Chapter 17 — Mother's Last Painting

Tham Minh Trach did not immediately protect Lam Uyen like before. He looked at me. "Thanh Thanh, I'll cooperate with the investigation into Lam Thanh. But can you stop dragging Uyen Uyen in?" I said: "I didn't drag her into this; she was already involved." Lam Uyen cried: "I just want a home." Aunt Chu said: "If you want a house, buy it yourself. Don't rob others." That day, Lam's mother was taken to testify. Ma Duc Hai's store was also inspected. Lam Thanh had fled. On the way back to the house, Tham Minh Trach stopped me. He looked like he hadn't slept all night, his clothes were wrinkled. "Thanh Thanh, I want to say a few words to you in private." Aunt Chu did not agree. "If something happens, say it in front of us." Tham Minh Trach smiled bitterly. "I won't force her to sign papers anymore." I looked at him. "Say it." He stood on the side of the road, his voice very low. "Before, I really didn't know that the house belonged to you. When we got married, my mother said it was my family's house, so I believed it. Later, when I found out, I also thought that after all, we are all one family, there is no need to divide it so clearly." I said nothing. He continued: "But about Lam Thanh, I really don't know. If my father did something wrong that year, I'll apologize to you on his behalf." I asked: "Apologize for him, what happens after that?" He choked on his words. I said: "You guys like to apologize the most. You don't have to return the things when you apologize. You don't have to suffer consequences when you apologize. You can also show that you have a conscience by apologizing." Tham Minh Trach bowed his head. "I know you hate me." "Not just hate." I looked at him. "I despise you." His face immediately turned white. I said: "When you knelt and begged me to withdraw the police report, did you think about the damage to my mother's painting? When you asked me to sign that agreement, did you remember the house was mine? Your wife stole from me, your mother-in-law and brother-in-law spread lies, and every time you told me to wait." Tham Minh Trach did not object. I turned around to leave. He suddenly said: "Maybe Uyen Uyen is not pregnant." I stopped walking. Aunt Chu also looked at him. Tham Minh Trach said: "Yesterday I searched her bag and saw a check sheet. The name on it was not hers." I asked: "Are you sure?" He took a crumpled piece of paper out of his pocket. "She said the hospital wrote it wrong, but I went to ask. The hospital said this report was not hers." Aunt Chu took it and looked. "So what has she been using these past few days to pretend to be a pregnant woman?" Tham Minh Trach closed his eyes. "I don't know." I looked at him. "Why did you tell me?" He laughed to himself. "Perhaps you also want to know how many things she lied to you about." I said: "I don't want to know. It's just that I found out that I was also deceived by her so I know how painful it is." He said nothing. Outside the yard door, Lam Uyen was standing there. Maybe she heard it. She looked at Tham Minh Trach, her face drained of blood. "Are you investigating me?" Tham Minh Trach tightened the slip. "Do you finally have a pregnant woman?" Lam Uyen looked at me and then at Aunt Chu. "Have." Tham Minh Trach asked: "So what is this ticket?" Lam Uyen rushed forward and snatched it. "Give it back to me!" Aunt Chu raised her hand to stop her. "Don't rush, the hospital can check." Lam Uyen shouted: "This is my privacy!" I said: "You use this right to privacy to force me to move house, force me to pay money, force me to withdraw my application. It's too late to hide it now." Lam's mother was not there, nor was Lam Hao. For the first time, Lam Uyen stood alone outside the yard door. She looked at Tham Minh Trach. "Would you rather trust her than me?" Tham Minh Trach asked: "I'm just asking you, where is the baby?" Lam Uyen cried. "Minh Trach, how can you treat me like that?" This trick has worked every time in the past. But this time Tham Minh Trach did not go to help her. "Go to the hospital," he said. Lam Uyen stepped back. "I won't go." Aunt Chu looked at her. "It's okay if you don't go. In the past few days, you've been using the excuse of pregnancy to take over Thanh Thanh's room, demanding living expenses, and even making up lies online. We'll sue directly, so the court can check." Tears on Lam Uyen's face stopped. She stared at me. "Hua Thanh Thanh, do you have to drive me to my death?" I said: "You can live very well, just don't step on me." Tham Minh Trach's voice lowered. "Lam Uyen, go to the hospital with me." She suddenly laughed. "Okay, let's go." In the hospital, Lam Uyen sat outside the examination room, her hand constantly resting on her bag. Tham Minh Trach stood opposite her, as if guarding an answer. Aunt Chu and I sat not far away. Lam Uyen suddenly stood up. "I'm going to the bathroom." Tham Minh Trach immediately said: "I'll go with you." Lam Uyen was angry: "Are you afraid that I will run away?" Aunt Chu said: "Afraid." Lam Uyen looked at her fiercely. The nurse called her name. "Lam Uyen." She didn't move. The nurse called again. Tham Minh Trach said: "Come in." Lam Uyen stood up, her steps were very slow. More than ten minutes later, the doctor walked out holding the results. "Not pregnant." Tham Minh Trach didn't seem to understand. "Doctor, please say it again." The doctor looked at him.