Chapter 15 — My Wife Is Not An Outsider

Or more accurately, she was cornered and forced to struggle for the last time. That afternoon, I came home from work and saw the living room light was on. My mother sat in a chair opposite the dining table, her arms folded on the table. The expression on his face was neither angry nor pained, but rather a calmness that I had never seen before. That silence makes people uneasy.

“Sit down.” she said.

I put down my bag and pulled the chair in.

"Your father went out for a walk. An An is not home either." She said: "I have something to tell you in private."

“Mom, tell me.”

She looked at me, took a deep breath.

"Tu Chu, let me think for a few days, I've thought it through."

“Yes.”

"You are my son. I stand by your wife's side, I'm heartbroken, but I understand. How can any mother hold grudges against their son?"

Her tone was surprisingly calm.

“But there is one thing I must clarify.” Her eyes were fixed on my face: "This house is something my parents have worked hard to save all their lives. When you get married, the money to buy the house will also be paid for by our family—"

“I paid the deposit in full.”

"That's also the money from my parents' sweat and tears to build the foundation..."

"Twenty thousand as a deposit, I already transferred it back to my parents in the second year of working. The remaining twenty thousand is considered interest."

She choked. But immediately continued: "Okay, let's say the deposit is clear. But mom and dad are living in this house—"

"The red book of this house is in my name. It is a pre-marital property. Mom and Dad live here, because you two are my parents, I welcome you to come and live. But this is not my house."

Her face changed.

"Luc Tu Chu, are you clear about this with me?"

“It's not something I planned.” I looked at her: "Mom, just now you said 'this house is what we have been saving all our lives', then you were planning to use that reason to pressure me. You planned it in advance."

Her fingers tightened on the tabletop, then loosened again.

“I don't mean to pressure you.” Her voice lowered: "I just want to say... you can't ruin this house because of one woman."

“How is the house broken?” I asked: "Is it because you asked me to wait for my wife to eat with me that the house is falling apart? Or is it because I let my wife and I have to eat leftovers for half a year that this house is falling apart?"

She said nothing more.

“Mom, I never wanted to destroy this house. I'm just doing one thing — which is to make this house belong to four people, not a house of three.”

"Wen Duong married here, not to be a sinner, nor to be an excuse to relieve anger. She is the person I choose, I will live with her for the rest of my life. It's okay if you don't like her, but you can't trample on her."

My mother's lips trembled. She bowed her head, her fingers rubbing the hem of her shirt. Silence for a long time.

“So what do you want?” Her voice was hoarse.

“Three options.”

She raised her head.

"First, my parents continue to stay here. Wen Duong's treatment is equal to everyone in the family. Eat on the same tray, sit at the same table. Mom can do it, this house continues day by day."

"Second, Mom and Dad move out. I'll rent an apartment nearby for the two of us, I'll pay the rent. Mom and Dad live our lives, and we live our lives."

“Tuesday…”

“What if I don't choose the first two?” She stole the words.

"Third, you and Wen Duong move out."

She was stunned.

“My parents just stay in this house. Electricity and water continue to be paid, monthly living expenses are still enough. But I'm not here anymore, I took Wen Duong out to live alone."

My mother's face suddenly turned white. Not out of anger, but out of panic.

“You— you want to move out?”

“If you don't accept the first two options.”

“This is my house! Based on what, I moved away!”

“Because this is your home, you have the right to decide whether you want to stay here or not.”

She stood up, her chair falling backwards.

“Luc Tu Chu! You're going to force me to death, aren't you?