Chapter 9 — Betrayed by My Own Mother, Saved by My Mother-in-Law

Dai Tru signaled for me to approach with a soft, "Come in." I nodded and stepped inside. The principal, a man named Nghiem with hair like spun silver, listened to my story in silence. For over thirty minutes, he sifted through dusty, forgotten files until he finally pulled out my graduation certificate.

"Lam Trieu Thu, graduated from high school with honors."

As he read the words aloud, tears streamed down my face. It turned out that in this vast world, there were still pieces of paper that bore witness to my struggles. Principal Nghiem looked at me kindly. "My child, the university entrance exam is your gateway to opportunity. Do not give up so easily." He processed my certification and even took the time to handwrite a letter of recommendation. As I was leaving, he reached into his bookcase and pulled out a tattered, antique mathematics textbook. "Take this and study. The book may be old, but the knowledge within it never loses its value." I accepted the book with both hands, bowing deeply. "Thank you, Teacher."

On the journey back to the village, Dai Tru drove with unusual slowness. I clutched the book to my chest, a fire of ambition burning in my heart. But the moment we reached the outskirts of the village, we were met with a throng of people gathered at the gate of the Trieu family estate. Someone shouted, "Dai Tru, you two have finally returned!"

Dai Tru’s face darkened, and he twisted the throttle, speeding toward the house. I leaped off the bike and sprinted into the courtyard. The kitchen was a scene of devastation—furniture overturned, cupboards ransacked, and loose-leaf paper scattered across the dirt like fallen leaves. Mother Chau sat on the floor, her forehead gashed and blood trickling down her cheek. My mind went blank, and I threw myself toward her, crying, "Mother!"

When she saw me, her first words were, "Did you get the certificate?"

I nodded through my sobs. She sighed in relief, "That is good. That is all that matters."

I looked up, my voice trembling. "Who did this?"

From outside the gate, the neighbors whispered, "Your mother came."

My mother had not come alone. She had dragged my younger brother, Lam Dieu To, and two cousins from her side of the family along with her. While Dai Tru and I were in town, they had broken into the Trieu household, demanding to drag me back to my birth home. When Mother Chau tried to stop them, they ransacked my belongings. My mother threw my books to the ground, cursing the "trashy paper" that was ruining my life. When Mother Chau tried to intervene, my younger brother pushed her, sending her head crashing into the corner of the stove.

Hearing the neighbors recount these events, I felt an icy chill settle over my skin. It was not fear; it was pure, unadulterated rage. Never in my life had I realized so clearly that blood relation could be an iron wall, standing in one’s way time and time again, all while claiming it was for one’s own good.

I rushed into the room and began to gather my books with trembling hands. Several pages were marred by the imprint of muddy shoes, and my physics textbook had been torn at the spine. This was the book I had borrowed from Teacher Diep. My hands shook violently. Mother Chau stood up, leaning against the door frame. "Trieu Thu, don't cry. We can dry the books in the sun and read them again."

I turned to see the blood staining her forehead, and my heart felt as if it were being sliced by a blade. "Where did they go?"

Dai Tru said in a low, dangerous tone, "They went toward the west side of the village. They cannot have gone far."

I set the books down and turned to walk out. Mother Chau reached out to hold me back. "What are you doing?"

"I am going to find them."

"Don't go. What if they hurt you?"

I looked her straight in the eyes. "They have already hurt someone."

Mother Chau fell silent, stunned. I enunciated every word, "This time, I will not endure it any longer."

Dai Tru immediately stepped behind me. "I will go with you."

Beneath the large pagoda tree at the crossroads of the western hamlet, my mother was sitting on a stone, resting. Lam Dieu To was greedily chewing on a corn cake he had swiped from the Trieu house, while the two cousins squatted nearby, puffing on cigarettes. Seeing me, my mother stood up abruptly. "You still dare to show your face? Perfect. Come home with me."

I marched up to her. "Apologize to my mother-in-law."

She pretended she hadn't heard. "What?"

"Apologize to my mother-in-law." I pointed directly at her. "You broke into someone’s house, ransacked my things, and injured that woman. You will apologize."

My brother sneered. "Sister, did studying make you stupid? Mother is disciplining your husband’s house—she’s doing them a favor."

Dai Tru’s face turned grim, and he took a step forward. Dieu To cowered behind his cousin, yet his mouth remained stubborn. "What do you think you’re doing? I’m her own brother!"

I stared at this brother who had been coddled and placed on a pedestal by the entire family. He was nineteen, yet he couldn't carry a bucket of water or do a lick of labor. He greedily consumed the rice I grew and spent the money earned from selling me into marriage to build his house, and now he dared to push an elderly woman who had protected me. I found the irony pathetic. "From this day forward, you are no longer my responsibility."

My mother’s expression twisted in fury. "What kind of treacherous nonsense are you spewing?"

I replied, "Mother, you gave birth to me, and I acknowledge that. You raised me, and I acknowledge that too. But you tricked me into this marriage, took the dowry to build a house for him, and now you want to tear apart my books and cut off my lifeline. Those things? I do not accept them!"

My mother lunged forward, reaching for my hair. "You rebel!"

Dai Tru spread his arms, shielding me. "Don't touch her."

The two cousins jumped to their feet. "What? You think you can lay a hand on your elders?"

Dai Tru clenched his fists, but held his ground. I raised my voice, shouting to the surrounding area, "Neighbors, come out and see this for yourselves!"

The villagers, who had been watching from a distance, crowded around at the sound of my voice. I stood in the center of the gathering, my voice steady and clear as I spoke.