Chapter 2 — The Day I Take It All Back

The teacup fell straight to the ground, tea and porcelain pieces splashing.

“What shophouse…”

His voice trembled to the point of distortion. Tran Hao's face was no longer green but white as paper. The divorce petition in his hand fell to the floor. The voice carried a choking sound:

“Dad… that's her dad's property…”

“It's just temporary in my name…”

Tran Chinh Duc's body staggered as if his spine had been stripped away. He fell onto the sofa, making a heavy thud. The air in the living room seemed to freeze. The printer in the study room still made a buzzing sound without getting tired, spitting out the third divorce document. That sound right now sounded like a harsh sarcasm. Tran Chinh Duc sat down on the sofa, his lips trembling. He stared at Tran Hao as if he wanted to pluck a piece of meat from his face.

"Say that again? In your name? What is called in your name?!"

“That's quite literally…”

Tran Hao's voice was as small as a mosquito. He didn't dare look at his father, and he didn't dare look at me. His panicked eyes only dared to wander around the pile of broken porcelain pieces on the ground.

"The real owner of those houses is Tu Niem's father. I'm just the one in his name."

“In your name?”

Vuong Lan's scream tore through the stuffy atmosphere. She snatched the remaining agreement from Tran Hao's hand, crumpled it into a ball and threw it hard in his face.

“What is in your name?”

"Once you're married, what's yours is also yours, yours is our Tran family's!"

"Those nine shophouses, whose name is on the certificate? Is it your name?!"

“It's my name…”

Tran Hao was so frantic that he was about to cry.

"But we signed the contract in our name and had it notarized at the lawyer's office! The contract clearly states..."

"I only have the right to manage and receive profits, the ownership from beginning to end remains with my father-in-law!"

“If divorce or Tu Niem unilaterally requests, all assets will be unconditionally revoked!”

Tran Chinh Duc jumped up from the sofa. Perhaps because he stood up too quickly, his eyes darkened and he had to put his hands on the tea table to stand steady. He pointed straight at me:

“Tu Niem, what are you playing?!”

“Your family is so rich, why didn't you say it sooner!”

“You really are a cheater!”

I looked at his crazy angry appearance and suddenly felt funny.

“What did I deceive you about?”

I calmly asked again.

“Your family doesn't have any money?”

“Or is your donkey too small?”

“Uncle Tran, from the first day I married here…”

"You were the one who told me that women must know their duties and not always keep their mother's family matters in their mouth."

“Otherwise, it will be like doing charity work for the husband's family.”

"I listen to you. In the past three years, have I ever mentioned a single word?"

Tran Chinh Duc's face was as red as pig liver, so choked that he couldn't say a word.

“And about those nine shophouses…”

I turned to look at Tran Hao. His eyes avoided like a thief who had just been caught in the act.

"Why did my father let you take the name? Don't you understand in your heart?"

Three years ago, the night before the wedding, my father called me into his study. He took out a bag of documents and pushed it towards me.

“Nien Niem, this is the dowry dad prepared for you.”

"Nine shophouses in the city's central business district. From now on, the monthly rent will be my pocket money."

“Dad, this so precious…”

“So stupid.”

He smiled lightly. There was an emotion in that smile that I couldn't understand.

"I only have one daughter. If I don't give it to you, then who will?"

“But we will change the way to give this thing.”

He took out another document.

“This is a contract in my name.”

“Dad will temporarily register these nine shophouses under the name Tran Hao.”

“It only has management rights. Each year, receive ten percent of the rent as a management fee.”

“And the ownership still belongs to Dad.”

“If you two live happily, after ten years, I will transfer everything to your name.”

“But if he dares to treat you badly, I can take it back at any time.”

He patted my hand.

“Nien Niem, a person's heart is separated by a layer of belly.”

“Dad, it's not like you don't believe me.”

“But don't believe it.”

“We use these nine shophouses to test its dignity for ten years.”

“If he is sincere with you…”

"Then in these ten years he won't have bad thoughts."

“And if there is a devil in his heart, sooner or later it will come out.”

At that time, I still felt that my father thought too much. Tran Hao loves me like that, how is it possible? Now that I think about it... My dad's test only took three years to get the results. But it's also an incomplete number. Tran Hao's face became increasingly pale. Of course he remembers it very clearly. When my father showed him the contract, he was so excited that his face turned red. He finished his oath and promised that he would treat me well for the rest of his life and absolutely not disappoint his father-in-law's expectations. Those vows eventually turned into a joke.

“Are you stupid?!”

Tran Dinh suddenly shouted. She rushed in front of Tran Hao and shook his arm forcefully.

“What kind of contract?!”

“You can tear it up!”

“The certificate in your name is yours!”

“Can she still rob her house?!”

“What do you know!”

Tran Hao finally collapsed. He forcefully pushed his sister's hand away and shouted:

“All contracts have multiple copies!”

“The records are still kept at the notary office, with proper legal effect!”

“What's the use if I tear it?!”

After screaming, he turned to look at me again. His face immediately changed to a pathetic, pleading look. He walked quickly in front of me. Tran Hao reached out to grab my hand, but I leaned away. He missed the shot, his arm dangling awkwardly in mid-air. The next second… He knelt down straight in front of me.

“Nien Niem… I was wrong, I really knew I was wrong…”

He raised his head to look at me, his eyes red.

“You're not human, you're a bastard! You shouldn't listen to your parents, you're just temporarily confused!”

“Can you forgive me this time? Let's not divorce anymore... let's not divorce anymore, okay?"

He knelt down and took two steps forward, intending to hug my leg.

"Let's go back to the way we were before... I guarantee you won't touch a single penny of those shophouses!"

“It's all for you! Can you tell your dad not to take it back anymore? I beg you!”