Chapter 2 — Staying at Thanh Ba Host

"When I was a child, how many meals did you eat at your house? Have you forgotten?" I didn't laugh. "I remember." "I also remember that every time like that, my mother stuffed your mother with money." "I still remember the year you took my computer, I almost couldn't submit my graduation thesis." "These debts, do you want me to calculate them one by one with you now?" Phuong Dung's face turned pale. She picked up the phone. "Okay." "Now I'm fully grown." "Let me call my aunt and let her hear how her daughter talks to her relatives." Her hand dialed the phone very quickly. I don't prevent it. Co Tue Cam put the mop against the wall and walked next to me. The phone connected, Phuong Dung immediately turned on the speakerphone. "Auntie, listen to what Duong Nhan said." "I went to his house to stay for a few days, and he wanted to settle accounts with me." My mother on the other end of the line was frantic. "Duong Nhan, what's wrong with you?" "Phuong Dung is my sister!" I was about to open my mouth, Co Tue Cam spoke first. "In-laws, I'm Tue Cam." The other end of the line was silent. Co Tue Cam's voice was even. "Phuong Dung moved in half a month ago, the air conditioner was on all day, fruit, rice, and water were never missed." "She criticized our children for being noisy, criticized us for waking up early, criticized the floors for not being cleaned." "Today she also said that she wanted to take Tieu Man to boarding school." "I want to ask, did she come here to avoid the heat, or did she come here to be the boss?" There was no sound on the other end of the line. Phuong Dung's fingers tightened on the phone. A few seconds later, my mother smiled wryly. "You're in-laws, the children talk to each other, don't mind." Co Tue Cam nodded. "I don't care." "So right now I'm still talking nicely to you." "If you care, she should have packed her luggage today." Phuong Dung stood up. "Miss, what do you mean?" Co Tue Cam looked at her. "The meaning is on the surface." Phuong Dung's breath. become heavy. She hung up the phone. The living room fell silent. She suddenly laughed. "Very well." "The whole family gathered around to bully me." I looked at her. "No one bullied you." "It's just that no one continues to tolerate you anymore." Phuong Dung's eyes turned red. But she doesn't have to feel sorry for herself. She's so embarrassed that she's angry. She turned around and went into the guest room, slamming the door very hard. Half an hour later, my mother's phone call came. I don't answer the phone. She sent a text message. "Your aunt is crying, saying that Phuong Dung has had a hard time these past few years, don't make everything meaningless." I stared at that text. Co Tue Cam walked out carrying a plate of peeled peaches. She put the fruit plate on the table. "Your mother's side, let me talk." I shook my head. "Mom, there's no need." "This is my own relative, let me handle it myself." Co Tue Cam looked at me for a moment, nodded. "Okay." "But Tieu Man is my family's descendant." "Whoever keeps using her as cannon fodder, I won't be polite." Not long after that sentence ended, the door to the guest room opened. Phuong Dung stood at the door, phone in hand. Her tone became very gentle. "Duong Nhan, I just asked a friend." "Nowadays, there really is a boarding school for young children." "A month is only a few thousand yuan." "If you don't have money, you can go ask for help first." I looked at her. She laughed again. "It's true." "Tieu Man's personality like this, if he indulges him at home, it will be more difficult to teach him in the future."03 At four o'clock in the afternoon, Tieu Man came home from school. In her hand she holds a picture. In the painting there is me, my grandmother, and the little girl. Three people sat in the living room eating watermelon. The air conditioner is drawn into a small square, hanging on the wall. The girl gave the painting to Co Tue Cam. "Grandma, this is for you." Co Tue Cam took it, her eyes softened. "Grandma, put it away." Tieu Man looked towards the guest room. Very good voice

"Auntie is sleeping?" I patted her head. "You don't need to worry about her." "Today you can watch half an hour of cartoons." Tieu Man's eyes lit up. "Really?" "Really." I picked up the remote and turned on the TV. Adjust the volume to sixteen. Sound levels are very normal. The sounds of small animals talking in cartoons are clear and not jarring. Tieu Man sat on the carpet, hugged a pillow, and obediently watched silently. Co Tue Cam picks vegetables in the kitchen. I sat at the dining table arranging the bills. This month's electricity bill is more than four hundred yuan higher than last month's. The electricity consumption chart of the living room air conditioner has been a straight line rising since the day Phuong Dung moved in. I took pictures again. Then he listed out the items Phuong Dung had specifically asked to eat in the past half month. Durian, cherry, imported yogurt, cold brew tea. Not much. But none of the items were paid for by her. I don't intend to ask her to pay. I just want to remember clearly for myself. Once people are confused, it will be easy for them to be silenced by the word relative. Tieu Man saw the little bear in the cartoon fall down and burst into laughter. Not big. Just the normal laughter of a child. The guest room door was quickly pulled open.