Chapter 7 — When the Spider Plant Turned Black

That is the evidence.

The moment those few words dropped, the mother-in-law’s face turned utterly bloodless. Tran Nghien let out a low roar: "Ha Vu, stop talking nonsense!" I looked straight at him.

Whether I am talking nonsense or not, you know very well in your heart.

The mother-in-law suddenly dropped the shears, spun around, and lunged toward the heavy flowerpot. The planter was immensely heavy; she could not lift it and instead knocked over the entire wooden stand. The large orchid pot flipped upside down onto the tiled floor. Dark soil spilled everywhere. Mixed into the black, murky mud were un-dissolved tea leaves and tiny, dark red granules. My mother immediately pulled out her phone to take pictures. The mother-in-law reached out a trembling hand to block the camera lens. I stepped firmly in front of her.

Do not touch my mother.

Tran Nghien stood frozen in place, his face ashen gray. From downstairs came the sharp rap of knuckles against a door, accompanied by the voice of the neighbor echoing from the hallway.

What is going on? I heard a loud crash just now.

The mother-in-law opened her mouth as if to scream. Tran Nghien stepped forward, pulling the entrance door open just a narrow crack.

Nothing is wrong, Sister, just a flowerpot tipped over.

The neighbor craned her neck, peering inside.

Goodness, really? Is that the famous orchid pot you people always boast about?

Her voice carried effortlessly, and immediately, other heads began popping out of doorways along the hallway. The mother-in-law was someone obsessed with her reputation and pride. At this moment, however, her hands were smeared with dark mud, her hair was disheveled, and her eyes were bloodshot, completely stripping away her usual gentle facade. The neighbor asked helpfully: "Do you need a hand with that mess?" My mother answered sharply: "Please help us call the police." Tran Nghien whipped his head around.

Mother!

My mother raised her phone higher.

My daughter suspects she has been secretly and systematically poisoned over a long period. We want to report a crime.

The neighbor’s eyes widened in sheer disbelief.

What?

The mother-in-law let out a piercing shriek: "She is lying!" My mother's voice rang clear and unwavering: "Whether she is lying or not, the police can investigate." Murmurs instantly erupted like a sudden storm in the hallway.

Poisoned with what?

Could it be that foot-soaking water they use every single day?

I always saw her carrying that basin out every single morning.

The mother-in-law’s complexion shifted from pale to a sickly, ghostly green. Tran Nghien slammed the door shut, his voice dropping to a harsh, menacing hiss.

Ha Vu, do you really have to wash your dirty linen in public like this?

I retorted: "When the two of you were conspiring, did you feel any shame?" He was left utterly speechless. My mother began pressing numbers into her phone. The mother-in-law abruptly collapsed to her knees. She dropped so fast that her kneecaps struck the ceramic tiles with a dull, sickening thud.

In-law, I was wrong! I was only out of my mind because I worried too much.

My mother did not hang up the call. The mother-in-law turned to me, tears streaming down her face in torrents.

Ha Vu, I meant no malice! I only wanted you to conceive a child quickly, nothing more.

I stared down at the patch of wet earth near her knees.

You are not wrong because worry made you foolish.

I enunciated each word with chilling clarity:

You are wrong because you believed I was unworthy of knowing the truth.

The call connected. My mother recited our exact address. The phone clicked shut, leaving the room filled only with the ragged, desperate sobbing of the mother-in-law. She knelt beside the mound of dirt, her fingers frantically twisting the hem of her trousers, while her frantic gaze remained glued to my mother's handbag. Inside that bag was half a bottle of tea water I had managed to stash away, along with the sprig of spider plant she had just ruthlessly snapped off. Tran Nghien stood near the doorway, his expression as hideous as if he had been struck across the face in public. He muttered under his breath: "Ha Vu, help my mother up first." I looked coldly at the older woman.

If she wants to kneel, let her kneel. I certainly did not force her down.

The mother-in-law’s lips quivered uncontrollably.

Do you really want to drive me to my grave?

My mother pulled me firmly behind her back.

Do not use death as a threat. If there is something to say, wait until the authorities arrive and explain it slowly there.

Tran Nghien glared at my mother.

Does Mother really have to be this ruthless?

My mother laughed coldly.

The truly ruthless ones are you and your mother.

Out in the hallway, the neighbors had still not dispersed. Through the solid wood of the door, their hushed whispers drifted clearly inward. Someone remarked: "She always looked so gentle on the surface." Another murmured back: "The gentlest ones are always the hardest to figure out."