Chapter 5 — My Parents Lived in AA for 45 Years

“Mom has been saving for years.”

Mr. Luu replied instead.

“Not only that.”

"Tieu Van even secretly sold the house her biological parents left behind."

"Give all the money to Tran Kien Quoc to turn the capital."

I was dumbfounded. Dad never mentioned it. Not even once. What I've heard all these years is just that.

“This company was created by my father who sacrificed all his youth.”

My mother's youth was also buried there. Even more. Mr. Luu was silent for a long time before speaking again.

“Waiting for the company to overcome difficulties.”

“Everyone has a party.”

“Someone makes a toast.”

'President Tran is truly a capable person.'

“Tran Kien Quoc just laughed.”

“There was no mention of Tieu Van.”

“No one knows.”

“The one who saved the company was her.”

I bit my lip. Chest hurts. Mom still calmly drank tea. Like that story has nothing to do with me. Mr. Luu looked at his mother full of guilt.

“I once advised him.”

'Don't forget the woman behind you.'

“But he said.”

'It's enough for women to take care of the housework.'

“Since then.”

“He has changed.”

The atmosphere in the tea shop suddenly became heavy. I looked at my mother. Gently held her hand. First time. I saw that those hands had so many calluses. Those are not the hands of someone who only knows how to do housework. These are the hands that once built a business with my father. Mr. Liu stood up.

“I came today.”

“It's not for credit.”

“But because of one thing.”

“It's time to give back.”

He opened the secret compartment in the leather briefcase. Take out a sealed file bag. The outside is pasted with red letters. Lawyer Chu immediately changed his face. He took it, opened it and looked. Just a few seconds later. His eyes lit up.

“This is…”

He tightened his grip on the documents.

“The evidence we've been looking for for five years!”

I looked at everyone bewildered.

“What's in it?”

Mom looked at the file bag for a long time. The corners of the lips curled slightly.

“Something your father always thought…”

“Disappeared forty-five years ago.”

I stared at the sealed file bag on the table. The atmosphere in the room was almost frozen. Even lawyer Chu, who always remained calm, could not hide his excitement at this moment. He took a deep breath and carefully peeled off the yellowed seal. A stack of papers was taken out. The smell of old paper wafts in the air. Lawyer Chu turned to the first page and his eyes immediately lit up.

“That's right…”

“True original!”

I asked impatiently:

“What are the documents anyway?”

Lawyer Chu gave me the documents.

“See for yourself.”

I take it. The headline caught the eye immediately. Minutes of capital contribution to establish Thien Thanh Company. Below are two names. Tran Kien Quoc. What left me dumbfounded was the last line. Capital contribution ratio: Tran Kien Quoc 45%, Lam Van 55%. I opened my eyes wide.

“Fifty… fifty-five percent?”

“How is that possible?”

“Dad always said the company was his!”

Mr. Luu smiled bitterly.

“He only told half the story.”

“And the other half was buried for forty-five years.”

I quickly turned it over. Behind is each money transfer receipt. Receipt of wedding gold sale. Loan papers from my grandmother's family. Mortgage contract of old house. All bear the mother's name. The more I watched, the more my hands shook.

“Where did Mom get so much money back then?”

Mother smiled slightly.

“My grandmother.”

“My grandfather.”

"A lifetime of saving some capital."

“Give them all to mom.”

“You only said one sentence.”

“If you have chosen that person, let's try together try.”

I got a lump in my throat. My grandparents passed away when I was young. I never knew. It turns out that from the beginning, they bet a fortune on their mother's marriage. Lawyer Chu continued to turn over the files. He took out a handwritten piece of paper.

“Commitment paper.”

Below is my father's handwriting. I recognized it immediately. That's the writing I've been looking at for decades. The content is very short. The entire amount of money Ms. Lam Van contributed to the company was confirmed as investment capital. When the company makes a profit, it will fully refund benefits according to the capital contribution ratio. It's dad's signature. And red fingerprints. I sat stunned. If this piece of paper is real... Then forty-five years have passed. Mom was never a freeloader like dad said. She is the largest shareholder. Lawyer Chu closed the file.

“Just these documents alone…”

“It's enough to overturn the whole case.”

“The court will have to reconsider the origin of the assets.”

I looked at my mother.

“So why didn't you sue before?”

Mother calmly poured tea.

“Because it's not time yet.”

“When he was not retired, he was still a company representative.”

“If mom sues.”

“The company will be in chaos.”

“Thousands of employees could lose their jobs.”

“I don't want it.”

I suddenly understood. Mom couldn't hold back because she was afraid.