Chapter 5 — Private House in a Joint Family

Very tired, but can't sleep. I looked at the ceiling, thinking back to many things. When I was young, the house only had one room, Ly Loi and I slept in the same bed. He wet the bed, my mother said I pushed him down on the bed and scared him, then kicked me. When I go to school, my schoolbag is my cousin's old one, his is a newly purchased Nike. Every Tet holiday, my mother collects my lucky money and "keeps it for me", while her money is freely spent. When I took the university entrance exam, I passed the exam at a key school in the provincial capital. My mother said it was too far and the tuition was expensive, so she forced me to study at a second-rate local school. After that, I still went, because I had a scholarship, and worked part-time to earn tuition. During my four years in college, I never asked my family for a penny. After going to work, he gave three thousand to his family every month for three years. After that, I said I wanted to save money to buy a house, but I couldn't give it anymore. Mother cried and said I was unfilial, father said I had no conscience. Ly Loi sat next to him playing on the phone, his head never raised. At that time, I thought, until I have my own house, I will definitely live alone and not let anyone enter. Now I have done it. I closed my eyes, sleep finally came. The last thought before going to sleep is: it's worth it.
04
Below is the full, literal, elaborate translation, without omitting a single sentence, of paragraph 04 you sent: ________________________________________ Thursday morning, I was woken up by a phone call. It was the eldest aunt calling.
"Tieu Vu, your mother called me yesterday and cried for more than an hour."
I looked at the clock, it was only half past six in the morning.
"Yes."
"What's going on? Why did it turn out like this when it was peaceful and healing?"
"It's nothing big, just a few things that haven't been agreed upon yet."
"What's going on? Your mother said you wouldn't let Tieu Loi come to your house, and even said you lost your red book, what's going on?"
I sat up, leaning my back against the headboard.
"Auntie, the red book is mine, how I want to handle it is my right."
“That said, your mother is just worried about you, afraid that you will lose your red book.”
“I know, but I have my own thoughts.”
"What about Tieu Loi? It's very difficult for him to have a girlfriend, can't you help him?"
“I don't want to help.”
The other end of the line was silent for a few seconds.
"Tieu Vu, since you were little, you've been a sensible person. I've always loved you very much. But this time you really didn't do it right."
I don't answer.
“Tieu Loi is my younger brother, he is in trouble right now, as my older brother, how can I stand by and watch?”
“Auntie, he's not in trouble.”
"Why not? Your girlfriend wants to break up, isn't that difficult?"
“That's his business, it has nothing to do with you.”
"How can you say that? Everyone is in the same family."
I took a deep breath.
"Auntie, I know you care about me, but I have my own decision to make about this matter. That's it."
“Tieu Vu…”
“I have to go to work, I'll hang up now.”
I hung up the phone, then got up to wash my face. The phone rang again, this time it was my uncle calling. I don't pick up the phone, turn off the ringer. After breakfast, I go to work. On the way, the phone kept ringing, I glanced at it, it was still my uncle calling, there were also a few cousins. I switched my phone to silent mode and put it in my pocket. Arriving at the company, the receptionist looked at me with somewhat strange eyes.
"Ly Vu, someone was looking for you yesterday afternoon. I told you you weren't here, so she waited in the lobby forever." "Who is that?"
“Say it's your mother.”
I stopped.
“Is she still there now?”
“I don't know, when I got off work she was still sitting there.”
I nodded and went upstairs. Entering the office, several colleagues arrived. Everyone seemed to want to say something but stopped. I sat down and turned on the computer. The head of the department came.
“Tieu Ly, yesterday a girl came to find you, saying she was your mother, waiting in the lobby all afternoon.”
“I know.”
"Is there something wrong at home? Do I need to take time off to go home and handle it?"
“No need, it's no big deal.”
He looked at me and didn't say anything else. During lunch break, I don't go to the cafeteria but order food from outside. At two o'clock in the afternoon, the receptionist called the intercom again.
“Ly Vu, your mother is here again, waiting in the lobby.”
I rubbed my forehead.
“Tell her I'm not here.”
“I told you, but she said she could wait forever.”
“It's up to her.”
I hung up. After work at five thirty, I was packing up my things when my colleague Tieu Truong walked over.
"Ly Vu, your mother is actually waiting downstairs. I just came down to buy coffee and saw her."
I wear a backpack.
“I know.”
“Aren't you going to come down and see me?”
"Are not."
I took the stairs to the side door, that way there was a small gate leading straight to the parking garage. The driver left. Through the rearview mirror, I saw my mother sitting on the steps in front of the lobby, holding a thermos in her hand. I drove straight. Don't go home right away but visit the gym. After jogging five kilometers, lifting weights, and showering, it was already nine o'clock at night. Phone full of missed calls and messages. I deleted them all one by one, then called the driver to go home. Getting out of the car at the apartment building, I saw my younger brother standing in front of the door. It saw me and quickly walked towards me.
"Older brother."
"What is up?"
“Do you know that my mother waited under your company all day today?”
"Know."
“So why don't you see your mother?”
“Don't want to meet.”
I went around it and was about to go in, but it stopped me.
"What do you intend to do? How much tension do you want the whole family to have to be satisfied?"
I looked at it. Under the streetlight, his face was very agitated.
“Ly Loi, stay away.”
"I won't avoid it. You have to say it clearly today."
“Say what?”
“Tell me why do you treat your family like this?”
I laugh.
“How do I treat my family?”
"You won't let me come live, make mom sad, report losing red book, hide from mom... isn't that enough?"
“That's my right.”