Chapter 4 — Queen of Salted Fish

The voice was high-pitched, sharp, penetrating the entire room. In the quiet living room, the cursing voice became even more shrill. The noisy sound from the variety show still came out, but To Kien Thu's lego pieces "clattered" to the floor. Giang Tam Nguyet took off his headphones, Tham Hoai Tu also stopped typing on the keyboard. Tham Duc Phong's face immediately darkened, his dark eyes were as cold as ice. The other end of the line is still talking. I rubbed my ears, which were numb from the shock, and held the phone away. Waiting for the other party to get bored with the scolding, I slowly brought the phone closer while breathing rapidly. "OH." – My voice was a little sleepy, as calm as the breeze – “Are you done talking?” “You……” Maybe he didn't expect me to react like that, the other person choked. “Tham Duc Phong's ex-wife wants to return home?” – I yawned, my voice was monotone – “Yeah, fine.” "You... you're not angry? Aren't you afraid?" The other end of the line was filled with surprise. “Angry? Afraid?” I changed to a more comfortable lying position, my tone was salty, "Why are you angry? If she wants to go home, just go home." Pausing for a moment, I calmly added, even calmly enough to reason: "Anyway, now, Tham Duc Phong is my husband." “Money, in my name.” “This sofa”—I patted the expensive cushions under me—“is very comfortable for me to lie on.” “Then… who should go away?” On the other side of the phone, dead silence. A few seconds later, there was only the sound of "tut...tut...tut". The other person hung up the phone. I conveniently threw the phone back onto the sofa, like throwing away a hot piece of trash. The living room is so quiet you can hear a pin drop. Only the exaggerated laughter on the TV became extremely shrill. To Kien Thu opened his mouth and looked at me in bewilderment. Giang Tam Nguyet forgot to shake her blue hair, her mouth opened wide enough to fit a chicken egg. Tham Hoai Tu's eyes looked at me, as if I had just blown up the enemy base and then criticized it for not being brittle enough. Tham Duc Phong put down the file. He stood up and walked in front of me. The tall silhouette blocked part of the sunlight. He bent down, his deep eyes filled with extremely complex emotions: surprise, scrutiny, and a ray of light that was hard to describe in words. Without saying anything, he just reached out his hand - the movement was a bit strange, but carried the power to not refuse - gently rubbing the top of my head. Warm palms. Then, without uttering another sentence, he turned and walked towards the study room. It's just... my steps seem a little lighter than usual. Giang Tam Nguyet suddenly regained her composure and shouted: "Mom! Lam Van Chieu! You are so domineering!" To Kien Thu rushed to hug my arm, her eyes bright as stars: "Auntie Linh! You were so cool just now! Like a queen!" Tham Hoai Tu quietly closed his laptop, picked up the glass of water on the table and took a sip. Looking at me, the distance finally disappeared, replaced by a clarity, mixed with a hint of laughter — a frank admission. It softly spit out two words, so soft that it was hard to hear: "Submitted." The afternoon sun is still warm and bright. The sofa under the body is still soft and comfortable. As for me - this salted fish - under the admiring (somewhat panicked) looks of my stepchildren, under an incomprehensible "head pat" from my nominal husband, I lazily turned over, looking for a more comfortable position. Um. My life of letting go of salted fish… seems to be… more and more “postural.” from the female owner"? It's just that, that strange phone call, was like a stone thrown into a still lake. Even though I didn't have any ripples at all, the other people in this house were clearly caught up in that ripple. The next few days, the atmosphere was truly strange. Tham Hoai Tu no longer looked at me with the "it's okay, there's nothing I can do to you" look, but instead with a probing look, as if he was seriously reevaluating the creature named "Auntie Linh." Giang Tam Nguyet suddenly withdrew a lot. In her own room, she dyed her bright green hair to black. Walking past me, she even pretended to be bold and explained: "Hey, I don't have anything to be afraid of, it's just... black looks less dirty." To Kien Thu stuck to me even more like glue, almost turning into a "human keychain". I was lying on the sofa watching a movie, he was holding a cat sitting next to me on the carpet, quietly keeping me company, occasionally raising his head to steal a glance, as if afraid that someone would pack me up and throw me away at any moment. Tham Duc Phong has to go on a business trip. Before leaving, he didn't say much, just left me a black card. “There is no password. Swipe as much as you want.” He placed the card on the tea table and pushed it in front of me, his movements were as natural as handing me a cup of water. I held that fragile card, only feeling a burning sensation in my hand. Making salted fish to this point — not only getting the shares, but also getting an unlimited black card? Is this luck a bit too much? As for the words