Chapter 3 — Leaving That Dinner Table, I Had 70 Million Yuan

This meal didn't last long, Chu Le then added a few sarcastic words like "You two are fine together", "don't dream too high", but To Tieu didn't continue to answer, just ate silently, occasionally looking at me. After eating, Chu Le left first, saying she had to pick up her child, and before leaving, she patted To Tieu's shoulder.

"Tieu To, think carefully. If you're still picky, it will be difficult to find in the future."

To Tieu just smiled and did not answer. The sound of Chu Le's high heels gradually faded away. There were only two of us left in the room. I stood up.

“Let's go, I'll take you home.”

Leaving the restaurant, the sun was quite hot, arriving at the intersection and waiting for the red light, To Tieu suddenly spoke up.

“Your sister-in-law… always says that to you?”

I think a bit.

“I'm used to it.”

She frowned slightly, as if she wanted to say something but didn't. The green light turned on, we crossed the street together, at the beginning of the alley she turned, she stopped.

“Lin Yuan Chu.”

“What she said wasn't true.”

She looked at me, her eyes very serious, as if every word she said was carefully thought out.

"Whether a person is worthy or not depends on how much money he earns a month."

I didn't reply. She spoke again, her voice a little lighter.

“Thank you today, the meal was delicious.”

After speaking, she turned around to leave. I called back. She turned her head.

“Thank you, but you deserve someone better.”

She paused for a moment, then smiled. Not the sister-in-law's smile, but the smile where the corners of the lips curl up and the eyes also brighten.

“Then I'll go first.”

She turned around and walked into the alley, raising her hand to wave lightly. I stood still, watching her gradually disappear. The sunlight shines on my back, burning hot. The phone in my pocket vibrated. Sister-in-law sent a message.

"I think that girl is normal. It's just right for me to pair with you. Don't act like that. This type is still hard to find."

I read that message twice, then logged out. I locked the phone. Sister-in-law, I don't even remember their name. But people stopped me three times to help me. As for me, not even once. On the tenth day after receiving the reward, I did two things. The first thing is to buy a car, not a supercar, just a high-end Volvo S90, priced at 460,000 yuan, safe enough, discreet enough, not ostentatious. When driving out of the dealership, I deliberately went around the road under the company, not stopping, just wanting to experience the feeling of holding the steering wheel on a familiar road. The second thing is to order a large apartment in the central area, Dong Ho Nhat Hao project, area of 182 square meters, four rooms and two halls, with private office and two balconies, unit price of 44,000 yuan per meter, total price of 8.01 million yuan. Full payment. I'm not in a hurry to live in this house, I still live in the west house first, while the Dong Ho side is slowly being renovated. The two things combined, less than 8.5 million yuan, there is still more than 43 million yuan left in the account, a number so large that sometimes I even find it unreal. But life is still the same, going to work, getting off work, going to the market to cook on weekends, other than changing places and cars, nothing else has changed. I didn't tell anyone, my colleagues didn't know, my friends didn't know, even the other family members didn't know. August 28 is my mother's birthday. I have remembered this day for 28 years and have never forgotten it once. In previous years, my brother and I bought cakes together, each person contributed half the money, but the cake always had the words "on the cake". "Wishing you a happy birthday, respectfully from Vien Hang Vien Chu", his name always comes first. This year is not the same. I don't live in that house anymore. But for my mother's birthday, if I don't go... I can't do it. After all, that's still my mother. No matter how biased she was, she still raised me until I was 28 years old, that's the truth. I went to the mall to buy a scarf, made of cashmere, priced at 800 yuan, neither expensive nor cheap, just right for my "salary of 5,000 yuan". I don't buy expensive things. Not because of money. But because I don't want anyone to suspect me. Arriving at the old house, the food was ready, a table full of dishes, braised meat, steamed fish, stewed ribs, all my brother's favorite dishes. Chu Le is bringing the last soup from the kitchen. My brother sat next to the main chair, crossed his legs, bowed his head and scrolled through his phone. The little boy Tieu Dung ran around in the living room. My mother sat on the sofa, in front of her was a large box wrapped in yellow paper.

“Vien Hang gave it to me.”

She pointed at the box, smiling until she squinted her eyes.

“Massage chair, more than 10,000 yuan.”

My brother looked up at me and nodded. I gave the scarf to my mother. A simple gift box, white paper. She took it, opened it and took a look.

“Yes, cashmere, warm in winter.”

She placed the towel on the tea table, next to the golden box. The contrast is very clear. One big, one small. One sparkly, one simple. Chu Le put down the bowl of soup, glanced at the tea table, then walked over and picked up the towel to touch it.

“Oh, Vien Chu gave it?”

She laughed, her voice lingering, her eyes carrying a bit of sarcasm.

“Is this your filial piety?”

She turned her head to look at the large box, then looked back at the towel, the corner of her lips curled up into a meaningful smile.

“You guys gave me a massage chair, 12,000 yuan.”

The two words "12,000 yuan" were pressed very clearly by her, each word seemed to have force, as if it was deliberately meant for everyone to hear. My mother didn't say anything, but the curve of her lips said it all. The whole family sat down to eat, I sat in the outermost position, that place had been mine since childhood, closest to the kitchen but farthest from the food. The meal lasted an hour, my brother drank some wine, talked about business with his mother, and his sister-in-law interjected each sentence, saying "your brother is under a lot of pressure these days", "just signed a project", "so busy that he works overtime every day". My mother listened and nodded repeatedly, sometimes sadly saying "don't work too hard". No one asked me how I was doing, where I was, what I ate, not even a single question. After eating, I stood up and asked to go home. I went down to the parking lot and took out the key. The lights of the Volvo S90 light up. This parking spot is a temporary parking spot in the area, without a roof. I opened the car door, sat in, and adjusted the rearview mirror. At that moment, in the mirror I saw the light on the third floor window and a figure standing in front of the door. It's my brother. His eyes looked straight towards the car. Through the mirror, I couldn't see his expression clearly, but he stood for a long time. Until I started the car and drove away, that shadow was still in the window. The car entered the main road, the old house gradually backed away, the third floor light was still on. I know he saw it. A car worth more than 400,000 yuan. For someone with a "monthly salary of 5,000 yuan" like me, that's not reasonable. Too unreasonable. But he won't ask. At least don't ask today. Because today is my mother's birthday. And he's the eldest son, the one who has to save face. People who save face will not choose their mother's birthday to ask their younger brother "where did this car come from". He will hold back. Then find another time and use another way to explore. I lightly stepped on the accelerator, the S90 engine made a quiet sound, and the car slowly rolled forward.