Chapter 2 — After My Roommate Robbed My Dad

The air was as heavy as lead. Lam Vy's face changed from pale white to ash gray without any blood left. She was sitting in the "boyfriend's car" that she had bragged about countless times... It was like she was being dragged to trial publicly in front of everyone. Uncle Vuong stepped down from the driver's seat and respectfully said to my father:

“President Hua, let me carry your luggage for you.”

Chairman Hua. Those two words were like two slaps straight to Lam Vy's face. My father's eyes shifted back and forth between me and her. How experienced is he? Just a moment is enough to understand roughly everything. His face immediately darkened. Not with me. But with the uninvited guest in that car.

“This classmate.”

His voice turned cold.

“Did I get on the wrong bus?”

Lam Vy's whole body trembled strongly. She looked at my father, her eyes filled with pleading and fear. Perhaps she thought I would directly expose everything in front of everyone, leaving her with no way back. But I don't. I just calmly looked at her, slowly saying each word:

“Lam Vy, get out of the car.”

“This is my father's car.”

I said those words very softly. But it was like a sledgehammer hitting her right in the heart. Lam Vy struggled to get out of the car, almost crawling, even unable to stand and staggering. There were many students around who noticed the movement here and started pointing and talking about the Maybach.

"Isn't that Lam Vy? Didn't she ask her boyfriend to come pick her up?"

“Why did you get out of Hua Giai's father's car?”

"Hua Giai's family... is that rich?"

Each sound of discussion was like needles piercing Lam Vy's ears. She lowered her head, not daring to look at anyone. My father never looked at her again. He walked next to me and gently patted my shoulder.

“Giai Giai, let's go home first, we'll talk about other things when we go home.”

I nodded. Uncle Vuong put my luggage in the trunk of the car. I opened the door and sat inside. From beginning to end, I did not give Lam Vy even one more look. There are times when... Ignoring is more painful than blaming. The car rolled slowly. Through the rearview mirror, I saw Lam Vy standing alone in the middle of the school gate, like a clown whose lies had just been exposed. The car is extremely quiet. My father did not immediately inquire. He just gave me a bottle of water.

“At school… were you bullied?”

At that moment, tears almost came out of my eyes. But I held back. It is the weapon of the weak. But from today onwards— I will no longer be weak.

“Dad, don't get involved in this matter.”

I looked at him, my eyes determined.

“Let me figure it out myself.”

My father looked at me, his eyes were a little surprised, but more of a look of relief. He only said one word.

“If you need anything, just tell dad anytime.”

I nodded slightly. When I returned to the dormitory, Ngo Man was helping me pack up the remaining things. Lam Vy has not returned yet.

“Hua Giai, I just heard people telling stories at the school gate…”

Ngo Man looked at me with both curiosity and concern.

“What is it all about?”

“It's just as you heard.”

I replied very calmly. Ngo Man immediately took a deep breath of cold air.

“Oh my god… so is Lam Vy she…”

I picked up the unsealed perfume box on the table and conveniently threw it into the trash. That was the "birthday gift" Lam Vy gave me last week. She once said, that is Limited edition boyfriend brought back from France. Now that I think about it... I just used my father's money to buy it to please me and satisfy my own vanity. How ridiculous. My belongings are not much. Soon the cleaning was done. Just as I was about to leave— The dormitory door was pushed open. Lam Vy returns. Her eyes were red, her hair was messy, and the makeup on her face was smudged. As soon as Ngo Man saw her, he immediately found an excuse to sneak out. In the room... Only me and her left. Lam Vy closed the door, leaned her back against the door and looked at me.

“Hua Giai…”

Her voice was hoarse. I didn't reply. Just keep packing your backpack.

“I… I didn't mean it.”

She frantically explained.

“I'm just… too greedy for glory.”

“I beg you… don't tell me, okay?”

She walked over and tried to pull my hand. I took a step back, avoiding that hand. I finally spoke up. Four eyes facing each other.

“Four years ago, the first day you moved into the dormitory, because you didn't have money to buy a new laptop, you cried all night under the blanket.”

“My living expenses that month… I gave it all to you.”

“And I ate dumplings for a month.”

Lam Vy's face turned a little whiter.

“Second year, your mother had to have surgery, you said the family didn't have enough money.”

“I tricked my dad into saying I wanted to sign up for an expensive extra class, then took twenty thousand yuan and gave it to you.”

Her lips began to tremble.

“Third year, you want to participate in the competition so you need to rent a prom dress.”

“I used all the scholarship money I had accumulated over a long time to rent that dress for you.”

Every time I said something else... Her face became a little more unsightly. I have never told anyone those stories. Because back then… I honestly considered her my best friend. What about her? She took the money I had saved up to give her, turned around and bragged to me about her "rich boyfriend". She enjoyed my kindness, but secretly laughed at my "normality". The most disgusting thing is— She built everything on the father I respected the most.

“I just asked you a few questions.”

My voice was cold as ice.

“When did you first meet my father?”

She trembled and replied:

“First year… first year winter break… I worked part-time at a restaurant, he came to eat, then I…”

“So from that moment on, you started lying to him that you were an orphan, had a difficult life, and needed help?”

Lam Vy did not answer. But silence... is also admission. My father was originally a soft-hearted person. Especially with girls my age, he was always more compassionate than others.

“How much money did he give you?”

“I… I don't know…”

“Don't know?”

I laughed coldly.

“Then let me help you figure it out.”

“The Cartier bracelet on your hand, thirty-eight thousand yuan.”

“Bulgari necklace around your neck, twenty-six thousand.”

“The Hermes Birkin you showed off to your circle of friends last year, including the cost of accessories, was at least a hundred and fifty thousand.”

“And the high-end hotels you stay at every month, the Michelin restaurants you check-in for four years…”

“Have you ever considered?”

“The money my father gave you… is enough to buy a house in my hometown.”

She fell limply to the ground, crying until she couldn't make a sound.

“I was wrong... I really know I was wrong then…”

“What's the use of apologizing?”

I walked in front of her, bowed my head and looked down.

“Every penny you spend…”

“They were all stolen from me.”

“You enjoy every bit of glamor…”

“All in exchange for my kindness and trust.”

“You made my father an accomplice to cheating on his own daughter.”

“Do you really think an apology is enough?”

I pulled the suitcase back and took out a notebook from inside. That was originally my expense record. But from today— It will have a new use. I opened it to a blank page. Write down the first line.

“Lam Vy — total debt…”

I raised my head to look at her. His eyes were so cold that they no longer had any temperature.

“From today…”

“Whatever you owe me, I will reclaim it one by one.”

“Both capital and profit.”