Chapter 5 — After taking the university entrance exam, I transferred my household registration to my adoptive mother's house

In the last ten seconds, she probably turned to shout to uncle Trieu Dai Minh next door:

"Old Trieu! My daughter ranked first in the province! First place! Did you hear that?"

Uncle Trieu's voice came from far away:

"I heard it, I heard it! It's midnight, please lower your voice, the whole street can hear it now!"

Trieu's mother completely ignored it. Still continuing to cry. Keep smiling. I put the phone next to the pillow and closed my eyes. At 0:15, the phone started vibrating frantically. The class group exploded.

“Damn, Lam Chu 709 points?!”

"Valuctor in the entire province! Our class has the valedictorian in the entire province!"

“Lam Chu is amazing!!!”

Messages flow at a rate of more than twenty messages per second. I turned off group notifications. Right after that, homeroom teacher Ly called.

"Lam Chu! 709 points! Did you know?! You are the valedictorian of the natural science class in the whole province!"

“Yes, I know.”

"Do your parents know? Your parents—"

“They are in Sanya.”

Ms. Ly's voice paused for a second.

“…Still not back yet?”

Ms. Ly took a deep breath. I heard it right away. That was her way of breathing to suppress her anger. It's been three years, I'm so familiar with it.

“So you… are you okay?”

"I'm fine. Miss Ly, thank you."

“Thank you for what you are, you are the best student I have ever—”

Her voice suddenly choked, then quickly changed the subject.

"There will be reporters coming to interview you. Provincial and city newspapers will all come. Prepare yourself mentally first."

"Oh right, remember to let your parents know. Parents may need to appear during the interview."

“Yes. I will arrange it.”

After hanging up the phone, I lay in bed for another twenty minutes. The truly exciting play finally begins. At 0:40, the family group lights up. The person texting is not my mother. It's my sister, Lam Duyet.

"Damn??? Lam Chu 709 points??? First place in the province???"

Immediately followed by Tien Le Hoa:

“What?!”

Next is the voice of my father, Lam Kien Quoc. Just two seconds.

“Is it true?”

I don't answer. Thirty seconds later, Tien Le Hoa sent another message:

"Chu Chu, did you really get 709 on the exam? Is it true? Answer me quickly!"

I typed three words: The group chat went silent. It must have been quiet for a minute. Then my phone immediately rang. Tien Le Hoa called.

"Chu Chu! 709 points! First place in the entire province!"

Her voice almost broke with excitement.

"Oh my god! Mom knew you could do it! Mom knew right away!"

She kept repeating the phrase "I knew right away", as if she really knew it all along. One person had never looked at my transcript for six years, and couldn't even remember which class I was in... Then he said "I know right away". I held the phone two centimeters away from my ear. The other side is still shouting:

"Your father said you have to change your ticket to go back now! Come back tomorrow! No no no, go home today! Kien Quoc, quickly book a plane ticket!"

From behind came my father's voice, a rare expression of urgency:

“What time is the earliest flight?”

My sister is also frantic:

"It's done, it's done, it's done! My things haven't been packed yet!"

And my younger brother was probably still playing games, lazily interjecting a sentence:

“You really are the best.”

Everyone watch. Is it special yet? The Sanya sea breeze hasn't been enjoyed enough yet... I'm already frantically wanting to fly back. I knew they would be like that. So my timeline is calculated very accurately. The household registration was just transferred the other day. Scores were announced today. But they can return tomorrow home. Before they return… I have more than ten hours to prepare. Enough is enough. I sent Trieu's mother a message:

"Mom, please take the fastest high-speed train up here tomorrow morning. I've already bought the ticket."

Mother Trieu replied immediately:

"Okay! Mom, what should I wear?"

I thought for a moment then texted back:

“It's okay to wear normal clothes that mom usually wears.”

"How can that be? It's such a big deal, you have to dress properly."

I looked at the phone screen, the corners of my lips curled up slightly.

“Whatever mom wears is very dignified.”

The other side was silent. It took a while before sending just one word: I put down the phone and lay in the dark, looking at the ceiling. Tomorrow, reporters will come. Tomorrow, my biological parents will rush back. Tomorrow, Trieu's mother will also come. Everyone... will appear on the same stage. And the director of this play—