Chapter 2 — The Scales Are Finally Balanced

I used to think that what I spent would at least change the sentence "one family". The result is just:

“This group is only for people with Qin blood.”

The phone lights up again. It's a message from second aunt: Tieu Dao, don't take it to heart, the old man is always like that, you know that. I don't answer. Right after that was a message from the eldest uncle-in-law: Tieu Dao, where are you? Or let me come find you? I turned off the phone. I sat until three-thirty before I turned it back on. Tan Hao sent seven text messages and made four phone calls. The last news is: Where are you? I'm really worried. I only replied with two words: He immediately texted back: Where are you? I came to pick you up. No need, I'll go pick up Noan Noan. After sending that message, I stood up, brushed the dust off my pants and slowly walked towards the kindergarten. Halfway there, the phone rang again. I hesitated for a few seconds then picked up the phone.

“Excuse me, is this Ms. Tham Dao?” On the other end of the line was a woman's voice, professional and cold.

"I am lawyer Tran of An Hoa Legal Support Center. Someone asked us to contact you, wanting to learn about some issues related to your marriage and family."

My steps stopped.

“Who commissioned it?”

"Sorry, we can't reveal this. But if you agree, we can schedule a time to meet in person."

“No need, thank you.”

I hung up, my hand holding the phone shaking slightly. Who is investigating me? By the time we arrived at the kindergarten, it was already twenty past four. Noan Noan was the last child to be picked up. The teacher stood at the door, her face showing impatience.

“Miss Tham, you're twenty minutes late today.”

“Sorry, I got stuck in the middle of work.”

As soon as Noan Noan saw me, she immediately ran to hug my leg.

"Mom, why are you so late? I thought you didn't need me anymore."

I squatted down and hugged her, my nose suddenly stinging.

“Mom, how can you not need me?”

“But mom's eyes are so red.” Noan Noan reached out to touch my face. “Are you crying?”

“No, it's just the wind blowing.”

I took her hand and walked home. After walking for a while, Noan Noan suddenly lowered her voice:

“Mom, your hands are shaking.”

I lowered my head to look at the four year old girl in front of me. She raised her tiny face to look at me, her eyes were bright and filled with worry.

"Mom's just a little tired. Let's go home and make delicious food for you."

When he got home, Tan Hao was there. He sat on the sofa, and on the tea table placed a pack of cigarettes. He doesn't smoke, at least he never smoked in front of me. Seeing the mother and daughter enter, he immediately stood up.

“I'm finally back…”

He reached out to touch me, but I leaned away.

“Noan Noan, go to the painting room, mom will talk to dad a few words.”

Waiting for my daughter to close the door, I turned to look at Tan Hao.

“That call from the legal aid center… you arranged it?”

"Huh?" He was bewildered. “What legal center?”

I stared at him for a few seconds. It's not like you're pretending.

“Forget it.” I sat down on the other end of the sofa, as far away from him as possible. “Let's talk about your father.”

“It is true that you are wrong.” He rubbed his hands together. "But Dao Dao, that property belongs to my father. No matter how he wants to divide it, I have no right to interfere."

“You have no qualifications?”

“You are his son, a good person inherit the will but have no status. And I am your wife, Noan Noan's mother, I don't even have the right to know."

He opened his mouth to say something.

“Tan Hao, when your father said those words, you sat right next to him.” I looked straight into his eyes. “Why don't you help me with just one sentence? Just one sentence will do.”

“It's been seven years.” My voice started to choke. “I used to think I was from the Qin family. I cooked soup for my brother's father, massaged his mother's feet, and every Tet holiday I personally wrapped two hundred banh cuc. If someone has work to do, I'm always the first to arrive. What about the results? I can't even join a chat group."

“Don't think like that…”

“So what should I think?” I raised my head to look at him. “Tell me, what am I? Free nanny at your house? When you need me, call me to work. If you don't need me anymore, then kick me out of the group?

"Enough!" Tan Hao suddenly stood up. “Can you please stop speaking so harshly? Your father was originally that type of person, it's not like I just found out today!”

"Correct." I laughed. “I didn't know the first day.”

Tears fell. I didn't want to cry, but I couldn't help it.

“But I thought as long as I did enough and well enough, one day he would accept me.” My voice choked. “As a result, he said that if he changed his name, he would no longer be a member of the Qin family. It turns out that blood and full name are more important than the seven years I spent.”

Tan Hao stood there, his fists clenched and then let go.

“So what do you want?” He lowered his voice. “You want me to turn against my father? He is seventy-two years old, and his health is not good..."

“I never forced you to turn against him.”

“So what do you want anyway?”

“I want you to be on my side.” I wiped tears from my face. “Just once is fine.”

He was silent again. I waited ten seconds. Twenty seconds. Thirty seconds.

“Your silence is answer enough.”

I stood up, went into my daughter's room and closed the door. That night I slept with Noan Noan. Outside the living room, the sound of Tan Hao's footsteps walking back and forth was continuously heard, followed by the sound of a lighter. He has been drug-free for two and a half years. Noan Noan turned over in my arms, muttering dreamily:

“Mom, hug me a little tighter…”

I hugged her tightly and kept my eyes open until morning. The next morning, at five thirty I got up to make breakfast, took Noan Noan to kindergarten and then returned home to pack my luggage. The sound of the suitcase zipping woke up Tan Hao. He stood at the bedroom door looking at me.

“What are you doing?”

“Going to my mother's house to stay for a few days.”

“I need to think about some things.”

He walked over and held my hand.

“Calm down a bit…”

“I'm very calm.” I withdrew my hand. "Tan Hao, what exactly are you in this house? You need to think clearly."

“You are my wife…”

“But my father doesn't think so.”