Chapter 3 — Private House in a Joint Family

“No.”
She hung up. After work, I go to the supermarket to buy food to cook. After eating, I sat on the balcony reading a book. The phone kept ringing, I glanced at it, it was an unfamiliar number. I answered the phone.
“Hello, may I ask, are you Ly Vu?”
"I'm here."
"I'm Tieu Tuyet, Ly Loi's girlfriend, can I talk to you for a moment?"
I was silent for a few seconds.
“You say it.”
"It's like this, Ly Loi and I have known each other for two years, and our relationship is very good. But my parents feel that his conditions are not good, and want us to temporarily stop."
"YES."
"Ly Loi said you have a house. I thought maybe I could borrow it for a few days and bring my parents to see it so they can feel secure."
"Impossible."
"Why? I'm Ly Loi's brother, he's in trouble, shouldn't I help?"
“He's not in trouble, he's just trying to deceive your parents.”
The other side was silent.
“What do you mean by that?”
"That house is mine, not his. You brought your parents to see it, then what? When it was time to get married, your parents discovered he was completely homeless, what do you guys think?"
Tieu Tuyet did not answer.
"Besides, he only earns more than three thousand a month now. Where will he live after getting married? Still want to stay at my house?"
“Well… we can stay there temporarily, wait for him to make enough money and then we can move out.”
I laugh.
"Impossible."
“Why are you so selfish?”
“Maybe so.”
I hung up and blocked the number. It was late at night, the city lights gradually turned off one by one. I sat on the balcony, the breeze blew gently. Suddenly feeling very tired — not physically tired, but mentally tired. I remember many things from many years ago. But I don't want to think anymore. Let's sleep.
03
I thought this would pass. Anyway, I said it very clearly. But the next night, when I got home from work, I discovered my mother sitting in front of the door. She leaned her back against my door, saw me coming and stood up.
"Open."
“Why did you come here?”
“Is it okay for a mother to come see her son's house?”
I stood in front of her. The hallway light turned on with the sound, the light shining on her face. She is fifty-two years old, her hair has turned a few strands of gray, and the wrinkles on her face are very deep.
“Mom, you go home first.”
"Mom is not coming home. I have to make it clear today."
“Explain what?”
“Why don't you let my brother come to my house to stay?”
I looked at her.
“Because it's my house.”
“My house is also my brother's house.”
"Not."
"Not what? You two are brothers, what's mine is also his, what's mine is also mine."
I laugh. I have heard this logic from childhood to adulthood countless times.
“So what does it have?”
My mother was stunned for a moment.
“What did you say?”
"What did you say it had? Since you said it was yours, has it ever given you anything?"
"What are you talking like? He's your younger brother, shouldn't you give in to him as your older brother?"
“I gave it up more than twenty years ago.”
I took out the key and opened the door. My mother followed in, I didn't stop her. She walked around the house, looked at the living room, looked at the bedroom, then went back to the kitchen to look.
“Seventy square meters, how much does one square meter cost?”
“Fifteen thousand.”
“How much is the deposit?”
“Three hundred thousand.”
“Where does the money come from?”
“I save money.”
She sat down on the sofa.
“How many years have you been saving?”
“Five years.”
“In five years, I have accumulated three hundred thousand?"
"Yes."
She looked at me.
“How much do you earn each month?”
“About ten thousand.”
“120 thousand a year, 600 thousand five years, excluding food and living expenses, do you still have three hundred thousand left over?”
I said nothing. She laughed coldly.
“Did you have to secretly do something from your family?”
“I don't do anything, just save money.”
“Three hundred thousand saved up?”
I went into the kitchen to pour a glass of water.
“Mom, say whatever you want to say directly.”
"I just want to know, where did you get so much money to buy a house? Did you borrow money from outside?"
I took a sip of water.
“No.”
“So let me make it clear.”
I put down the glass of water.
“Five years ago I started saving money. Each month's salary, minus rent, electricity, water, and food, leaves about six thousand left over. I don't buy clothes, don't go out, don't fall in love, and have accumulated three hundred and sixty thousand in five years."
“No way.”
“Mom may not believe it.”
My mother looked at me, her eyes very complicated.
“Even if I have enough money for the deposit, I still have to pay the loan every month, more than four thousand, how will I live?”
“I live very well.”