Chapter 6 — Dawn After the Crack

Co Tham's expression did not change, but his movement of holding the cup paused for a moment.

“You go get tested, all the answers will naturally be clear.” He said, “If you want to know first – I can only tell you, twenty-eight years ago, Lin Chongshan's youngest son's daughter, Lam Tri Vien, went missing after giving birth at the hospital.”

Lam Niem So's hand tightening the silver lock tightened.

“Missing?”

"On the second day after giving birth, someone carried her away right into the hospital's newborn room. To this day, she still hasn't been found."

“Twenty-eight years ago.”

"Yes. She is twenty-eight years old this year."

Lam Niem So leaned back in the chair, her brain working at full capacity. The silver lock, the word "Lam", the orphanage, the paper with the word "Nien So", and Lam Sung Son's trembling hands as he looked at her.

“I heard.”

“Make an appointment for the test.”

The test was scheduled for the next morning. When Lam Niem So arrived at the hospital, Lam Sung Son was already there. The old man was wearing a gray shirt, standing in the hallway. When he saw her coming, he didn't say anything, just nodded once. Taking blood takes place very quickly, only five minutes. The nurse reported the results three days later. Stepping out of the blood collection room, Lam Sung Son walked beside her, walking very slowly, as if deliberately keeping pace with the slow walking speed of pregnant women.

“Niem So, do your adoptive parents treat you well?”

"It's normal. They have biological children, I'm just a leftover."

“What happens after that?”

"Then they had a traffic accident, the compensation money was given to their biological son. He was sixteen years old, he worked part-time to finish high school and university."

Lam Sung Son stopped walking.

“Twenty-eight years.” He whispered three words.

He said nothing more. But Lam Niem So saw him turn away and wipe away his tears. Coming out of the hospital, Lam Niem So bumped into Tran Canh Tham at the gate. He put his hands in his pockets and stood in front of the hospital gate. When he saw her, he immediately came over.

“Who did you go to the hospital with?”

“It has nothing to do with you.”

“Lam Niem So, are you having an affair with that guy named Co?”

“Are you following me?”

“Can't your husband take care of you?”

"Tran Canh Tham, when will you unfriend Phuong Di Nhien and then come here and say you care about me?"

Tran Canh Tham's face was sometimes red and sometimes white.

“It's a working relationship…”

“Seven hotel visits are work?”

“You – who talked nonsense to you?”

"Not important." Lam Niem So walked towards the sidewalk, "I have to call a car."

“You can't go.” Tran Canh Tham grabbed her arm tightly.

Lam Niem So bent down to look at the hand holding tightly to hers.

“Let go.”

“Let me make it clear first, what is your relationship with that guy Co Tham?”

"I told you, superior. I'm working in Cam Lan."

“I'm a pregnant woman going to work with a single man…”

“Tran Canh Tham.” Lam Niem So raised her head and looked straight into his eyes, "You have no right to take care of me now."

Tran Canh Tham's hand slowly loosened.

“You will regret it.” he said.

“I already regret it.” Lam Niem So hailed a taxi, "Regret marrying you."

She got in the car and closed the door. The car drove away, and through the rearview mirror, she saw Tran Canh Tham still standing in front of the hospital gate. The phone rang, it was a text message sent by Tong Dao. Tong Dao: Niem So, I just looked up some information. Father Tran Canh Tham, Tran Quoc Dong, twenty-eight years ago, worked as a security guard at Hai Thanh Hospital No. 1. Lam Niem So looked at this message, her fingers were cold. Hospital No. 1 Hai Thanh. Twenty-eight years ago. That was the year she was born, and also where Lam Sung Son's niece went missing. Lam Niem So went home, locked herself in her room and thought all night. Tran Quoc Dong, twenty-eight years ago worked as a security guard at Hai Thanh Hospital No. 1. Lam Tri Vien's daughter went missing at Hai Thanh No. 1 Hospital twenty-eight years ago. She is twenty-eight years old this year, grew up in Hai Thanh orphanage. On his body was a silver lock engraved with the word "Lam". All these coincidences gathered together, pointing to a possibility that she did not dare to think about. The next morning, she called Tong Dao.

"Dao Dao, help me investigate one more thing. The time Tran Quoc Dong quit his job at Hai Thanh No. 1 Hospital twenty-eight years ago, and his whereabouts after he quit."

“Are you suspicious of something?”

“I'm not sure, but I need to know.”

"Okay. I'll look it up today."

In the morning she went to Cam Lan for a meeting. Co Tham put the plan to launch the "So Kien" brand on the table, the first batch of six jewelry pieces was planned to be launched in two months, combined with the brand press conference.

“You have to be at the press conference.” Co Tham said.

“At that time, I probably would have already given birth.”

"It's fitting. By then you'll be debuting as chief designer."

Lam Niem So nodded. After the meeting, she walked out and ran into a woman at the elevator door. About thirty years old, wearing a luxurious beige suit, wearing a string of pearls on her collarbone that looked expensive. The woman saw her, her steps stopped a bit.

“Are you the newly signed designer?”

"I'm Lam Niem So. And you?"

“Tham Tinh Van. Director of Product Department of Cam Lan Group.”

She looked at Lam Niem So from head to toe: "I heard that you are a freely selected contestant? No background at all?"

“That's interesting.” Tham Tinh Van smiled slightly, an unkind smile, "The 'So Kien' brand was the plan I proposed. Originally, the position of chief designer had to be held by someone from our department. I don't know which door you went through to parachute in here."

"First place nationwide in the Cam Lan Cup competition, is it considered a door?"

Tham Tinh Van's face changed in an instant.

“Competing and actual branding are two different things.”

“So let the product speak for itself.”

The elevator arrived and the two of them stepped in together. Silent all the way. In the afternoon, Tong Dao called.

"Looked it up. Tran Quoc Dong, in March 1996, quit his job at Hai Thanh No. 1 Hospital. Reason for quitting: Self-resigned. After quitting his job for a month, he moved from Hai Thanh to Giang Thanh, entered the family name Tran in the village, and three months later registered his marriage with his current wife."

“March 1996.”

"That's right. Do you know when Lam Sung Son's niece went missing?"

“February 28, 1996.”

Lam Niem So held the phone tightly, her fingertips were cold. Tran Quoc Dong quit his job two days after the baby went missing, and left Hai Thanh a month later.