Chapter 3 — A Nhu's Delirious Words

I only left a little straw, the fire only burned a circle of dry grass and some rotten wood at the furnace door. When the villagers came running, the firelight that had just illuminated the half-collapsed furnace cave. Do Mai Hoa and cripple Trieu are struggling inside. It is said that Trieu was crippled holding a packet of red cloth in his arms, while Do Mai Hoa lived and died fighting for it. Both of their clothes were in disarray, two of Do Mai Hoa's shirt buttons were missing. When my uncle ran over, his whole body was completely stunned. The red cloth package was snatched open by someone. Inside there was actually a pair of shiny black leather shoes. There were also a man's belt, half a packet of tobacco leaves and a handkerchief embroidered with the word "Do". Mrs. Vuong, the most gossipy person in the village, immediately shouted: "Oh my, it turns out the man under the bed is here!" This saying quickly spread. In the morning, no one dared to come to my shop and talk nonsense. On the contrary, groups of people came one after another to apologize. “Tu Nuong, yesterday's words were all a misunderstanding.” “We just listen to what other people say.” "Who knew that Do Mai Hoa wanted to hide his bad things so he intentionally threw dirty water on her." Mother bowed her head, not saying a word. On the back of my mother's hand there are still red marks from the burn yesterday. Eyes swollen. Last night mom almost didn't sleep. Dad stood next to the kitchen, his face heavy. Someone smiled approvingly: "Thu Sinh, your daughter is truly a blessed child. All it takes is a fever to burn the dirty things that are exposed." Dad didn't laugh. He raised his head to look at that person. “Yesterday, you stood in front of my shop and said what Tu Nuong was like?” The other person's face stiffened. “I… I just said it casually…” “Ordinarily?” Dad's voice became cold. “Just because of a simple sentence from your mouth, I almost believed it.” The surroundings were quiet for a moment. Mom raised her head to look at dad. I know dad is scared. Afraid he really raised his hand last night. Afraid that my words "my mother will disappear" will come true. At noon, my uncle arrived. His eyes were scary red. A grown man standing in my yard suddenly knelt down in front of my mother. “Little sister, I don't have the face to see you anymore.” Mother was scared and quickly helped him. “You, what are you doing?” He aggressively slapped himself. "Do Mai Hoa's mouth, you should have taken care of it a long time ago." "After returning yesterday, she actually took out a package of red cloth from under the bed. She tricked me into saying it was old clothes, but I didn't dare open it." “If you had opened it sooner, I wouldn't have had to suffer so much injustice.” Mother's tears immediately fell. Mom did not say forgiveness, nor did she say blame. Just stood there crying. He looked towards me again. “Ah Nhu, you are confused.” I blinked and hid in my mother's arms. “You have to protect your mother from now on.” He choked up. "Protection. I will definitely protect your mother." In the afternoon, Do Mai Hoa was escorted by his family across the street. Her hair was messy and there were scratches on her face. Seeing my shop, she suddenly went crazy and rushed over. 5 “That's it!” “It was this little monster that harmed me!” "He's only three years old, how can he know what's under my bed? How can he know if the brick kiln will burn?" People in the village are still talking about me being very "spiritual". After hearing her scream like that, everyone's eyes looking at me also changed. Both awe and fear. My mother's hand hugging me immediately tightened. I heard it
Mom's heart beats very fast. I know this is the final hurdle. If Do Mai Hoa blamed the arson on me, my mother would be caught up in a new rumor. I poked my head out of my mother's lap, tears in my eyes looking at Do Mai Hoa. “Auntie, A Nhu will not harm you.” “It was a white-bearded old man who told A Nhu.” Everyone immediately became silent. I sniffled and continued to say: "He said my aunt scolded my mother and he was unhappy." “He said your mouth is evil, your heart is also evil.” “He said the fire did not burn you, but burned lies.” Do Mai Hoa's face turned pale. “You talk nonsense!” I tilted my head, like I really didn't understand. “If you don't have a man, why are you taking off your clothes in the brick kiln?” Some people around couldn't help but laugh. Immediately afterwards, loud laughter immediately erupted. Do Mai Hoa looked like her skin had been stripped off, her whole body trembling. She still wanted to scold me for being a monster. But the people in the village no longer believed her. A woman is caught in the act of having an affair, even if she calls the other person a monster, she is just like a crazy dog biting indiscriminately. Do Mai Hoa was escorted to divorce. He threw her clothes and a torn wooden chest out the door and wrote a farewell note. Do Mai Hoa knelt down and cried. “Lam Dai Dung, I have lived with you for so many years, you cannot be so cruel!” His eyes were bloodshot. “When you were messing around with cripple Trieu, did you ever think of me?” “When you threw dirty water on my sister, did you ever think about how a woman like her would have to live?” Do Mai Hoa's cry was choked. I was hugged by my mother, standing at the back of the crowd. Mom used her hands to cover my ears. But I still hear it. “I just can't stand it!” Do Mai Hoa screamed shrilly.