Chapter 10 — Betrayed by My Own Mother, Saved by My Mother-in-Law

My mother tricked me into coming to this village, claiming we were attending a feast, when in truth she intended to marry me off. She took the bride price from the Trieu family to fund her son’s life. Now, she has led a mob to storm the Trieu household, tearing apart my study books and shattering my mother-in-law’s head. Today, I am asking only one question: is such conduct moral according to any standard?

The crowd fell silent for a moment before a wave of murmurs broke out. "A deceptive marriage like that is truly wicked," someone whispered. Another added, "Regardless of the grievances, striking one's mother-in-law is clearly wrong."

My mother panicked, slapping her thighs and wailing loudly, "Oh, heavens above! I raised her, and now that she’s married, she won’t even acknowledge her own mother! My life is so bitter!" In the past, her crying would have terrified me. But this time, I simply watched her in silence.

"Crying will not help you now," I said.

Her wails caught in her throat. I continued, "If you truly believe you have done nothing wrong, then let us go to the township office and let the officials mediate. We can also ask about the current laws regarding parents who seize bride prices to force their daughters to abandon their university entrance exams. I wonder what the penalty for that might be."

My mother’s tears vanished instantly. She feared nothing more than going to the township office. She was terrified of the scandal, fearing it would hinder the marriage prospects for Lam Dieu To. Even Dieu To looked panicked. "Mother, stop arguing with her, let’s just go," he urged. I reached out to block their path. "Apologize first." My mother gritted her teeth, hissing, "Do not push people too far!" I looked straight at Lam Dieu To. "You were the one who pushed my mother-in-law. You must apologize." Dieu To stiffened, shouting, "I won't!" I turned on my heel and began to walk away. "Then to the township office we go."

"Sister!" Dieu To called out, frantic.

I did not stop. Finally, he screamed from behind me, "I apologize!" I turned back. "To whom?" His face was flushed crimson. He looked toward the Trieu residence and muttered, "I apologize to Mother Chau." My mother was trembling with rage. I added, "And one more thing, drop that corn cake you are holding." Humiliated, Dieu To threw the half-eaten cake onto the ground. Dai Tru stepped forward to pick it up, carefully wiping the dirt from it with his sleeve. I stared at that half-eaten cake, my chest tightening with suffocating grief. This was the brother I had sacrificed everything for over eighteen years.

As I walked away, my mother leaned in close to my ear and hissed, "Lam Trieu Thu, don't you dare regret this. If you actually manage to escape this place through your exams, don't ever expect your birth family to stand behind you." I looked at her with total calm. "I have not had a family to stand behind me for a very long time." She turned pale and dragged Lam Dieu To away.

Back at the house, Mother Chau was scattering ashes on the bloodstains in the courtyard. I rushed over and grabbed the broom from her hands. "Mother, please, sit and rest." She laughed it off, saying, "A small scratch is nothing to worry about." I washed her wound with warm water, my hands trembling uncontrollably. Mother Chau looked at me. "Were you afraid just now?"

"Yes," I admitted, no longer pretending to be strong. "But I was more afraid of being at their mercy for the rest of my life."

Mother Chau nodded. "That is the right way to think. People move forward not because they aren't afraid, but because one must move forward even while trembling."

That evening, Teacher Diep brought over the documentation. Seeing the chaos in the room and the injury on Mother Chau, she turned pale with anger. "You must submit the application as soon as possible. The longer we wait, the more risks we invite." She helped me organize the certificates and fill out the forms. I signed my name with deliberate care. Lam Trieu Thu. As I stared at those three characters, they felt both alien and sacred. It was not a name assigned to me by my mother on a whim in the household registry. It was a name I had claimed for my own life.

The next morning, we went to the township office. The head of the township was a stern, quiet man. He puffed on his water pipe while scrutinizing my files. Accountant Ton sat beside him, wearing a sour expression. The township head asked, "Does the Trieu family consent to this exam?" Mother Chau replied, "They consent." He then turned to Dai Tru. "Do you consent as well? If she passes, she will be gone." Dai Tru looked at me once before saying, "I consent." The township head tapped his pipe. "And what do you gain from this?" Dai Tru was silent for a moment before answering, "I gain the sight of her living the life she desires."

The room fell into an eerie silence. The township head looked at him for a long time without saying a word. Accountant Ton scoffed, "Easy to say. If she runs away completely, the township won't be held responsible." Mother Chau snapped back, "If she passes her exam, that’s called going to university, not running away!" The township head suddenly burst into laughter. "Good, that shows spirit." He took the seal and stamped my confirmation papers with a heavy thud.

The moment that bright red seal hit the paper, my heart hammered against my ribs. But Accountant Ton, standing nearby, muttered coldly, "The stamp is there, but whether the county accepts it is another matter. I hear the screening is extremely strict this year. If an applicant's background is complicated, they are often rejected on the spot." I gripped the paper tightly. Outside the window, dark clouds were gathering. I knew he was not just trying to scare me. The most difficult hurdle still lay ahead.

On the day I went to the county to submit my application, the sun had not yet risen, but Mother Chau was already up, busy kneading dough. The fire in the stove crackled as she mixed cornmeal with a little wheat flour, pressing out several thin, dry cakes. She then tucked two boiled sweet potatoes into my bag.

"The road is long. Eat if you get hungry."

I said, "Why bring so much, Mother?" She glared at me, "If you aren't well-fed, how will you have the blood left in your brain to do what needs to be done?"