Chapter 4 — Mother's Last Painting

"What are you going to do?" "Report the police." Lam Uyen's face changed. Lam's mother stood up. "You report it! I want to see if the police will help ungrateful and shameless people like you or help pregnant women!" Tham Minh Trach rushed over and snatched my phone. "Hua Thanh Thanh, have you caused enough trouble?" I took a step back. He still dropped the phone to the ground. A crack appeared on the screen. Outside the courtyard door, someone knocked on the door. A middle-aged man wearing a gray coat stood outside the door, holding a file of documents in his hand. "Excuse me, is Ms. Hua Thanh Thanh here?" Everyone looked over. I recognized him as the person next to Aunt Chu, surnamed Trieu. He didn't go in, just stood outside the doorway, slightly nodding at me. "Miss Hua, Aunt Chu told me to come pick up the list of items in the backyard warehouse. She said someone would come to see the paintings at the end of the month, so we can't delay any longer." Lam's mother smirked. "Competing with outsiders? Why pretend to be wealthy?" Uncle Trieu looked at her but did not respond. He said to me: "Miss Hua, the key is still with you, right?" Lam Uyen suddenly stared at the file bag in my hand. "What exactly is hidden in your backyard?" I don't answer. Uncle Trieu frowned. "The backyard warehouse is not a place to live, nor is it a place where others can arbitrarily enter and exit. Inside are all the things Mrs. Hua left behind when she was alive." Lam's mother did not believe it. "Just a few old, worn-out items that look like treasures." Uncle Trieu closed the file. "Whether it's old or not, it's not your turn to decide." The second uncle's face became very unsightly. He looked at me as if he wanted to say something. I bent down to pick up the phone. The screen was badly broken but still lit. I called. This time, Tham Minh Trach did not dare to jerk again. Lam Uyen looked at me. "Did you really call the police?" "No, I didn't." I looked at her. "I called a locksmith to change the lock." The second aunt's crying stopped. Lam's mother cursed: "You whore, you dare change the lock!" Uncle Trieu stood at the door. "Miss Hua is the homeowner, of course she dares." Lam Uyen suddenly sat back in her chair, holding her stomach with one hand. "My stomach hurts." The second aunt immediately rushed forward. "Lam Uyen!" Tham Minh Trach was also panicked. "Quickly take me to the hospital!" Lam's mother supported her daughter and scolded me: "If you harm my grandchild, I will make you pay for it!" Second uncle called a car. The whole yard became a mess. Only Uncle Trieu looked at me and said in a low voice: "Miss Hua must think carefully. Today they can use the baby to force you, tomorrow they will use something else to force you." I looked at Lam Uyen surrounded by everyone. She looked at me through her fingers. There was no pain in those eyes, only a look of satisfaction because the goal had been achieved. In the hospital hallway, Lam Uyen was pushed into the examination room. The second aunt sat on the bench chanting Buddha's name. Lam's mother stood in front of me, her voice so loud that the whole hallway could hear it. "Everyone, come and judge! This girl is staying at her relative's house without eating or drinking. Her sister-in-law is pregnant, so you are demanding that this girl give up her room and trying to throw her out? Is that right?" The patient's family members turned to look. Second aunt pulled her. "In-laws, let's talk quietly in the hospital." Lam's mother shook her hand away. "I just have to say it. Isn't it very good? Don't you want to change the lock? Why not let everyone see how powerful it is?" Tham Minh Trach also looked at me. "Thanh Thanh, you are too much today." I said: "She said she had a stomachache." Lam's mother immediately shouted: "Do you still blame him? Can a pregnant woman fake a stomachache? What would you know if you've never been pregnant?" A nurse frowned and walked over. "This is a hospital, don't make noise." Lam's mother immediately changed her tone. "Nurse, you have to testify for us. If something happened to my daughter, it was because she provoked me." The nurse looked at me. I did not explain. In a case like this, whoever has the louder voice has already won half the battle. The door to the examination room opened and the doctor walked out holding the results. "Who is the family?" The whole crowd gathered around. Lam's mother quickly asked: "Doctor, how is my daughter? Is the baby okay?" The doctor looked at the results. "There is no immediate problem. She is in the early stages of pregnancy and should not get too excited. Go home and rest." Lam's mother immediately cried. "Hear that? Do not get excited. It's all your fault!" The doctor frowned. "I told her to rest, not to tell her to stand in the hallway and make noise." Lam's mother's throat was blocked. Lam Uyen was helped out, her face was much better than before. She leaned against Tham Minh Trach and looked at me. "Thanh Thanh, I know you don't like me. But the baby is innocent." I said, "I never touched you." "It's true you didn't touch me." Her voice was full of self-pity. "But if you want to chase me away, no one can stand it in return." A lady next to her couldn't help but speak up. "Girl, you really can't anger a pregnant woman. If there's something going on at home, talk slowly, don't force people to go to the hospital." Lam's mother immediately responded. "Hear that? Outsiders understand things better than you." I looked at Lam Uyen. "If the doctor says you need to rest, then go home and rest."