Chapter 4 — Husband Says First Love Doesn't Feel Safe, I Always Change the Locks

Before changing the locks, my patience was at its limit. The first day Lam Nguyet returned home, Chu Nghien said she had no friends so she wanted to pick her up at the airport. I don't prevent it. That day, I alone took Tieu Vu to be vaccinated. The baby cried until her face turned red. And he was at the airport taking photos for Lam Nguyet. On the third day after Lam Nguyet returned home, she said the rented house smelled so bad that she didn't dare stay in it. Chu Nghien immediately went with her to see the house. I still don't stop it. That evening, the mother-in-law had high blood pressure. The phone called me. I took her to the hospital, registered for an examination, paid hospital fees, and got medicine. Running alone for three hours. When Chu Nghien returned home, he still had the scent of Lam Nguyet's perfume on him. On Saturday after Lam Nguyet returned home, she said her computer was broken, all the documents were inside, and she was so worried that she cried. Chu Nghien abandoned his half-eaten meal to look for her. I don't stop. That day, Tieu Vu's kindergarten organized an activity for parents to participate in. The other children all had their fathers with them to make kites. Tieu Vu held the bottle of glue and asked me:

“Mom, does dad not know how to make a kite?”

The girl bowed her head and said in a low voice:

“So dad knows how to fix computers?”

I didn't answer at that time. Now that I think about it, children actually know everything. It's just that she's also looking for reasons to justify herself to adults. Exactly like me before. The next morning, I did not prepare breakfast for Chu Nghien. He has a habit of going home at eight o'clock in the morning to change clothes. Unable to open the door, he called me again. I don't listen. He texted:

"Where is your blue shirt? I have to meet a customer today."

I replied:

“Don't know.”

Very soon after, he texted back:

“It used to be in the second drawer on the left.”

“Before was before.”

Ten minutes later, he texted again:

“Why isn't your ID card in the drawer?”

I replied:

“Are you asking me for your papers?”

He was silent for a long time. Half an hour later, my mother-in-law called me.

“Tri Y, where did you keep A Nghien's things?”

At that time, I was tying Tieu Vu's hair.

“Let him find his things.”

Mother-in-law is impatient.

"He has to sign a contract today. What can he do if he can't find his ID card?"

“Then mom, help him find it.”

“Do you know where it is to find it?”

I laughed.

“What a coincidence, I don't know.”

Mother-in-law choked.

“Didn't you always know before?”

“I was sick before.”

The other end of the line was silent for a second. My mother-in-law scolded me:

“What's wrong with you now?”

I looked at myself in the mirror. The hair is tied loosely. The dark circles under my eyes are still there because I didn't sleep well last night. But the eyes are very bright.

"That's right."

“You have changed.”

“So everyone should learn to adapt.”

Hang up the phone, I take Tieu Vu to kindergarten. The teacher saw me and wanted to say it again.

"Tieu Vu's parents, yesterday we saw that Tieu Vu's father was removed from the group. Is there something special?"

“He is temporarily no longer involved in picking up and dropping off children.”

The teacher nodded and said softly:

“Yesterday Tieu Vu drew a picture.”

She gave the picture to me. On the picture is a door. Inside the door is me and Tieu Vu. Outside the door is a man. Standing next to that man was another man woman wearing white dress. Next to the picture, Tieu Vu neatly wrote a few crooked words:

“Dad went to someone else's house.”

I held the picture and stood in front of the kindergarten gate for a long time. Immobility. The teacher sighed softly.

"Tieu Vu's emotions are a bit sensitive these days. Please try to be with your child more."

I nodded. I put the painting in my bag. As soon as I walked out of school, I received a strange call. The other person introduced himself as Lam Nguyet's landlord.

"Excuse me, is it Ms. Tham? Ms. Lam noted Mr. Chu as the emergency contact. She owes two months' rent, and now she can't be contacted."

I was stunned.

“Why did you call me?”

The homeowner is also helpless.

"I couldn't call Mr. Chu. In the emergency contact section, there was also a note called 'wife', so I tried calling."

I laughed. It's not like Lam Nguyet doesn't feel safe. She just feels too safe. Feeling so safe that you dare list someone else as your emergency contact. Dare to owe rent and wait for someone else to take care of it. Dare to call someone to fix plumbing in the middle of the night. Dare to wear someone else's coat and stand in front of my house in tears. I told the homeowner:

“Go find Chu Nghien.”

“I don't know Lam Nguyet.”

Hanging up, I forwarded the homeowner's phone number to Chu Nghien. Accompanied by a sentence:

“My insecure first love owes two months' rent.”

“Now the homeowner comes to me.”