Chapter 4 — The Gift I Left After My Divorce

Chu Minh Hien arrived at the hospital. Truong Lan lay on the bed, her face yellow. But in her eyes... anger burned brightly. As soon as she saw Chu Minh Hien enter, she jumped up. Picked up a pillow and threw it straight at his face.

"Refuse!"

“Trash!”

“What did you do when I was born!”

Her voice was as sharp as fingernails scratching glass. The whole hospital room turned to look. Chu Minh Hien tiredly dodged the pillow.

“Mom, keep it quiet.”

Truong Lan smiled coldly.

“Now you know you've lost face?”

"When you were led around by that woman, why didn't you feel humiliated?"

"Our house! My mansion!"

“It's been completely destroyed!”

She banged the bed wildly, like someone out of control.

"I don't care! You have to think of a way!"

"Sell the house! I won't stay in that place for a day!"

“That devilish place, anyone who wants can go and stay!”

Chu Minh Hien closed his eyes, his voice was hoarse.

"Unsold."

"The broker said... it has to be reduced to at least seven parts, but it's not certain that there will be buyers."

Truong Lan's cry was choked in her throat. Her eyes widened.

“Seven… seven parts?”

“That's five hundred thousand!”

"That's my money! My pension!"

She suddenly remembered something, grabbed Chu Minh Hien's arm, her nails digging deep into his skin.

"It's you! It's all because of you!"

“At that time, I told you to ask for more compensation, but you didn't listen!”

“You said just having a house is enough!”

"What now? The house is stuck, not a penny, and a whole lot of scandal!"

It was the first time mother and son had such a fierce argument. Chu Minh Hien was exhausted both physically and mentally. He jerked his hand away, growling.

“Who was it back then who kept saying all you need to do is get a house?”

“Who was more happy to see To Tham sign the transfer papers than me?”

“Now something happens, and it's all on me?”

“Mom, can you talk a little more sense?”

Truong Lan burst out laughing, the laughter was harder to hear than crying.

"If I reason with you, will the five hundred thousand come back?"

“Chu Minh Hien, I tell you, this is not over yet!”

"You go find that woman! To Tham!"

"Make him pay compensation! He must pay for all the damages to us!"

"If not, I'll sue him! Sue him for intentionally causing harm! Sue him for forcing him mentally!"

Chu Minh Hien looked at the almost crazy mother in front of him, only feeling helpless. Looking for To Tham? He doesn't even know where I am. He suddenly laughed. A dry laugh, like something inside... was completely broken. Why sue? People are artists, making art. They broke in themselves, threatened themselves, and made false police reports. From beginning to end… there was not a single point on their side. They can only... swallow blood and broken teeth into their stomachs. This commotion eventually ended with Truong Lan's blood pressure increasing again and having to be injected with a sedative to calm her down. Chu Minh Hien staggered out of the hospital room. His phone rang again. It's Chu Dinh.

"Brother, I and Ly Vi discussed... we won't go back to that house anymore."

“You're still young, what if you get haunted?”

"We haven't sold our old house yet, so we'll move there first."

"My belongings are left at the villa... please help me move them over, I... I don't dare go back."

Her voice on the other end of the line was both choked and distant.

“Brother, this… you did it so bad.”

“Just because of that house, the whole family was dragged into the water.”

"My husband's family also called to ask, I've lost face."

The phone hung up. Chu Minh Hien leaned his back against the cold wall of the hospital. You are shunned. Fractured family. That's what he got. He opened his phone and re-entered the resident group. Someone shared my blog post in there. Below... is a bunch of sarcastic words.

"See, the artist has spoken, saying frankly that this house is a tomb of greed."

“Ha ha, slapping your face really hurts.”

“Do it yourself, you deserve it.”

Every sentence, every word... was like a knife stabbed straight into his heart. He wanted to object. Want to curse back. But what can be said? Say they are not greedy? Say they didn't force To Tham to leave because of the house? One word... he couldn't even utter it. Because everything I said… is true. I use the cruelest and most "artistic" way... to expose all their ugliness, exposing it to everyone. Chu Minh Hien turned off the phone. He knew… he had to do something. Can't just give up. He must find me. Even if you dig three meters of dirt... you still have to drag me out. He wants to face it. Wanted to ask why— Why did I do that to him. Between us… is there really such great hatred? He took the car keys and headed towards the parking lot. He knows where he has to go. My parents' house. He doesn't believe I will cut off contact with my family. Just find them... they will definitely find me. But he didn't know— I was already waiting. The third act… is about to open.