Chapter 3 — Three hours before the wedding, I locked the house as a dowry

There was silence outside for a moment. Then he replied:

“Please open the front door.”

“This is my brother's house, why can't I come in?”

I took down the spare key hanging on the inside of the door and put it in my vellum file bag.

“Starting now...”

“This house is no longer your brother's house.”

Before leaving, Dong Khac Kiem stood outside the door and looked at me for a while. Perhaps he has never seen a bride wearing a wedding dress inspecting electrical wiring troughs. The skirt of the dress is covered in layers of dust. Yet when taking the measurement sheet, I still tried to keep the four corners of the document fully visible. He said:

“Miss Khau, something like a design drawing…”

“On paper, just one stroke of the pen needs to be corrected.”

“But on the wall it will take another hammer blow.”

“Walls don't lie.”

I remember that saying. In the past, when I worked in the records room, I often said: The original will not speak well of anyone, nor will it speak badly of anyone. It just sits there. Waiting to see if anyone wants to look straight at the truth or not. Outside, Phan Khai Nam is still banging on the door. The words are getting harder and harder to hear. On the phone, my mother cried and asked if she should go back to the hotel first or not, at least to finish the wedding to show her dignity. I stand behind the door. Look at the carton on the ground with the words "Khai Nam" written on it. Suddenly I understood one thing very clearly. Face... It's not about hiding dirty things. But knowing clearly where they are located. After that, he still dared to turn on the light. Before putting the measurement form back in the file bag, I intentionally recorded a continuous video. From the main door. House number plate. Living room. Secondary bedroom. Electrical wire trough. Right down to the measurement sheet. Manh Mien asked me why I had to do it so carefully.

“Because as long as the evidence is broken at any link, people will say it's a collage or a misunderstanding.”

“In this life, many people are not afraid of lying.”

"They are just afraid that you will fully record the time, place and entire incident."

When I got back to the hotel it was 10:26. In front of the wedding hall, it was filled with relatives. The red welcome sign is still standing there, with my name and Phan Nghien Chu's written on it. Ton Thu Binh stood next to the reception desk, wiping away tears while complaining to some relatives on the bride's side.

“I really don't understand what's wrong with this girl.”

“Is there any part of our Phan family that treats him badly?”

"The wedding day left again, forcing the entire hall of guests to wait."

“Young people now value homes more than people.”

My mother sat next to me, her face pale. In her hand, she clutched a tissue. Want to explain. But don't know where to start. Phan Nghien Chu saw me enter. His eyes immediately fell on the parchment document bag in my hand. His face immediately changed.

“Wan He, let's go to the break room to talk.”

I went straight to the reception desk and put down my file bag.

“Say it right here.”

“First give me the book with the lucky money.”

Ton Thu Binh was stunned.

“What did you do with the lucky money book?”

“Pause the entire wedding process.”

“The congratulatory money will be temporarily sealed.”

“My mother and I will confirm the congratulatory money from the bride's relatives.”

"As for the congratulatory money from the groom's relatives, you can confirm it yourself."

“If you mix them up, it won't be clear later again."

Ton Thu Binh's voice immediately rose.

“Are you planning on canceling the engagement?”

The entire area in front of the hall was suddenly quiet. Phan Nghien Chu lowered his voice:

“Wan He, stop causing trouble.”

“Now every sentence you say will be remembered by others.”

“That's even better.”

I looked straight at him.

“Then I will explain it a little more clearly.”

I took out a transparent document bag from my pocket. Then, one by one, put them inside: Book to record congratulatory money. Signature pen. List of envelopes received. Manh Mien stood next to record the video. The lens records only the tabletop and the entire document. Ton Thu Binh rushed forward to grab it.

“This is wedding money!”

“On what basis did you voluntarily seal it?”

At that moment, my mother suddenly stood up. She blocked in front of Ton Thu Binh. His voice was still shaking. But never backed down.

“This is my daughter's wedding.”

“It says sealed.”

“Then seal it.”

Ton Thu Binh was stunned. I put a seal on the document bag. Sign on the edge of the sticker. Then give the pen to mom.

“Mom, sign here.”

My mother bowed her head and signed. Each stroke of the pen is very strong and decisive. At that moment, Phan Khai Nam squeezed in from the crowd.

“Sister-in-law, what do you mean by locking my things in the house?”

“I still have to move in this afternoon!”

I looked up at him.

“You admit your belongings are in room 402?”

Phan Khai Nam immediately choked up his words. Manh Mien's phone is still recording. He quickly changed the way he spoke.

“I only temporarily put two boxes of things.”

“Who gave permission?”

“My brother.”

Phan Khai Nam pointed directly at Phan Nghien Chu.

“I agree.”

Phan Nghien Chu's lower jaw immediately tightened.

“Khai Nam, don't talk nonsense.”

Phan Khai Nam panicked.

“What nonsense are you talking about?”

“Didn't you say that after getting married, your sister-in-law won't care anymore?”

“You said leaving the house empty would be a waste, so tell me to move in first.”

“Then I will slowly talk more about her name.”

Ton Thu Binh hit his arm hard.

“Shut up!”

But it was too late. I took out from the file bag: A copy of the measurement sheet. Photo of the water and electricity system. Photo of key registration book. Each item was placed neatly on the white tablecloth.

“July 18, Phan Khai Nam entered the house.”

“August 2, Phan Khai Nam measured the dimensions.”

“On August 5, the measurement sheet clearly noted: Khai Nam will move in at a later stage.”

“This morning, your mother even asked me to sign a commitment to add my name to the house book.”

I looked straight at Phan Nghien Chu.

“Phan Nghien Chu.”

“Please explain.”

Phan Nghien Chu stared at the papers on the table. The dignity on his face fell little by little.

“It's very common for workers to make mistakes.”

he said. Right at that moment. A voice rang out from the hall door.

“It's not like I made a mistake.”

Everyone turned their heads simultaneously. Dong Khac Kiem walked in. In his pocket he still had a carpenter's pencil. Apparently he followed all the way here. He looked at Phan Nghien Chu and said:

“The project was repaired according to that idea.”

“The secondary bedroom has an additional opening for the door.”

“The balcony is equipped with an additional drainage line.”

“Electricity is pulled into separate systems.”

“It's all for long-term residents.”

He looked at me and continued:

“Miss Khau's original design was not like that at all.”

The entire hall was completely silent. I open phone, cancel the automatic transfer order of 32,000 yuan for the final payment for the repair project, and take a screenshot to save it. Then I sent a message to Chuc Dong Nghieu, owner of the repair company:

"The final payment of the apartment project 402 Nam Que Ly area is temporarily stopped disbursement.

Today, we request that the company provide the full original price quote, drawing revision history, payment details and construction confirmation minutes." After sending, I placed the phone face down on the table.

“First, the wedding is postponed.”

“Second, seal all the congratulatory money.”

“Third, today we will change all the locks of apartment 402.”

"Fourth, Phan Khai Nam's belongings will be inventoried and removed in the presence of the building management board and representatives of both sides."

“Thursday…”

I put the pledge to add names down on the table.

“I will not sign this commitment.”