When Minh Tuyet arrived at the dining table, her father, Tu Quyen, and Luong Tung Quang were already there. She took the seat on the right from her father, so she was three seats away from Luong Tung Quang.
“Sorry I’m late. I was just –”
“…getting ready, we know. Make sure you’re faster next time,” Tu Quyen rudely cut Minh Tuyet off, who rolled her eyes at Tu Quyen and smiled sweetly to her father.
“I don’t believe you two are acquainted yet,” Tuan Ngoc said, directing to Tu Quyen and Luong Tung Quang, “Luong Tung Quang, this is Tu Quyen, my niece. And Tu Quyen, this is Luong Tung Quang, he’s –”
“Someone I’ll never marry,” Minh Tuyet said under her breath, making it loud enough for everyone at the table to hear, even the maids on the side laughed softly.
Tuan Ngoc turned over to his daughter with a stern look on his face.
“Oh, I apologize, father,” Minh Tuyet said right away.
“You do know she doesn’t mean it, right Uncle?” Tu Quyen said.
“What did you say?” Minh Tuyet’s voice suddenly turned cold again.
“I believe I was talking to my uncle.”
“Who is my father...”
“Just because I’m talking to your father, does not mean I’m talking to you.”
“But you’re talking about me, so might as well tell me what you’re gonna say.”
“I don’t feel like it.”
“Is that the best you can say?” Minh Tuyet rolled her eyes.
“STOP IT!” Tuan Ngoc yelled, slamming his hand on the table. “Now I want to have a civilized dinner with you two not bickering at each other all the time. We have a guest here tonight, so you guys can not keep this kind of behavior up. No more arguing!”
“Yes, father,” Minh Tuyet said, her eyes staring down at her empty plate.
“Yes, uncle,” Tu Quyen said.
Luong Tung Quang sat on the side smiling.
“Well, let’s eat,” Tuan Ngoc said. After those words, everyone carefully and gently picked out things from the plates to eat. There was silence for a couple of minutes, but Luong Tung Quang decided to try and start up a conversation.
“Well, how old are you, Miss Tu Quyen?” he asked.
“Don’t you know that it’s rude to ask a lady what her age is?” she replied.
“Oh, well. I apologize, madame.”
“Twenty-one,” Tu Quyen said, reaching across the table to pick up food with her chopsticks, “you?”
“Me?” Luong Tung Quang asked, swallowing his soup.
“No, I’m talking to Minh Tuyet, who’s the same age as me. Duh, you!”
“Oh, I’m twenty-three,” he replied.
“Hey, hey! Why did you tell him my age?” Minh Tuyet asked furiously.
“It doesn’t matter, if he knows my age, then he knows your age,” Tu Quyen replied.
“But he doesn’t know we’re the same age!”
“Now he does! Geeze!”
Tuan Ngoc slammed his hand down on the table again.
“Did you two not hear what I said earlier? No bickering!” he yelled.
Minh Tuyet and Tu Quyen spent the next fifteen minutes in silence while Luong Tung Quang and Tuan Ngoc were immerged into a conversation about business. Minh Tuyet looked at Tu Quyen and rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue; unfortunately, Tu Quyen saw that and took the opportunity to flick some rice at Minh Tuyet when Tuan Ngoc wasn’t looking. Suddenly, Minh Tuyet stood up and reached across the table to where the bowl of soup was. She took a spoonful and put it over Tu Quyen’s bowl, well actually, a little further. The spoon was actually just above Tu Quyen’s laps.
“Here, cousin. Have some soup,” Minh Tuyet tipped over the spoon and the hot boiling soup hit the clothes of Tu Quyen.
“Oops! I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to, you want some ice?” Minh Tuyet said with a huge smile on her face.
“No it’s quite alright!” Tu Quyen sighed and grinned, hiding her pain. She stood up and used her chopsticks to pick up a piece of salad, put into Minh Tuyet’s bowl, and said,
“There, you go cousin. You should be eating more of that…”
“Are you calling me fat?” Minh Tuyet asked in shock.
“No, no, no. I’m just saying that you should eat salad more often. Instead of those foods with all those fat in it, because it’s obvious you have enough of that already.”
“Okay, that’s it!” Minh Tuyet yelled, standing up, causing her chair to knock over.
“What?!” Tu Quyen stood up, and walked over to where Minh Tuyet was standing. She came up so close that their faces were almost touching each others. Luong Tung Quang quickly went over to them and pulled them apart. Tuan Ngoc was keeping Tu Quyen from hurting Minh Tuyet while Luong Tung Quang was keeping Minh Tuyet from hurting Tu Quyen.
“That’s it! I’ve had enough of you, thinking you’re better than everyone else in this mansion!” Tu Quyen shouted from behind Tuan Ngoc.
“OH! I think I’m better than everyone else? If anyone thinks they’re better than everyone else, it’s you! Always bossing around the maids and guards for no apparent reason!”
