Chapter 16 — One Dollar a Day, I Uncover a Conspiracy

She was silent. I didn't say another word. Just put a piece of paper on the table. That is the registration board for the "free examination" that the area once organized. It has more than just names and phone numbers on it. But there are also lines that seem harmless. Live alone or not. Whether children are nearby or not. Pension level per month. Just put it together... to create a complete map of each person's weaknesses. Chronic medical condition. Emergency contact person. I spoke very slowly, each word falling like nails.

“Elderly people think this is the area's health registration board.”

“But then the sheet itself becomes their sales list.”

The meeting room was so silent that you could clearly hear the sound of papers being flipped. After watching, Tan Nha's face turned cold and scary.

“This matter… must be investigated.”

What happened next was faster than I thought. Tham Kien Nghiep did not immediately admit defeat. He sent someone to spread the news among the residents, saying that after An Tam Gia Vien stopped the service, all the risks of the elderly would be borne by themselves. Some people who had received refunds were also forced to sign a "voluntary service waiver", which secretly added a clause not to complain or spread information. Someone even called Ms. Trieu in the middle of the night, threatening that if she continued to make a big deal out of it, her son's workplace would also know that she had been scammed out of 30,000 yuan. She was so scared that she couldn't sleep. The next morning, she picked up the phone to look for me, her hands shaking and she couldn't hold it. After listening to the recording, I only said one sentence.

“So it's no longer a contract dispute.”

The document was then released, the name sounded very "professional".

“Scenario handbook for converting elderly customers.”

Each step is written clearly in it, like a recipe. Step one: low price attracts, 1 currency per day to create trust. Step two: free examination to create a sense of risk. Step three: classify according to family circumstances to use appropriate words. Children are busy: emphasizing the risk of no one taking care of them. Living alone and being a widow: emphasizes the risk of sudden illness that no one will detect. Have a stable pension: propose an annual payment plan. High alert: start from about 99 yuan to break the defense line. The line that made me stand still for a long time was the last line.

"Old people are not afraid of spending money, they are afraid that no one cares. Selling is not about selling health, but about selling the feeling of having someone by your side."

I sat in the hallway of the police station, looking at that line, unable to say a word for a long time. Chu Hieu Van squatted in front of me and held my hand. His hand is very warm. My hands are cold again. I spoke, my voice slow and heavy.

“They understand the elderly.”

Chu Hieu Van burst into tears. I continued.

“But they understand… to take action.”

Finally, Tham Kien Nghiep was taken for investigation. Vuong Quoc Cuong was also discovered to not have a medical practice certificate, the title "health expert" was just a cover. Before, he was just a water purifier seller. Lam Thien cried, saying she was just an employee. But on her computer there are more than twenty records detailing each elderly person, all written by her own hand. Ms. Trieu's money was returned. Not one time, but 25,000 yuan in advance, the rest is still being processed. On the day she received the money, she brought a bag of eggs to my house.

“Chu, please accept this.”

I don't accept. She kept stuffing it into my hand, her voice choked up.

“It's not a thank you gift, I'm just not reassured.”

I laughed.

"If you don't feel safe, bring eggs and throw them at those donkeys."

She laughed, then again cry.

“That day I really thought I was going to die.”

I patted her back.

“From now on, don't let the blouse scare you anymore.”

“Don't listen to me either.”

I added.

"Who asked to pay in the future? You should ask three places."

“Where are you three?”

“Children, banks, police.”

She nodded, very seriously. After that incident, the elderly people in the area started coming to me. The first thing to do is ask how to get your money back. Then ask to see the contract. Then gradually... ask about everything. Should I buy supplements? Is the free tour trustworthy? Is winning prizes on the phone real? Should a stranger befriend an egg donor? Should I accept it? Every day my living room is like a small meeting. Chu Hieu Van was worried at first that I was tired. Then I found out I was... alive again. Every day, I wear old glasses, hold a red pen, and cross out small lines in contracts for others.

“Here, automatic deduction.”

“Here, the penalty fee.”

“Here, default extension.”

“As for this, the final right of explanation belongs to them… this kind is the most shameless.”

After listening, the grandparents' eyes widened as if they had just learned a survival secret. Mr. Tran even smiled.

“Chu, you can open class now.”

I laughed, my voice as light as the wind passing through a calm afternoon after a storm.

“Open class for what?”

Mrs. Trieu immediately spoke, her eyes lit up like a child who had found a new fun game.

“Anti-fraud layer!”

The whole room burst into laughter, the laughter spread like waves, warm and genuine. But after laughing, I really thought about it, not as a joke anymore. A week later, I asked the head of the area to borrow the community room. She looked at me a little cautiously. I said I wanted to set up a support group for the elderly to prevent fraud. She nodded so quickly that she was afraid I would change my mind.

“Do it, you must do it.”

The first meeting had more than thirty people come, more than I expected, and more than at the previous district meeting. Tan Nha helped invite area police to come talk, Tieu Luu took care of the presentation, Chu Hieu Van stood outside the door to register each person. I stood on the podium, holding a microphone, below were familiar faces with gray hair, old glasses, cloth bags, and thermos flasks.