Chapter 10 — 50 Years of Wrongfulness

The opponent who was stabbed by her stepped back a bit, a steady hand held her upper arm, supporting her to stand firmly. "Tham Thanh Tu." Tong Can Nien's voice fell from above her head. She raised her face and saw his eyebrows behind his glasses slightly furrowed. "It seems like someone is following you from behind." She panted, her chest heaving. Tong Can Nien raised his eyes and looked inside. Deep in the alley, a figure briefly appeared and then immediately turned around in panic, the sound of footsteps running away in the opposite direction. He didn't chase, just withdrew his gaze, stopping on her pale lips. "Where do you live?" "Front... just two streets away." He stopped for half a second: "I'll take you home." "Yes, sorry teacher." The whole way, Tong Can Nien said nothing, as cold as his classmate said. When I got home, my mother put food on the table. When Tham Thanh Tu walked in, his face still hadn't recovered. Mother held the bowl of soup and froze: "What's wrong with you? Your face is so white." She recounted the story in the alley. Mother worriedly said: "I heard that that alley is not peaceful at night. We live here, it's quite far away, but Thanh Tu has to go there every day to go to school. Should we change places?" Dad held the chopsticks, frowned and said nothing. After a long while, he put down his chopsticks: "I'm afraid it won't be convenient for your mother to go for a follow-up check-up. The appointment at that hospital is very difficult. We scheduled Dr. Chau's turn for half a month. But your mother was right to worry, after all, you're a girl." "I'm moving out." Tham Thanh Tu prepared himself a bowl of rice. "I'll stay near the school. I'll keep the house here. When mom has a follow-up check-up, I'll come back to stay for two days. Wait for mom's health to recover for a while before we can consider moving house." Parents looked at each other and nodded. The next week, Tham Thanh Tu went to five brokerage companies. It's not too far and it's too expensive, or it's an old-style apartment without an elevator. Just when she was at her wits' end, the teacher called. "I heard you were looking for a house?" "Yes, the old alley wasn't very safe." On the other end of the phone, the teacher sighed: "I blame you, at first I only looked at the distance, not paying attention to the surroundings. I have a friend who has an apartment near the north gate of my school. He doesn't come to live often, so he left it empty. I asked if I could rent a room for you." "Yes, that's bothering me." Three days later, she left it empty. The teacher took her to see the house. It was an old building with beige exterior walls, a small yard, and a lemon tree growing in the yard. The room has light oak floors, a very wide window sill, facing a quiet alley. The teacher helped her negotiate a very low rent. “Choose this room.” Tham Thanh Tu stood by the window looking out, his heart finally at peace. “Thank you.” The day she moved in, she spent the whole afternoon packing her luggage. At night, she took a hot bath and her whole body relaxed. She conveniently put on her pajamas, her hair was still dripping water, put on her slippers and went to the kitchen to pour a drink. The lock made a "click" sound. I only saw Tong Can Nien holding the car key and standing at the mysterious gate, his black jacket still untaken. He was bowing his head and placing the key in the tray. The moment she raised her eyes, her gaze slid from her wet hair down to her collarbone, pausing for less than half a second before moving away. Tham Thanh Tu lowered his head to look at himself, the collar of his nightgown was a bit low. She pulled her collar tightly, looking at Tong Can Nien in surprise. "... Professor Tong?" Tong Can Nien looked at her silently: "Didn't your teacher say this house is mine?" Tham Thanh Tu was stunned for two seconds: "You said this was a friend's house, I didn't expect it to be you." Tong Can Nien nodded: "Yes, the school has an urgent project, I have to move here next time. Do you mind?" Tham Thanh Tu laughed: "You're joking. You let me rent such a cheap house, I can't thank you enough, how can I be shy?" Tong

Can Nien looked at her, didn't say anything more, took the car key and walked through the living room, turning into the bathroom at the end of the hallway. Immediately afterwards, the sound of the faucet being turned on was heard in the bathroom. The sound of water rushing through the door was low and continuous. Tham Thanh Tu stood in place, bowed his head looking at the thin pajamas on his body, feeling somewhat unnatural, so he quickly returned to his room. Early the next morning, after finishing cleaning and opening the door, she saw Tong Can Nien changing her shoes at Huyen Gate. "Good morning." He stood straight, his fingertips turning the car key, his voice calm. “Let's go, I'll take you.” Tham Thanh Tu was stunned for a moment before realizing that he was intentionally waiting for her. “Yes, sorry to bother you.” She put on a cloth bag and followed him out. The car stopped at the entrance of the school's north gate. As Tham Thanh Tu pushed open the car door, the eyes of two passing students looked at him simultaneously. A female student opened her mouth slightly, her eyes shifting back and forth between her and the driver's seat. Waiting for the two of them to go far away, the sound of small chatter gently came: "Isn't that Professor Tong's car? Who is this girl?" "Not sure, looks like a new student." Tham Thanh Tu pulled up the bag strap, not paying attention. The days slowly passed. She goes to class, draws manuscripts, goes to the library, and in her free time goes to the hospital to take care of her mother. Mother's health also improves day by day.