Chapter 12 — Two Million Yuan Ends Eight Years of Marriage

That call from her ex-mother-in-law was like the last knife cutting through the past. My world is finally truly quiet. The days that followed were filled with sunshine and hope. I transferred school to Chu Niem, right under the new apartment building. Every morning, I hold my child's soft little hand and take him to class. She stood on tiptoe and gently kissed my cheek.

“Mom, let's go to school.”

“Mom, remember to pick me up early.”

Those tender words are my sweetest motivation every day. With a new job, I quickly got into the rhythm. The boss is a strong woman, surnamed Vuong. She appreciated my competence and calmness. In less than a month, an important project was assigned to me. The group leader is Ly Triet. A calm man, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, speaks slowly but always gets to the point. We cooperate very well. He doesn't ask about my personal matters, but at work he is always respectful and absolutely supportive. During overtime sessions, he would quietly place a cup of hot coffee in front of me. When discussing plans late at night, he always persistently took me downstairs. An equal respect, something I had never received before. One day after work, we stood outside the company waiting for the bus. He suddenly said.

“Kha Tinh, you are very good.”

I paused, smiling slightly.

"Thank you."

“I'm not talking about work.”

He looked at me, his eyes serious.

“A woman, carrying a child, going through so much and still being able to stand up so quickly.”

“That in itself is very remarkable.”

My heart trembled slightly. Turns out, my efforts were still seen by people. The feeling of being understood makes my eyes feel a little hot.

“It's all over.”

I said softly.

“Yes, it's over.”

He smiled, warmly.

“It will be better later.”

The car arrived, I greeted him and got in the car. Looking back at the streets, the corners of my lips curled slightly. Yes, it can only get better. Lam Nguyet sometimes still tells stories about the Chu family.

“Kha Tinh, Chu Van Bac's parents sold the ancestral house.”

“Collected more than 1,000,000 yuan, paid off the debt collector.”

"Those guys also kept their word and released Chu Van Ky."

“But the person is considered broken, mentally unstable, hiding in the motel room all day.”

"As for Chu Van Bac... there is no help."

“His parents gave him some money and told him to go back to work.”

“Guess what?”

"He took it all out to have fun, and in less than half a month it was all gone."

“Now I'm back empty-handed, asking my parents for money all day long.”

“When parents see it, it's like seeing an enemy.”

“That house is really finished.”

After listening, my heart was as calm as water. How they live no longer affects me. Their tragedy is their own choice. I deleted the messages and turned off the phone. Go to the kitchen and prepare dinner for mother and child. Stewed beef with tomatoes, steamed fish, plus a bowl of hot corn bone soup. The smell of food spread throughout the house. Outside the window, thousands of house lights lit up. That's the life I want. A simple but warm life. I used to think that after that fall, the Chu family would completely disappear. But there are people who don't know what shame is. Or simply, the surface is thicker than a city wall. That afternoon, I went to pick up Chu Niem. As soon as I arrived at the gate, I saw two familiar figures standing secretly at the corner of the wall. They are my ex-husband's parents. Both were thinner, visibly older, with white hair and hunched backs. On his face was a look of caution, both flattery and fear. My face immediately turned cold. Why are they? found here? I immediately called the apartment complex's security and told them to pay attention to those two people. After that, I pretended not to see and went into the school to pick up Chu Niem. As soon as he saw me, he rushed to hug me. I picked my baby up and gently kissed him on the cheek.

“Are you good today, Niem Niem?”

"Good boy! I also rewarded you with a red flower!"

The child showed off the sticker on his hand, his eyes bright. I held my child's hand and walked towards the house. Sure enough, the other two immediately followed. They sped up, blocking in front of me.

“Kha…Kha Tinh…”

Her voice was dry. His eyes were fixed on Chu Niem, full of desire and calculation.

"This is Niem Niem, right? It's so big..."

He smiled wryly, rubbing his hands together.

“Nien Niem, do you still remember your grandparents?”

Chu Niem was scared, hid behind me, clutching his shirt. I pulled my child back and looked at them coldly.

“What are you doing here?”

“We… just wanted to visit you.”

Her eyes were red.

“We haven't seen him for almost half a year, we miss him.”

"He's also a grandson of the Chu family, you can't be that cruel."

She spoke with tears in her eyes, as if I was the one being unreasonable. I looked at that performance and just found it funny.

“Grandson of the Chu family?”

I laughed coldly.

"When you guys scolded me for being a 'comet', saying I couldn't give birth to a daughter, why didn't you remember that she was the daughter of the Chu family?"

"When you guys let Chu Van Bac take all the money and even took my child's milk money, why didn't you remember that he was a nephew of the Chu family?"

"Now that the Chu family has collapsed, and Chu Van Bac is finished, do you remember this grandchild?"

“Do you want it to support you in the future, or pay your debts on your behalf?”

Every sentence I said was like a slap in their face. Their faces are sometimes white, sometimes blue.

“We… are not like that…”