Chapter 1 — I Locked the Kitchen Door, Locked That Marriage

On the first day after the wedding, the mother-in-law said right in front of the whole family:

“The new daughter-in-law is not allowed to sit at the dining table, go to the kitchen to eat.”

I smiled and said "yes", stood for forty minutes in the stuffy kitchen, and in the end could only eat a cold bowl of rice. My husband gave me a bowl of leftovers, telling me to eat temporarily to quench my hunger. I looked at him for a few seconds, then immediately dumped the entire bowl into the trash. On to the third day. I made a table full of eighteen dishes and locked the kitchen door from the inside. My mother-in-law banged on the door loudly, screaming at me to open the door. As for me, I pulled my suitcase and stood outside the mysterious gate, my tone was calm and chilling:

“Mom, I remember the rules well.”

“The new daughter-in-law is not allowed at the dinner table.”

“Then this food… Mom, please bring it yourself.”

“Sister Ha, before we eat, I have something to say.”

Tien Que Lan picked up a piece of ribs and put it in Co Vien's bowl, from beginning to end he didn't even bother to look up at me. On the table are six dishes per soup. Stir-fried sweet and sour ribs, steamed sea bass, stir-fried broccoli with garlic, dry roasted string beans, mixed cucumber, fried eggs with chives, and a steaming pot of stewed pork rib soup. From three o'clock in the afternoon I started preparing the ingredients. I made this entire table of food alone. Co Vien was bowing his head while eating. When he heard that sentence, his movements stopped. The chopsticks in his hand stopped in mid-air for a moment. He looked at his mother, then back at me. At that time, I had just brought the last bowl of soup to the table, my hand had not yet left the edge of the bowl, and the chair had not yet been pulled out.

“Our Co family has an ancient rule.”

Tien Que Lan slowly spoke. The word "rules" was emphasized very strongly by her.

“A new daughter-in-law comes home for the first year… not allowed to sit at the dinner table.”

She stopped for a moment.

"Wait until the whole family finishes eating, then go to the kitchen to eat."

Having finished speaking, she finally raised her head to look at me. Still laughing. The smile was extremely natural, like he was talking about something very normal. Co Dinh burst into laughter.

“Mom, this is a custom from my grandmother's generation, isn't it?”

She conveniently picked up a shrimp and peeled it, her tone had no intention of defending me. Simply found it interesting. Tien Que Lan immediately responded:

“It was my grandmother who set this rule.”

"All three generations of the Co family are like that. Why?"

I stood next to the chair. His hand slowly withdrew from the bowl of soup and dropped to his side. The light in the dining room has a warm yellow color, illuminating the entire table of hot food, illuminating each face on the table. My father-in-law, Co Kien Quoc, coughed softly.

“Let's eat.”

He didn't look at anyone, just quietly picked up a piece of tofu and put it in his mouth. Second aunt sits to the right of Tien Que Lan. Today she intentionally came here to "see her new daughter-in-law". Hearing that, I immediately responded.

“Sister, this is a good rule.”

"It's not okay for a young daughter-in-law to not establish rules these days."

"Look at Mr. Chu's daughter-in-law, she's only been married for less than a month and she already dares to argue with her mother-in-law. What other system can there be?"

While speaking, her eyes scanned my body from top to bottom. Not hiding any assessment at all. Co Vien put down his chopsticks.

“Mom… this…”

“It's a bit inappropriate, isn't it?”

His voice was very small. Tien Que Lan's face immediately darkened.

“Where is it not suitable?”

"If the rules are passed down from three generations to your children, then they don't count anymore?"

“That year my grandmother married into this house, my grandfather didn't even have one Defend her in one sentence. Star? Do you think you're better than grandpa?"

Co Vien fell silent. He turned his head to look at me. I understand that look all too well. It's like saying:

“You wait first, I'll talk later.”

I looked at him. The one who moved his eyes first... was him again. I laughed. An extremely obedient smile curled at the corner of his lips.

“Yes mom, I understand.”

I gently placed the soup ladle on the table.

"It's freshly prepared soup. Everyone, drink it while it's hot."

Having finished speaking, I turned around and walked into the kitchen. The sliding glass door behind closed, making a very soft "click" sound. There are no lights on in the kitchen. Through the transparent glass, I can still see the warm yellow light outside, see the food table and a full table of people. Tien Que Lan nodded with satisfaction.

“Come on, eat.”

She gave the second aunt a piece of fish.

“Taste it, it does. The workmanship is also passable.”

The second aunt took a bite and nodded.

“Um, it's okay.”

“Just a little bland.”

"Young people can cook, you can teach them slowly."

Co Dinh mumbled while chewing shrimp:

“My sister-in-law's broccoli dish is also delicious.”

“From now on, tell her to do it every day.”

Tien Que Lan smiled and immediately replied:

“Okay, if you like it then do it.”

“Anyway, there's nothing else to do at home.”

I stood in the kitchen. The buzzing sound of the refrigerator's compressor echoed in the quiet space. Through the glass door, the whole family outside was eating and drinking extremely bustlingly. Co Vien bowed his head to eat. Tien Que Lan was eating and chatting with her second aunt. Co Dinh continuously stirred his chopsticks to choose dishes. The father-in-law looked down, almost not feeling like he existed. No one looked toward the kitchen once. I lowered my head to look at my phone. Six thirty-five minutes. I make the food. Soup is my stew. The bowls and chopsticks are presented by me. But on that dining table... there is no place for me. I put the phone in my pocket. Lean against the edge of the kitchen table. Wait quietly. Time passes terribly slowly. Every minute seemed to stretch out forever. Through the glass door, I clearly heard the sound of bowls and chopsticks clinking together. Co Dinh said:

“Mom, give me another bowl of soup.”

Tien Que Lan replied:

“There are a lot of fish bones, second aunt, eat slowly.”

Second aunt laughed:

“This string bean dish is really delicious, even better than at the restaurant.”

Each sentence follows each other. But none of the sentences related to me. No one said:

“Call Sister Ha to come out and eat.”

Not a single person. I leaned against the kitchen table, looking out the window. It's not completely dark yet. In the distance, there were a few flickering streetlights. Six fifty. Ten minutes past seven. Stomach begins to ache. This afternoon I was busy cooking, so I only had time to eat half a mantau. But I still didn't move. Just standing there waiting. Seven twenty. There were footsteps outside the door. Co Vien pushed the kitchen door and walked in. In his hand he held a bowl. In the bowl were two pieces of ribs, some fried eggs with chives and a few stalks of broccoli. Everything was pushed to the bottom of the bowl, shiny with grease. He gave me the bowl.

“Let's eat a little.”

“Fix your stomach first.”

An unnatural look appeared on his face.

"My mother's personality is like that, don't take it to heart."

I looked at that bowl of food. Look for exactly three seconds. Not accepted. Co Vien's hand was still floating in mid-air.

“Um… today my second aunt is here, I'm in a difficult situation, I don't want to make my mother lose face.”

"Wait a few more days, I'll find a chance to talk to my mother."

I raised my head to look at him. He stopped for a moment airy.

“Well… I'll let you eat at the table with everyone later.”

“When is slow?”

He opened his mouth and stammered:

“Well… recently.”

“Is it tomorrow? The day after tomorrow? Or next month?”

He was speechless. Outside, Tien Que Lan's voice rang out:

"Co Vien! Pour me a glass of water!"

As if someone had grabbed him, he quickly put the bowl down next to my hand.

“You eat first, I'll go out for a bit.”

After speaking, he turned around and left. The kitchen door closed again.