Chapter 3 — Don't Touch An An

Ton My Lan was stunned. Tham Thanh Dao took the notebook back and put it in the file. "Tomorrow I will take An An to get vaccinated." "The day after tomorrow, arrange the luggage." "In three days, roll call." "For these eight months, Ha Dinh will take care of the child." Ha Dinh sneered. "Do you think I won't be able to live if I leave you?" Tham Thanh Dao picked up her bag. "Then just try it." This sentence was very light. But in the living room no one spoke anymore. Ton My Lan's finger was still pointing at her, but seemed frozen in mid-air. Ha Dinh's face was very gloomy. He thought Tham Thanh Dao was forcing him to bow his head. But Tham Thanh Dao did not wait for his bow. She took An An out to get vaccinated. Queuing, paying, monitoring after injection. An An cried for a while, then quickly fell asleep in her arms. Tham Thanh Dao sat in the hospital hallway, looking at the child in her arms. A message from the homeroom teacher appeared on her phone. "The dormitory has been arranged. During the intensive management training period, video calls can be made every Sunday evening." She replied with one word "Received". Next, she opened the notes application and wrote the first line: "No more paying Ha Dinh's car loan." Second line: "No more transferring any money to Ton My Lan." Third line: "Save the receipt, when necessary, I will consult with a lawyer." Finished writing, she locked the phone screen. The glass window reflects her face. Very calm. Three days later, Tham Thanh Dao dragged her suitcase out of the house. Ha Dinh sat on the sofa playing games. An An hugged her legs and cried. Tham Thanh Dao squatted down and hugged her child for a long time. "Good An An." "Mom calls you every day." Ha Dinh lost patience and said: "Stop it, it's not like you won't come back anymore." Tham Thanh Dao stood up and looked at him. "These eight months, don't disappoint me." Ha Dinh sneered. "Do you really consider yourself the center of the universe?" Tham Thanh Dao did not answer. She opened the door, pulled her suitcase and walked out. The door closed behind him. The hallway is very quiet. The moment the elevator door closed, she saw her phone screen light up. It was a text message sent by Ha Dinh. "Remember to remind me to make milk for An An." Tham Thanh Dao looked at that text and did not reply. Nine days later, at the training building in Nam Thanh, it rained. Tham Thanh Dao had just finished school when her phone vibrated until it was hot. Forty-two missed calls. Eighty messages. Latest message from Ha Dinh. "I answer the phone right away!" "An An is missing!"04 Tham Thanh Dao stared at the words An An is missing, her fingertips immediately became cold. Rainwater slides along the glass of the training building. She did not respond to the message immediately. She called Ha Dinh first. As soon as the phone was connected, Ha Dinh's scream came out. "Where did you die?" "I called you so many times, why didn't you answer the phone?" Tham Thanh Dao stood at the end of the hallway, his voice very steady. "When did An An go missing?" Ha Dinh's side was extremely chaotic. Ton My Lan is crying. Ha Khai is cursing. There is also the voice of the residential area security guard. Ha Dinh gasped. "It's after seven o'clock in the evening." Tham Thanh Dao glanced at the time. It is now eight forty-six minutes. She closed her eyes tightly. "She's been missing for over seven hours, and now you're telling me?" "At first I thought she was only playing downstairs!" "Who took her downstairs?" The other end of the line was silent for two seconds. Tham Thanh Dao's voice was cold. "Say it." Ha Dinh shouted in frustration. "Your mother brought her down." "Why did she come downstairs?" "The little girl cried to find her sister, my mother criticized her for being noisy, so she took her to the square to play for a while." "Ha Dinh, before I left, I told you, An An is afraid of strangers, and should not leave the sight of adults at night." "Is saying these things useful now?" "Have you reported to the police?" Ha Dinh was silent again. Tham Thanh Dao's fingers tightened as she grabbed the phone. "I asked if you had called the police

yet?" Ton My Lan grabbed the phone, cried and cried. "Do you still have the face to ask?" "If it weren't for you running off to train for something, would she have been lost?" "A mother like you is so cruel!" Tham Thanh Dao did not argue with her. She said every word clearly. "Give the phone to the police." Ton My Lan choked. Ha Dinh snatched the phone back. "I'll report it right away. "It's not right now, it's now." "Tham Thanh Dao, can you stop talking to me in that tone?" "I'm not negotiating with you right now." Ha Dinh swore, then hung up. Tham Thanh Dao immediately called the building management. The person on duty was Mr. Truong. Old Truong received her phone call very urgently. "Mr. Ha just brought someone to check the camera." Where did the baby last appear?" "Seven twenty-six, near the south gate of the residential area." "Who followed her?" Old Truong paused for a moment. "In the camera, it was your mother-in-law leading the baby." Tham Thanh Dao's hand holding the phone tightened tighter. "And then what?" "Then her mother-in-law went to argue with a fruit seller." "The child stood next to it." "After that, a man wearing a jacket Black squatted down to talk to the baby."