Chapter 5 — From now on, mountains and rivers do not match each other

Lam Da studies extremely hard. Sometimes I wake up to go to the bathroom at night and still see his shadow in the window. Lam Nguyet is also very understanding, after completing her homework she helps with housework, the small yard is always swept clean. Life went on like that, calmly but prosperously. Until one rainy night, I came home from the emergency room, soaking wet. After showering, he stepped out and saw Lam Da sitting in the living room, holding a wooden stick in his hand.

“What's going on?”

“Just now there was someone clinging to the wall watching.” He tensed up, "I'll give you a knock, he's gone."

My heart sank. The security of Thanh Thach alley has always been good, but the old house only had me and two children, which was really worrying.

"In the future, when I come home late, you guys will lock the door, no need to wait for me."

Lam Da shook his head: "It's dangerous for you to be alone." He paused for a moment: "Ms. Vu Vi, have you... had anything happen to you before?" I stopped. This teenager has remarkable observation ability.

“It's all over.” I spoke softly.

“But I haven't gotten over it yet.” Lam Da looked straight at me, "When you sleep, you often get startled awake. When you hear the sound of a car braking suddenly, your body freezes. Also..." He pointed to the inside of my wrist, where there was a faint scar, "This is the scar left when struggling, right?"

I suddenly covered my wrist. That scar was left by Luc Tram Chu the first and only time he attacked me. That night he got drunk, because I didn't go to his mother's birthday party — in fact, I didn't know there was a party at all. The servant deliberately did not inform me. He squeezed my wrist and pressed me against the wall: "Khuong Vu Vi, you will never learn how to be Mrs. Luc." I didn't cry or make a fuss, just waited for him to sober up and calmly said: "Then let's divorce." He slammed the door and left. When the divorce agreement later arrived, the terms were so harsh they were almost humiliating. I signed, stroke by stroke, writing down my name.

“Lam Da,” I regained my composure, “There are some wounds that need time to heal.”

The teenager was silent for a long time.

“Then I will protect you.” He said, “Until you don't have nightmares anymore.”

—

Spring and autumn, I have lived in Van Chau for two full years. Nhan Hoa Duong's signboard is getting brighter and brighter, with many famous patients coming. Master Tan gradually assigned more patients to me, while he himself focused on researching a few incurable diseases. Lam Da can independently handle simple cases of colds and fevers. Lam Nguyet has also reached 3rd grade, with very good academic performance. I thought life would always pass peacefully like this. Until that afternoon, a black sedan parked in front of Nhan Hoa Duong. The car door opened and the first person to get out was Chau Minh. My heart made a "thud" sound. Just then, from the backseat came out a shiny leather shoe. Luc Tram Chu. After two years of not seeing him, he lost a little weight and his facial features became sharper. The straight tailored suit, standing in front of the rustic medical shop, looked extremely out of place. His eyes scanned the medicine cabinet, the examination table, and finally stopped on me. I was wearing a linen shirt, with the sleeves rolled up to my elbows, with the medicinal powder I had just finished pounding on my hands.

“Khuong Vu Vi.” He spoke, his voice colder than in memory.

I put down the pestle to pound the medicine: "Mr. Luc, please line up for medical examination." He frowned, clearly not used to such treatment. Chau Minh took a step forward: "Miss Khuong, Mr. Luc came to Van Chau to survey the project, I heard you are here..."

"Assistant Chau," I interrupted, "This is a medical clinic, we don't discuss personal matters. If Mr. Luc feels unwell, please draw numbers according to the procedure."