Chapter 10 — With only 9 Yuan left in my card, I decided to go abroad

"I once told Tham Trach Chu that I kept that money as a long-term investment. If I withdraw it first, I will incur heavy losses."

I continued slowly:

“But my bank account, both term and demand deposits combined… is less than 90 thousand yuan.”

“So where is the rest of the money?”

Trieu Que Tran could not answer. The two aunts of the Tham family and their uncle looked at each other. One aunt mumbled something in a low voice. Trieu Que Tran's face was red and purple like pig liver.

"I know that standing in front of the neighbors, it's not convenient for you to answer."

"No problem."

“The court will help you figure it out clearly.”

Trieu Que Tran stood up on his hands and knees, pointing upstairs and cursing a few words. But this time... There was no one behind her. Trieu Que Phuong retreated five steps away. The two aunts pretended to answer the phone, turned around and left. My uncle and I don't know when he left. Trieu Que Tran turned his head to look. Next door was empty. She opened her mouth. Standing alone in the middle of the residential area gate. Surrounded by dozens of neighbors' eyes staring. She could only turn around and leave step by step. My mother took the phone back in.

"Mom, rest. Those people won't come anymore."

After being exposed right in front of everyone, Trieu Que Tran was quiet for five days. On Friday, Diep Tay sent news again.

"This time the drama is big. Prepare yourself."

She sent me a recording. It was secretly recorded by a colleague of Tham Trach Chu. In the recording is a conversation between Manh Tu Ky and another female colleague in the tea room. Female colleague asked:

"Tu Ky, what exactly is your relationship with Tham Trach Chu? There are rumors outside."

Manh Tu Ky burst out laughing.

"What kind of relationship? He treats me just fine."

“What kind of ‘okay’ is it?”

"Before, I saw that he was quite wealthy and his family had money. But now looking back... there's nothing interesting anymore."

Manh Tu Ky lowered his voice, but the recording was still very clear.

"His money is all in his mother's hands, he is extremely poor. The lawyer letter just arrived that even a decent lawyer cannot be hired."

The female colleague burst out laughing.

“And yet you are still ambiguous with him?”

"Who's being vague with him? If he wants to give me something, I won't stop him."

“What I was aiming for from the beginning was not him.”

“So what are you aiming for?”

"The money is in his mother's hand, nothing else. In the past, Trieu Que Tran kept saying, 'You just get to know my son well, when he gets it back, it'll all be yours.'"

Manh Tu Ky smiled faintly.

"Who would have thought that old lady spent money more powerfully than anyone else. In the end there wasn't much left."

The female colleague laughed out loud.

“So you have a big loss?”

"Not really. At least I got to keep the pearl necklace. It's really beautiful."

The recording ends there. I listened twice. Not angry. A husband scraped all his assets and gave them to his mother. His mother spent all that money and used it to seduce women for her son. But that woman was aiming for money from the beginning. When you discover that the money is no longer there, you turn around faster than turning over a book. Those three people stood together... I didn't even need to do anything. They will automatically bite each other. I downloaded the recording. Save it to the “Rebirth Plan” folder. I forwarded a recording to lawyer Liu. Attached one sentence:

“Another entry.”

Lawyer Luu only answered with two words: Fifth week in Singapore. One morning, teacher Phuong Minh Vien called me.

“Van Van, give me good news.”

“Teacher Phuong, what's going on?”

“I was nominated.”

“This year's industry Innovative Product Research and Development Award, I was on the finalist list.”

I paused for a few seconds.

“Really?”

"The list was announced yesterday. The whole industry has twenty candidates, I'm ranked sixth."

The teacher paused for a moment then continued:

"The plant essence line I researched before, after its launch, had very nice market data. The judges saw that it was exactly that."

“I kept thinking… soon no one will remember those things anymore.”

“I think no one remembers, doesn't mean no one sees.”

“People in this industry talk by products, not anything else.”

I was silent for a few seconds.

“Teacher Phuong, thank you.”

"Why thank you? The result is what you did yourself."

After hanging up the phone, I sat for a long time in the office chair.