Chapter 9 — Three Houses for My Cousin, I Took My Mother Abroad to Live a Worthy Life

The wind blew in from the hallway. I stood with my back to the whole room. The words stuck in his throat. Behind, grandmother's voice trembled.

“Dao Dao...”

“You say it.”

“What do you need?”

“Grandma gave it to me.”

I turned around. A seventy-eight year old man. Hair has turned white. Cheeks sunken. Deep sunken eye sockets. I have known her for twenty-seven years of that seventy-eight year life. Twenty-seven years. What did you give me? A small stool. A 200 yuan red envelope. And a saying:

“Having a dog is better than that.”

"Grandmother."

“What you need... I can't give it to you.”

“You say it!”

“As long as you say it, grandma will agree to anything!”

I looked straight into her eyes.

“I need a grandmother who knows how to stand up and speak fairly when my mother is bullied by others.”

“I need a grandmother who will ask me one question when I'm hungry: ‘Are you hungry?’”

"I need a grandmother who, before dividing the house, will remember that she also has a grandchild named Tham Dao."

My voice was strangely calm.

“But those things…”

“Not in the three houses.”

“It's not even within 1,000,000 yuan.”

“For the past twenty-seven years.”

“She never gave it to me even once.”

Grandma's body swayed slightly. Chu Man quickly supported her.

“Now she says she wants to redistribute the house.”

“Because I have money.”

“If you were still the same girl working for hire in Shenzhen as before…”

“Did you say these words today?”

No one answered.

"No."

I gave the answer myself. The eldest aunt raised her head to look at me.

“A post on my aunt's circle of friends.”

“Had to be deleted today.”

“If not, my lawyer will help you solve the problem.”

Then I looked at Trieu Bang.

“Trieu Bang.”

“Your debt is your business.”

“Don't keep targeting me.”

I looked at my grandmother again.

"Grandmother."

“Stay healthy.”

I turned around and left. Luc Dien quietly followed behind. In the elevator. He looked at me.

“I'm not crying.”

I looked at the number of floors jumping down.

“Tears need to be cried…”

“I've been crying since the year I was living in the shared room.”

The elevator door opens. I walked out. The early autumn sunlight shines down on the old yard. Behind is the building that imprisoned my mother for more than half of her life. It's also the place that made me understand: There are relatives who share the same bloodline. But never shared the same heart. The September sunlight in Hangzhou fell on my face. Strangely warm. I took out my phone and sent my mother a text message:

"Mom, it's over. I'll fly back tomorrow. I'll buy Hangzhou flower waffles for you."

Mom sent back a smiley face. I put my phone in my pocket. From today. In my life. There will be no more of those people. Before returning to Auckland, I did two things. The first thing. I asked Luc Dien to send her a lawyer's letter. The content is very simple. Require her to delete all content on her friend circle within twenty-four hours that shows signs of violating Tham Dao's honor and reputation. If not, a lawsuit will be initiated according to the law. Seventeen minutes after receiving the lawyer's letter. The eldest aunt deleted the post. The second thing. I went to Hangzhou First People's Hospital. Go to the residence hall fee counter. Please print out the entire detailed table of grandmother's hospital fees in the last five years. A total of three hospitalizations. The out-of-pocket cost is 256,000 yuan. The first two times were paid by me. The third time was paid by the eldest aunt. But in the list there is also a small line. Nursing fees. Nutritional costs. Special hospital room difference. A total of 18,000 yuan. The payer section clearly states: This is the automatic payment program I set up in advance. Later forgot to cancel. In other words. Even after grandmother gave three houses to her cousin. My money is still silently spent on her. I canceled all automatic payments. Then walked out of the hospital. Just got to the gate. I bumped into someone. In her hand she carried a bag of fruit. Standing in front of the medical examination building. As soon as I saw it, I was stunned. Compared to the previous meeting. She seemed to turn into a different person. Hair tied behind the head. Bare face without makeup. Dark circles under dark eyes.

“You... why did you come to the hospital?”

“Cancel some payments.”

The expression on Chu Man's face immediately became extremely complicated.

“Dao Dao, what happened yesterday…”

“It's all said.”

“Whatever needs to be said, I've said it.”

"I know you're angry. But I really didn't ask for those three houses. It was my grandmother..."

I looked at her.

“I'm not angry.”

“I just don't want to continue being the loser anymore.”

“I understand, right?”

Chu Man's lips trembled slightly.

"Trieu Bang's matter... is really about to be unbearable."

“Then you should go find your mother.”

“My mother has 1,200,000 yuan in her account.”

Chu Man's expression stiffened for a second.