Chapter 5 — Seven Years, Letting Go Once

"The jade bracelet..."

"I can't pay it back."

The other end of the line was silent. A few seconds later, his voice deepened.

"Do you have to use your mother to force me?"

That moment... The last bit of warmth in my heart completely disappeared. I hung up. Ta Hanh Xuyen gave me a box of anti-inflammatory medicine.

"The person texting you... Ky Luat."

"It's my teacher."

I raised my head to look at him.

"You know about this?"

He nodded slightly.

"The Bui family's current company was formerly Duong An Technology, founded by her father and Bui Kien An together."

His voice was calm and clear.

"After her father passed away, the Bui family always told outsiders that those shares had been transferred."

"But the signature on the transfer contract that year had a problem."

My fingertips gradually became cold.

"When my father died..."

"I'm only seventeen."

Ta Hanh Xuyen looked at me.

"That's why..."

"They dare to deceive you."

The light in the hallway was blindingly white. He placed a bag of documents in front of me.

"The shares your father left behind..."

"Plus the number of shares that some old shareholders agreed to transfer."

"It's enough for you to regain control of the company."

I opened the file. The first page is a photo of my father when he was young. He stood in front of an old factory. Next to him is Bui Kien An. On the back of the photo there is an inscription.

"Duong Duong, father left you a way to return home."

The bridge of my nose is stinging. Just for a moment. The phone vibrated again. This is a voice recording that Bui Nghien Tu just sent. I opened it. The other side is extremely noisy. On Chieu Tuyet's choked voice rang out.

"Mr. Nghien Tu... does Ms. Van Duong no longer need you?"

Bui Nghien Tu smirked.

"She can't leave you."

"It's been seven years."

"Wait until she's done making me crazy enough, I'll come back."

The recording ends. The emergency room fell silent again. I saved that recording. Ta Hanh Xuyen looked at me.

"Tomorrow morning at nine o'clock."

"There's still time."

I closed the file.

"First..."

"I have to go home."

The taxi stopped in front of the apartment complex gate. The lights in the house are still on. I haven't opened the door yet... I heard Tong Lan Anh's laughter echoing out.

"Chieu Tuyet, from now on this is your home, don't be polite."

I put the key in the lock. The door just opened... All eyes in the living room immediately turned to me. Wen Chieu Tuyet sat on the sofa. Holding my cat in my arms. In her hand... Is a photo of me and Bui Nghien Tu together. And at that moment... She was about to throw it in the trash. That cat's name is Doan Doan. The year Bui Nghien Tu failed to start his business, I found it downstairs at the company. He complains about being troublesome. I held the cat and stood in the rain for half an hour. Later, Doan Doan fell ill. He also stayed up all night outside the veterinary hospital, smoking and waiting. At that time he once said:

"From now on, he is also our family."

But right now... Doan Doan is trembling in On Chieu Tuyet's heart. She smiled innocently.

"Miss Van Duong, I think this photo is too old so I decided to replace it with a new one."

In the trash there was more than half a photo album. I walked over, bent down and picked up the photo. Tong Lan Anh immediately frowned.

"Who are you showing that face to? Kind-hearted Chieu Tuyet help you clean the house, you don't even know how to behave."

Bui Kien An sat at the dining table, looking through my rental contract in his hand.

"The rent for this house is probably not cheap, right? Right now, Nghien Tu is under great pressure. Don't waste money anymore in the future."

I snatched back the contract.

"I pay the rent."

Bui Kien An's face immediately darkened.

"We're all part of the same family, why are we divided so clearly?"

Wen Chieu Tuyet carried Doan Doan and gave it to Bui Nghien Tu.

"Mr. Nghien Tu, I want to convert the balcony into a drawing room. The cat's litter box smells so bad."

Doan Doan used his claws to cling tightly to his sleeve. Bui Nghien Tu bowed his head, looked at it, then put it on the ground.

"Van Duong."

"Take the cat away tomorrow."

I raised my head to look at him.

"What did you just say?"

"Chieu Tuyet is allergic to cat hair."

Wen Chieu Tuyet gently rubbed her nose, her eyes red.

"Actually... I can handle it."

Tong Lan Anh was visibly heartbroken.

"What can I bear? Is an animal more important than a human?"

Doan Doan was scared and hid behind my feet. I bent down and hugged it. Bui Nghien Tu looked at my bandaged hand, his eyebrows moved slightly.

"What's wrong with your hand?"

"I was cut by a piece of jade bracelet."

His eyes wavered slightly. Wen Chieu Tuyet immediately hugged her wrist.

"Sorry Van Duong... I really didn't mean it."

Bui Nghien Tu looked away.

"If it's over, don't mention it again."

I nodded. That "okay" was too calm. The whole living room suddenly fell silent.