Chapter 4 — I'm Not A Loser

I stayed awake almost all night, each passing second seemed like an eternity. The next morning, Bui Tranh immediately helped me complete the procedures to register a real estate complaint. When the application was submitted, I felt like I could take a breath. But before that breath could stabilize, my heart was tightened again. Bui Tranh said registering a complaint can only prevent further steps, it cannot erase what has been previously filed. If the other party has submitted part of the application, I must quickly add evidence to prove it is fake.

“The most effective way is to get them to say it themselves.” he said, his voice coldly calm.

“Du Sinh, you have to make an appointment with Ha Xuyen and Bach Vy to meet.”

“It's best to be in their most relaxed state, letting them say what they need to say.”

“The negotiating table... is actually a table for gathering evidence.”

I understand very clearly what he means, every step must be precisely calculated. In the midst of this battle, emotions are the most useless thing. At noon, I proactively sent a message to Ha Xuyen, just a few words.

“Let's talk tonight.”

He answered very quickly, almost without thinking.

“You think it's clear?”

I looked at those four words and almost laughed out loud. He still thinks… I will turn. In the evening, I met them at a private restaurant with a quiet, private space. When I arrived, all three of them were already seated. Ha Xuyen was present. Bach Vy was also present. Even La Thai Anh's mother-in-law came, the three of them sat opposite me like a complete family. That scene made me feel more funny than painful. La Thai Anh was the first to speak, her tone full of familiar imposition.

“Du Sinh, you've been causing trouble for so many days, there should be results.”

"If you are reasonable, then transfer the house to the Ha family's name, and the child will be given to us to raise."

"I'm in charge of Ha Xuyen's outside affairs. I'll force him to cut it off."

I held the glass of water, but didn't drink it, just turned it gently in my hand.

“Cutting done… then what?”

Bach Vy placed her hand on her stomach and smiled proudly.

“After that, everyone goes their own way, everyone lives their own life.”

"In your belly is a girl, in my belly is a boy."

“You cannot stop the Ha family from succeeding.”

Ha Xuyen did not refute, just looked at me, his eyes as if waiting for me to collapse. But I don't collapse. I even smiled, so calmly that it made them impatient.

“Then say it clearly.”

"How the house moves, how the money is divided, who takes care of the children, let's talk about it all today."

Ha Xuyen leaned back in his chair and began to show off a negotiating look as if everything was in hand.

“The house is mortgaged first, so the money can be used to settle external accounts.”

“You transfer half of the ownership to me, then we continue the procedure.”

“After you give birth, if it's a girl, let me raise it.”

“If it's a boy, it belongs to the Ha family.”

“If you divorce, I can give you fifty thousand.”

After listening, I almost burst out laughing. I paid the deposit, I shouldered the installments, I supported this whole family for how long. In the end, he mortgaged my house, then tried to throw fifty thousand to me and call it a day. I looked straight at him, my voice turned cold.

"What about the baby in Bach Vy's belly?"

Bach Vy's chin was raised higher, her eyes filled with pride.

“Of course we raise them.”

“I told you, that's their family's true grandchild Ha.”

Her voice was sweet but shrill. La Thai Anh immediately continued, her voice full of contempt.

“Don't be dissatisfied either.”

"A woman's whole life, whether she can give birth or not, is fate."

Each word fell like a hammer. I put my hand in my bag. In my bag, the recording had been turned on without anyone knowing.

"That means you guys already knew I was a girl in my belly."

Ha Xuyen frowned, his voice filled with discomfort as if he was being asked something meaningless.

“What if my mother said something wrong?”

“Girls are inherently useless.” he said frankly, without hesitation.

As soon as those words fell, the last bit of hesitation inside me disappeared. I looked at him, my voice cold and calm.

“So who prepared the mortgage documents for the house?”

He glanced at me, perhaps thinking I had accepted my fate so I let my guard down.

