Chapter 11 — The Scales Are Finally Balanced

I leaned my back against the balcony railing, quietly looking at him.

“Tan Hao.” I asked softly. “Why did your father suddenly change his mind?”

“He was sick for a while so he figured it out…”

“Not thinking clearly.” I interrupted directly. “It's because there's no one left to cook for him.”

“What did your father eat in the past fifteen days?”

Tan Hao immediately fell silent.

“The nanny cooked for him and he didn't eat it.” I continued slowly. "When my eldest aunt-in-law cooked it, he said it didn't taste right. My second aunt cooked it again and said it was too greasy."

"In the end, I could only let him buy food from the canteen to take home. He was reluctant to eat a few bites."

“How do you know?”

“The eldest uncle-in-law told me.”

Tan Hao's lips moved slightly.

“Your father must not have thought it through.” I looked at him. “He was just compromising.”

"He didn't want to apologize, didn't want to admit he was wrong. He just wanted me to go back to cooking, cleaning, and taking care of myself, so he threw in a 'will think about it' in exchange."

“But isn't that good…”

“Not good.”

He was stunned.

“Tin Hao, you don't need him to 'think again'.” My voice was very calm. “What I need is for him to admit he was wrong and say it himself in front of me.”

“Not to calm my anger.” I looked straight into his eyes. “It's because he truly understands that he has hurt others.”

“This…”

“There's more.” I slowly spoke up. “Have you ever thought…what does my father owe my mother's family?”

Tan Hao's face immediately changed.

“What do you mean?”

“Didn't your father ever tell you stories about his youth?”

“What?”

I looked at his face. It's not like you're pretending. Even his biological son... Tan Duc Hau also kept this a secret.

"Nothing." I withdrew my gaze. "You go home first. Wait for me to finish preparing, I'll come find your dad to talk to you."

“What are we talking about?”

“You will know then.”

When Tan Hao carried the empty thermos and left, he kept turning his head to look at me. In the living room, Mom and Noan Noan were sitting together, putting together Legos, not even raising their heads from beginning to end.

“Aren't you going to tell Tan Hao about this?” Mom raised her head and asked me.

“It's still early.” I curled my lips slightly. “Just let the bullet fly a little longer.”

Three days later, I received an unexpected call.

"Excuse me, is this Ms. Tham Dao? I am the old neighbor of the Co family, the Phuong family."

“Hello, Uncle Phuong.”

“Before he passed away, my grandfather gave me the key to the old house to keep.” The old man's voice slowly rang through the phone. "I've been in Huzhou looking after that house for forty years. Last month, a lawyer named Tran came to me and said maybe you could contact me."

My nose suddenly stings. Forty years. A neighbor... kept the house for my grandfather for forty years.

“Uncle Phuong, is the house… still okay?”

“It's okay.” The old man smiled gently. "Every month I come over to clean and open the door for fresh air. Your grandfather treated the neighbors very well in the past, I can't let his house fall into disrepair."

“Uncle Phuong…” My voice choked. “Thank you.”

“It's nothing, thank you.” The old man sighed. “When you return to Huzhou, I will give you the key.”

After hanging up the phone, I stood silently in the living room for a long time. My grandfather passed away forty years ago. Yet there was still someone who kept that house for him. As for Qin Duc Hau, I owed my grandfather for forty years. did not pay a single penny, and even called his grandchild an "outsider". Day twenty. I have all the cards in my hand. Trust fund activated. The old house has been confirmed. Evidence of debt is complete. The lawyer's plan has also been completed. It's time to retire. That afternoon, I called Tan Hao.

"Tomorrow I will return to the old villa. Call your father, eldest uncle and second uncle to come over. I have something to say in person."

The other end of the line was silent for a few seconds.

“What?”

“We'll know tomorrow when we meet.”

Ten o'clock the next morning. Villa of the Qin family. In the living room were Tan Duc Hau, Tan Quoc Dong, Tan Quoc Luong, three daughters-in-law and Tan Hao. Tan Duc Hau sat in the host position, clearly thinner than when he first left the hospital, but in much better spirit.