Chapter 8 — Three Hundred Twenty Eight Yuan Card

"Eldest brother asked me to come and ask you... about the matter at the bank that day, can you please stop mentioning it again?"

“What is it?”

“It's about the balance.”

“He actually said the bank did something wrong.”

“He's been working with the bank manager these past few days.”

Mom sat on the sofa, holding a glass of water.

“Jianjun.”

“Do you believe it?”

The youngest boy did not answer.

“If you believe…”

"Then go back and tell him, I'll wait for him to add 3,280,000 yuan."

“I can wait.”

“If you don't believe…”

“I already have the answer in my heart.”

The youngest boy stood still for a moment, then finally sighed.

“Actually, I never believed it from the beginning.”

“Then why did you come to ask on his behalf?”

“Because he is the eldest brother.”

“Mom also called me and asked me to come and advise her.”

Mom put down the glass of water.

“Kien Quan, go home and tell your eldest brother and mother.”

"I took a photo of the balance sheet and saved it."

“White paper with black ink, stamped by the Industrial and Commercial Bank.”

“When will he add 3,280,000 yuan…”

“At that time, it was considered that he kept his word.”

“If you can't replenish it... it doesn't matter.”

“But that card, that same saying…”

“Your mother, Niem An, remembers.”

After my youngest son left, I asked my mother:

“Big brother… won't really make up for it with money, will he?”

"No."

“3,280,000 yuan…”

“He couldn't get it out.”

“What about your car dealership…”

“It was his life.”

“Forcing him to take out 3,280,000 yuan… is even more painful than taking his life.”

Mom stopped for a moment.

“At first he threw out that number on the banquet table, what he wanted was just the feeling of being applauded by everyone.”

“And how it will end after that… he has never thought about it.”

“Because he thought we wouldn't actually get tested.”

I suddenly remembered something.

"In the past... what was the relationship between dad and big boy?"

Mom picked up the glass of water and took a sip. Then put it down.

“In a few days, I will tell you.”

“Why wait a few more days?”

“Because your play, big boy… hasn't finished yet.”

After speaking, she stood up and went to the kitchen to prepare dinner. I sat alone on the sofa, listening to the sound of knives and chopping boards echoing in the kitchen. On the wall, my father's photo quietly looked at me. He is smiling. But what is hidden behind that smile... To this day, I still don't know. Three days later, Duong Kien Hoa finally made a move. Mom's phone rang while she and her son were having breakfast. Duong Kien Hoa's voice was much quieter than the day at the bank.

“The matter of that card… the bank has admitted that it was mishandled.”

“I told them to do it again.”

"Let's check it out, the money must have come in."

After hanging up, mom opened the banking app and entered the other card number. Balance displayed: 100,328 yuan. Exactly 100,000 yuan more. Mom looked at the screen for a few seconds then put the phone face down on the table.

“He added another 100,000 yuan.”

“Just enough for him to go out and say 'some of the money has been supplemented, the rest will be transferred gradually'.”

“He's buying himself a ladder to walk down.”

I put down my chopsticks.

“So… what should I do?”

Mom picked up the phone, did a few taps, then turned the screen to show me. She just transferred money to Duong Kien Hoa. 100,328 yuan. Full refund. Attached is a message:

"Eldest brother, Niem An has a scholarship and enough money. I would like to return the card and all the money inside."

My hands trembled.

“Mom… did you really give it back?”

“One coin nor take it from him.”

Mom stood up and cleared the dishes.

“Go get your scholarship confirmation.”

I opened the drawer and took out the other two documents. Mom took a photo of the scholarship confirmation.

“Who are you going to send it to?”

“Send it to your youngest son.”

“Let her know…”

“My niece is not the type that no one wants.”

Less than five minutes after sending the photo, the youngest boy called back.

“Did Niem An really get a full scholarship from Thanh Hoa?!”

“Four-year tuition fee exemption, with an additional 15,000 yuan each year.”

“Oh my god…”

The youngest boy's voice on the other end of the phone trembled slightly.

“Our Niem An... is really good.”

“Sister, why didn't you say anything sooner?”

“What's the point of talking early?”

“Are you saying it right in front of me?”

"That's like you and your mother deliberately comparing yourself to him."

Mom paused for a moment then continued, her voice very calm:

“It's not that I want to compare.”

"It was he who took the 328 currency card to trick you and me in the first place."

“Now he added another 100,000 yuan, I also returned it.”

“Nien An has scholarships and its own path.”

"There's no need for Duong Kien Hoa to show off that 'older brother's back' look anymore."

The youngest boy was silent for a long time. Finally, he sighed softly:

“This time the eldest brother did the right thing, it was really too much.”

“This is too much…”

“He didn't do it just once.”

After hanging up the phone, mom looked at me.

“Next, big boy, I will do two things.”

“First, continue to tell outsiders that the bank is doing something wrong.”

"Second, find every way to prove that after leaving him... my mother and I still can't live."

“So what should I do?”

“Do nothing.”

“I just need to finish packing and prepare to go to Beijing.”

Mom picked up the broom and swept the house.

“The big boy's roundabout games…”

“I've been dealing with it for more than a decade.”

“Just this time…”

“He discovered for the first time that he had no more cards in his hand.”