Chapter 3 — My House is Not a Living House

The next morning, I still went to work as usual. At noon, WeChat displayed a message from Tran Trac Vien.

"Stop making fun of yourself. Go home tonight."

I finished reading it and then left it there without replying. In the afternoon, my mother-in-law called. I hung up immediately. She still did not give up, calling six more times in succession. On the seventh call, I picked up the phone. Before he could say anything, there was a cry on the other end of the line.

"Nien So, what do you want? Vu Dong is your brother-in-law, you can't take care of him for just over a month, but you still don't want to?"

"Mom, I've helped before."

"In return is a human life."

She immediately raised her voice.

"What nonsense are you talking about? Which human life?"

"The child I lost... is it not even counted as a human life in my eyes?"

The other end of the line was silent for a few seconds. When she spoke again, her voice visibly softened.

"Nien So, I know you suffered a lot last time. But this time is different, Vu Dong's situation is very special now. Something happened on Phuong Cam Than's side..."

"What's going on?"

"It's business, it's a bit difficult."

She spoke very vaguely.

"In general, Vu Dong cannot take care of two children at home alone."

"Then hire a live-in nanny."

"No nanny is as trustworthy as family."

"Then let her go back to her mother's house."

"Mom's house is only seventy square meters..."

I interrupted her.

"I said no, then no."

"If you think I'm not worthy, just tell Trac Vien to divorce me."

Having finished speaking, I hung up the phone. My hands still tremble non-stop. That was the first time I actively mentioned the word "divorce". But strangely, after saying it... I felt much calmer inside. At three o'clock in the afternoon, Tran Trac Vien sent a very long text message. The idea is to tell me to calm down. Vu Dong is his only sister, there is only one sister in the family, he cannot ignore her. As for me moving out, if others knew how they would view my husband and me. Finally, he emphasized... I must go home tonight. I opened the chat box. Type a few words. Then delete again. In the end, still didn't answer a single question. That night, Co Thanh Van came to the small apartment to look for me. She brought a bag of braised food and two cans of beer.

"You finally think it through?"

She placed the things on the tea table.

"Not thinking clearly."

"I can't stand it anymore."

"You should have had enough of it a long time ago."

She opened the beer and gave it to me.

"Nien So, I'm telling the truth."

"This man, from beginning to end, has never put you before his sister."

I just quietly took a sip of beer. Suddenly she changed the subject.

"How's your account these days?"

"Almost a hundred and twenty thousand followers."

"Last month, there was a brand looking for me to cooperate as a model."

Co Thanh Van looked at me.

"Have you ever thought about working full-time?"

I stopped.

"Now is not the time yet."

"So when is the time?"

"Waiting for him to bring his sister to stay for the fourth time?"

That one sentence... Made me completely speechless. I stayed in the small apartment for a week. During that time, Tran Trac Vien called me more than ten times. I only heard exactly two calls. The first time, he asked:

"What do you want in the end? Say it straight."

I answer very simply.

"My condition is only one."

"If Vu Dong doesn't come, I'll go home."

Older brother silence for more than ten seconds.

"Impossible."

"He bought a ticket."

"Then I won't go back either."

I finished speaking and hung up the phone. Three days later, at exactly 1 a.m., he called again. This time he was drinking.

"Lam Niem So."

"I tell you, if you still refuse to go home, we'll go to the Civil Affairs Bureau."

I held the phone and quietly looked up at the dark ceiling. The other end of the line paused.

"What did you just say?"

"I can say it."

"You choose the time."

The other side was silent for a long time. After that, I only vaguely heard a few curse words and then the call was disconnected. The next day... He no longer mentioned the divorce. But... Vu Dong still came. On Tuesday afternoon, Tran Trac Vien personally went to the high-speed train station to pick her up. Mother-in-law also arrived two days earlier. She also cleaned the master bedroom one more time. All of those stories... Tran Trac Vien told me in a WeChat message. He also said:

"I've moved your things to the closet in the side room. If you want to come back and get them, just go home."

After reading that message... I just felt funny. He doesn't even advise me to go back anymore. What I need... Is just someone willing to give up his seat. Will disappear. Sacrifice. So that he can fulfill the role of a good older brother. Present or not... It's no longer important to me. I took a screenshot of that message and sent it to Co Thanh Van. She immediately texted back.

"Go ask your lawyer friend."

"Look at that house, how much ownership do you have?"

That one hundred and thirty square meter apartment... The three hundred thousand deposit was contributed by my parents. The remaining one hundred and fifty thousand is money I saved myself. Loan amount per month is eight thousand three hundred yuan. During the five years of marriage, four thousand two hundred was automatically deducted from my salary card every month. The red book is in the names of both husband and wife. I took out the house purchase contract and all of that year's bank statements. Save everything in an encrypted folder. That night... I did one more thing. I opened the recruitment application. Update your resume. Not because I really want to change jobs. I just want to know... What is my current worth. In just three days. There are six headhunters actively texting. Among them... There was one person who caught my attention in particular. It is a partner of "Hoa Truc", the largest interior design company in the city. That person directly asked me... Are you interested in discussing a new opportunity? I didn't answer right away. Just quietly save the conversation. The way back... You have to prepare yourself step by step. On the fifth day since Vu Dong moved into my house, my mother-in-law sent me a WeChat message.

"Niem So, when will you come back? Vu Dong wants the braised pork ribs you cooked."

I stared at that text message for ten seconds. Then quietly close the chat frame. She wanted to eat the braised pork ribs I cooked. Three years ago... When I was pregnant myself, I still had to stew, wash, and clean to take care of her. During that time... I never received a single word of thanks from her. When I was in the hospital due to a miscarriage... She still calmly sat in my living room, scrolling through short videos as if nothing happened. She wanted to eat what I cooked. I did not reply to that message. The messages my mother-in-law sent later... I also did not respond. Friday afternoon, after the company's monthly summary meeting, the director called me in again.

"Nien So, you're not in a good state lately. Is something wrong?"

"I have some work at home, but I'm taking care of it."

He nodded.

"There's something I want to tell you."

"Next month, there is an interior project for a complex shopping center that is about to invite bids. The investor appointed me to be in charge of the plan."

"What project?"

"Lang Dinh is in the east of the city."

"One hundred and twenty thousand square meters, including commercial areas and boutique hotels."

My heart suddenly beat faster. This is the largest commercial interior project in the city this year. The director smiled.

"I know you won't refuse."

"The investor will come to discuss on Monday. Please prepare in advance."

Returning to my desk, I opened my computer. Create a new folder specifically for the Lang Dinh project. The moment my fingers touched the keyboard... My mind suddenly became unusually alert. This job is mine. This power is mine. The money I earn is also mine. What's going on in that house... It no longer concerns me. In the evening, returning to my small apartment, I took a carton of milk from the refrigerator and sat at my desk. Start searching for documents about the Lang Dinh project. At that moment, the phone rang. It's a message from Tran Trac Vien. He sent me a photo. In the photo, Vu Dong is holding his pregnant belly and sitting on the sofa in my living room. Next to her is her mother-in-law, smiling brightly. The tea table is filled with fruits and all kinds of nutritious foods. Attached is a line of text.

"There must be a large family. When will you return?"

I placed the phone face down on the table. One family... In that house... From beginning to end... There was never a place for me.