Chapter 4 — The Final Flip: When I No Longer Have Patience

I walked into the living room and calmly sat down in the middle of the sofa. That was the place of the head of this family. My brother brought two more people with him, standing in front of the door like two living walls. Chu Minh and Trieu Hong were pressed by invisible pressure to the point where they had no way to retreat, so they quietly followed into the room. As soon as he entered, Trieu Hong was about to play his old tricks again.

"Tu Cam, what else do you want to do? Things at home shouldn't be brought out. Haven't you caused enough chaos today?"

“The Chu family's honor has been ruined by you!”

I pretended I didn't hear it. I opened my bag, took out a small notebook and a pen.

“From the day we got married.”

“The first year, Chu Minh said he wanted to join forces to do business with his friend and took ten thousand from me.”

“That was my pre-marital savings.”

"He said he would pay interest at the end of the year. As a result, the business failed and all the money was lost."

I said and wrote down: Business, 10 thousand. Chu Minh's lips moved slightly, but he did not dare to speak.

"The second year, his sister, Chu Le, got married. She said there was no money in the family, and told me - as the sister-in-law - to give her a dowry of thirty thousand, otherwise she would lose face in her husband's family."

“That was my parents' own money.”

"I said it was their retirement money, but she said she would take care of it later."

I wrote: Chu Le's dowry, 30,000. Trieu Hong's face began to pale.

"Isn't that... the right thing to do? You're the sister-in-law!"

I raised my head and looked at her coldly like a knife.

"Your son gambled and owed 200,000. The interest was so high that it came to the door. You knelt down and begged me... at that time, why didn't you say you should do it?"

“That twenty thousand is the money I intend to buy a car.”

“I didn't keep a penny, I gave it all to you.”

I wrote: Gambling debt, 20 thousand.

“And this house.”

I looked around the lavishly decorated living room.

"At first it was just a rough house. She said that as long as I spent money to repair it, my name would be added to the red book."

"Funds for house repairs and electrical appliances, a total of fifteen thousand."

“That's the money I sold my bachelor apartment before getting married.”

"Up to now, the red book still belongs to Chu Minh alone."

I wrote: House repair, electrical appliances, 15 thousand. The nib of the pen glides across the paper, making a rustling sound. Each stroke of writing was like a slap, hitting the mother and daughter in the face.

"Chu Minh's salary is three and a half thousand each month, he keeps one thousand and gives her two and a half thousand."

"All expenses in the house, from electricity and water, to management, to relatives... are paid by me."

“My salary is one thousand two, except for living expenses, the rest almost goes to the Chu family.”

"Your grandchild's birthday wants a gold lock, I'll buy it."

"Your grandchild is going to college and needs a laptop, I'll buy it."

"Happy birthday, envelope for five thousand, I'll give it to you."

"Chu Le gave birth, an envelope of ten thousand was also given by me."

I both write and read. The things I once considered "sacrifice for love"... now looking back, they are no different from debt collection papers. When I stopped writing, the page was filled with words. I turned the notebook towards them.

"Just a rough calculation, not including three years' living expenses, not including the little things I bought."

“Only accounts with clear transfers…”

“Total, fifty-six thousand.”

Trieu Hong looked at that number and took a cold breath.

"There's not so much! You're fooling people!"

I laughed.

“Trieu Hong, have you forgotten what I do?”

I work at an accounting company. Working with numbers, is my specialty.

"Each I have bank statements and text messages as proof.”

“Do you want… we compare each item individually?”

Trieu Hong was silent. Chu Minh bowed his head, his shoulders shaking slightly.

“Tu Cam… we are husband and wife…”

“Husband and wife?” I interrupted, “money must be clear.”

“I don't ask for much.”

“Fifty-six thousand, I leave the odd part.”

“Give me fifty thousand.”

"In addition, the other car, when I bought it for twenty thousand, I paid for it in full, and it was in my name."

“The car belongs to me.”

"Give me enough money and a car, tomorrow we'll go through the divorce proceedings, from here we'll go our separate ways."

The conditions I give. Trieu Hong felt like his tail was stepped on and jumped up immediately.

“Fifty thousand! Why don't you go rob it too!”

“Where does my family get so much money! You want to force us to death!”

She fell to the ground, screaming loudly.

“No money?”

I looked at her, my eyes cold to the bone.

“It's okay.”

I turned to my brother.

“Brother, call someone to come and clean up all the valuables in the house.”

“This TV, refrigerator, sofa... all cleaned up.”

“When it's fifty thousand, let them redeem it.”

My brother nodded, took out his phone and prepared to call. Trieu Hong's crying immediately stopped. She jumped up, spread her arms in front of the TV, like an animal protecting its young.

“Whether I dare or not, you can try.”

I stood up, not bothering to look at them again.

“Brother, the car keys are in his pocket, take them back.”

“The rest… start from this house, move things one by one.”