Chapter 14 — After taking the university entrance exam, I transferred my household registration to my adoptive mother's house

Trieu's mother leaned closer to look, reading word by word. When she read the words "Lam Chu", she raised her hand to gently touch the name.

“Is this your name?”

“Is it printed?”

“So it's true, right?”

“Really.”

Trieu's mother squeezed my arm, bowed her head and rested her forehead on my shoulder. Don't cry. Just like that. It's been a long time. Then she let go and took the phone out of her pocket.

“Come on, come on, I'll take a picture for you.”

“Take your admission notice and stand under the apple tree.”

“Why do we have to stand under the apple tree?”

I held the newspaper and stood under the apple tree. Trieu's mother raised her phone and stood too close, almost right in my face.

“Mom, step back a bit, it's too close.”

She took two steps back, then took another step back, almost tripping over the doorstep.

"Alright!"

“Let's have a laugh!”

“One two three!”

She pressed three times in a row. Take three photos. Then look at it again and nod with satisfaction.

“This picture is beautiful.”

“This picture makes you smile so beautifully.”

She set that photo as her phone wallpaper. Until now... It's still the same picture. After taking photos, Trieu's mother went to find the neighbors. She carried a bowl of freshly cooked braised eggs and knocked on Trieu Dai Minh's door.

“Old Trieu!”

As soon as the door opened, Trieu's mother immediately put the phone in front of him.

“Look!”

“My daughter!”

“The admission notice from Peking University!”

Trieu Dai Minh was not fully awake yet, squinting at the screen.

“Oh okay okay, I know.”

“Yesterday you showed me your exam scores, the day before yesterday you showed me your exam notice, and the day before that you showed me his photo—”

“That's not the same!”

“This is the admission notice!”

“That's the admission notice!”

Trieu Dai Minh sighed and conveniently picked up a braised egg in the bowl.

“Okay okay.”

“Your daughter is good.”

“The best in the whole village.”

Trieu's mother carried the bowl and continued to the next house. The entire Bac Quan street has more than twenty households. She knocked on every door. Each family must see a photo of the admission notice. Then eat one of her braised eggs. When she returned, the bowl was empty. But the smile on his face never faded. That evening, she made a phone call to someone. I sat in the room and heard her mumbling in the yard. Very small voice. But there were still a few sentences that reached my ears—

“The tuition money I have…”

“The past few years have been enough to save…”

“No need to worry, I know my story myself…”

"Okay, okay, no more talking. Am I happy? Yes... yes... I know."

She hung up the phone and entered the house.

“Who called that?”

“No one, the vegetable seller.”

“The vegetable seller called mom at nine o'clock at night?”

“People are busy during the day.”

She refused to say whether she lived or died. I don't ask anymore. There are things... That don't need to be said. She saved for eight years. A tofu stall in the market. A piece of bean makes a few dimes, and if you sell it well in a day, you can only earn forty or fifty yuan. During the summer, there were days when the beans failed and even lost capital. But she still tried to save money. Don't buy new clothes. Don't eat out. The phone still uses the old model from five years ago. The money she saved had only one purpose— Waiting for my return. Wait until I go to college. She never said it. But I know. I once looked at the electricity bill on her phone and calculated it. Her electricity bill is just over thirty yuan each month. In winter, the heating is not turned on. In the summer, do not turn on the air conditioner. Thirty-something yuan for electricity... Just enough for lights and a refrigerator. Every bit of electricity she saves. Each One coin she kept. It's all waiting for me to return. At the end of August, I packed my bags and prepared to go to Beijing to study. Trieu's mother packed three suitcases for me. The first suitcase contains clothes. Each set is neatly folded square, with an insect-proof scented bag sandwiched in the middle. The second suitcase contains daily necessities. Toothpaste, toothbrush, towel, slippers, wash basin... Full set. As for the third suitcase— I opened it. A suitcase full of food. Dried radish. Peach cake bowl. There was also a large bag of braised eggs.

“It's too much.”

“Not much.” Trieu's mother continued to add more things. "Everything is expensive in Beijing, I know you can't afford to buy it."

“The school has a cafeteria.”

“Is the cafeteria food as good as mom's cooking?”

I have no way to refute. On the day of departure, Trieu's mother insisted on seeing me off to the train station. She wore a new outfit. It's a real new item. A light blue cotton shirt, paired with black pants. Her hair was also neatly braided. I looked at her for a few seconds.

“Mom bought new clothes?”

“It's very cheap, just buy it at the market, thirty yuan.”

"Of course." She raised her chin. "Once upon a time, your mother was also a flower branch of the vegetable market."

“…Who ordained that?”

“Old Trieu said.”

Trieu Dai Minh really dares to say anything. At the train station door, Trieu's mother helped me carry three suitcases to the security check gate. Before entering, she stopped.

“Mom, let's see you off here.”

“Remember to call mom when you get there.”

"Eat, drink and sleep well, don't save too much money. If you don't have enough money, tell your mother."

“Don't say 'yes' to everything anymore, say something meaningful.”

I thought for a moment then said:

“Waiting for my winter break to come back…”

“I brought Peking duck for mom.”

Trieu's mother burst out laughing. She raised her hand to adjust my collar for me. Actually, the collar is not askew at all. She just wanted to touch me a little more. I turned around and went into the station. After walking more than ten steps, I turned around and looked back once. Trieu's mother was still standing there. The light blue shirt stands out among the crowd. She waved at me. The words were two words: I turned around and continued walking. Go through the ticket check gate. Go through the ticket gate. I won't turn around again. It's not that I don't want to turn around. But I don't dare. When the train started moving, I sat next to the window, watching the city gradually recede. The phone vibrated once. Trieu's mother sent a message to:

"Remember to text your mom when you get there. Don't just eat snacks on the train, there are dumplings in the thermos. Eat the dumplings first."

I bent down and opened the thermos at my feet. Chive dumpling. Still hot. I eat one. The taste was exactly the same as when I was ten years old. Outside the window, the landscape is constantly changing. Tile houses turned into high-rise buildings. Fields turned into big roads. Small train stations turned into transit centers. There is still an unanswered message on the phone. Sent by Lam Kien Quoc:

"Chu Chu, remember to tell dad when you get to school. Dad will transfer fifty thousand yuan to your card, as tuition."

I looked at that message twice. Then open the chat box with Trieu's mother. Answer one question:

"Mom, the dumplings are delicious. I'll call you when I get there."

After sending, I turned off the phone, leaned back in the chair and closed my eyes. The ship sailed to the North. Further and further away. But I know... Behind me there is a small yard. In the yard there is a red apple tree. There is a pot of steaming braised eggs. And there was a woman wearing it new shirt thirty yuan. It's my new home. Just my mother. From now on... It's always been like that.