Chapter 7 — Crow's Mouth Demands Justice

The video from the party soon spread throughout school groups. He was surrounded by photographers and was so angry that he smashed other people's phones. The school disciplined him. His parents had to pay compensation, then came to my parents to ask for an explanation. Before the National Day holiday, I received a parcel from my mother. Inside was a new sweater, a bank card and a letter. The letter contained many apologies. She said she dreamed that I had a fever when I was a child, hugging her tightly and refusing to let go. She said she regretted not loving me well. After reading it, I sent the entire bank card back. I donated the sweaters to the school's used clothing collection bin. I stuck the letter in the book. Not forgiveness. Just to remind myself to never turn back again. During winter break of my first year, I volunteered at the hospital, helping nurses push wheelchairs and giving directions to lost patients. There was a child who cried very intensely before the injection. The boy's mother couldn't comfort him no matter how much he tried. He was so impatient that he was sweating. I squatted in front of the boy and said in a low voice: "It won't hurt too much, just bear with it a little and it will be over." When the needle was inserted, the child's crying suddenly stopped. The boy blinked and looked at me. "Sister, it really doesn't hurt." I was stunned for a long time. It turns out my words can also reassure others. After that, Trinh Nghien An came to school to look for me once. He lost a lot of weight, his hair was messy, and he had dark circles under his eyes. He stood in front of the school gate and was stopped by the security guard. When I walked out of the library, he immediately rushed forward. "Tinh Dao." "My retake procedure couldn't be done, the school wouldn't let me change my major." "My parents forced me to pay the tuition myself." "Can you take back that sentence?" I looked at him. "Take back which sentence?" His throat moved. "The person who destroys the future of others will have to walk the same path of destruction." I shook my head. His eyes turned red. "Can we really go back?" I didn't answer. Inside the school gate, someone called me to go to school. I turned around and left. Trinh Nghien An shouted behind him: "Tong Tinh Dao, you will regret it!" I stopped walking. This time, I didn't use my ability. I just turned my head to look at him. "The only person who regrets it is you." From then on, he never came again. In the spring of my second year, I saw my name on the school's official information page. First line in the scholarship list. The advisor told me to go up on stage and speak. I stood under the lights in the hall, there were many new students below. Someone asked me why I chose to study medicine. I said: "Because I want to save people." "I also want to save myself who didn't dare to talk." Applause rang out from below. Before graduating, I went home once. That building is very old. When my mother opened the door, she almost didn't recognize me. Her hair was half gray, her apron was stained with grease. Seeing me, her eyes immediately turned red. "Tinh Dao, you're home." The house was very messy. Tong Le sat on the sofa, his face yellow, the corner of his lips leaving a faint scar. Seeing me, she immediately turned away. My father walked in from the balcony, a cigarette in his hand, his back also hunched. I placed a health check appointment paper on the table. "Your parents are old, go get a health check." My mother covered her mouth, tears falling. "Tinh Dao, are you still willing to care about us?" I calmly said: "I study medicine." "Reminding others to check their health is a habit." The light in her eyes slowly dimmed. Tong Le suddenly laughed coldly. "What are you pretending to be generous?" "If you come back now, don't you just want to see us being laughed at?" I looked at her. She immediately shut her mouth, as if remembering the words that had come true. I just

said: "You yourself are a joke." Her face turned red, but she didn't dare say a word in response. My father was silent for a long time, then suddenly said in a low voice: "We were wrong that year." I nodded. "I know." When I turned to leave, my mother chased me to the door. "Tinh Dao, will you come back later?" The light in the hallway was so bright it was blinding. I thought for a moment. "It depends on the situation." She cried and nodded. "Okay, okay." I went down the stairs. The phone vibrated, it was an internship announcement from the hospital. I was assigned to the cardiovascular surgery department. That was the direction I most wanted to follow when I registered my aspirations that year. I stood under the building, looking up at the old window. The figure behind the window shrunk into a small shape. They finally learn to be afraid of losing. But I'm no longer waiting for them to turn around. I put my phone in my pocket and walked towards the bus stop. The wind blew, carrying with it a very faint smell of antiseptic. I suddenly remembered the curse I blurted out when I was seven years old. At that time, everyone said I had a crow's mouth. Only later did I understand. What's truly scary has never been my words. It's the people who clearly know that knife will hurt others, but still intentionally show it.