Chapter 2 — The House Without Me

"Tu Bach said, this place holds a lot of old times. I just want to revive those days."

I lowered my head to look at her hand. Her nails were painted pale pink, with tiny white apricot flowers on the edges. That is the theme motif of the gallery. It turns out that the "haste" she talked about was enough time to do a whole set of themed nails first.

“Duong Chi, don't be like that.”

Chu Tu Bach gently removed her hand, his tone was protective.

“Duong Am is not a person who doesn't understand things.”

After speaking, he looked at me.

“Am Am, now you have the Chu family, we have our family.”

“This old house, just leave it to Duong Chi.”

Our family. I suddenly remembered the first year of marriage, Chu Tu Bach left a reading room for me in the newlywed house. I was touched for a long time. Last year, Duong Chi returned home for a short time and needed a quiet place to paint. That reading room immediately became her temporary drawing room. Chu Tu Bach said, only for a few days. But her easel is still there to this day. The blueprint I kept in the closet was packed into a cardboard box by the maid and thrown into the storage room. It turned out that the word "we" in his mouth never included my decision. I slowly withdrew my hand. Chu Tu Bach's eyes moved slightly.

“Are you angry?”

He lowered his voice and patiently comforted me.

“Today is your birthday, don't be unhappy because of these things.”

“When the gallery opens, I will go with you to choose a better hospital.”

“It's more spacious here, more beautiful than here, and it won't be as humid as this.”

I looked at him and suddenly asked: "What if you don't agree?" The noise in the yard fell silent for a moment. Duong's mother was the first to look down.

"Duong Am, today the adults from both families are present, do you have to make a fuss so that everyone can't get off the stage to be satisfied?"

Ba Duong also coldly said: "Tu Bach has put in so much effort, don't be unreasonable." Duong Chi's eyes turned red and he took a step back.

“Forget it, I don't need the gallery anymore.”

"You're not the biological daughter of the Tang family, so you shouldn't take my things anymore."

She turned around to leave. Duong's mother immediately chased after her and hugged her.

“Some nonsense!”

"In my heart, you will always be my daughter!"

Chu Tu Bach also frowned at me. Not a blame, just a reluctance. It was as if I was the one intentionally ruining everyone's mood.

“Yin Yin.”

“Duong Chi just wants to start over.”

“I already have a lot.”

“Don't make such detailed calculations.”

I looked at them standing next to each other. Duong Chi was protected by Duong's mother in her arms, and Duong's father stood beside her to comfort her. Although Chu Tu Bach stood in front of me, his eyes were always directed towards Duong Chi's red eyes. They are like a real family. And I'm just an outsider who suddenly barges in, disturbing their happiness. The last bit of hope in my chest also fell away at that moment. I bowed my head, took out the key to the old house from my bag. The brass key has been polished to a shine. As a child, I always wore it around my neck. Grandma said, as long as the key is there, the door will always be open waiting for me. Now, the house has changed owners. The door also no longer belongs about me too. I walked up to Duong Chi and put the key in her hand. Duong Chi was stunned.

“Sister?”

Chu Tu Bach's face relaxed. He probably thought that I was clear like before.

“I knew you would understand.”

I didn't look at him, just glanced around the old house. The wall is soaked with moisture, and the east porch has sunk slightly. The two pillars in the main hall have termite stains, and the wall outside the carpentry workshop was also marked with dismantling symbols by someone using a red pen.