Chapter 2 — My Younger Brother Slagged My Daughter, I Recovered 800,000 Yuan of Money to Buy a House

Five slaps. Decisive, neat. Each sound was like a heavy hammer hitting my heart. Chu Thanh let go. Tran Hao fell limply to the ground. Both cheeks swelled at a speed visible to the naked eye, and soon turned into a pig's head. The corner of his mouth still oozed a trace of blood. He was completely stupid. Chu Thanh looked down from above, his voice cold as ice.

“Try touching my daughter one more time.”

The whole room fell into silence. A dead silence. It wasn't until this moment that my mother recovered from her terror. She never looked at Du Du who was falling on the ground once. On the contrary, he screamed and rushed towards Tran Hao.

"Ah Hao! My son!"

She helped Tran Hao up. As soon as she saw his red, swollen face, she felt pain as if a piece of meat had been cut out of her heart. She suddenly turned her head. Bloodshot eyes stared at Chu Thanh and then turned to me.

"Tran Tinh! Look at the good husband you married!"

“He dares to hit my little brother!”

“Where did he get that courage!”

Tran Hao covered his face and hid behind his mother's back. Finally found support and immediately cried loudly.

"Mom! My brother-in-law hit me!"

“Are you in charge, Mom?”

My mother opened her mouth and immediately poured out the set of arguments that I had heard for thirty years.

“He's just a kid, what's so bad about it?”

"Du Du is only how old? What does he understand?"

“A Hao was just joking with him, teaching him by the way!”

“Does my husband need to be so harsh?”

“Is he going to beat my son to death?”

I hugged Du Du in my arms. The baby was trembling. Don't cry. Just tightened her grip on my shirt as if afraid that if she let go, she would be left behind. I looked at the red handprints on my daughter's face. Then he looked at his mother's blatant face that changed from white to black. My heart... Little by little it gets colder. I said nothing. Chu Thanh also said nothing. He just quietly took off his vest and put it on my mother and me. Then take my hand.

“Let's go home.”

Mother's screams rang out from behind.

"It's been betrayed! It's been betrayed!"

"Tran Tinh! If you dare step out the door today..."

The door slammed shut behind him. Separate it all. In the elevator. The bright lights clearly showed the struggles of all three of us. Chu Thanh looked at me. In his eyes there was only pain. I looked back at him and gently shook my head. I'm OK. But this... It's not over yet. When I got home, I applied medicine to Du Du's face. Chu Thanh held the baby in his arms, gently comforting her while telling her a story. Du Du fell asleep. The corners of my eyes still had tears. I sat on the living room sofa. Stayed up all night. The next morning. I don't go to work. I go to the bank. In the card that my mother kept for me there was 800,000 yuan. That's the money Chu Thanh and I saved during ten years of marriage, saving every penny we could save, planning to change to a better house. My mother said my younger brother is getting married soon. If you don't have a house, you can't. She said I was her older sister. Helping my younger brother is a natural thing. She also said she would temporarily "keep" that money for me and return it when needed. At that time I agreed. Now think again. I regret it. I walked to the transaction counter.

"Hello."

“I want to transfer all the money in this account to another account.”

“Don't leave any money behind.”

The phone vibrates. Message from sent to the bank. 【Dear customers, your savings account with extension number 1234 at 11:05 a.m. on May 31 received a transfer of 800,000 yuan. Current balance is...】 Look at the series of numbers on the screen. I let out a long breath. This 800,000 yuan. Tran Hao can't get it anymore. Right from the moment he laid hands on my daughter. He should have thought about the consequences today. Walk out of the bank. The sunlight was so bright that it made me squint my eyes. The large rock that had been weighing heavily in my chest all night was finally moved to a corner. When you get home. Chu Thanh has asked for leave from work. He didn't ask where I went. Just quietly warming up breakfast in the kitchen.

“Du Du is not awake yet.”

I sat down. Slowly drink each sip of porridge. The stomach gradually warms up. But inside, it's still a cold winter. None of us said anything. But they both understand. There are things that don't need words. Just one look. An action. Chu Thanh picked up my phone. Quietly switch to silent mode.

“Don't think about anything.”

“Today I'm just with Du Du.”

I nodded slightly. The phone screen lights up and then turns off. Turns off then lights up again. All were calls from mother. I guess from the bank side, my mother has already received a text message notifying her of the withdrawal. I don't answer the phone. I went into the bedroom. Looking at Du Du sleeping soundly on the bed. Her small face was still red and swollen. Even in his sleep, his eyebrows were slightly furrowed because of insecurity. I gently stroked my child's hair. My daughter. The piece of flesh ripped from my own body. The person I would risk my life to protect. Who dares to touch her? I will risk my life with that person. Whether it's my biological mother or my biological younger brother. No exception. In the afternoon, Du Du woke up. As soon as she saw me, a flash of fear flashed in her big round eyes. Then pouted as if about to cry.

“Do you not like me anymore?”

“Why did you hit me?”

“Did I do something wrong?”

I hugged her tightly in my arms. My heart hurts like a knife.

"No."

“Du Du didn't do anything wrong.”

“The one who is wrong is your uncle.”

“Mom and dad will protect you.”

“Forever.”

Chu Thanh stepped forward. Hug both mother and child in her arms.

"That's right."

“Dad is here.”

His hands were warm and strong. Bring me endless strength. That afternoon. We played with Du Du and assembled Lego. Build the castle that she likes the most. In the castle there is a king. There is a queen. And there was a brave little princess. No bad guys will be able to come close. The phone in the living room was still quietly vibrating non-stop. Just like a dying snake. I don't look. I know that if you can avoid the first day, you cannot avoid the full moon day.