Chapter 4 — Life is Finally Gentle to Me

"Your mother took your salary card and lent money to your cousin. Doesn't that also say 'relatives must keep their books clear'?"

“I just… learn by doing.”

“To make the family more harmonious.”

I stopped him, his face turned red. In the end, in order not to lose face in front of his sister, he still had to patiently write me a debt note of 5,000 yuan. I looked at his crooked signature on the paper, my heart no longer wavering. Perhaps... the greatest despair is when the heart is completely cold. That birthday was truly magnificent. The mother-in-law wore a brand new cheongsam and sparkling gold jewelry, walking among relatives, her face radiant. When it was time to open the gifts, she intentionally pushed Lam Vi forward.

“Tieu Duyet, hurry up and see, your brother is preparing a big surprise for you!”

When the latest iPhone was taken out, the whole room echoed with admiration. Lam Duyet held the phone and excitedly hugged Lam Vi.

"Thank you! You're the best!"

My mother-in-law looked at me, her eyes full of pride. As if saying: "See? Even though my son has no money, he can still give his sister the best." I just smiled and said nothing. It's my turn. I took out an exquisite velvet box from my pocket.

"Tieu Duyet, happy birthday. This is my gift to you."

Lam Duyet opened it curiously. Inside is a delicately designed diamond necklace. Under the light, the diamond shined brightly, instantly making the phone pale. Lam Duyet shouted. Friends around also gathered to watch, everyone's eyes lit up. An understanding cousin approached.

"Isn't this T's classic model? It must be nearly 20,000 yuan!"

The mother-in-law's face immediately turned pale. She stared at the necklace, then looked at me, her eyes seemed to breathe fire. My mother spoke at the right moment:

"Oh, Nhien Nhien insisted on buying it. I also told my daughter not to wear such expensive clothes, but she said Tieu Duyet is her only sister, and on her birthday she must give her the best."

Some gentle, discreet words. While lifting me up, it also makes me look generous and understanding. Surrounding relatives nodded in praise, saying Lam Vi married a good wife. The mother-in-law's face... changed even more than the color palette. Perhaps she never dreamed that I - the person she always considered an "outsider" - could slap her so hard right on her "home turf". Lam Vi stood next to him, his expression even more complicated. He looked at the necklace, then looked at me, with surprise, confusion in his eyes... and an emotion that I didn't want to read. On the way home, the car was suffocatingly silent. The mother-in-law got into the car and immediately closed her eyes and pretended to sleep. Lam Vi held the steering wheel, wanted to speak a few times but stopped. As he approached home, he finally couldn't hold back.

“That necklace… did your mother give you money to buy it?”

I looked out the window.

“My mother said, women must know how to spend money for themselves and their family.”

“The money you spend is yours, keeping it… is just a series of numbers.”

That was originally the mother-in-law's catchphrase. Now what comes out of my mouth... is strangely sarcastic. Lam Vi was silent. The hand holding the steering wheel tightened until it turned white. This battle… I have won half of it. The rest… is just a matter of time. After Tieu Duyet's birthday party, my family entered a strange "peaceful" period. The mother-in-law was probably excited by that 20,000 yuan necklace too much, not causing trouble with me for several days in a row. But she tightened her grip on Lam Vi's "financial management". Not only did he reduce his pocket money from 500 yuan to 300 yuan per month, but he also strictly controlled each of his expenses. Lam Vi's life became much more difficult. His car is 5 years old. Several times I saw him secretly looking up train routes on his phone. He probably didn't have enough money for gas. He started to quit smoking. Not for health. But because... I don't have money to buy it. No more gathering to eat and drink with colleagues. Every lunch obediently eats in the cafeteria. Looking at his increasingly haggard appearance... I don't have a single bit of pleasure in my heart. Only left... a desolate void. The man I once loved... now standing in front of me... is so strange. …just because of his mother's pitiful desire to control, he turned himself into a laughing stock. My side is a completely different picture. My mother felt like her shackles were removed, becoming the most prominent "middle-aged KOL" in her circle of friends. Not only did she exchange her and her father for the latest phones, but she also signed up for calligraphy and photography classes at a school for the elderly. Her posts, from the Yunnan landscape, gradually transformed into generous ink strokes and delicately composed light-photographs, each receiving countless likes. Influenced by her, I also began to learn how to enjoy life. On weekends, we no longer hang around at home cleaning, but instead take friends to listen to concerts or see exhibitions. I also signed up for a yoga class, three times a week. My life, thanks to this "war of financial independence", has become richer and freer than ever. The turning point happened on a Friday night. That day, as soon as I stepped out of the yoga room, I received a phone call from Lam Vi. His voice had never sounded so panicked.

"Nien Nhien, go to the hospital right away! My mother... my mother is hospitalized!"

My heart sank slightly, my first reaction was— What trick is she planning to play again?

“What's going on?”

I tried to keep my voice calm.

"I don't know. This afternoon, she went to play cards. When she came home, she complained of dizziness, a fast heartbeat, and then fainted. The doctor said high blood pressure caused temporary cerebral anemia and needed to be hospitalized for monitoring."

“Is it heavy?”

“It's not currently life-threatening, but must be treated carefully…”

His voice trembled.

“Nien Nhien, hospital fees must be paid in advance of 10,000 yuan, I… I don't have money…”

I was silent. A familiar scenario. A familiar reason. In the end... it's still money.

“Your 5,000 yuan debt note, it's time to pay it off.”

The other end of the line paused.

“Nien… Nhien Nhien, at this time you're still talking about that…”

“It is because it is now that I have to speak.”

My voice turned cold.

“Lin Wei, I told you, I'm not your cash machine.”

“Your mother's medical expenses should technically be borne by you and your sister.”

"I don't have money, because I voluntarily gave it to my mother to manage."

“You should go find her… or find your sister.”

"Your mother is already like that, how can you ask her for money! Tieu Duyet is still in school, where will she get the money?"

“That's your family's business, not mine.”

I took a deep breath.

"Let's do this, out of respect for the love between husband and wife, I can help you."

“You get out of the hospital now, go home and get it household registration book and marriage certificate.”

“Let's go through the divorce proceedings.”

“Sell the house, divide it in half.”

"You take your share, not to mention treating your mother's illness, buying her a house is enough."

“To Nhien! How can you be so cold!”

He screamed into the phone.

“Am I cold?”

I burst out laughing, with tears in my laughter.

"Lin Wei, three years of marriage, how I treated your mother, don't you know?"

“For my grandmother's birthday, I bought a gold bracelet. She is sick, I quit my job to take care of her at the hospital."

“I have never apologized to you.”

“What about you?”

“She took everything I did for granted, considered my patience as weakness.”

“When she was sick, did you remember me?”

"Do you want me to continue being a free nanny or cash machine?"

“Sorry, I can't do it anymore.”

I hung up. Leaning on the railing on the side of the road, watching the traffic flow back and forth like water. Tears finally couldn't hold back and fell. Not because of mother-in-law. It's not because of Lam Vi. It's because of me... Because three years of youth and emotions... were misplaced. About half an hour later… The phone rang again. ...it was Lam Duyet calling.