"I did it. Your documents were originally left at home. How about using them for a while?"

"We're husband and wife, can't we use it?" he said, his voice as calm as nothing.

Bui Tranh's words suddenly rang clearly in my head. When people are most satisfied, it is also the time when they are most likely to sell themselves out. I nodded slightly, completely clear in my heart.

“Understood.” I said, my voice as light as a breeze.

La Thai Anh thought I had softened, her voice also softened a bit.

“I think it's good that it's clear so early.” she said, her smile full of calculation.

“Women, don't fight fate.”

I laughed and stood up, my eyes no longer showing any mercy.

“You're right.”

“So from today, I won't fight fate anymore.”

“I will fight you.”

Having finished speaking, I turned around and left, not giving them time to react further. Behind, Ha Xuyen called out, his voice urgent.

“Du Sinh, what do you mean?”

I didn't turn around, my steps were still steady. As soon as she reached the door, Bach Vy suddenly chased after her, her voice lowered with a hint of laughter.

“You just keep making trouble.”

"Anyway, the loan application has already been submitted. If you wait for the money to come back, it will be too late for you to cry."

I paused for a moment, a cold feeling spreading down my spine. She looked down at my stomach, then calmly added another sentence.

“You should take care of yourself first.”

"If one day you slip, lose the baby and then lose the whole family, that's how pitiful it is."

His voice was light, but his malice was not hidden. That day, when I returned to the hotel, I immediately sent all the recordings to Bui Tranh. After listening, he only said one sentence.

“Tomorrow I will add a complaint, add a charge of mortgage forgery and apply for an asset freeze.”

“During this time, don't go home alone.”

I also had the same intention. But the next morning, La Thai Anh called me more than a dozen times continuously. In the last voice message, she even intentionally cried.

“Du Sinh, mom was so hot yesterday that she said too much.”

“You're on a trip, I'm sorry.”

I don't answer. Near noon, she sent another photo. In the photo is the newborn clothes my mother bought for me. She said: "If you don't come back, I'll throw it all away." I looked at that photo for a few seconds, then finally returned. It's not because of the clothes. But because the house still has my pregnancy check-up book and some of my original documents. I can't let them continue to touch me. When entering the house, the space is unusually quiet. La Thai Anh sat alone on the sofa, with a bowl of soup in front of her.

“You're back.” she said, her voice rarely soft easy.

“Today, mom stewed evil chicken soup for you.”

I didn't answer, I went straight to the bedroom. But she carried a bowl of soup with her.

“Drink some.” she said, trying to force the bowl of soup into my hand.

I turned my head, my voice cold.

“Put it down.”

But she still moved closer.

“You're pregnant, don't hurt yourself.”

"No matter what happens, we have to keep the baby first."

The smell of the soup was so strong that it made my stomach cramp.

“I said, put it down.”

The smile on her face gradually disappeared, her eyes became uncomfortable.

“Du Sinh, I have already humbled myself, what else do you want?”

“If a woman is too hard, it won't end well.”

I looked straight at her.

“She humbled herself not because she admitted she was wrong.”

“She's afraid I'll sue her.”

Her eyes immediately darkened. The next second, she suddenly shoved a bowl of soup into my hand. I took a step back. The mouth of the bowl collided with my hand, hot soup spilled out. She seemed to lose control and reached out to pull me again.

“You have to drink today.”

I yanked my hand away. The body lost balance, the back hit the door frame. The lower abdomen suddenly cramps violently. The pain came both quickly and severely. I reflexively hugged my stomach, cold sweat immediately pouring out. La Thai Anh also froze. But after being stunned, her first reaction... was not to help me. She looked down at the bowl of soup on the ground again.

“What are you doing?”

“I haven't even touched you yet.”

Her voice was filled with frustration. I bent down to look, the pant leg was starting to seep red. In that moment, my ears rang. I held onto the wall and slowly sat down.

“Call an ambulance.”