Chapter 5 — One Dollar a Day, I Uncover a Conspiracy

The contract name is: Age Protection Premium Services Agreement. Service fee: 29,800 yuan. Equipment deposit: 5,000 yuan. Health consultation fee: 3,600 yuan. Total: 38,400 yuan. Below is a small text: Today's discount is 8,400 yuan. Actual revenue 30,000 yuan. The more I watched, the heavier my heart became.

“Ms. Trieu, who did you transfer the money to?”

She opened her phone to show me. Recipient: Khang Tho Nguyen Health Technology. Not a personal account. This proves that they are not the type to cheat, cheat once and run. They have a company, a contract, a script, and a revenue channel. More complicated. Also scarier. Mrs. Trieu sat next to her, her hands shaking non-stop.

"They said my blood vessels were seriously clogged. If I didn't install this device, something could easily happen at night."

“What did they check for you?”

“Take your blood pressure, then ask me to hold a machine.”

“What does that machine show?”

"Said my blood vessel elasticity is poor, the risk of cerebral infarction is high."

“Did you give a report?”

She took out a piece of colored paper from the drawer. There is a bright red warning printed on it. The risk of stroke is high. Below are a few phrases that give people chills. Hidden cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disasters. Risk of sudden collapse. Danger level when living alone: high. I looked at that piece of paper, my anger rising little by little.

“Ms. Trieu, did you go for a health check-up this morning?”

“Are there any blood tests?”

“Is there a CT scan?”

“So on what basis do they say you have a high risk of cerebral infarction?”

Ms. Trieu's tears fell again.

“They said that machine can measure it.”

I put down the report.

“What is the name of that machine?”

"I do not know."

“Are there any photos?”

She thought for a moment.

“Yes, at that time I thought it was too modern so I took a photo and sent it to my son to see.”

She opened the photo. It was the same white machine I saw in the small room this afternoon. I sent the photo to Tieu Luu. In less than three minutes, Tieu Luu texted back:

"Miss Chu, I checked it out. It's sold online for more than 300 yuan. The product name is microcirculation health monitor, the description clearly states: for reference only, not for medical diagnosis."

I showed the phone to Ms. Trieu. After she finished watching, her whole body seemed to be drained of strength.

“I was really tricked…”

I put my hand on her hand.

“Now is not the time to cry.”

“So what to do?”

“First of all, stay calm.”

“They said they would come to my house tomorrow morning to install the equipment for me.”

Mrs. Trieu was stunned. I put the contract back.

“Let them come tomorrow.”

She was so scared that her face turned pale.

"Are you going to let them come again? What if they trick me again?"

“Don't give me any more money.”

I looked at her, my voice firm.

“But when they came, they left more evidence.”

Mrs. Trieu's lips trembled.

“Old Chu, I'm afraid.”

My heart softened. She was really scared. A seventy-three year old man was threatened all afternoon and had 30,000 yuan stolen. Now he doesn't even dare to open his door.

“I'll go with you tomorrow.”

She looked at me, tears immediately welled up in her eyes.

“Old Chu, I'm lucky to have you.”

I did not answer that question. Because I know, tomorrow is not simply going with her. I wanted to see with my own eyes how they managed to sell an item worth more than 300 yuan for 30,000 yuan. When I got home, Chu Hieu Van was waiting at the door. Its face is very unsightly.

"Mom, where are you going? I called you so many times, why didn't you answer?"

I took the key and opened the door. It followed me into the house.

“Are you coming to An Tam Gia Vien again? Are not?"

“What do you want to do anyway?”

I put my bag down.

“Check the books.”

“It's checking the books again!”

Chu Hieu Van's voice immediately rose.

“Mom, can you not always be like that? The head of the neighborhood even called me, saying that mom went to the nursing home today and made a fuss, and also said that they were scammers."

I looked at it.

“Did they call you?”

“Lin Qian.”

My heart sank a little. Really fast movement. I just came back from Mrs. Trieu's house, they called my daughter in advance. This is my family's desire to silence me. Chu Hieu Van's eyes turned red.

“Mom, I know you haven't gotten used to it after retiring, and I also know that since dad passed away, it's not comfortable for you to be alone. But I can't see everyone looking like a fraud."

I quietly looked at it.

“Ms. Zhao paid 30,000 yuan today.”

It froze.

“What 30,000?”

“Premium service package of An Tam Gia Vien.”

“That was someone who voluntarily bought it.”

“She was threatened.”

Chu Hieu Van frowned, clearly not wanting to believe my direction of thinking.

“Mom, why are you so sure she was threatened? Maybe people really think the service is good?”

I took the report out of my pocket and placed it in front of him, my movements were not quick but very decisive.

"A machine costs more than 300 yuan, after measuring it, it says she has a high risk of cerebral infarction, then asks to pay 30,000 yuan. Do you think this is called good service?"

Chu Hieu Van picked it up and read a few lines, his expression changed slightly, but he quickly put it down as if to brush off the feeling of insecurity.

“Even so, we should let her son handle it, why should I interfere?”

I looked at it, asked a very light question, but enough to make the atmosphere in the room stop.

“What if the person who got tricked today was my mother?”

It paused for a moment, then reacted very quickly as if looking for an excuse to stand still.

“But mom wasn't fooled.”