Chapter 8 — The new house code is 123110, I just looked at it and changed the lock

I put the glass of water on the tea table.

"He got another woman pregnant while I was pregnant. Everyone hid me for a year. He used that child's birthday as my house password. Now you say I'm heartless?"

She cried harder.

"I'm also a mother, what should I do?"

"So you have to be a mother too."

I looked towards the children's room.

"Chi Tu cannot grow up in a family where he is always ranked behind the illegitimate child."

Luc Hang's mother looked at me blankly. I picked up my bag.

"The water is here. I'll go pick up Chi Tu."

On November 1, the court announced the mediation period. November 15. During that half month, Luc Hang came twice. The first time was to get clothes. I packed all his belongings into two suitcases and placed them at the door. He looked at the two suitcases.

"Are you that eager to chase me away?"

"My stuff isn't much."

An awkward look appeared on his face.

"Tham Niem, do we only have two suitcases left after four years?"

I looked at him.

"Not only that."

I pointed at the phone.

"There's a whole folder of evidence left."

He didn't say another word. The second time, he visited Chi Tu. I let him into the living room. Time is exactly one hour. Chi Tu is still too young and does not understand adult things. Seeing Luc Hang, the baby still opened her arms and asked to be carried. Luc Hang held her child in her arms. Chi Tu pulled off his glasses, laughing until he was drooling. Luc Hang's eyes turned red. When he left, he stood at the door.

"Nien Niem, I really know I'm wrong."

"Sign the form."

"I will take custody of the child."

I looked at him.

"You can't win it."

He suddenly said:

"I've changed."

I reached out to hold the door.

"I haven't changed."

I looked at the hallway behind him.

"It's just that you don't need to continue pretending to be confused anymore."

November 10. Someone I didn't expect came to me at all. She stood downstairs in my house, carrying the baby. I saw her from the window. Then go down. Compared to the last time we met, she looked much more haggard. The baby was sleeping soundly on her shoulder, with a little milk still stuck to the corner of her mouth.

"You are Tham Niem, right?"

"I'm Trinh Le. You probably know who I am."

Her hand holding her child tightened.

"Luc Hang said she wants a divorce."

"Does it have anything to do with you?"

She raised her head to look at me. There was no provocation in his eyes. Just tired.

"He once promised me that when Tieu Hanh turned one year old, he would tell you everything, then divorce and marry me."

I didn't speak up. She continued:

"But now he says he can't divorce."

"On your side, there's a house, children, a job, he can't lose anything."

"He told me to take my child and leave this city."

"How much does it cost?"

"Two hundred thousand yuan."

I almost burst out laughing.

"Where did he get two hundred thousand yuan?"

"He said he would sell the car."

That car is what my father left me before he passed away. Later, because Luc Hang worked far away, I transferred the name to him. I looked at Trinh Le.

"That's my car."

She was stunned.

"He said he bought it."

"He also said that half of this house is his, right?"

Trinh Le's face immediately changed. I calmly said:

"The house was bought by my mother with all her money."

"The car belongs to my father again."

"The savings are mostly mine too."

"And the 3,000 yuan he gives you every month, not because of how good he is."

"But because he took away from our family."

Trinh Le held her child and stood in the wind. Her lips were a little pale.

"He said there had been no love between him and her for a long time."

"He says I'm difficult, but you're gentle and thoughtful?"

She didn't answer. I looked at the baby in her arms. The child is too young. Long eyelashes pressed against my cheeks, sleeping so soundly that I didn't know anything. Suddenly I didn't have the strength to hate her anymore. What's the use of hatred? Of course she is at fault. Knowing clearly that Luc Hang was married but still gave birth to a child. But the person who really dragged both women into this mud puddle... was Luc Hang.

"Trinh Le."

I spoke up.

"You shouldn't have come looking for me."

"You should go to court."

"You should find a lawyer."

"You should demand for your child the support he or she deserves."

She raised her head to look at me.

"Don't you hate me?"

"I used to hate it."