Chapter 14 — 30 Years of Stolen Identity

I opened the door.

"Go down. After signing, I'll take you two home."

My mother still sat in the car.

“Ngh Nghenh… is there really no other way?”

"Have." I said. "You two should go to the bank now, withdraw all your savings, plus your pension card, plus all the gold and silver in the house, and return it to Mr. Trieu. Please write him a letter of dismissal."

“How much is it…”

“As much as possible.” I looked at them. “It's better than doing nothing.”

My father got out of the car and looked at the police station sign.

“To Nghenh.”

“If… if we sell the house… can you find us a place to live?”

I looked at him. His eyes darkened.

“Are you really that in love?”

“It's not that I'm in love.” I said. “It's you guys, from the beginning you broke up with me.”

We entered the station. The police on duty issued a detention notice.

"To Phan is suspected of fraud, his arrest has been approved by the prosecutor's office. The family members sign here."

My mother held the pen, her hand was shaking so much that she couldn't write. My father grabbed the pen and signed it down. After signing, he looked up and asked:

“Can we… meet it?”

"Not yet. When the case moves to the prosecution stage, you can ask to meet."

We left the police station. The night was very late. The streets are deserted. I drove them home. The old house they lived in was on the seventh floor of a low building, with no elevator. I stopped the car. They didn't come down.

“To Nghenh…” my mother spoke, her voice very light, “when I was little, my favorite braised meat was my mother's cooking.”

I didn't reply.

"Every time I go to piano lessons, mom brings me rice. In the box there is always braised meat and white rice."

"The money for my child's piano lessons... is what my parents save little by little."

"You passed an important high school, we'll treat you to ten dishes."

"I'm going to college, my parents will send me to the station."

She turned to look at me.

“Those things… have you forgotten?”

I looked out the window, the streetlights were shining.

“I didn't forget.”

“So why…”

"Because after that, To Phan also wanted to learn the piano. You guys sell my guitar and buy him a new one."

"He's not doing well in school, you guys are spending money to get into an important school."

"He passed the university with the third class, you guys treat him to twenty trays."

“The day I had surgery, you guys were celebrating his birthday.”

I started the engine.

“Mom, without comparison there will be no hurt.”

“If my mother only had one child, me, maybe I would remember all the things she was good to me.”

“But I have two kids.”

“All the good things, my mother gives to my brother.”

“What's left, leave it to me.”

My mother burst into tears.

“I don't… I treat you both the same…”

“Same?” I smiled faintly. “So why does the child I don't have appear in my household registration?”

She couldn't speak anymore. My father opened the car door.

“Let's get down.”

Two people walked down. I turned around and prepared to leave. In the rearview mirror, my mother suddenly rushed forward and hit the glass door.

"Welcome! Mom was wrong! Mom was really wrong! Give me another chance! Mom will treat you well from now on!"

I don't stop. After driving for a while, I still saw her standing in the middle of the road in the rearview mirror. Like a statue. Phone vibrates. Message from police officer Ly.

"Miss To, Chu Loi has confessed everything. He wrote in great detail about the process of falsifying household registration that year. Including who your parents found, how much money they spent, and how to operate it."

I replied:

“Thank you. This statement can be used to destroy it mouth?”

"Maybe. We have contacted the civil registration office, it will be processed tomorrow.”

I put down the phone. A stray cat ran across the front of the car. Friday morning, I brought all the documents to the civil registration office. DNA examination results, hysterectomy medical records, Chu Loi's testimony, and police investigation conclusions. Staff checked once.

“Miss To, based on these documents, we have determined that Chu Tieu Bao is not related by blood to you. The previous household registration records were incorrect."

“Can it be deleted?”

"Have. But we need to follow the process.” She looked at me. "The child is 13 years old, related to education, insurance... After deletion, the household registration will be transferred to the biological parents."

"I know."

“Are you sure you want to delete?”

"Sure."

She operates the machine. Ten minutes later, the printer spits out a sheet of paper.

“Notification of change of household registration.”

“Chu Tieu Bao has been transferred from her household registration, now registered under the names To Phan and Chu Loi. Here is the receipt.”

I take it. Leaving the civil registration office, I called Mr. Trieu - the teacher of High School No. 1.

“Master Zhao, Zhou Xiaobao's household registration has changed. From now on, the boy is not my child, but the child of his biological parents, To Phan and Chu Loi."

The other end of the line was silent for a few seconds.

“I understand, Miss To.”

“Regarding compensation, I sent the contact information of the victim's family to the boy's biological parents. From today, this matter has nothing to do with me anymore.”

I hung up the phone and stood in the middle of the city square. The sun is very beautiful. The phone rang again. The victim's family.

"Miss To, Zhou Xiaobao's grandfather just called us, said there was no compensation money, and asked us to find you."

“Yes, the last name is To, said to be your father.”

“Give me the number.”

I took note and called back immediately. My dad answered the phone.

“Welcome…”

“You called the victim's family?”