Chapter 4 — Live towards the light

How is this possible? She refused to believe it, exited and did it again. This time, she entered 20,000. On the screen, those glaring red letters appeared again.

“Sorry, your account balance is insufficient.”

Luu Ngoc Mai's forehead began to sweat. Vuong Le standing next to him also realized something was wrong.

“Mom, what's wrong?”

“Is the machine broken?”

Luu Ngoc Mai ignored her and continued trying.

“The balance is not enough.”

“The balance is not enough.”

Her heart sank little by little. A feeling of insecurity began to prevail. She shook her hands, returned to the main interface, clicked on "balance inquiry". When the number appeared on the screen, her eyes immediately widened. Like I just saw something unbelievable. 4,321.5 yuan. That's the entire amount left on the card. How can there be only 4,000 yuan left! Her mind was blank. She tried to remember. In the past four months, she apparently only withdrew money a few times. Combined, it's only a few thousand living expenses. Every month there is a regular transfer of 2,100 yuan, and 8,400 yuan every four months. Plus Co Thanh's salary and her pension. Even if you count all your expenses, you still won't have this much money left on your card! Where is Khuong Nghien's salary? Where did that biggest revenue go? A terrifying thought like a poisonous snake crawled into her head. She didn't dare to think anymore. Holding the card in her hand, she seemed lost and walked out of the bank. Vuong Le followed behind, his face full of worry.

"Mom, what happened? Have you withdrawn the money yet?"

"Vi's side is still waiting!"

Luu Ngoc Mai suddenly turned her head, her eyes seemed to want to swallow someone alive, glaring straight at her.

“Shut up!”

Two words burst out from between his teeth. Vuong Le was so scared that he trembled and did not dare to say another word. Luu Ngoc Mai clutched the fragile bank card in her hand, her whole body trembling. Anger, humiliation, and even a trace of fear, instantly engulfed Liu Ngoc Mai. She was played a trick. Being played thoroughly by the daughter-in-law whom she always despised. She was like a mad lioness, rushing home. She had to ask what tricks that woman used, where did the money go! At that time, I was sitting in the living room, building Lego with Lac Lac. The door was pushed open with a "bang". Luu Ngoc Mai rushed in like a whirlwind, her face was red, her eyes full of blood. She threw the bank card and the balance paper from the ATM straight onto the tea table in front of me.

“Khuong Nghien!”

Her voice was so shrill that it seemed to rip people's ears apart.

“You explain to me clearly!”

“What is this all about!”

“Where is the money on the card?!”

I looked at her calmly, as if looking at a stranger. The card and the balance paper on the tea table had no weight in my eyes.

“Where is the money?”

I asked back, my voice carrying a cold sarcasm.

“Aren't you the financial manager of this house?”

"Where does the money go, don't you know in your mother's heart?"

I picked up her notebook, the notebook that she treasured every day like a treasure. I turned the pages one by one.

“Let me see.”

“Wang Li bought a new phone, 1,500 yuan.”

“Gu Wei invites you to eat and drink, 500 yuan.”

“Gu Xiaobao's imported milk, 800 yuan.”

“Golden lock my mother bought for Gu Tieu Bao, 3,000 yuan.”

“Vuong Le's birthday present, bag branded goods, 2,000 yuan.”

My fingers ticked off each eye-catching expense in turn. These amounts are all my family's money.

“Mom, you really took notes in this notebook.”

"Every single item is for my brother-in-law's family."

“Why, now that you don't have enough money, why are you turning to me?”

My voice was not loud, but each word was like a hammer blow straight to Luu Ngoc Mai's heart. Her face was sometimes red, sometimes white.

“Well… that's also household expenses!”

She still stubbornly argued.

“Household expenses?”

I laughed coldly.

“My son wanted to eat another piece of ribs, so mom tapped his hand with chopsticks.”

“Luo Lac's 300 yuan picnic money, Mom said she wouldn't give me even a penny.”

“The light bulb in my room is broken, my mother said to wait for a discount before buying it.”

“Is that what you call ‘household expenses’?”

"Using money from the big house to fill the bottomless hole of the small house, Mom can still say such a matter of course!"

Co Thanh stood next to him, his face becoming more and more ugly. He wanted to open his mouth to advise me, but couldn't say a word. Because what I said is all true. Luu Ngoc Mai was cornered until I was speechless. She didn't expect me to remember every item in the book so clearly. Vuong Le hid behind her, not daring to breathe.

“You… you don't talk nonsense!”

Liu Ngoc Mai finally found a new attack point.

“I'm asking for money on your salary card!”

“Didn't you say 20,000 yuan per month?”

“Four months is at least 80,000 yuan!”

“Why is there only 4,000 yuan left in the card?!”

“Where did you hide the money!”

She started screaming uncontrollably again. I slowly stood up. From my bag, I took out some papers. That's my payroll this month. I placed it firmly on the tea table, right next to the balance paper.

“Mom, look carefully.”

“This is my payroll.”

“Write clearly, my monthly salary is 23,700 yuan.”

“After deducting insurance and taxes, the actual receipt is 21,600 yuan.”

Luu Ngoc Mai and Vuong Le's eyes were immediately glued to that number, their eyes unable to hide the greed.

“See?”

I pointed to the small text below.

“Bank card transfer: 2,100 yuan.”

“The rest, bonuses and performance, paid in cash.”

Luu Ngoc Mai's pupils shrank.

“Cash…pay?”

She muttered, as if she couldn't believe her ears.

“That's right.”

I nodded, looking straight at her.

“Since the day I gave my mother my salary card, I have applied to the company's finance department.”

“Every month, the card only transfers 2,100 yuan of basic salary.”

“The rest, the company will pay me in cash.”

“So the amount I check each month is only 2,100 yuan.”

“Four months, a total of 8,400 yuan.”

“Mom has spent more than 4,000 yuan, and there's more than 4,300 yuan left on the card. Isn't the account very clear?”

My words were like a thunderbolt in the clear sky, hitting straight on Liu Ngoc Mai's head. Her whole body stiffened. His face immediately turned pale without a drop of blood. She finally understood. From the beginning, I set a trap for her. A trap that makes her think she has everything in her hands, but in fact she has nothing. She thought she was a hunter, slowly "boiling frogs in warm water". Unexpectedly, she was the frog. She pointed at me, her lips trembling, unable to utter a complete sentence for half a day.

“You are so unique evil!"

Finally she screamed, her voice filled with despair and collapse. Co Thanh also looked at me stunned, completely not expecting the truth to be like that.

“Tieu Nghien, I…”

I didn't pay attention to him. I just looked at Luu Ngoc Mai, each word falling coldly.

“Mom, this is not me being cruel.”

“It's my mother who is too greedy.”

“Mom wants to take care of my money, okay.”

“But you can't spend my money and treat my son poorly at the same time.”

“There is no such logic in this world.”

As soon as my words ended, Co Vi rushed in with a strong smell of alcohol. He grabbed Liu Yumei's arm.

“Mom! Where's the money? Is 30,000 yuan ready?”

"The other side urged me, if I don't give you money, they'll really put me there!"

His appearance was like a needle, piercing the fragile layer of peace in the room. Luu Ngoc Mai looked at his youngest son's worried face, then looked at me who was calmly standing there. All her reason collapsed in the blink of an eye. She suddenly rushed forward, grabbed my wrist, her eyes were bloodshot and scary.

“Khuong Nghien! I don't care where you hide your money!”

“Today, you have to take out these 30,000 yuan!”

“If not, I risk my life with you!”