Chapter 9 — Three Keys, One Broken Marriage

Just one word. I put my phone in my pocket and called a taxi. I choose to go home. Use the key to open the door, it's dark inside. Trieu Vu is not home. I turned on the light, changed my shoes, and went into the living room. The next second… I stood still. A few more empty beer cans appeared on the tea table. In the ashtray, cigarette butts were piled up in small piles. On the armrest of the sofa, there was also an unfamiliar woman's coat draped over it. Not Dao Dao's. It's her mother-in-law's. Last time I went to Dao Dao's house for dinner, I saw her wearing it. The dining table is still littered with unprepared bowls and chopsticks. This time there are a total of four sets of dishes and chopsticks. On the floor were scattered children's toys. I stood motionless in place, only feeling my blood getting colder. I picked up the phone, intending to call Trieu Vu. But hesitate for a few seconds... Slowly put the phone down again. No need anymore. There is no longer any need. I turned around and went into the office. That room was originally the place I used to design, normally Trieu Vu rarely enters. But now... It's a mess as if someone had just flipped it over. The documents on the table were scattered all over. The set of design sketches I prepared for that important client are spread out on the table. On the drawing, someone used crayons to draw haphazardly. Red, blue, and yellow are everywhere, like mischievous children. In the crooked corner of the paper were written the following words:

“You evil thing.”

I stood still, staring at the design that had been destroyed until it no longer had any shape. It feels like my heart is hollow. But strangely calm. Don't get angry. I don't feel sorry for myself and want to cry. Only the cold feeling of "it will indeed turn out like this" slowly crawled up from the bottom of my heart. I took out my phone and turned on video recording mode. Starting from the living room, I slowly turned around the house. Medicine filter. The jacket was draped over the sofa. Pile of unwashed dishes and chopsticks. Children's toys were scattered everywhere. Next is the office. Documents were flipped around. The design was completely ruined. Every detail... I recorded it clearly on camera. After filming, I put the phone in my pocket. Then start packing your things. Important contracts, work documents, identification documents, bank cards, jewelry... Along with some everyday clothes. I arrange everything neatly in the suitcase. Then pull the suitcase and leave the house. Before closing the door, I couldn't help but turn around and look back once. The house that I thought would be the place I would stay for the rest of my life. The house in Guangzhou that I spent 600,000 yuan in down payment, little by little, personally decorated and built into a home. Only a dirty mess remained. And the coldness spread to the bottom of my heart. I closed the door, turned around and walked towards the elevator. Don't turn around again. In the hotel room, I propped my suitcase against the wall. Do not turn on loud lights. Just turn on the small night light next to the bed. Pale yellow light spread out over half of the room. I sat down on the edge of the bed, took my phone out of my pocket, and opened the video I just recorded. In the video, the living room is messy as if it had just been swept through by a storm. The office looked like it had been robbed. The design, which was so haphazardly drawn that I couldn't bear to look at it, appeared especially dazzling. I pressed pause, zooming in on the image. The crayon marks are twisted and distorted, Reluctantly, it still looked like a human figure. Next to it are written three words:

“You evil thing.”

I stared at those three words for a long time. Then exit the video, open WeChat. In the family chat group, a red mark indicates new news. It was sent by Dao Dao. The photos are accompanied by a status message. In the photo, Dao Dao's entire family of three is sitting on my sofa, everyone is smiling extremely happily. Hao Hao raised the toy car high. It was the car that was left at my house the other day. Caption wrote:

“Thank you brother for the meal, the food is so delicious, Hao Hao had so much fun!”

Right below, someone immediately responded.

“Oh my, this is how family members should be, so harmonious and happy.”

"Tieu Vu is truly a good brother, he really loves his sister."

"Where is Thanh Thanh? Why don't I see Thanh Thanh?"

Dao Dao replied:

"My sister-in-law is working overtime. She's very busy. She won't be home today."

"Oh, what a pity. But Thanh Thanh is the same. No matter how busy work is, she still has to take care of her family."

"Tieu Vu is so lonely at home alone."

"Dao Dao, if you have time, go to your brother's house a lot, cook for him, and clean up."

"If you're a family member, don't be polite."