Chapter 3 — I Can't Be Patient Anymore

I sat in the office until six o'clock in the morning, not sleeping a minute, just quietly looking at the dark screen like my own heart right now. There began to be noise outside, the mother-in-law woke up, the sound of slippers squeaking on the floor lasted, then the sound of water draining in the bathroom rang loudly, as if deliberately letting the whole world know she was awake. Immediately after that was Chu Dinh's voice, sleepy but full of laziness:

“Mom, what did you eat this morning?”

“The noodles are in the refrigerator, cook them.”

My mother-in-law's voice was calm as if she was instructing the maid in my own house.

“I don't know how to cook, my sister-in-law is at home, tell her to cook.”

Chu Dinh said it as a matter of course, without any hesitation.

"Her? Huh, you didn't see her face last night, now you can't go wrong anymore."

My mother-in-law lowered her voice, but just enough for every word to reach my ears. The two of them sat outside in the living room, talking neither loudly nor softly, just so I could hear every word clearly, like a performance that didn't need an audience. I still sat still in the room, not moving, as if if I didn't open the door, everything would cease to exist. A moment later, someone knocked on the door, it was Chu Dinh, his voice began to lose patience:

“Sister-in-law, go cook breakfast, the children are hungry.”

“I don't know how to cook.”

I spoke through the door, my voice so flat that even I felt strange.

“You don't know how to cook?”

Chu Dinh immediately raised his voice, as if he had just heard the most absurd thing in the world.

“So what does my brother usually eat?”

She asked urgently, her voice filled with scrutiny.

“Order food out, or he cooks it himself.”

I replied, without adding a single extra word. There was silence outside for a few seconds, then I heard my mother-in-law whisper, her voice full of sarcasm:

“See, I told you, marrying an ancestor…”

I didn't answer, nor did I want to answer, because there were words that weren't worth wasting my emotions on. At 7:30, Chu Minh finally returned. The sound of the door opening rang out, then his voice softened:

“Mom, where is Uyen Thanh?”

“In the office, sulking!”

My mother-in-law immediately responded, her voice high as if she wanted to accuse me.

"Just because of a photo frame, I'm making such faces, I'm the mother-in-law, so I still have to flatter her?"

She spoke louder and louder, as if she was claiming the right part for herself.

“Mom, please talk less.”

Chu Minh lowered his voice, but not enough to hide the fatigue in each word. His footsteps approached, then a light knock on the door rang out:

“Wife, it's me, open the door.”

I stood up and opened the door. Chu Minh stood in front of me, his face tired, his eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep. He glanced at me, then his eyes stopped at my hand, where the band-aid was still attached.

“What's wrong with your hand?”

He asked, his voice softening a bit.

"No problem."

I answered, briefly.

“Your mother… sigh.”

Chu Minh rubbed his face, as if he was the one suffering the pain.

"I'll apologize for her, okay? She's old, her mind is no longer clear, so don't accept her."

He said, his voice so familiar it made me want to laugh. Still the same sentence. Still the same way. I looked at the man in front of me, the person I had called my husband for three years, the person who said he would protect me for the rest of my life, and now stood here, apologizing for my mother, but in his eyes were clearly written four words: you should stop.

“Chu Minh.”

I spoke up, my voice calm.

“That's not a picture frame, that's my mother.”

Each words, I speak slowly.

“I know, I know…”

Chu Minh reached out to pull me back, but I took a step back and avoided him. His hand stopped in mid-air, his face suddenly became unsightly.

"Wife, let's not make a big deal out of it, okay? I'll buy you a new one, ten is fine."

He tried to coax, but every word rang hollow.

“Ten?”

“Chu Minh, can my mother come back to life ten times?”

My voice is light, but sharp. He frowned, his discomfort evident.

“Why are you being so unreasonable?”

He said, as a final judgment. Yes, in his eyes, I am now an unreasonable, overbearing, and unreasonable woman.

“Okay, I'm being unreasonable.”

I nodded.

"Then please, you, your mother, and your sister, leave my house. Now."

I said, without hesitation.

“Lin Uyen Thanh!”

Chu Minh finally got angry.

"This is also my house! What's wrong with my mother coming to stay for a few days? Do I have to make such a fuss?"

His voice gradually increased, each word heavy.

“Is it me who is making a fuss?”

I pointed out to the living room.

"Look at what this house has become? Your mother broke in without permission, broke my mother's portrait, your sister destroyed my children's room, and then sat there demanding that I cook and serve her. Chu Minh, this is my house, not a hotel!"

I'm not holding back anymore.

"So where did you tell my mother? Going to the hotel? What face do I have left after spreading the word out?"

He growled, as if I was the one doing the wrong thing.

“That's your job.”

I replied, without wavering. We stood facing each other, neither of us giving way, like two strangers fighting over something that no longer belonged to either of us. My mother-in-law rushed forward, pointed straight at me and cursed:

"Very well, Lam Uyen Thanh! My son works hard to earn money to support this house, do you treat his mother like that? I tell you, this family has the surname Chu, not the surname Lam! If I want to come, I can come, if I want to go, I can go, it's not your turn to speak yet!"

Every word was like a knife. Chu Minh pulled her back.

“Don't pull me!”

She pushed his hand away, spit almost splashing into my face.

"From the beginning, mom said you shouldn't marry someone who has no father, no mother, no education! See, now it's all exposed!"

Her voice was sharp and venomous. No father or mother. Those four words were like needles piercing my heart. I looked at her face, contorted with anger, suddenly feeling... there was nothing more to say. I nodded, turned around and went into the office, pulled out my suitcase, and grabbed my car keys and handbag.

“You guys stay, I'll go.”

I said, calmly. Chu Minh chased after him.

“Where are you going?”

He asked, his voice already panicked.

"Hotel."

“When will you leave, I will return.”

I don't turn around.

"Lin Uyen Thanh! Don't you dare try it!"

The mother-in-law behind her screamed. I didn't answer, opened the door, walked out. The moment the door closed, I heard Chu Minh calling me, heard cursing, children crying, all mixed into a chaos. But I didn't turn back. I entered the elevator. The door closes. The world behind also closed. When driving out of the area, the familiar security guard still smiled and greeted:

“Miss Lam, are you leaving so early?”

I reluctantly smiled. Say nothing.