Chapter 7 — Twenty Years of Payment

One hand grabbed the collar.

“If you dare touch her a little…” His voice was very light. “I guarantee… you won't see the sun tomorrow.”

No need to raise your voice. But the murderous aura... sent chills down one's spine. Tham Dai Cuong's face turned pale and his legs trembled.

"Who... who are you? Let me go! Murder! Murder!"

He shouted loudly.

“Co Dinh, let him go.”

I walked over and picked up a stack of documents on the table.

"Tham Dai Cuong, you want money, right? Okay."

I threw the stack of papers straight in his face.

"This is the list of Tham Tu's creditors. A total of 32,000,000 yuan, about 112 billion VND."

“I remember you said… you are the only male member of the Tham family.”

“So this debt… should you bear some of it too?”

He was stunned. Bend down to pick up documents. Turn a few pages. His face... immediately turned pale.

"So...so much debt? Is Tham Tu crazy?"

"He's not crazy." I leaned closer, my voice low. "He just wanted to take the money and run away. But he went too far... so he pushed himself down the cliff."

I looked straight at him.

“The creditors are unable to find anyone from the Tham family.”

"If you want to receive this 'property'..." I smiled slightly. "I can help you call them. Report that someone from the Tham family has appeared."

“No! No! I don't accept!” He was so scared that he backed away. “Sister-in-law, I'm just kidding! I was just passing by... passing by!”

He almost crawled out of the room. Watching his disappearing figure— My eyes were filled with only disgust.

“This trick of yours... isn't bad.” Co Dinh sat back and smiled lightly.

“I'm just getting started.”

I stood up and went to the window.

"Tham Tu's creditors... are not as simple as Tham Dai Cuong."

"Tham Tu is now a vegetable. They will definitely change their target to To Man."

"But To Man is in prison. What can they do?" Co Dinh asked.

"To Man has a younger brother. He's in college." I turned to look at him. "She loves him very much."

Co Dinh was silent for a second. Then burst out laughing.

"I got it."

“Help me spread the news to the creditors,” I said slowly. “Say that... To Man transferred all the money to his younger brother.”

Co Dinh looked at me, his eyes a little different.

“Lin Khe... you are really 'on your cards' now.”

“I was just cleaning up the trash.”

I looked out the window. Tham Tu. To Man. Tham Dai Cuong. Those people— Let them bite and tear each other… until they both sink to the bottom. Will guard that money. And guard... my Doa Doa. Until those twenty years have passed. Tham Tu woke up. In the middle of the night, he opened his eyes. Although his body remained motionless, his eyes began to slowly rotate. When Co Dinh announced this news, I was accompanying Doa Doa with her homework.

"He wants to see you. The doctor said this is a reflection." Co Dinh's voice was low on the phone.

“He hasn't died yet?” I tightened my grip on the pen.

"He said he had one last secret. It had to do with your mother."

My heart was shocked. My mother disappeared not long after giving birth to me. Dad always told her to leave for someone else. Could it be that... this story also has a hidden meaning? I went to the prison hospital again. Tham Tu tilted his head, his mouth twisted, his eyes were tilted, drool flowed from the corner of his lips. But when he saw me, a gentle light flashed in his eyes. He has difficulty pronouncing.

"Tell me. Where is my mother?" I looked at him coldly.

“Your mother… she didn't leave.”

Tham Tu breathed heavily, speaking each word with difficulty.

“She was locked downstairs by her father tunnel."

I stood there dumbfounded, my mind blank.

“What did you say? My father?”

“Your father is crazy. He loved your mother so much that he wanted to kill her.”

Tham Tu suddenly burst out laughing, his laughter was hoarse and horrifying.

“After he died, I discovered that basement… but I didn't release her.”

My head was dizzy, I could barely stand.

“Where is she? Where now?” I screamed.

“Under the cellar of the old house… probably only bones now.”

His eyes began to relax, the corner of his lips curled into a smile of liberation.

“Lin Khe… our whole family… are all crazy.”

His head tilted to one side. The machine made a long, shrill sound. I rushed out of the hospital, running wildly in the rain. Co Dinh chased after me and pulled me into the car.

“To the old house! Quick!" I grabbed his collar and cried out loud.

The old house is located in the suburbs, abandoned for many years. As soon as the door opened, a blast of rotten air rushed in. We searched every corner. Finally, under the stove, found an iron pull ring. Open the lid, moisture rises. Co Dinh took the flashlight and went down first. I followed, my legs shaking. The cellar is not large, filled with old things. In the corner of the wall, there is a wooden bed. On it was a dry skeleton, still wearing the long dress from twenty years ago. On the wall, there are many lines of writing.

“Khe Nhi, run away.” “Khe Nhi, don't trust him.” “Khe Nhi, I love you.”

I knelt down, hugged the pile of white bones, and cried. Turns out... I've always lived next to the devil. Father is a devil. Tham Tu is a devil. And I... have the blood of a devil. Co Dinh was about to help me.

“Don't touch me!”