Chapter 5 — The Day You Abandoned My Mother and My Child in the Middle of the Airport

Aunt Vuong bit her lip. Eyes continuously avoided.

"Sir... sir, I really don't know. The lady didn't say anything. After packing her things, she left. I asked if she needed to prepare dinner, she said no, then..."

“Then… go.”

Ly Minh Trach stared at Aunt Vuong. For half a minute. Aunt Vuong's forehead was covered in sweat.

"Auntie turned on the surveillance camera the day she left for me to see."

Aunt Vuong's face immediately turned pale.

“Sir… the camera… the camera just happened to be broken that day.”

"Yes... that's right. There was a problem with the system. Management said it would take two days to fix it."

Ly Minh Trach squinted his eyes. He is a business person. Rolling in the market for more than twenty years. Ability to lie. And realize other people lie. All are top class. Aunt Vuong's expression at this time. Exactly like the opponents he exposed at the negotiating table. He didn't say anything more. Just turn around and go upstairs. Lock the office door. Then call the residential management board manager.

“Manager Truong.”

“I am Ly Minh Trach.”

“Help me extract the camera in front of the house and garage on the nineteenth.”

“I need all the data.”

"Yes, General Manager Ly. I will do it now."

Ten minutes later. Manager Truong called back.

“General Manager Ly.”

“Camera data in front of your house and garage from two o'clock to four o'clock in the afternoon on the nineteenth..."

“Someone deleted it.”

“The technical department is investigating the operator, but has not yet been found.”

Ly Minh Trach hung up the phone. Sit in front of your desk. Fingers unconsciously tapped on the table top. In your head. Each clue was quickly connected together. Tham Niem suddenly lost contact. Phone turned off. The mother-in-law's phone number became non-existent. Camera is deleted. Aunt Vuong continuously avoided eye contact. A scary thought. Suddenly appeared in his mind. He held the phone. Call someone.

“Help me investigate someone.”

“My wife, Tham Niem.”

“Investigate her entire itinerary, spending history, and call history in the last three months.”

“Check to see if she has opened a new bank account or has any real estate in her name.”

He called again.

“Book a plane ticket for me to go back to Tham Niem's hometown.”

“The sooner the better.”

Early the next morning. Ly Minh Trach flew to Tham Niem's hometown. It is a small city in the North. He hasn't been back for three years. Last time. It was when Niem Niem just turned one year old. He and Tham Niem returned home to celebrate Tet. He still remembers where Tham Niem's mother used to live. An old apartment complex. There is no elevator. He climbed up. Knocked on the door for a long time. No one answered. The door next door opened. An old woman poked her head to look.

“Who are you looking for?”

“I'm looking for Miss Tham.”

“This landlord.”

The old lady looked at him from top to bottom.

“What are you to her?”

“I am the son-in-law.”

The old woman's eyes immediately changed. Convert to focus.

“So you are Tham Niem's husband.”

“Don't you know?”

“Miss Tham moved away half a year ago.”

Ly Minh Trach's heart suddenly tightened.

“Move?”

“Move to where?”

"I do not know."

“She sold this house.”

“When we moved out, we didn't even greet the neighbors.”

“If it wasn't for the broker bringing people to see the house, we wouldn't have known.”

The old lady's voice was clearly not very sympathetic.

“What do your children do?”

“Old people move house without knowing it.”

Ly Minh Trach did not respond. He turned around and went downstairs. Just called Lao Chu.

“Have you looked up my mother-in-law's new address yet?”

“General Manager Ly.”

“Looked it up.”

“Half a year ago, Tham Niem's mother bought a house in the neighboring city.”

“Pay in full at once.”

“The owner is herself.”

“Source of money to buy a house…”

Old Chu stopped for a moment.

“It's from Tham Niem's personal account.”

"How much?"

“Three million two hundred thousand yuan.”

Ly Minh Trach paused. Three million two hundred thousand yuan. He once checked Tham Niem's account. The balance has never exceeded one hundred thousand yuan. Her money. It's all the living expenses he transfers every month. Fifty thousand yuan. Just doing family expenses. Just making pocket money. These three million two hundred thousand yuan. Where does it come from?

“Is there anything else?”

“In the last three months, Tham Niem opened two new bank accounts.”

“A savings account.”

“A business account.”

“Business account registered under a company name.”

“The name is ‘Niem Trach Architectural Design Department’.”

“Tham Niem is the legal representative.”

“Architectural design department?”

Ly Minh Trach's voice suddenly became tense.

"That's right."

“Registered address in Shenzhen.”

“Been operating for three months.”

“There are currently six transfers coming in.”

“Total amount…”

“Four million eight hundred thousand yuan.”

Four million eight hundred thousand yuan. Plus three million two hundred thousand yuan to buy a house. Eight million yuan. Ly Minh Trach leans on the stair railing. He suddenly felt his legs were a bit unsteady. Women only stay at home every day to take care of their children and cook meals. Even when buying a jacket, you have to ask for his opinion. Is it possible to earn eight million yuan right before your eyes?

“Further investigation.”

His voice was hoarse.

“Investigate who her customers are.”

Hang up the phone. He went to the convenience store in front of the residential area to buy a pack of cigarettes. Stand on the side of the road. Smoke one cigarette after another. Northern autumn has begun to get chilly. The wind blew. Causing both his temples to ache with pain. He began to recall Tham Niem's changes over the past half year. She has really changed a lot. Every day she asked him if he would come home for dinner. Don't ask anymore. Every time he works overtime, he comes home late. She called to urge her. Don't call anymore. Every time he comes back from a business trip. She came to the door to welcome us. Get your briefcase and coat for me.