Chapter 4 — The Scales Are Finally Balanced

That afternoon, Noan Noan and I were at my mother's house making banh cuc. Her hands were covered in flour, the wrapped cake was distorted and crooked. He happily held it up for me to see:

"Mom, look at this! Does it look like a piglet?"

I laughed. That evening, Tan Hao sent me a very long text message. The main idea is only one sentence: There are rights and wrongs, but family harmony is important. You go home first, everything will gradually be resolved. I don't answer. Mom brought a plate of fruit and sat down next to me.

“Think carefully?”

“I've thought about it carefully.” I bowed my head and peeled tangerines. “This time I won't give in anymore.”

On the morning of the third day, Trieu Lan's uncle-in-law called.

"Tieu Dao, your father's health is really not good these days, he keeps talking about you."

"Eldest uncle-in-law, I understand. But for now I won't go back."

"He only likes to eat the food I cook. The nanny makes him refuse to eat a single bite..."

“Then try changing to another nanny.”

“Tieu Dao…”

“Uncle-in-law.” I asked softly. "Do you think I'm from the Qin family?"

The other end of the line was silent.

“You can't answer either, right?” I smiled faintly. “So why do you want an outsider to take care of an old man who keeps saying she's an outsider?”

After hanging up, the phone almost never stopped ringing. Tan Hao's eldest uncle, second uncle, second aunt, cousin... each called in turn. I refused. In the afternoon, Tan Hao called again, his tone had changed.

"Tham Dao, when are you going to make a big deal out of it? My dad has become like this..."

“I'm not making a big deal out of it.” I calmly replied. “I'm just holding on to the most basic thing of being human.”

“What is it?”

“Self-esteem.”

He seemed choked up, then said a few seconds later:

“Didn't your father already apologize?”

“That's not called an apology.” I smiled softly. "He never thought he was wrong. He just thought you shouldn't compare."

“So what kind of apology do you want?”

"I want him to admit that I'm not an outsider. I want him to admit that my seven years deserve respect." I tightened my grip on the phone. “Wanting him to admit those words really hurt me.”

“No way…” Tan Hao's voice immediately rose. "Your father has never bowed to anyone in his entire life, I still want him..."

“That's it then.”

I hung up. That evening, my mother made me a cup of goji berry tea.

“Do you regret it?”

“No regrets.”

“So what are you going to do next?”

“I haven't finished thinking yet.” I looked at the light outside the window. “But I won't live like before.”

Mom gently patted the back of my hand.

“Mom is here.”

On the morning of the fourth day, I took Noan Noan to kindergarten. As soon as I arrived at the gate, I saw a wheelchair. Tan Duc Hau sat on it, Tan Hao stood behind him pushing the cart, his eldest uncle and second uncle stood on both sides. As soon as he saw me, his eyes turned red.

“Tieu Dao… dad came to visit Noan Noan.”

His voice was hoarse and full of fatigue. I looked at the seventy-two year old man in front of me. His face was much worse than a few days ago.

"Dad, your health is not good, you shouldn't go out in the wind."

“Dad just wants to see his niece.” After speaking, he coughed a few times.

Tan Hao standing next to him quickly spoke:

“Look, my father has become like this…”

I didn't pay attention to him. I squatted down in front of the wheelchair, looking straight at Tan Duc Hau.

"Dad, I asked you a question. Please answer me honestly."

“I asked Go."

“In my heart… are you actually from the Qin family?”

Tan Duc Hau's lips moved slightly. Everyone around looked at him. But he didn't answer. I stood up and took Noan Noan to school. Noan Noan turned her head to look at her grandfather sitting in a wheelchair, and softly pulled my hand:

“Mom, why is grandpa crying?”

“You won't cry.” I stroked her hair. “It's just the wind stinging my eyes.”

That afternoon, my cousin Chu Linh called me. The thing about the legal aid center... she arranged it.

“Tieu Dao, I know you are definitely angry. But I really can't see anymore. The old man from the Qin family... I worked at his company for a year and understand that person very well."

“Sister, I have never thought about divorce.”

"I'm not forcing you to divorce." Chu Linh sighed softly. "I just want you to know that if that day really comes, what rights do you have and how to take advantage of them?"

I was silent.