't look at him, walked straight in front of me. In her hand she held the phone, the screen was bright. “I just recorded it. She admitted with her own mouth that she did it for money." “Is the recording clear?” Hua Niem was stunned. I reached out and pressed her phone down. “Don't make me look so bad.” Her expression changed. “Lam Thinh, do you still need face?” "A person who needs face will not send bed photos to another person's husband." The storage room suddenly fell silent. Old Vuong stuffed the key into his pocket, not daring to raise his head. Tears immediately filled Hua Niem's eyes. “Sister-in-law, I know you hate me. But Captain Tham is gone, I can't throw dirty water on you." I looked at her. “The box wasn't sent by you?” “What box?” She turned to Co Thua An.