Chapter 5 — My House is Not a Living House

I spent three full days making the decision. Tuesday morning, I proactively made an appointment with the director. There is only one purpose. Please quit your job. He looked at me with surprise.

"Is it because of the Lang Dinh project?"

"If that's the case, I can still try to negotiate further with the investor."

"Not."

"This is my own choice."

He looked at me for a long time. Finally, he said slowly:

"I've been with this place for six years."

"I won't keep you."

"But I hope you think carefully."

"I've thought about it very carefully."

The layoff procedure lasts two weeks. During that time, I completed three tasks one after another. First thing. Change the small apartment rental contract from short-term to long-term. Sign for two years. The second thing. Change the commercial email address of the "One Room" account. Completely cut off all contact with the old company. Third thing. Through Co Thanh Van, I made an appointment with a female lawyer for advice. Lawyer surnamed Chu. About thirty-five or thirty-six years old. Working style is very decisive. After reviewing the entire document, she said:

"The red book is in both names."

"Your deposit is four hundred and fifty thousand yuan, including your parents' support."

"Your husband's side contributed two hundred thousand yuan, which also includes his parents' money."

"The monthly loan, you pay half."

"Based on the current value of the house and capital contribution ratio..."

"If you divide the property, your share will be larger."

"What if he doesn't agree?"

"Initiate a lawsuit."

"You have the statement."

"There is a contract."

"There is a transfer history."

"As long as the evidence is sufficient, the court will make a verdict."

I asked again:

"Is there anything else I need to prepare?"

Lawyer Chu looked at me.

"Do you have evidence that the other party is at fault?"

"For example, adultery."

"Domestic violence."

"Or disperse assets."

"I have not discovered adultery."

"There is no violence."

"There is also no sign of asset transfer."

"So the focus will be on negotiations."

"The most important thing right now..."

"It means keeping all your records and account statements very carefully."

I nodded. By the time I left the lawyer's office, it was already dark. Turn on your phone. There were three missed calls. All belong to Tran Trac Vien. There is also a voice message on WeChat. I clicked to listen. His voice was hoarse, mixed with the smell of cigarettes and fatigue.

"Lam Niem So."

"How long do you want to cause trouble?"

"Next week Vu Dong will give birth."

"I'm the sister-in-law who never appeared from beginning to end."

"How will outsiders see our house?"

"Do you really not need face anymore?"

What you've cared about for so many years... It's never been me. But it's just your own face. I listened to the entire recording. Then quietly exited. No reply. On the day Tran Vu Dong gave birth, I was sitting in Hoa Truc's new office, with my colleagues discussing preliminary plans for the Lang Dinh project. The phone vibrates. It's a message from Tran Trac Vien.

"Vu Dong is in the delivery room. Twins. Are you coming?"

I only answered with two words.

"Don't go."

After that, he didn't text anything more. At four o'clock in the afternoon, the mother-in-law sent a message to the family group.

"A round mother and a square child! Two princesses! One is three and fifty kilograms, the other is two and nine kilograms!"

Immediately after that, the chat box immediately became bustling. Tran Trac Vien's eldest uncle, second aunt, cousin, sister-in-law... The person who sent lucky money. Message sender phone. People dropping emojis. In just a moment, it spanned dozens of lines. No one asked where I was. No one feels my absence. I exited the group chat. Continue to complete the unfinished design. At about nine o'clock in the evening, Co Thanh Van texted.

"I heard your husband's brother gave birth?"

"Twins."

"Aren't you coming?"

She sent another thumbs up emoji. Then text again.

"Oh right, there's something I want to talk about."

"Two days ago I met Phuong Cam Than in Van Dat."

"Vu Dong's husband?"

"He's with another girl."

"Not Vu Dong."

"Looks like the third type."

"You two are very intimate."

I stared at the message. It took a while to ask.

"Are you sure it's him?"

"One hundred percent."

"I can still take pictures."

"Do you want to see?"

Immediately after that, Co Thanh Van sent two photos. Shooting distance is quite far. But it's still enough to recognize Phuong Cam Than's profile face. Along with the back of the woman walking next to him. The two walked shoulder to shoulder into a hotel. I saved all the photos. Don't tell Tran Trac Vien. Nor did I remind my mother-in-law. At least for now... That doesn't do me any good. But who knows... There will be a time when you need it later. Turn off your phone, take a shower, then lie down in bed. A very clear thought suddenly appeared in my mind. Tran Vu Dong's marriage is not as happy as it seems. Husband takes care of outsiders. She lives in my own house. The mother-in-law is still happy because she was blindsided. That whole family... Everyone is playing their own role. It's just me... Standing outside of everything to see clearly. That feeling is not necessarily pleasant. But still... It's better than continuing to be stuck inside.