Chapter 5 — Three Keys, One Broken Marriage

“Explain why they can drink beer in our house?”

“Or explain why they can smoke until they are blind in our house?”

“Or explain why that child's toy car is in my living room?”

“Thanh Thanh, it's just a family meal…”

Trieu Vu tried to find a way out for himself.

“A meal?”

I laughed coldly.

“Trieu Vu, what you once promised me, did you forget it all when you turned around?”

“You don't take this seriously.”

Trieu Vu's voice also unconsciously rose.

"But my dad called himself! What did you tell me to do? Did you really refuse?"

“Why not?”

“That's my dad!”

Finally, Trieu Vu couldn't help but shouted.

“Can you make him lose face?”

“So you stomped my face to the ground?”

I stared at him.

“In your heart, your father's dignity is more valuable than your wife's feelings, right?”

Trieu Vu closed his mouth and did not refute anymore. He bowed his head, his fingers tightening the hem of his pajamas until they were wrinkled.

“Thanh Thanh…”

His voice was very low.

“Don't force me to the end.”

“Are you forcing me?”

I find it so funny that it hurts.

“Trieu Vu, in the end, who is gradually pushing whom into the corner?”

“It's your whole family that's forcing me!”

“You forced me to swallow a truth that disgusts me from the bottom of my heart!”

“You forced me to accept a family that has no basic boundaries!”

“It was you who forced me to continue staying in a marriage that was not respected at all!”

My voice echoed in the empty living room, each sentence and each word felt like a sharp needle piercing the wall. Trieu Vu raised his head, his eyes were blood red.

“Tham Thanh, you're just right!”

“Yes, I promised you that I would not let them enter the house arbitrarily.”

"But today is really a special case! My dad called and said the water heater had been repaired. He told them to come over and take a bath. Can you refuse?"

"Besides, Dao Dao and the others have already arrived. How about taking a shower and having a meal?"

“It's just a meal, why do you need to make such a fuss?”

“Do you think this house is only allowed to listen to you?”

“Is it because you spent 600,000 yuan upfront that your back is stiff now?”

“I tell you Tham Thanh, this house also has half of me!”

“What's the problem if you let your sister come over for dinner?”

I looked at him, suddenly feeling an indescribable panic in my heart. I have to say, I suddenly realized... The man sleeping next to me all these years, it turns out I had never really seen him clearly. Having been together for three years, I always thought I understood him well enough. Understand thoughtfulness. Understand tenderness. Understand all his good things. But now I understand... Those gentleness and thoughtfulness are conditional. The condition is that I must be silent. Know how to obey him. Follow his entire family. Once I was no longer obedient... The so-called "good" things immediately disappeared. Instead… It was a truly fierce face. It's a reasonable demand. It's a naked double standard that doesn't even bother to hide.

“Trieu Vu.”

My voice suddenly became unusually calm.

“Let's get a divorce.”

Trieu Vu stood frozen in place, as if someone had hit him in the head with a stick. He even suspected he heard wrong.

“What…what did you say?”

I Slowly repeat each word.

“We are divorced.”

"Sell this house. How much you sell will be divided according to the proportion of money each person spends."

“From now on, you go your way, I live my life.”

“No one has anything to do with anyone else.”

Trieu Vu's face immediately turned pale. He instinctively took two quick steps forward, wanting to reach out and pull me back.

“Thanh Thanh, what nonsense are you talking about!”

“I'm not talking nonsense.”

I took a small step back, intentionally avoiding his hand.

“Trieu Vu, I'm very serious.”

“Today you can let them come take a shower and eat.”

“Tomorrow they will be able to come and stay comfortably for a few days.”

“The day after tomorrow…”

“This place will no longer be our home.”

“Which will turn into the Trieu family's guest house.”

“No… it won't be like that…”

Trieu Vu was so scared that his speech became confused.

“Today is really just an exception, in the future there will absolutely be no…”

“What guarantee do you have?”

I looked at him. There was no longer anger in his eyes. Only deep fatigue with no bottom left.

“Trieu Vu, I can't even control what happened today…”

“So how can we guarantee the future?”

Trieu Vu opened his mouth, his throat felt like a lump of cotton, unable to say a word.

“I will ask a lawyer to prepare a divorce petition.”

I turned around and walked towards the spare bedroom.

“I'll sleep in another room tonight.”

“Thanh Thanh!”

Trieu Vu immediately rushed forward, blocking my face. His eyes were red, and his voice also carried a trembling, begging tone.

“You were wrong, you really know you were wrong.”

"Don't be angry anymore, I will call Dao Dao now and tell her not to come again in the future."

“And the key… the key I will also find a way to get back.”

"I beg you, don't mention divorce..."

I quietly looked at him. Trieu Vu's expression at this moment is so sincere that it's pitiful. But I no longer dare to believe it.

“Trieu Vu.”

I said softly.

“It's not like I never gave you a chance.”

“At the dinner table, I wanted you to stand up and say something for me, but you told me to say less.”

"I begged you not to give them the key. You turned around and blamed me for overdoing it."

“You told me not to mention divorce.”