Chapter 9 — My Parents Lived in AA for 45 Years

As soon as I got home, I immediately opened the video recorded in the coffee shop. Mom sat next to me and watched from beginning to end. For nearly ten minutes. She didn't say a word. Not angry at all. Didn't seem surprised either. Until the screen goes dark. Mom gently put down the phone.

“The spinner is very clear.”

I nodded.

“Can I send it to dad too?”

“Let him know he was tricked.”

Mom smiled.

“Because someone is lost in delusion.”

“Even if you put the truth in front of you.”

“They will also find every reason to deny it.”

I was stunned. If it was a few days ago. Even I don't believe that my father could treat my mother like that. Let alone himself. Mom held the phone and locked the screen.

“Wait more.”

“The time is right.”

“One hit.”

Three days later. The first news arrived. It's from dad's company. An old friend who worked with him called me.

“Nem Niem.”

“Do you know anything?”

“Something happened to the company.”

I was startled.

“What is it?”

"This morning."

“Tax authority.”

“With the inspection team.”

“Go to the company.”

“More than ten people.”

“Check all records.”

My heart beats strongly. That fast? At the same time. In the meeting room on the eighteenth floor of Tran Thi Group. The air was so heavy it was suffocating. My father sat in the chair position. Opposite are three inspection officers. A person opens a file.

“Mr. Tran.”

“Please provide all initial capital contribution documents.”

Dad tried to stay calm.

“Comrade.”

“The file is too old.”

“Lost.”

The officer nodded.

"No problem."

“We have collated the archived data.”

“It was discovered that there were some inconsistencies.”

Dad frowned.

"What do you mean?"

“Capital contribution ratio.”

“There are signs of mismatch.”

First time. I heard that. Dad was silent for nearly half a minute. That afternoon. Dad had just walked out of the meeting room when the phone rang. It's Luu Vien. He rubbed his forehead.

“I'm busy now.”

The other end of the line immediately cooed.

“I saw a beautiful watch today.”

“I'll buy it for you.”

Dad lost patience.

“I told you to wait until later.”

“Why do you always just buy?”

Luu Vien immediately changed his tone.

“Why are you being so cruel to me?”

“I didn't spend much.”

“Didn't you say you can't spend all your money in your whole life?”

Dad gritted his teeth.

“For the weekend.”

Liu Yuan just laughed.

“You know I love you the most.”

The call ended. Dad sat quietly in the car for a long time. First time. He felt tired. That night. He returned to his old house. Just opened the door. Everywhere was dark. There is no more yellow light in the kitchen. No more hot soup smell. There is no longer the sound of the TV playing the program that my mother still watches. The house is more than two hundred square meters wide. Quiet and cold. He opened the refrigerator. There were only a few cans of water left inside. He searched for instant noodles. But I don't know where my mother kept it. He had to order food. A lunch box costs more than two hundred yuan. Eat a few bites. He frowned. I don't understand why. He remembered the bowl of egg-tomato soup his mother once cooked. Obviously just a very ordinary dish. But he never had to eat it all. The next morning. Dad puts on a suit and prepares to go to work. Time to tie the tie. He just discovered it. For more than twenty years. It was all his mother who helped him tie it. He struggled for nearly ten minutes. Had to take it off. Three days in a row. The company continuously receives inspection teams. News spread very quickly. Rumors began to appear online.

"I heard that Tran Thi Group was investigated."

“There's a problem about finances?”

“Stocks are down.”

Even some longtime partners called.

“Mr. Tran.”

“This project.”

“Let's postpone it.”

First time. Dad felt something called pressure. That afternoon. Liu Yuan invited him to see the villa. She pulled his hand.

“Someone asked to buy it the other day.”

“I'll just deposit a deposit.”

Dad shook his head.

“It's not convenient these days.”

“Wait a while.”

The smile on Luu Vien's face immediately faded.

“You also said to wait the other day.”

“Do you not want to marry me anymore?”

"Not."

“The company has some business.”

Liu Yuan pouted.

“There are some things where you are quite stingy.”

“I just want a villa.”

“It's not worth much.”

Dad suddenly found that sentence extremely jarring. Mom wore a feather coat for eight years. Never asked him to buy a new one. And Liu Yuan. Every time I open my mouth. It's a watch. It's a bag. He suddenly lost interest.

“I still have work.”

“Let's talk another day.”