Chapter 3 — Unfair Marriage

“Vision。”

This word, spoken from Tu Tinh An's mouth, I have heard no less than a hundred times. Every time I disagree with him bringing money back to his family, disagreeing with taking my things for his family to use... he always brings up those two words. It's like just putting on my "little vision" hat makes all my requests automatically become unreasonable. I stood in the middle of the living room, looking at the mother and daughter sitting on the sofa, looking full of reason. Vu Phuong Anh continued to speak.

"Furthermore, when the two of us got married, our family did not ask for a dong of bride price. What does that say? That we are generous and do not compare. What about you? Just because of a card, if you turn against your husband's family, what face will you leave Tu Tinh An in the future?"

Do not ask for bride price. Yes, no bride price required. But the down payment for the house was 150,000 yuan, which I paid for — all my savings from five years of working. The house book only records Tu Tinh An's name. At that time, Vu Phuong Anh said, writing the groom's family name is a rule, it's easier to say it out loud. I spent most of the money to repair the house. My mother takes care of wedding expenses. Three years after we got married, she never gave me a meal, a bag of fruit, or a kind word. But in her mouth, just not asking for a bride price... was such a big favor that I had to pay for it for the rest of my life. Suddenly, I didn't want to argue anymore. I turned around and went into the bedroom, pulling out the drawer. Pulled out the paper that Tu Tinh An once printed from Excel — the paper he made me sign. I returned to the living room and placed the paper firmly on the coffee table.

“Mom, look at this.”

Vu Phuong Anh glanced down.

“What is this?”

"This is the AA regulation sheet that my son made in the first month after getting married. The rent is divided in half, the electricity and water are divided in half, even when buying a package of salt, each person has to pay half."

“Go to the notes below, please read it.”

Vu Phuong Anh bent down to look. On it is the writing of Tu Tinh An —

"Life after marriage is divided equally 1:1. Individual income is free to use, does not interfere with each other."

A crack appeared in her expression.

“This is between the two of you…”

“Yes, it's our problem.”

I interrupted.

"AA's mother's son has been with me for three years. Electricity, water, management fees, parking, not a penny left over."

"Every month he transfers 2,000 yuan of living expenses to his mother, without asking me, nor taking it from the joint account. I have never said a word."

"He bought phones, handbags, invited his sister to eat, and used his own money, and I didn't stop him."

“Now I use my own welfare card for my biological mother to use —”

“According to the rules he set himself: personal income is free to use, without interference.”

“Written with his own hand, signed with his own hand.”

“May I ask… who is the unreasonable one?”

The living room was silent. Tu Tinh An's face turned red, his mouth moved twice.

“You… that board… was the situation at that time…”

“The situation at that time?”

“This AA regime of yours has never been said to be canceled until now.”

“Last month's electricity and water bills, you still charged me every penny.”

Vu Phuong Anh couldn't sit still anymore, stood up and pointed at me.

"Qi Niem! You intentionally caused trouble with our family, right?"

“No, mom.”

My voice was very calm.

"It's my family... deliberately causing trouble with you."

“Tu Tinh An wanted AA, I spoiled him for AA for three years.”

“Now it's time for him to take advantage of me and turn around Sang told me my vision was small.”

“What is this called?”

“It's called making and creating at the same time.”

Vu Phuong Anh was so angry that his face was distorted. She turned to shout at Tu Tinh An.

“Are you sitting there watching your wife talk to me like that? Are you dead?

Tu Tinh An jumped up.

“Qi Niem! I'll apologize to your mother right away!”

“What am I sorry for?”

“Your attitude is too much!”

“Am I too much?”

I pointed to the paper on the table.

“The rules were set by you, but now you criticize me for doing them too well?”

“I did it on purpose!” He rushed forward and grabbed my wrist.

“You took that torn card to annoy me! Do you need to do that?!”

I pushed his hand away.

“Don't you think you're too much? 160 yuan of food money and forced me to split it in half.”

When this sentence came down, his hand immediately retracted. Vu Phuong Anh interjected.

“Okay okay! Stop arguing! Qi Niem, give me your card, this matter is over, everyone can live in peace from now on."

I looked at her.

“Mom, I already used it.”

“This afternoon I took my mother to a full-body SPA, it cost 3,800 yuan.”

Vu Phuong Anh's face immediately fell.

“You… you really used it?”

“Used it. The card is in my name, I have the right to use it.”

Vu Phuong Anh slammed his hand on the sofa armrest, his voice so high that his voice broke.

“3,800 yuan! I brought 3,800 yuan to spend for my mother! Have you ever spent anything on me? It's been three years since you entered this house, have you bought me a pair of socks yet?

I have never bought it. Because Tu Tinh An said — AA, everyone takes care of their part. His family is his business, my family is my business. I just did it right.

“Mom, you should ask your son this question.”

“The rules are for him to set, let him explain to mom.”

Vu Phuong Anh turned to Tu Tinh An, his face full of anger. Tu Tinh An stammered, unable to say a word. He did not expect that the AA rules set up by himself... would one day turn into a knife that stabbed back at him. Vu Phuong Anh stayed at my house for two hours. Can't get the card. Didn't get my apology either. Before leaving, she left a sentence.

“Qi Niem, don't get complacent too early. Who owns this house? It's a long story."

As soon as the door closed, Tu Tinh An shouted.

“Are you satisfied? You made my mother so angry, don't you have a guilty conscience?"

“When you forced me to pay 160 yuan for food in front of my mother… did your conscience hurt?”

He stood there for two seconds, then pushed open the door and went straight into the office. I sat alone in the living room, looking at the AA board on the coffee table. Pick it up, fold it neatly, put it in your pocket. The rules he sets up, I will use to the end. For the next week, Tu Tinh An did not say a word to me. Cold War. That's his usual move. Every time we quarrel, he doesn't apologize, doesn't communicate, doesn't resolve — just stays silent. Stay silent until you can't stand it anymore and go into the water yourself, then he will be "generous" and let you go. In the past, I always spoke first. This time, I don't. I go to work, get off work, cook, wash dishes, everything is as usual. He doesn't talk to me, and I don't talk to him. He watches TV in the living room, I read books in the bedroom. His clothes are in the washing machine and he dries them himself. I wash my clothes myself. On the evening of the third day, he finally couldn't stand it. He stood at the bedroom door and knocked twice.

“Qi Niem, go out first little.”

He sat at the dining table, with an A4 sheet spread out in front of him. It's filled with numbers.

“If you want AA, then let's figure it out clearly.”

I sat down and looked at the paper. Rent — he listed it out, 6,000 per month, 3,000 per person. No problem. Management fee, electricity, water, gas — half for each person. No problem. Then, in the last line, he adds another sentence:

“Shared family expenses and expenses related to relatives, jointly shouldered.”

I pointed to that line.

“What are costs related to relatives?”

"For example, having guests at home, inviting people to dinner, or buying gifts for both parents during the holidays."

“Parents on both sides?”

“So the 2,000 yuan I give my mother every month, does it count here?”

He paused for a moment.

“That doesn't look like—”

“What about the money I bought to buy a phone for my sister?”

"What about the Tet lucky money you give to your relatives?"

His expression darkened.