Chapter 12 — The Rain Stops, I Also Awake From Dreaming

Phuong Mai immediately became angry. “Don't push everything on mom.” “Aren't you the one who brought the things to exchange for money?” As soon as she finished speaking, she covered her mouth. The hospital room was immediately silent. My fingers slowly tightened the bed sheet. That jewelry box is made of dark red wood. There's nothing too expensive inside. An old ring, a thin gold necklace and a pair of pearl earrings that my mother used to wear when she was young. Before mother passed away, father gave the box to me. He said your mother can't be with you on the day you get married, these things will be with you on her behalf. After getting married, I kept it in Tan Giang Uyen. Not because I'm afraid the Tham family will look at me. But at that time, I still naively thought that place was a small corner that belonged to me, clean, quiet, and no one would put their hands in to rummage. It turned out they had been in for a long time. Tham Hao's eyes panicked for a moment, then he still tried to speak firmly. “There are only a few old items in the box.” "At that time, I couldn't raise the capital. I planned to redeem it later." Father stepped up and grabbed him by the collar. “You say it again.” The police and assistants simultaneously raised their hands to stop. Father did not take action. But his eyes made Tham Hao's face tremble. “Those are the things my wife left for her daughter.” “You took it to exchange money?” Tham Hao was grabbed until he had difficulty breathing. “I will pay.” Father slowly let go. “You can't pay.” Phuong Mai still intends to save. “In-law, isn't it just some old jewelry?” "Wait until Tham Hao's project is successful, buy him new things." Father turned to look at her. "Perhaps you won't understand for the rest of your life that some things cannot be weighed and priced in money." Phuong Mai was looked at until she shrunk her neck. I don't cry. Tears seemed to have dried up during the last phone call. I just asked: "Where was it sold?" Tham Hao's lips turned white. “Don't remember.” Lawyer Han calmly spoke up. “Half a month ago, your company account had a cash deposit of eighty-six thousand yuan deposited.” “The same day, a nearby pawn shop registered your ID.” Tham Hao suddenly looked at him. “Are you investigating me?” Lawyer Han said: "The police investigate even faster." “It's best if you clarify now whether those items are still available or not.” Tham Hao bowed his head. After a long while, he squeezed out a sentence. “The ring and earrings are still at the pawn shop.” “Gold necklace sold.” Father closed his eyes. When he opened his eyes, his voice was even colder than before. “Lawyer Han, prosecute everything.” “Civil, criminal, whatever case you can file, you will file that case.” Lawyer Han nodded. "I get it." Finally, Tham Hao panicked. “Dad, you can't do that.” “You and Manh Duong are not divorced yet.” “The things in the house also belong to you.” Father stared at him. “Who do you call father?” Tham Hao's face stiffened. Father said every word clearly: "From the moment you kicked him out of the car, you and our family no longer have any relationship." At this time, the sky outside had begun to lighten gray. Outside the glass window of the emergency building, the heavy rain was less intense, but still turned the ground into a bright white color. The loudspeaker in the hospital rang out over and over again. The nurse took my temperature again and lowered her voice to remind me: "You still have a slight fever." “Don't be stubborn.” I nodded, but my eyes were always on Tham Hao's face. He looked tired, struggling, his forehead was injured, his clothes were half wet. If it was before, maybe I was early
soft hearted. But now I just feel strange. Traffic police asked Tham Hao to continue to coordinate the investigation. Creditors also go to supplement documents. Seeing her son about to be taken away, Phuong Mai finally panicked and lost control. She rushed to the bed, wanting to hold my hand. I stepped back. She shot into space. “Manh Duong, mom was wrong.” The tears she wanted were there. "Please respect the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law's three-year love and forgive Tham Hao once." "He's still young, he can't leave behind a criminal record." I looked at her. “When you forced me to kneel down and apologize, did you think about gratitude?” Phuong Mai cried even louder. “Those were just angry words.” “What mother doesn't protect her son?” “You will also become a mother in the future, then you will understand.” I calmly said, “I wouldn't understand.” “I will not teach my child that after hurting someone, the whole world must forgive him.” Phuong Mai's face stiffened. Seeing that she couldn't convince me, she turned to her father. “In-law, I kneel before you.” Father took a step back. “Don't dirty the hospital floor.” Phuong Mai's face is sometimes blue and sometimes white. At that moment, lawyer Han's phone rang. After answering the phone, he came to my bed. “Found the pawn shop.” “The ring and earrings are still there.” As I breathed a sigh of relief, he added: "But the gold chain was melted." My throat felt blocked. Father lowered his voice and said: "As much as you can find, you will get back as much." I nodded. But at this moment, Tham Hao suddenly pulled away from the hands of the people next to him and rushed in front of me. He fell to his knees. Everyone in the emergency corridor looked over. He raised his head to look at me. The grace and arrogance on his face finally crumbled completely.