Chapter 17 — My Wife Is Not An Outsider

It's not because my mother hasn't changed her mind. She has changed. At least in terms of appearance - every day we wait for Wen Duong to come home before serving dinner, the quality of the food has returned to normal, and occasionally even gives Wen Duong a piece of food, even though his actions look like he's defusing a bomb. But I can feel that Wen Duong in this house is always in a state of tension like a string. When eating, her back always sits straight. Always speak softly, afraid of stepping on a landmine if you accidentally say something. When washing dishes, the water faucet is turned on very softly, I'm afraid the sound will be too loud. He also walked gingerly in and out of the bedroom. She was like a guest staying for a long time in someone else's house, everything was reserved and careful, even her breathing had to be controlled. This is not home. This is living on beans. I don't want her to have to live in a boarding house in her own house. Actually, from the day I came home early and saw the tray full of food, I started looking at houses. An apartment complex in the East of the city, two bedrooms and a living room, fully furnished, rent is three and a half thousand a month. Three subway stops from Wentang company, twenty minutes drive from my company. I signed a one-year contract. The night I got the key, I took On Duong to his new house. The key turned open, the door pushed open. Turn on the switch, warm yellow light illuminates the entire living room. The house is not large, more than seventy square meters. The living room is connected to the open kitchen, a natural wooden dining table is placed close to the window, outside the window is a city night view - not too magnificent, but you can see the lights from several office buildings in the distance. In the bedroom, the bed is already spread out. The newly purchased bedding set, light gray in color, is the same model that Wen Duong had seen online but did not dare to press the order button. She stood in the middle of the living room, turning around slowly.

“This is…”

“Our house.” I put the key in her palm: "Just renting. Try to save up for two years to get a deposit, we can buy our own house."

She lowered her head and looked at the key in her palm. On the key hangs a tiny red ornament — moving house for good luck, given by the building management.

“When did you go to see the house?”

“I watched it last month.”

“I won't discuss it with you.”

“I will stop you.”

She looked up at me, the corners of her mouth pursed tightly.

"And on my mother's side..."

“I told her. Mom knows.”

“What did mom say?”

“Cry for a while. But don't stop.”

This is the truth. When I told my mother about moving out, she was silent for a long time. Not the kind of silence before an angry storm, but a truly helpless silence. In the end, she only said four words: "As you wish." Then turned around and went into the bedroom. I stood outside the door for a while. I heard a sobbing sound from inside. Not a roaring cry, but a choked, suppressed, intermittent cry with my face buried in the pillow. I turned around and left. Moving day is Saturday. We don't have much furniture — when we got married we didn't buy much. Two large suitcases, a few cardboard boxes, a few potted plants from Wen Duong and a few stacks of my books. My father helped carry things. He didn't say much, just silently walked back and forth carrying the cardboard box to the car. When carrying the last box, he stood next to the car, his hand on the trunk lid, looking at me.

“Go over there, take good care for Wen Duong.” he said.

“Yes.”

"That's how my mother is..." He hesitated: "She's not ugly. Just… confused.”

“I know.”

He patted my shoulder. Hands are rough, strength is no longer strong.

“Remember to come home to eat during Tet.”

“Sure dad.”

He nodded, turned and went upstairs. I closed the trunk and sat in the driver's seat. Wen Duong sat obediently in the passenger seat, with a pot of betel plant on his lap.

“Let's go.” she said.

I started the engine and drove out of the apartment complex.