Chapter 5 — Three Hundred Twenty Eight Yuan Card

Mom held the phone, her other hand gently placed it on the edge of the tea table.

“Mom, I know enough.”

"It's because we know enough that we can't be ambiguous."

“Every penny your eldest brother gives you, you must remember clearly.”

“I will definitely repay you later.”

“But the prerequisite is… that money must be real.”

On the other end of the line, the sound of my grandmother panting heavily was heard.

“Your damn stubbornness is exactly the same as your dead husband.”

“He was also stubborn like that when he was alive.”

“Look at what shape it has turned you into.”

Mother did not respond. Grandma said a few more sentences, going back and forth, still only saying the same thing. Mom did not argue from beginning to end. Just repeat a few times:

“Mom, I know my own moderation.”

Then hung up. She put the phone down on the table and stood still for a moment. I stood at the door of the room looking at her.

“Grandma scolded mom?”

“You're not scolding Mom.”

"But I was scared by my big boy."

Mom went into the kitchen and cracked two eggs. Breakfast only has white porridge, fried eggs and a plate of pickles. Mother and daughter sat opposite each other to eat. No one said anything. After eating half of it, my mother suddenly put down her chopsticks.

“I remember well.”

"No matter what happens today, don't cry, don't argue, and don't argue with your big brother."

“Let mom handle everything.”

I nodded slightly.

“Eat all the porridge in the bowl.”

I bowed my head and drank the last sip of porridge. It was nearly eight o'clock when I left the house. The sun is so intense it's blinding. July is so hot that the asphalt surface feels like it's about to soften. Mom walked in front, her steps were very steady. An old black leather bag was slung over his shoulder, the handle worn to white. In the bag is a bank card. And also my ID card. Industry and Trade Bank is about a twenty-minute walk from my house. Mom deliberately walked very quickly, and arrived at her destination in less than eight thirty. There was a line in front of the bank. Most of them are elderly grandparents, holding savings books in hand, waiting for procedures. The mother and daughter stood under the shade of a tree in front of the bank. The bank is not open yet. Eight forty. Eight fifty. Nine o'clock exactly. The bank door opened on time, and a stream of people immediately flooded in. But Duong Kien Hoa has not appeared yet. The expression on her face did not change. Nine o'clock and five. Ten past nine. I started to sweat, I don't know if it was from the heat or from the stress.

“Mom… he's not coming, is he?”

“He will come.”

“Because he was more afraid of losing face than anyone.”

"Last night in front of so many people, he still patted his chest and affirmed like that. Not coming today... is like claiming to brag."

"Only when he comes can this play continue."

That word is like a very small thorn. Nothing heavy. But it pierced my heart, a dull pain. Twelve minutes past nine. A black BMW 5 Series stopped on the side of the road. Duong Kien Hoa stepped down from the driver's seat. Go alone. There is no aunt. There is also no Duong Thien Tuong. He was still wearing the floral shirt from yesterday, just changed to dark pants. The yeast hasn't completely dissolved yet, eyelids are swollen, lips are dry and cracked.

“Tu Van, Niem An.”

He walked quickly, his voice deliberately speaking very loudly.

"It's been a long wait, hasn't it? The company had some urgent work so it was delayed."

“It's okay bro, we just arrived.”

My mother responded very politely.

“Let's go, go inside.”

Duong Kien Hoa led us into the bank lobby. His steps were very fast, as if afraid of being overtaken by someone. Inside was full of people. We took the number, there were five people waiting in front. Three people sat next to each other on a row of blue plastic chairs in the waiting area. Duong Kien Hoa sat between me and my mother. He kept looking at his phone, his fingers scrolling the screen very quickly.

“The company is full of nonsense these days.”

Like trying to explain something.

“Recently discussing a big project, it's a headache.”

“Eldest brother, it's been hard.”

"It's normal. It's business, there's no time to rest."

He laughed dryly twice. Then silence again. Every second of waiting felt so long. The dialer in the hall kept ringing "ting ting". At the next counter, an aunt was arguing with the employee about a term savings book, repeating the same thing several times. I squeezed my knees. My back leaned against the chair but still felt uncomfortably hard through my shirt. Suddenly Duong Kien Hoa turned to look at me.

“Once you enter Thanh Hoa, you will study well.”

“From now on, big brother will still rely on you.”

"When you graduate and are established in Beijing, I will buy you a house."

“Being an elder really means worrying all the time.”

He smiled. But that smile looks very forced no matter what. The dialing screen pops up. It's our turn.