Chapter 8 — Ten Children?

The red words "Refunded" are neatly arranged on the screen, extremely dazzling. Immediately after that, the notification sound in the family group continuously rang. Chu Tranh was the first to question. In the voice message there was also a sizzling sound:

“Trinh An, what do you mean by transferring money?”

I hastily typed:

"Give back the money you used to support me through my studies. This is the first month's salary I have received."

As soon as the message was sent, Tran Thuc's voice immediately rang out:

"Who told you to pay? Is your restaurant short on money? You want to be scolded, right?"

Mr. Ba was even more straightforward:

“An An, if you dare to transfer again, tomorrow I will drive to the unit to find you.”

The group immediately became chaotic. Everyone's reproaches made the little feeling of accomplishment that appeared in my heart vanish into thin air. Finally, Mr. Chin sent a serious note:

“An An, there is no such debt book between family members.”

“If we really have to calculate, since we were children we have been eating rice cooked by our grandmother, so how can we calculate it all?”

Looking at that sentence, my eye sockets warmed up and I stopped transferring money. The first year after working, I saved a few months' salary. That Tet, I was finally able to use money where it was truly needed. I took her to a specialized hospital in the city and bought her a suitable hearing aid. I even hired a contractor to install a sturdy anti-slip handrail on the old bathroom wall in my house. Before spring, I borrowed a ladder from Chu Tranh's auto repair shop and hired someone to repair the entire old roof that leaked every time it rained. After doing those things, there was still some money left on the card. If it were before, I would definitely save everything, save it for when my family needs it, always feeling that spending money on myself is an unforgivable selfishness. But this time, I used the remaining money to register for a foreign language communication class that I had wanted to learn for a long time. During the Labor Day holiday, I even went to a coastal city to travel alone. After returning home, I sat in the yard helping my grandmother peel beans. Still feeling a bit guilty, I told her about my trip. She wears a new hearing aid and hears very clearly. She threw the peeled green beans into the ceramic bowl, making a crisp sound.

“What is there to feel guilty about?”

Her wrinkled face was extremely gentle. She rubbed my hair.

“An An, you don't need to always think about repaying us.”

“You live well, eat well, sleep well, can see the outside world, that doesn't disappoint us.”

In my third year of working, I met Tran Du. He is a colleague in the project team, quiet but works very steadily. We spent countless nights editing data together, eating boxed lunches at convenience stores at midnight. In the fall, after we officially fell in love, he proactively offered to take me home for a trip. That was the first time he stepped into the old alley. I announced in advance in the family group that I would bring Tran Du back. The day we arrived, not a single brother was missing. Chu Tranh even closed the car repair shop for half a day. Mr. Ba also intentionally delivered the goods earlier. Tran Du walked behind me, his steps clearly stopped. In the middle of the yard, Chu Tranh was squatting to remove a pile of motorcycle parts covered in black mud. Tran Thuc was shirtless and holding a knife Heavy stove in hand, using force to chop beef bones on cutting board. Mr. Tu was holding a chair, holding a screwdriver in his mouth, repairing old power lines under the eaves. Mr. Nam had just dyed his hair blonde, wearing a tank top, revealing a large tattoo on his arm, looking in the mirror. When the iron gate made a creaking sound, nine men simultaneously stopped their work, raised their heads, and looked sharply at Tran Du standing behind me. If the person was a little more cowardly, they would probably immediately turn around and run away. Tran Du stood in place, stopping breathing for a few seconds. Then, he pushed his glasses up on his nose, stood up straight, bowed seriously ninety degrees, and said loudly:

“Hello guys!”

Lunch that day was like a stern interrogation. Tran Du was arranged to sit at the end of the long table. On both sides are Chu Tranh with a fierce face and Mr. Ba with a muscular body.

"How much do you earn a month? Can you support An An?"

"Our An An graduated from Thanh Hoa. What degree do you have?"

"Do you know how to cook? Who usually washes the dishes in the house?"

You must go through nine rounds of comprehensive questioning. Even whether three generations of the family had a history of genetic diseases was clearly asked. Even though he was so nervous that his forehead was sweating, Tran Du still answered honestly, neither obsequious nor arrogant. Seeing that Mr. Ba was about to continue asking whose house he would go to after Tet, the lady sitting in the main position finally put down her bamboo chopsticks. She used her stick to tap hard on the edge of the bowl. A crunching sound rang out. The nine men who were so aggressive just now immediately shut their mouths and obediently bowed their heads to eat. After the meal, while the brothers were washing dishes in the kitchen, she privately called Tran Du under the old grape arbor in the yard. She didn't ask about his income, didn't ask if he had bought a house, and didn't even mention the bride price. She used her dull but sharp eyes to look at him for a long time, only asking one question:

“Tieu Tran, when An An is with you, can he be himself?”

Tran Du looked straight into her eyes, stood up straight, and seriously replied:

“Maybe.”

After Tran Du left, I walked over and gave her a pat on the back, smiling and asking her how she felt about him. She patted the back of my hand and said meaningfully:

“That sentence cannot be said with just words.”

“Just slowly observe. The days are still long.”

13 I seriously observed for two years. During those two years, Tran Du never showed signs of criticizing my complicated family, nor did he feel bothered because I had nine brothers with different personalities. What makes me feel most reassured is that he has never considered my status into a pitiful story or used it to brag. He treated me like a normal girl, treating my family like his own. When the project entered an important phase, I had to work overtime continuously for half a month. Tran Du immediately used his phone to video call her on time every night. He followed my usual tone, patiently told her the price of vegetables today, and said I had eaten something on time, making the lady on the other end of the phone laugh until she couldn't close her mouth. Mr. Ba drives long distances, sometimes passing through the city where we live. Even though he was only resting for a short time, Tran Du proactively asked for a break and drove to the highway exit to pick him up and take him back to his rented house. He personally cooked a table of delicious food and ate with him Mr. Ba, listen to him tell stories on the road, wait for him to rest enough before taking him back to the car.