Chapter 15 — One Dollar a Day, I Uncover a Conspiracy

Each name appeared, each number was written down, like each stone placed on my heart, becoming heavier and heavier. The smallest person only lost 99 yuan, while the largest person lost 120,000 yuan. The gap is not in money, but in the depth of being caught in the trap. Some people hide their children and don't dare to tell them, some people know they are wrong but still don't dare admit it, and some people still believe that this thing can save them. The person who annoys me the most is a woman named Hua. She paid 68,000 yuan for just a simple sentence.

“If you don't work as a health manager, your son will have a harder time in the future.”

Her son delivered food from morning to night without a break. She was afraid of becoming a burden, so she quietly took out her ten-year savings and gave it all. On the phone, she kept repeating the same sentence, her voice shaking but determined.

“I'm not afraid of death, I'm just afraid of bothering my children.”

When Chu Hieu Van heard that, his eyes turned red again, but this time he didn't say anything. He bowed his head and continued to write, no longer saying that the old man was foolish, nor saying that I was overdoing it. Three days later, the statistics were complete. In my area and two neighboring areas alone, 27 victims were confirmed, with a total amount of up to 864,300 yuan. Among them, 18 people were led away from "free examination", 21 people were asked to link accounts or provide identification, 15 people signed authorization to periodically deduct money. I printed it all out, folded it into a thick stack, and felt as heavy as a brick in my hand, not because of the paper, but because of what lay behind it. Chu Hieu Van looked at me and asked a very serious question.

“What to do now?”

“Find someone who can make this big.”

“Talk to the press?”

“So who are you looking for?”

I opened my contacts, scrolled down to a name I hadn't contacted for a long time. Former colleague in the discipline inspection department, later transferred to the district's department of elderly affairs. Call me, I'm not sure if they still remember me. But as soon as the bell rang two times, the other end picked up. I laughed.

“Do you still remember me?”

"Why don't you remember? In the past, when I checked the book, you forced me to add additional documents to the point that I wanted to cry."

I also laughed.

“So this time I probably want to cry again.”

The other side was silent for a beat.

“Is there something wrong?”

"I have a case related to nursing home fraud. My side has compiled part of the documents."

The atmosphere on the other side changed markedly.

“Send it to me.”

I send all files. Half an hour later, the phone called back, Tan Nha's voice was serious.

“Sister Chu, this matter is not small.”

"I know."

"For now, don't take any further actions on your own, especially don't contact the company privately anymore."

“I have already been exposed.”

The other party let out a long breath.

“You're still the same as before.”

“I'm retired, my liver is even bigger.”

“Don't joke.”

She spoke quickly and decisively.

"Tomorrow morning, bring the documents to the elderly room, I will contact the market manager, police and ward to meet together."

I hung up. Chu Hieu Van looked at me, his eyes a bit strange, as if he was looking back at someone he had never fully understood.

“Mom… did you go to work like that before?”

"How?"

“Very… terrible.”

I paused for a second. It's been a long time since anyone said that to me. When my husband was still alive, he often joked that every time I tapped the abacus, no one dared to surpass me. Then he left, the children grew up, I retired, and gradually everyone only remembered me as an old woman who needed to be taken care of. Even I... almost forgot myself What kind of person used to be? I smiled slightly.

“It was worse back then.”

Chu Hieu Van's eyes were red again.

“But I didn't know before.”

“Because I was busy growing up at that time.”

He bowed his head and said nothing for a long time. The next morning's meeting lasted three hours. I sat in the room, bringing out statistics, recording files, contracts, note lists, company association diagrams, one by one. No matter what the market manager heard, his face became gloomy. The police asked very carefully every detail. The ward representative sat in a corner, sweating continuously. The most difficult person is the section chief. She sat still, her face pale. Tan Nha asked directly.

“An Tam Gia Vien enters the area, who approves?”

She spoke softly.

“They have all the paperwork and say it's a community project.”

“Who provides the list of elderly people?”

“We… don't give it directly.”

Tan Nha looked straight at her.

“So why do they have so much information?”