in the call the other day, I didn't really care. What is "ex-wife", what is "biological mother". What the hell does it have to do with me? I came to enjoy life, not to participate in the game show "Strategies for Dealing with Exes". But just because I don't want to act, that doesn't mean the "director" won't force me to go on stage. One afternoon a week ago. I had just woken up, my hair a mess, wearing my wrinkled pajamas, dragging my cotton slippers and waddled downstairs to find a drink of water. The living room is occupied. A woman — the complete opposite of me. She wore an exquisitely tailored beige suit, her hair was neatly combed into a high bun, and her makeup was delicate to every lash. Sitting straight, with a leisurely appearance, like a meticulously sculpted white porcelain statue of Guan Yin. In front of her, on the tea table, a cup of flower tea was still steaming. As for me... wearing wrinkled cartoon pajamas, furry cotton slippers, hair as messy as a bird's nest. Eyes met. The atmosphere froze for three seconds. She opened her mouth first, her tone was gentle, but there was an implicit sense of a superior valuing a lower person: "Are you Lam Van Chieu?" I nodded, went straight to the refrigerator, and pulled out a can of Coke. “Gulp gulp——” drank half the bottle at once, then belched loudly. Her delicate eyebrows were slightly furrowed, almost invisible. “I am Kieu Uyen.” – She introduced, her voice calm: "She is the mother of Hoai Tu, Tam Nguyet, and Kien Thu." Oh. The government has arrived. I raised the can of Coca in my hand as a greeting. This indifferent reaction obviously made her unhappy, but propriety and upbringing made her hold back. “This time I came back to see the children.” – Her eyes roamed around the house that once belonged to her, carrying a bit of nostalgia, a bit of common sense, "After all, I am their biological mother. There are some things in education and companionship that cannot be replaced by anyone." The words are full of thorns, discreet but sharp. I understand. Implicit warning: Stepmother, don't even dream of stealing a guest's nest. I didn't bother to start a conversation, so I calmly walked to the sofa, sat down, hugged my pillow, put my feet on the coffee table, and turned on the TV. A series of fluent movements, declaring ownership of the territory without words. Kieu Uyen's porcelain white face finally showed cracks. “Miss Lam, can we talk?” – She emphasized. “Say what?” – My eyes were glued to the screen of the nonsense variety show, my head not bothering to turn around, “Talking about children's education? Sorry, I have no experience. How to talk to be a good wife and daughter-in-law? Don't worry, I'm not interested either." I picked up the remote, beeped once, and turned the TV volume up two notches higher. Kieu Uyen's face, the "White Porcelain Guan Yin", finally could not maintain her elegance. “Do you treat this family like that? Treat Duc Phong's child like that? – Her voice was high-pitched, carrying a kind of pain mixed with righteous indignation. “They are in an important adolescence, they need to be guided, they need to be loved! Instead of following you, falling behind together, not knowing how to advance!” I pressed pause, the TV suddenly went silent, and the comedy background music also stopped. I turned my head and looked at her seriously: "First of all, the children are not my children, but Tham Duc Phong's children. When it comes to education, the first person to worry about is their father, followed by her - the biological mother who appears from nowhere. What about me? I'm his wife, not a hired nanny." “Next, what is behind? What is called refusing to advance? I burst out laughing, finding her ridiculous. “Tham Hoai Tu is starting a business, Giang Tam Nguyet pursues music and basketball which he loves, To Kien Thu has enough imagination to draw the whole universe. The children live very well, very energetic. It's better than just following the pre-planned route, step by step turning into sophisticated but tasteless copies, without any soul." Kieu Uyen was stunned by my "arguments", as if she had never met a woman like me who was not methodical. “You… you make excuses!” – She was so angry that her chest was heaving. “Whether it's an excuse or not, why don't you ask your children directly?” – I shrugged, then pressed the remote again. The TV immediately burst into loud laughter. My attitude is clear: don't bother me, I'm still busy... lying here with salted fish. But Kieu Uyen obviously did not intend to give up. She stayed in this house, in the name of "accompanying the children". So, in the house, a super magical reality play began. Morning. Kieu Uyen got up at six o'clock, clattered in the kitchen, preparing a sophisticated and nutritious breakfast for the children. The presentation of the food plate is as beautiful as a Michelin restaurant. As for me, I slept until ten o'clock, wore my pajamas, crawled downstairs, and took out a bowl of instant noodles from the refrigerator. On the dining table. Kieu Uyen uses a knife and fork to elegantly cut fried eggs. And I, sitting opposite, slurped noodles.