Chapter 2 — My Wife Is Not An Outsider

My hands clutched the window sill, my knuckles turned white. The box of cherries is still in the living room. I forgot to give it to her. No, I didn't forget. But that box of cherries simply couldn't reach her. I let go of the door sill and stood up straight. Back against the wall, head tilted up to look at the sparse stars in the sky. It felt like something was stuck in my throat, I couldn't swallow it, I couldn't spit it out. Married for half a year. One hundred eighty-two days. She ate one hundred and eighty-two meals of leftover rice and soup. Yet every time I called home, my mother would say: "Don't worry, the food at home is delicious, your wife and children are even getting fatter." Wen Duong received the phone call and said: "Yes, mom cooks very well." Who is she lying for? Who is she saving face for? I put my hands in my pockets, clenched my fists and then let go, let go and then tightened again. No rush. I took a deep breath. No rush, Luc Tu Chu. It's useless if you rush. You have to do something so that they never dare to do that again. Ten minutes later, I went from the main door upstairs, pushed the door open and entered the house.

“Are you back?” Mom sat on the sofa, put her feet on the tea table: "Where are you going for a walk?"

“I'll just walk around the apartment.” I changed my slippers: "Where's Wen Duong, mom?"

“In the kitchen.”

I walked into the kitchen. She was washing dishes, the faucet was turned on very low, the water flowed gurgling, afraid of making noise outside the living room.

“Are you home yet?” She turned and smiled at me: "I just finished eating."

“What are you eating?”

“Stir-fried beans, with eggs in tomato sauce, delicious.”

She smiled, her eyes curved into crescent shapes. The ends of the eyes are slightly red, if you don't look closely you won't notice. I walked over and hugged her from behind. Her body stiffened for a second, then relaxed, resting against my chest.

“What's wrong?” She tilted her head back to look at me, water droplets splashing onto her wrist.

I didn't say anything, placing my chin on top of her head. Her hair smelled faintly of the shampoo's floral scent. Her body is lighter than it was half a year ago. My shoulder blade pressed against my chest.

“Luc Tu Chu, have you become stupid after eating too much?” She smiled and patted my hand: "Why are you holding me so tightly?"

“Yes, I'm so full.”

I closed my eyes. Braised meat, steamed fish, rib soup. Every mouthful gets stuck in the throat. * 【Chapter 2】 The next day, I still went to work as usual. Not in a hurry to get to work, I went online to buy a super small camera. This thing disguises itself as a phone charger, plugs into the wall outlet, uses the phone app to connect remotely and can watch live. Very compact, price one hundred and twenty yuan, including shipping. At noon, the delivery arrived, I asked the shipper to send it to the front desk. When I got home from work, I changed it into the socket next to the TV shelf in the living room while taking a shower. The filming angle is just right to cover the dining table and kitchen door. The first three days, I didn't do anything. Only when I have free time at work, I open the app and look at pictures at home. Day one. At four o'clock in the afternoon, mother started preparing dinner. Wearing an apron, being busy in the kitchen, cutting meat, simmering soup, frying fish. The sound of pans and ladles clanking, the range hood whirring. At half past five, clear the tray. Sweet and sour stir-fried ribs, pickled fish, stir-fried meat asparagus, spicy stir-fried dried cauliflower, and a bowl of seaweed egg soup. Three sets of bowls and chopsticks. Mom called out: "Mr. Luc, An An, let's eat!" Three people sat at the table and started eating. My father ate slowly, one bite of food and one bite of rice, without saying anything. Luc An An picks and chooses fish ribs and belly meat. My mother requested From time to time, he picked up food into An An's bowl, complaining, "Eat more, you'll get thinner." Six fifteen, finished eating. Mom clears the tray. She pushed together the leftovers on the plate—the ribs had exactly three angular pieces, all bones; The fish's head and tail remain; The plate of asparagus stir-fried with meat is completely clean, only asparagus remains; Half a plate of stir-fried cauliflower. She put these into two small bowls and placed them on the kitchen counter.