Chapter 6 — A Dao Didn't Return

But Lam Ha just asked me a question about the ingredients in soy milk, but I couldn't help it. It turns out that this is the feeling of being kept in someone else's heart. That evening, I set my family group to do not disturb. This place is very far from home. But it's the first place in eighteen years that makes me feel secure. 8My college life is both busy and rich. Go to class during the day, go to the library at night. When I don't have classes, I go to the work-study position to be on duty. The school's allowance is not much, but enough for me to eat and drink. For the first time, I didn't need to look at the meat in the bowl to figure out how much money I had left. You also don't have to worry about being locked in your room one day and not being able to eat even a Man Tou cake. At the end of my first year, I ranked first in my major. When the academic advisor sent the scholarship list to the group, my roommates were even more excited than me. Lam Ha hugged me and shook me a few times. "Tham Tri Dao, you are so good!" I was shaken by her until I was dizzy but still couldn't help but laugh. Previously, at home, no matter how well I tested, no one knew. Now just because my name is added to the list, there are people who are genuinely happy for me. The day I received the scholarship, I returned to the pawn shop in Giang Thanh. The shop owner has changed to someone else. I said the date and then searched for the registration documents for a long time until I finally found the jade pendant in the bottommost cabinet. Redeeming it costs a lot more money than mortgaging it. But when the jade pendant fell into my palm, my eyes still couldn't help but turn red. It's still warm and soft like a grandmother's hand. I put it back around my neck and said in a low voice: "Grandma, I picked you up." With the remaining money, I bought a new phone. Not a very good design, but it was the first time I used money I earned to buy things for myself. I also bought two dresses that fit well. When I stood in front of the mirror in the dressing room, I looked for a long time. It turns out that when clothes fit well, the shoulders won't tighten to the point of pain, nor will they bunch up after taking a few steps. After that, I participated in competitions and did projects with teachers. When others rest, I correct the plan. When everyone else went home for the holidays, I stayed in the lab organizing data. In my third year of university, our project finally won first prize. When standing on stage to receive the award, the flashing lights under the stage lit up an area. I suddenly remembered when I was a child, every time Tham Di Ninh participated in a piano competition, her mother would prepare a dress for him half a month in advance. Tham Tri scored a goal, and his father could brag about it among relatives for several days. No matter how well I do, they don't care, they don't even know. But the little girl who used to cry all night because she was overlooked is no longer sad. Because there's someone in the stands who remembers my name. The teacher patted my shoulder and said: "Tri Dao, you did very well." My roommates ran over holding flowers, laughing and telling me to invite them to eat. I finally understand that recognition does not necessarily have to come from parents. In my fourth year of college, I was recommended by the school to go straight to graduate school without taking exams. The special school's official website posted an article. The title is: 【Outstanding graduate student Tham Tri Dao emerges from adversity】 After the article was republished by the media in his hometown, relatives came to the Tham family to congratulate him. My parents also knew for the first time how many awards I had won and how many projects I had implemented over the years. That evening, my mother sent me more than a dozen text messages. I didn't look carefully, I just remembered the last message was: 【Dao Dao, mom and dad are really proud of you.】 I looked at it for a long time, didn't reply and then turned off the screen. The person who makes them proud is the excellent Tham Tri Dao

of the present. But Tham Tri Dao was eighteen years old, wearing an old dress, hungry, and just wanted to buy a copy of Admissions Plan. They never loved her. And I am even more unqualified to replace eighteen-year-old Tham Tri Dao and say a word of forgiveness. 9 The year I graduated from graduate school, I received the school's Outstanding Youth Award. On the day of the awards ceremony, the hall was packed with people. As soon as I stepped off the stage, Lam Ha suddenly pulled my sleeve. "Tri Dao, someone is looking for you outside." I looked in the direction she pointed and saw my parents standing at the door of the hall. Having not seen each other for several years, they have aged a lot. Mom held a bouquet of flowers in her hand, dad clutched a red box. Tham Di Ninh followed behind them. Only Tham Tri did not come. Seeing me, my mother's eyes immediately turned red. "Dao Dao." She quickly walked towards me, wanting to hold my hand. I took a step back and avoided it. Her hand was awkwardly frozen in mid-air. There were people around who recognized them. Someone whispered: "Are these Tham Tri Dao's parents?" "I heard that when she went to college, her family didn't give her any money." "Didn't she have to mortgage her grandmother's relics to have money to enroll?" Her mother's face turned pale, and she quickly explained: "It's not like that." "Before, we were only busy with work so we took her lightly."