Chapter 1 — One Dollar a Day, I Uncover a Conspiracy

The first day I lost 1 yuan, I thought I was mistaken. The second day I lost 1 yuan again, I think the bank deducted the fee. On the morning of the third day, at exactly 7 o'clock, I put on my glasses, laid out my savings book, electronic banking, and text messages on the dining table, checking each account one by one. Every morning, at exactly 6:03 a.m., 1 yuan (about 3,500 VND) is deducted from my account. The amount is not large. So small that after listening to it, my daughter still didn't let go of her chopsticks.

“Mom, it's only one bad thing, are you doing too much?”

I sat across from him, watching him pick me a piece of egg.

“It's not a matter of more or less, it's that the books don't match.”

Chu Hieu Van sighed.

"Mom, you're retired, can you stop applying the old financial department's style of looking at every penny on yourself? Nowadays, electronic payments are so chaotic, deducting 1-2 yuan is normal."

I don't accept that piece of egg. His eyes were glued to the money deduction history on the phone. The recipient of the money is a very strange string of characters: An Tam Gia Vien - Smart Nursing Service. I asked it:

“This An Tam Gia Vien… you registered for me?”

Chu Hieu Van paused for a moment.

“Ah… that, the smart nursing service introduced by the neighborhood.”

“What specifically?”

“The kind of health monitoring, emergency calls, and sometimes people coming to visit.”

Afraid I don't understand, it added:

"Nowadays, everyone uses this method. Mom lives alone, and both my brother and I don't feel secure."

I bowed my head and looked at the three deductions. Each amount is 1 yuan. The times are identical. 6:03 am. I asked again:

“When registering, did you give them my bank card number?”

Its movements of picking up food slowed down.

“Probably yes… People say you have to link your accounts to conveniently pay service fees later.”

“What about ID card?”

“Also taken.”

“Face recognition?”

Finally it began to lose patience.

"Are you checking the household registration? They are an official cooperative unit with the neighborhood, we are not lying."

I said nothing. Just look at the phone screen. A tiny coin, falling every day, as light as dust. But there are things that, once they go wrong... They won't stop at 1 currency anymore. I took a photo of the three deductions and sent them to my phone. Then pull out the drawer and take out an old notebook. That notebook had been used for many years, and the cover was frayed. Since the day my grandfather passed away, I have written down every expense in the house. Management fee. Health insurance refund. Living expenses sent by daughter. Money is transferred every Tet holiday. I wrote it all down. Chu Hieu Van used to laugh at me, saying that no one writes notebooks anymore. I don't argue. Young people see that a bad thing is not worth anything. But I worked in the finance department for thirty years and understand one thing clearly. A really big hole, that never started with a big tear. It always starts from a penny, a currency, a number so small that no one bothers to pay attention. Chu Hieu Van finished eating, packed his bag and prepared to go to work. Before leaving, he turned back and told me:

"Mom, don't run to the bank to make a fuss because of one dollar. People are very busy, no one has time to please you."

I raised my head to look at it.

“What if it's not 1 yuan?”

It froze.

“What if this 1 yuan… is trying to see if mom's account can be deducted?”

Chu Hieu Van frowned.

“You've been watching too many anti-scam videos, haven't you?”

I smiled softly. No further explanation. After he left, I changed my clothes, took my phone and notebook, and went to the bank. The bank lobby is not crowded. Near the number machine, there was a young security guard. When he saw me come in, he immediately asked:

“What do you need to do?”

“I checked the account.”

He pointed to the self-service machine.

“You can also check on your phone.”

“The phone can't see clearly.”

Perhaps he had met many people like me, his smile was still polite but clearly impatient.

“So you take the number first.”

I took the number, sat down on the chair and waited. After waiting for more than twenty minutes, it was finally my turn. The girl at the counter looked at my transaction history, her voice was very gentle.

“Miss, this is an automatic deduction of small value.”

“Who grants permission?”

“The system shows that it is you who has confirmed.”

She knocked a few times.

“Three days ago, 4:26 pm.”

I looked straight at her.

“Three days ago, 4:26 p.m., I was having a follow-up examination at the hospital.”

"That afternoon, my phone was in my daughter's hand, she helped me register, pay the fee, get the results. Outside the hospital counter, I did not meet anyone from the nursing service."

The girl's movements stopped. I took out the hospital bill from my pocket and placed it under the counter.

“Here are the notes from that day.”

She took a look, the smile on her face faded.

"Miss, we can only see that the system has granted permission. As for whether it was you who did the operation or not, you need to contact the service."

“Who is the service side?”

“An Tam Gia Vien – Smart Nursing Service.”

“Give me your phone number.”

She printed it out on a piece of paper. I picked it up to see. The company address is not far from my house. Right on the third floor of the area's nursing center. I folded the paper and put it in my pocket. As soon as I walked out of the bank, my phone rang. Chu Hieu Van called.

"Mom, An Tam Gia Vien just called me and asked you to go to the bank to check the automatic deduction?"

I stopped in front of the bank door.

“They responded really quickly.”

Her voice lowered.

"Mom, can you stop making a fuss? I'm in a meeting, they called me directly, it's very awkward."

I asked it:

“Do you feel awkward, or is it the fact that money was deducted from my account that is awkward?”

It choked.

“It's only 1 yuan!”

I looked at the people passing by across the street.

“Zhu Xiaoyun.”

I called it by name. The other end of the line was silent. It's been a long time since I called it that.

“When your father passed away, there were 376,214.8 yuan left in the account.”

"How much I've spent in recent years, how much insurance has reimbursed, how much you and your brother have given me, I write it all down."

“I don't regret one yuan.”

I said each word, slowly.

“I'm afraid that when someone takes the first penny from my account... the children will see that it's okay.”

The other end of the line was silent for a long time. Finally, it asks:

“Mom… are you thinking that I will hurt you?”

I gently closed my eyes.

“I didn't say that.”

“So what do you mean, Mom?”

His voice began to choke.

"I signed up for nursing services for my mother because I was afraid something would happen to her at home alone. I go to work every day, I have to take care of the children, I'm so tired. Why do you always think people want to trick you?"

I stood in front of the bank door, the wind blew, my hands were a bit cold. I know it's tiring. I also know it didn't mean to harm me. But in this world, there are many traps... not directly pushed down by bad people. It's the relatives who think "it should be okay" and sign for me, take ID photos, and link accounts. From there, the bad guys have a door to enter. I don't argue anymore.

“I went to An Tam Gia Vien check it out.”

It immediately panicked.

“Mom, don't go causing trouble!”

I hung up.