Luong Tung Quang and Tuan Ngoc stepped away from the two girls, they both wanted to hear what each girl had to say.
“What are you talking about?” Tu Quyen asked who was frustrated.
“You know what I’m talking about! Always ordering maids to go get you a cup of water!”
“What’s so wrong about that?
“…when you already have a cup of water in front of you!
“I don’t care. Maybe I’d like another cup after I finished the one I already have.”
“Do you NOT see how unreasonable you’re being?” Minh Tuyet scoffed.
“No, actually, I don’t. But don’t you think you should be acting at least a little bit guilty?”
“What’re you talking about?”
“Trying to act like you’re innocent, now, are you? Want me to refresh everyone’s memory?”
“NO, TU QUYEN!” Tuan Ngoc screamed at Tu Quyen.
“What is it?!” Minh Tuyet bellowed across the room.
“Do not tell her, Tu Quyen.” Tuan Ngoc said.
“What is it, father? Tell me, Tu Quyen!”
“You know how your mother and my father died?” Tu Quyen asked coldly.
“Yeah…what about it?” Minh Tuyet replied.
“You do remember it’s a fire?”
“NO!” Tuan Ngoc yelled.
“Well, in case you never knew. You were the one that caused it!” Tu Quyen screeched.
“TU QUYEN!” Tuan Ngoc shouted.
“What?” Minh Tuyet asked confused.
“Your mother and my father were in the antique room looking at the vases and China sets, deciding what to sell in the shop. You were in the kitchen, pretending to be a maid. When you saw no one was there, you decided to mess around with the stove and woods. But little did you know, Phi Nhung saw everything and she told us what happened. You caused the fire! You caused my aunt and my father to die! How can you live so innocently?”
“…father, is this true?” Minh Tuyet asked with her eyes watery.
Tuan Ngoc said nothing and looked down to his feet. Tears suddenly slid down Minh Tuyet’s pale cheeks.
“No, you’re all lying,” Minh Tuyet shook her head, “YOU’RE ALL LYING!”
Minh Tuyet ran back to her room as Phi Nhung tried to catch up. By the time she ran back to her room, Minh Tuyet’s eyes were puffy, watery, and red. She slammed the door behind her, making Phi Nhung stop abruptly.
This is NOT true. Tu Quyen was just making up stuff… THIS IS NOT TRUE! Minh Tuyet thought, her hands covering her ears. She ran over to her bed, where she cried until she fell asleep, dreaming of the day of the fire.
“Sorry I’m late. I was just –”
“…getting ready, we know. Make sure you’re faster next time,” Tu Quyen rudely cut Minh Tuyet off, who rolled her eyes at Tu Quyen and smiled sweetly to her father.
“I don’t believe you two are acquainted yet,” Tuan Ngoc said, directing to Tu Quyen and Luong Tung Quang, “Luong Tung Quang, this is Tu Quyen, my niece. And Tu Quyen, this is Luong Tung Quang, he’s –”
“Someone I’ll never marry,” Minh Tuyet said under her breath, making it loud enough for everyone at the table to hear, even the maids on the side laughed softly.
Tuan Ngoc turned over to his daughter with a stern look on his face.
“Oh, I apologize, father,” Minh Tuyet said right away.
“You do know she doesn’t mean it, right Uncle?” Tu Quyen said.
“What did you say?” Minh Tuyet’s voice suddenly turned cold again.
“I believe I was talking to my uncle.”
“Who is my father...”
“Just because I’m talking to your father, does not mean I’m talking to you.”
“But you’re talking about me, so might as well tell me what you’re gonna say.”
“I don’t feel like it.”
“Is that the best you can say?” Minh Tuyet rolled her eyes.
“STOP IT!” Tuan Ngoc yelled, slamming his hand on the table. “Now I want to have a civilized dinner with you two not bickering at each other all the time. We have a guest here tonight, so you guys can not keep this kind of behavior up. No more arguing!”
“Yes, father,” Minh Tuyet said, her eyes staring down at her empty plate.
“Yes, uncle,” Tu Quyen said.
Luong Tung Quang sat on the side smiling.
“Well, let’s eat,” Tuan Ngoc said. After those words, everyone carefully and gently picked out things from the plates to eat. There was silence for a couple of minutes, but Luong Tung Quang decided to try and start up a conversation.
“Well, how old are you, Miss Tu Quyen?” he asked.
“Don’t you know that it’s rude to ask a lady what her age is?” she replied.
“Oh, well. I apologize, madame.”
“Twenty-one,” Tu Quyen said, reaching across the table to pick up food with her chopsticks, “you?”
“Me?” Luong Tung Quang asked, swallowing his soup.
“No, I’m talking to Minh Tuyet, who’s the same age as me. Duh, you!”
“Oh, I’m twenty-three,” he replied.
