Chapter 1 — After taking the university entrance exam, I transferred my household registration to my adoptive mother's house

After finishing university exams, my parents took my sister and younger brother to travel to Sanya, and I took my household registration book to the police station. Having just finished the university entrance exam, her parents took her older sister and younger brother on vacation. As for me, while they were not at home, I quietly brought my citizen ID card and household registration book and went to the police station to carry out procedures to transfer my household registration back to my adoptive mother's house. On the day the exam scores were announced, reporters came to interview my parents, asking how they raised a valedictorian in the entire province. I smiled and pointed to the woman standing next to me.

“The person everyone should interview… is her.”

At five o'clock on the afternoon of June 8, the final English subject of the university exam ended. I walked out of the exam room and stood in front of the school gate for three minutes. The surrounding classmates all had family members waiting. Some people cried, others laughed, and as soon as they left the gate, a bouquet of flowers was stuffed into their lap. In my pocket I only have one house key. The side is empty. Well... it's not like there's absolutely no one. My mother — no, my real mother, Ms. Tien Le Hoa, just sent a message in the family group:

"Chu Chu, the exam is over, right? There's yesterday's ribs in the refrigerator, warm them up and eat them yourself. Tomorrow morning we're all flying to Sanya, our luggage has already been loaded into the car, stay home and take care of the house."

I stared at that message for ten seconds. Right after that, the second message appeared. It's my sister, Lam Duyet.

“Sister, please take the black suitcase from your room. The wheels are more convenient to pull.”

The third message was from my younger brother, Lam Hao.

“Remember to feed my hamster, the cage is on the desk.”

Three messages. Arrange clearly and in order. Hamsters. That is my role in this house. Housekeeper, errand boy, hamster nanny. I only answered with one word: Then exit the family group, open the contacts, scroll down to the bottom, click on the phone number saved with the name "Mother Trieu". The phone rang just two hours before it was picked up.

"Chu Chu? Are you done with the exam?"

The other end of the line was breathing rapidly, sounding like they were going somewhere in a hurry. My throat tightened slightly.

“It's done.”

“How did you do the test?”

"What do you mean it's okay? Tell me specifically."

I leaned against the wall in front of the school gate, raising my head to look at the sun above.

“I did it all, I didn't skip a single sentence.”

The other end of the line was silent for two seconds. Then an unconcealed laugh rang out.

"That's good, that's good. Chu Chu, do you want something to eat? Can I send it to you?"

“Mother Trieu, don't send it for now.”

I stopped for a moment.

“In a few days... I'll come find mom.”

Hanging up the phone, I leisurely walked home. When passing by the express delivery station in front of the residential area gate, I met Aunt Ton next door. She was carrying two cartons of milk, and as soon as she saw me, her eyes lit up.

"Oh Tieu Chu, have you finished your exam? Where are your parents?"

“They went on a trip.”

"Travel? Just finished exams and going on a trip? So where do you take your child?"

"They didn't take me with them. They only took my sister and younger brother to Sanya."

Aunt Ton's expression immediately froze. I'm so used to that kind of pause. The corner of his mouth still smiled, but his eyes began to silently think:

“What's going on with this family?”

I smiled.

“I have to stay home to look after the hamster.”

Aunt Ton twitched the corner of her lips.

“Looks… hamster?”

“Yes, my hamster your son.”

She opened her mouth, perhaps intending to say "This is too much", but out of respect for the neighbors, she only forced herself to say:

“So… remember to eat and drink properly.”

“It's okay, there's leftover ribs in the fridge from yesterday.”

This time Aunt Ton really couldn't bear it anymore. The expression on his face was written almost clearly:

“No, I have to go home and tell my husband about this.”

I opened the door and entered the house. On the living room tea table are scattered Sanya travel guides. The color print is perfect, and you also use a highlighter pen to circle the hotel and attractions. The printing date is June 1. In other words... When I hadn't yet taken the university entrance exam, they had already started planning. But in that plan, I was completely absent. I flipped through a few pages and found the hotel booking form. A large bed room with sea view — parents stay. A standard room — older sister and younger brother. Not three rooms. Even the possibility of "maybe I want to go"... They never thought about it. I put down the documents and returned to my room. A small room twelve meters square. By the window there is a desk, a bed, and half a wardrobe. The other half was taken by my sister, because she said the cupboard in her room "didn't have enough space". The desk was filled with scrap paper that I used throughout my three years of high school. Stacked nearly half a meter high. I have lived in this house for six years. From fourth grade of elementary school until graduating from high school. Six years ago, my biological parents — Lam Kien Quoc and Tien Le Hoa — came to my adoptive mother Trieu Que Lan's house to take me home. Blood ties together, love cannot be broken. What about the real reason? That year, I ranked first in the entire district in the fourth grade final exam and was also reported in the press. They suddenly remembered... Our family also has a daughter who studies very well. Trieu's mother couldn't stop it. She had no money, no power, just a middle-aged woman selling tofu at the market. Facing her two biological parents driving their car to the door, still holding a lawyer's letter, she could only cry and nod. That day, she hugged me tightly. Tears fell down my neck, hot and painful.

“Chu Chu, when you go over there, try to study well. Mom is waiting for you to come home."

I was ten years old that year. And this year, I'm eighteen. It's been eight years. I opened my desk drawer and took out a kraft paper bag from the bottom. Inside was my citizen ID card, and... I went to the living room, unlocked the second compartment of the TV shelf, and took out my household registration book. Open the notebook. Second page, head of household: Lam Kien Quoc. Flip further down.