Chapter 1 — Unfair Marriage

On Mother's Day, my husband - Tu Tinh An - transferred 13,140 yuan (about 46 million VND) to his mother right in front of me. Next, he opened the chat box with his sister, entered 5,200 yuan (about 18 million VND), and sent it without hesitation. Two "dings" announced the transfer, each one more shrill than the last. My turn… nothing. Not only was there nothing, he also pushed the lunch bill in front of me.

“Let's divide, I'll transfer you 160.5 yuan (about 560 thousand VND).”

I looked at the crumpled bill without saying a word. He added another stab:

"You're an independent modern woman. Surely you don't want to take advantage, right? Don't be like those gold diggers who think about spending men's money every day."

I laughed. Open your bag and take out the double SPA card that the company just gave out last week.

“You're right, everything should be clear, everyone should take care of their part.”

I put the card back in my pocket.

"In the card there is 20,000 yuan (about 70 million VND). If I have calculated it carefully, I will bring it home to give to my mother."

His face immediately turned red like a pig's liver.

"How can it be the same! This is a benefit for family members, you are the family member, this card is given to you!"

He took a step forward, his hand bluntly reaching into my pocket. I stepped back, smiling slightly.

"In the past, I didn't even give you a dong of bride price. The one who said you had to be financially independent was me."

"Now that you see me spending money on my mother, your eyes are red, do you still want to snatch it away?"

A story about "AA gives", but people's hearts are never fair. As for me, this time I won't hold back anymore. Tu Tinh An stopped his hand in mid-air. His face changed from red to white, his lips trembled for a while before he could squeeze out a sentence:

“Qi Niem, don't be unreasonable.”

I zipped up my bag, stood up and prepared to leave. He immediately grabbed my arm, with such force that I staggered.

“Leave your card behind.”

“Because you are my husband!”

I bent down to look at his hand squeezing mine, his knuckles turning white from the force. My voice lowered very low:

“Tu Tinh An, let go.”

"If you move your hands and feet in a crowded place, don't you feel embarrassed?"

He glanced around, there were several tables in the restaurant staring at us. He let go, but the anger on his face did not decrease.

“Qi Niem, you have changed.”

“You weren't like that before.”

What kind of person was I before? Before my mother was hospitalized, I borrowed 5,000 yuan from him to get by, and he forced me to write a loan document. Black and white paper, interest rate, payment term, not a single item is missing. In the past, every month during the holidays, he regularly transferred 2,000 yuan of living expenses to his mother. On my mother's birthday, he was too lazy to send a congratulatory message. Previously, when renovating the wedding house, his mother wanted to tile the living room with marble, so he swiped my credit card straight for 48,000 yuan. Still not paid until now. The "before" he talked about... It was the time when I was patient. It was a time when I didn't make plans with him. That was the time when I foolishly believed that as long as I gave enough, one day I would receive an equal response. I took out 160 yuan from my pocket and placed it on the table.

“Food money, divided in half.”

As soon as he reached out to take it, I spoke up:

“Ah yes, Tu Jing An, the bag you used my card to buy for your sister last month was 3,200 yuan, when will it be returned to me?”

Expression His face immediately froze.

“And the money you borrowed from me last year to complete and renovate the house, 18,000 yuan, plus interest…”

“Don't you like calculating interest the most?”

“Are you crazy?” He lowered his voice and growled.

“What kind of interest does one family earn?”

I looked straight at him.

“One person?”

“Didn't you ask me to divide it in half just now?”

“In the end, are we all one family, or are we divided equally?”

“Tell me clearly.”

His throat was blocked and he couldn't say a word. I turned around, pushed the door open and walked out. His voice was heard from behind, both urgent and angry:

"Qi Niem! Stop! Put your card down!"

I don't turn around. Go across the street, hail a taxi. The car started rolling, I touched the hard card in my pocket. Twenty thousand yuan. For Tu Tinh An, it is "welfare for family members". As for me... This is the first time, in this marriage, that there is something that truly belongs to me. Tu Tinh An and I have been married for three years. No bride price, no dowry. It's not that my family doesn't give it, it's that his family doesn't need it. His mother had already set the tone before they got married.

"When young people get married now, the important thing is that both parties are independent, everyone lives their own life, that's good."

“Bride price and dowry are both feudal remnants.”

"Our family, Tu Tinh An, has a strong will to progress, and Te Niem is also an office worker who graduated from university. The two of us strive to strive on our own rather than rely on our parents."

My mother was not happy at that time. She pulled me back, in private.

"Nim Niem, it's okay not to pay a bride price, but you have to look at the attitude of the other person's family."

"There's not even a bit of sincerity. If you marry over there, you won't be able to raise your head."

I didn't listen. At that time, Tu Tinh An was gentle, thoughtful, and spoke sweetly. He said that in the future, both of them will earn money and save together, no one will be disadvantaged. After being married for a month, he created an expense chart. Rent, electricity, water, management fees, food... all divided in half. Count down to every dime and penny. He uses Excel, and has a built-in auto-add formula. At the end of the month, final settlement is made, the deficit is compensated, the balance is refunded. I felt uncomfortable, but didn't say anything. Independence is independence. I earn 12,000 yuan a month to support myself. But very quickly, I realized… this “split in half” only applies to me. Every month he regularly transfers 2,000 yuan to his mother. Tet holidays also have their own lucky money. My sister's birthday, enrolling in school, passing the exam, falling in love... There are any reasons. At least three or five hundred, more than one or two thousand. Those amounts never appear in our “halving” table. The first time I commented, he said:

“That's my mother, it's natural for me to be filial.”

"If you think it's unfair, then you should pass it on to your mother. Will you forbid me?"

The second time I spoke, he said again:

"Qi Niem, can you be a little more generous? My mother is old, how about spending some of my money?"

The third time, I said no more. It's not that I don't want to say it. But talking is useless. A person's attitude towards you is not based on words... but on the expense book. I see clearly. His money is his. As for my money… it belongs to “us”. That is the so-called "two-headed marriage" and "financial independence" in Tu Tinh An's mouth. When I got home, the living room was empty. I sat down on the sofa, took out the SPA card, and flipped it over. The yellow card has my name printed on it - Qi Niem. Exclusive benefits for the company's outstanding employees every year. Only three people in the entire company were accepted. The day I picked it up, my first reaction was to want to take Tu Tinh An to a double SPA. The card has 20,000 yuan, enough to use many times. I even thought about it... Which branch to go to on the weekend, after work, go to the movies, that's pretty good. This Mother's Day, he taught me a lesson. His filial piety, clearly listed — 5,200, 13,140, not a penny missing. What about his feelings for me? A meal of 160 yuan was divided in half, and he refused to pay even a single penny. I put the card back, took the phone, and called my mother.

“Mom, I'll come visit you tomorrow.”

"Okay, what do you want to eat? Mom will cook it for you."

“Mom, I'll take you to the SPA.”