“Hey, hey! Why did you tell him my age?” Minh Tuyet asked furiously.
“It doesn’t matter, if he knows my age, then he knows your age,” Tu Quyen replied.
“But he doesn’t know we’re the same age!”
“Now he does! Geeze!”
Tuan Ngoc slammed his hand down on the table again.
“Did you two not hear what I said earlier? No bickering!” he yelled.
Minh Tuyet and Tu Quyen spent the next fifteen minutes in silence while Luong Tung Quang and Tuan Ngoc were immerged into a conversation about business. Minh Tuyet looked at Tu Quyen and rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue; unfortunately, Tu Quyen saw that and took the opportunity to flick some rice at Minh Tuyet when Tuan Ngoc wasn’t looking. Suddenly, Minh Tuyet stood up and reached across the table to where the bowl of soup was. She took a spoonful and put it over Tu Quyen’s bowl, well actually, a little further. The spoon was actually just above Tu Quyen’s laps.
“Here, cousin. Have some soup,” Minh Tuyet tipped over the spoon and the hot boiling soup hit the clothes of Tu Quyen.
“Oops! I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to, you want some ice?” Minh Tuyet said with a huge smile on her face.
“No it’s quite alright!” Tu Quyen sighed and grinned, hiding her pain. She stood up and used her chopsticks to pick up a piece of salad, put into Minh Tuyet’s bowl, and said,
“There, you go cousin. You should be eating more of that…”
“Are you calling me fat?” Minh Tuyet asked in shock.
“No, no, no. I’m just saying that you should eat salad more often. Instead of those foods with all those fat in it, because it’s obvious you have enough of that already.”
“Okay, that’s it!” Minh Tuyet yelled, standing up, causing her chair to knock over.
“What?!” Tu Quyen stood up, and walked over to where Minh Tuyet was standing. She came up so close that their faces were almost touching each others. Luong Tung Quang quickly went over to them and pulled them apart. Tuan Ngoc was keeping Tu Quyen from hurting Minh Tuyet while Luong Tung Quang was keeping Minh Tuyet from hurting Tu Quyen.
“That’s it! I’ve had enough of you, thinking you’re better than everyone else in this mansion!” Tu Quyen shouted from behind Tuan Ngoc.
“OH! I think I’m better than everyone else? If anyone thinks they’re better than everyone else, it’s you! Always bossing around the maids and guards for no apparent reason!”
Luong Tung Quang and Tuan Ngoc stepped away from the two girls, they both wanted to hear what each girl had to say.
“What are you talking about?” Tu Quyen asked who was frustrated.
“You know what I’m talking about! Always ordering maids to go get you a cup of water!”
“What’s so wrong about that?
“…when you already have a cup of water in front of you!
“I don’t care. Maybe I’d like another cup after I finished the one I already have.”
“Do you NOT see how unreasonable you’re being?” Minh Tuyet scoffed.
“No, actually, I don’t. But don’t you think you should be acting at least a little bit guilty?”
“What’re you talking about?”
“Trying to act like you’re innocent, now, are you? Want me to refresh everyone’s memory?”
“NO, TU QUYEN!” Tuan Ngoc screamed at Tu Quyen.
“What is it?!” Minh Tuyet bellowed across the room.
“Do not tell her, Tu Quyen.” Tuan Ngoc said.
“What is it, father? Tell me, Tu Quyen!”
“You know how your mother and my father died?” Tu Quyen asked coldly.
“Yeah…what about it?” Minh Tuyet replied.
“You do remember it’s a fire?”
“NO!” Tuan Ngoc yelled.
“Well, in case you never knew. You were the one that caused it!” Tu Quyen screeched.
“TU QUYEN!” Tuan Ngoc shouted.
“What?” Minh Tuyet asked confused.
“Your mother and my father were in the antique room looking at the vases and China sets, deciding what to sell in the shop. You were in the kitchen, pretending to be a maid. When you saw no one was there, you decided to mess around with the stove and woods. But little did you know, Phi Nhung saw everything and she told us what happened. You caused the fire! You caused my aunt and my father to die! How can you live so innocently?”
“…father, is this true?” Minh Tuyet asked with her eyes watery.
Tuan Ngoc said nothing and looked down to his feet. Tears suddenly slid down Minh Tuyet’s pale cheeks.
“No, you’re all lying,” Minh Tuyet shook her head, “YOU’RE ALL LYING!”
Minh Tuyet ran back to her room as Phi Nhung tried to catch up. By the time she ran back to her room, Minh Tuyet’s eyes were puffy, watery, and red. She slammed the door behind her, making Phi Nhung stop abruptly.
This is NOT true. Tu Quyen was just making up stuff… THIS IS NOT TRUE! Minh Tuyet thought, her hands covering her ears. She ran over to her bed, where she cried until she fell asleep, dreaming of the day of the fire.
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