Chapter 12 — Six Pairs of Slippers in Front of My Door

Slippers for guests are all placed in sealed disposable bags. No one will be able to arbitrarily put their slippers in my house anymore. The door lock also changed to a type with video recording. The living room, doors and hallways are all equipped with surveillance cameras. I signed up for a gym card. Also started learning boxing. The first time I punched a punching bag, I hit it until my wrist hurt. The coach asked me if I had enemies. I said yes. He replied:

“Then keep fighting.”

I played for an hour. Sweat flowed into my eyes, stinging. But I feel extremely comfortable. Two years later, I renovated apartment 1802 in Hoa Vien Thanh Dong area into a private studio. Half is used for design. Half opened a legal aid salon for women. Once a month, lawyer Tan will come to share. The eldest aunt makes cakes. After retiring, Ms. Vuong also occasionally came to help pour tea. She often says:

“Tieu Hua, your place is really bright now.”

I looked towards the mysterious gate. The shoe cabinet is clean and tidy. Slippers for guests are placed uniformly in a transparent box. On the outside, paste a small label:

“Please ask the landlord first.”

The first time the eldest aunt saw that line, she couldn't stop laughing.

“You are becoming more and more resilient now.”

“If you have to be a little stiff, you can resist prying open the door.”

Her eyes turned red again. I quickly hugged my aunt.

“Don't cry, you're doing well.”

But I really live very well. I changed jobs. Salary increased. Sleep better. Stomach pain medicine is also rarely needed anymore. I took my father's watch to be repaired. The mechanic said the machine was too old and it wasn't worth fixing. But I still fixed it. Now it sits on my desk, the second hand moving beat by beat. 4 hours 27 minutes… It's been a long time. I don't wear my mother's pearls anymore. I put it and the jade bracelet in the bank safe. Every year during Qingming period, I take it out and wipe it clean. Then tell your parents... You live very well. Occasionally I still hear news about the Co family. After being released from prison, La Phuong Lien returned to her hometown. No one calls her “enthusiastic big sister” anymore. In the past, her favorite thing to do was sit at the grocery store in the village and gossip about other people's homes. Now as soon as she arrived, people immediately dispersed. She also wanted to explain herself, saying it was all because her daughter-in-law harmed her. Someone immediately responded on the spot:

"Do you take someone's house and trick them into marrying you and still have the face to talk about it?"

She was so angry that she broke the tea cup. But there is no compensation. After the divorce, Co Tinh returned to her mother's house. During her suspended sentence, she did not dare to move around. The Thieu family always asks her for money. She once posted a few posts on her friends circle. Sometimes I complain that I met the wrong person. Sometimes he said his sister-in-law ruined his whole life. No one clicked like. Then she blocked me. I also don't want to continue watching her drama. The day Co Hoai An was released from prison, he sent me an email. The title is: I don't open it. The second letter arrived again. He said he had thought things through over the years, said he truly loved me, and hoped to meet me once. I directly blocked his email. There are some people... The so-called regret only appears when they realize they have lost. It has nothing to do with love. That winter, the city received its first snowfall. Coming home from work, the elevator stopped on the eighteenth floor. The door opens, The hallway is extremely quiet. I stood in front of my door, placing my finger on the fingerprint lock.

"Tit" sound.

The green light turns on. I pushed the door and walked in. The mysterious light automatically turns on. In the shoe cabinet there is only one pair of my cotton slippers. I bent down to change my shoes. Suddenly remembering that night... Six pairs of strange slippers were lined up in front of my house. They are like six mouths. Waiting to swallow my house, my money, my whole life. But now… The door is still there. The lock is still there. My name is still there. Also still here. I hung up my coat and walked to the window. Downstairs, someone was walking past with a dog. In the distance are the lights of tens of thousands of rooftops. The phone suddenly shows a notification to register to join the salon. A strange girl left a message:

"Miss Hua, I'm also having the problem of having my house taken over by a relative. I'm very scared. What should I do?"

I looked at that message for a long time. Then answer her:

“First, change the lock.”

“Then report to the police.”

“Finally, remember one thing…”

“My house, the door opens from the inside.”

“Who can enter…”

“I'm the one who decides.”