Chapter 4 — My Parents Lived in AA for 45 Years

Right at that moment. Lawyer Chu's phone vibrated. He looked at the screen. His expression immediately became serious.

“I'll answer the phone for a bit.”

He walked out onto the balcony. Only about a minute later it came back. But his expression was completely different from before. He looked at his mother. Voice lowered.

“That person…”

“Want to see you.”

Mom as expected. She calmly asked:

“Is he here?”

“He's downstairs.”

I looked at my mother in surprise.

“Who is it?”

Mom closed the notebook and slowly stood up.

“Forty-five years ago…”

“The only one who knows the whole truth.”

“Finally, it appeared.”

I followed my mother downstairs. Lawyer Chu's words still linger in my mind.

“The only one who knows the whole truth.”

Who is it in the end? A black sedan parked under a sycamore tree in front of the apartment complex. Next to the car is a man in his seventies, his hair has turned mostly white but his body is still straight. In his hand he held an old leather briefcase, his eyes stopped on his mother for a long time. He sighed softly.

“Tieu Van.”

It's been many years since I saw someone call my mother by that name. Mom smiled. The two of them just greeted each other with a simple sentence, but I felt a long time behind that nod. Lawyer Chu proactively introduced.

"This is Mr. Luu Quoc Dong, former founding shareholder of Tran Thi company."

I was stunned. Dad's company? So why have I never heard of this person? Mr. Luu looked at me and smiled gently.

"You are Niem Niem, right? The last time I saw you, you were still in your crib."

I politely greeted. He nodded slightly then looked at his mother.

“I should have come sooner.”

Mom shook her head.

“It's not late.”

“Just in time.”

Four people sat in a tea shop opposite the apartment complex. Mr. Luu took out a faded envelope from his leather briefcase. His every move was very careful, like he was lifting an extremely valuable item.

“Tieu Van.”

“I kept this for forty-five years.”

“It wasn't until today that I had the chance to return it to you.”

Mom took it. Eyes fluttered slightly. I saw inside was a handwritten note. The ink has faded. But still readable.

“What is this?”

Mother did not answer. She gave me the paper. As soon as I saw the first line, my heart stopped beating. Certificate of capital contribution. Below are two names. Tran Kien Quoc. I rolled my eyes.

“Dad… and mom contribute capital together?”

Mr. Liu nodded.

“Not wrong.”

“But after that, no one mentioned it anymore.”

The more I listen, the more difficult it is to understand.

“Isn't the company built by dad single-handedly?”

Mr. Liu laughed. That smile was full of bitterness.

“One-handed construction?”

“That's the story outsiders still tell.”

“But the truth…”

He looked at his mother.

“…completely different.”

He started talking. Forty-five years ago. My father is just an ordinary technician. Salary is not high. Meanwhile, my mother just graduated from accounting school with excellent results. The two had been married for less than a year when his father came up with the idea of opening a company. No bank is willing to lend. No one believes that a young man can succeed.

“Everyone was against it.”

“Only Tieu Van.”

Mr. Luu slowly took a sip of tea.

“She was the first person to tell Tran Kien Quoc.”

‘Just do it.’

‘I believe in you.’

I suddenly looked at my mother. She just silently bowed her head. Mr. Liu continued.

“But trust alone is not enough enough."

“To open a company, you must have capital.”

“At that time, Tieu Van brought out the entire dowry.”

“Sell the wedding gold too.”

“I also borrowed more money from my grandmother.”

I clutched the glass of water tightly. Mr. Luu nodded slightly.

“Thirty-two thousand yuan in total.”

“At that time, that was almost all of her assets.”

I turned to my mother.

“These things…”

“Why didn't mom ever tell you?”

Mother smiled faintly.

“Tell for what?”

“The money has already been spent.”

"If you repeat it, you won't be able to get it back."

The words are as light as the wind. But when I heard it, my nose stung. Mr. Liu opened the leather briefcase again. This time it's a stack of old photos. First photo. A factory with a corrugated iron roof. Some old wooden tables. Seven or eight people stood in front of the door. Including dad. Mom wore a white shirt, her hair tied back. Hand holding a notebook. Mr. Liu pointed to the photo.

“Tieu Van goes to work during the day.”

“In the evening, go to the company to take notes.”

“Late at night, we still packed goods with everyone.”

“Some days I work until two or three in the morning.”

“Then get up at six o'clock to go to work.”

I looked at my mother. It's unimaginable. The gentle woman in front of me used to live such days.

“Why don't you rest?”

Mom smiled.

“I was young at that time.”

“Just think that if the company gets better, the family will also get better.”

Mr. Luu suddenly sighed.

“Three years later.”

“The company almost went bankrupt.”

I was startled.

“A major customer absconded.”

“More than two hundred thousand yuan of airline money collected.”

“Everyone has finished thinking.”

He looked at his mother.

“Tieu Van once again saved the company.”

He took out an old bank receipt.

“Everyone look.”

I picked it up. It is clearly stated above. Withdraw all savings. One hundred and eighty thousand yuan.