Chapter 9 — The Scales Are Finally Balanced

“I didn't want to before.”

She stopped for a moment.

“But now…”

In the past, my mother didn't want to get those things back, because she was completely cold to the other world. And now she wants it back... It's because her daughter was oppressed to this extent by the Qin family. Tan Hao called continuously for three days, but I didn't pick up. He texted me asking what I was doing. I only answer in four words:

“Deal with personal matters.”

He asked next what it was. I don't answer anymore. On the eighth day, lawyer Tran called.

“Miss Tham, the trust fund matter is progressing.”

"Her grandfather's trust was established in 1982 at a foreign trust in Shanghai. That institution was later acquired by a large bank." Lawyer Tran turned over the documents. “I contacted their historical records department, which confirmed the trust account still exists.”

I unconsciously held my breath.

"The account is currently frozen. The beneficiary or direct descendant needs to bring identification and proof of blood relationship to activate."

“And the money?”

"At the initial registration, it was forty-seven million. But in the terms of the trust, there is a profitable investment item..."

“What do you mean?”

“For the past forty years, this amount of money has always been invested stably in accordance with the trust contract.” Lawyer Tran's voice slowed down. “Currently the actual balance in the account is…”

She read out a number. The phone in my hand almost fell to the ground.

“One hundred and twenty million?”

"That's right." Lawyer Tran replied. "That is also the result calculated according to the most conservative annual return. In fact, a part of the fund's assets was invested in several financial funds with very good records since the nineties..."

I sat down on the chair.

“Are you sure?”

“I have confirmed it over and over again.”

One hundred and twenty million. My mother lived frugally all her life, used a three hundred yuan phone, and bargained every two cents at the market. Yet under her name... there are more than a hundred million.

“There's one more thing.” Lawyer Tran continued.

"Your grandfather's old house in Huzhou... I also looked it up. It's still there."

“Not broken yet?”

"Not yet." She replied. "That area since 2018 has been planned as a cultural and historical preservation area, dismantling and new construction is not allowed."

“The current land price around there…”

“How much?”

"That house is more than four hundred square meters. According to the current market price... it's at least thirty million."

I held the phone to my ear and couldn't say a word for a long time. One hundred and twenty million trust money. Thirty million worth of old house. Plus the debt of thirty-five thousand, both principal and interest, that Tan Duc Hau owes to my grandfather. A total of nearly one hundred and sixty million. But Tan Duc Hau's entire assets... are only about eighty million. He said I was an outsider. But he did not know that this "outsider" was holding cards twice as big as him.

“Lawyer Tran, what procedures are needed to activate a trust fund?”

“Your mother must be present in person, bringing her original ID and proof of blood relationship.” she said. "If it's not convenient for you to go, you can create a notarized power of attorney for me to represent you."

"Okay. I will discuss it with my mother and get back to you soon."

After hanging up, I went into the kitchen. Mom is washing dishes.

“Mom, I found out about the trust fund.”

“One hundred and twenty million.” I looked at my mother's back. “Calculate The total investment profit is one hundred and twenty-two million.”

The bowl in her mother's hand slid down, hitting the sink wall hard.

“How much?”

“One hundred twenty-two million.” I said slowly. "Grandfather's house in Huzhou is still there, priced at about thirty million."

Mom leaned against the sink and stood still for a long time.

“My grandfather…” She finally spoke, her voice trembling. “His whole life he left nothing for himself… he left everything for his mother.”

"Mom." I stepped forward. “This money… do you want to receive it?”

Mom dried her hands with a towel then slowly turned around to look at me. There were tears in her eyes. But the corners of his lips were tightly clenched. On the tenth day, my mother and I took the high-speed train to Shanghai. Lawyer Tran came along. We sat in the bank's VIP room all afternoon to complete the entire procedure. The trust is activated. I looked at the numbers in my account several times: 122,847,600 yuan. Mother's hands trembled continuously.