Chapter 7 — Go home

When asking according to procedure, a normal-looking man wearing a staff uniform suddenly raised his hand, tremblingly pointed at me, stammering: "Dong, comrade police, I just saw... saw that little girl in the exhibition area over there for a long time, I don't know what she was fondling..." The policeman's face turned serious, he immediately asked again: "Are you sure?" raised her voice: "That girl first stood looking at the other side for a while, then deliberately walked around to the front of that painting!" With a bang, the already noisy conversations around immediately boiled over. My scalp was numb. "If the necklace is still in the exhibition room, maybe everyone should try looking? Maybe it's hidden in another exhibit!" In the crowd, I don't know who loudly suggested. "That's right, what if it's hidden in that painting!" Nguyet Nguyet raised her chin and looked at me, her voice sharp and determined. "That painting is so big, it's just perfect for hiding things!" The police officer looked at me and said in a businesslike tone: "Classmate, we need to check that painting." My heart pounded heavily in my chest, but I forced myself to stand up straight, not taking a step back. "No way." I looked straight into the police's eyes, not allowing any objections: "This is my mother's famous work, worth nine figures. If you want to investigate the case, you can search my body, you can check my pockets, but no one is allowed to touch this painting." It was as if Nguyet Nguyet was just waiting for this sentence from me. When she caught the weakness, she said sharply: "You didn't let me check, you obviously have a habit of being startled!" "I didn't take your necklace." I didn't give in and replied: "A search requires evidence. Is it possible that just relying on your one guess will condemn me?" "What's more, who can guarantee that in the process of removing this painting, there will be no damage? Who among you can bear it?" The police looked awkward when they heard my words, after all, the value of the painting was on display. Nguyet Nguyet was so angry that she looked at the police and refused to let go: "Police officer, she is covering up evidence! You must forcibly check!" Mrs. Tran looked at the tense situation and finally opened her mouth: "Han Han, just checking according to procedure. If it is determined that the necklace is not in the picture, I will just return your innocence." Check according to procedure. These four words suddenly opened an old wound in my memory. Half a year ago, the Tran family's maid lost her salary. Mrs. Tran didn't even ask, she wanted to search my body in front of everyone. That day, I was pinned down on the sofa by the maid, my shirt collar was pulled off, my shirt and pants pockets were emptied, and even the bed was overturned until the sky was broken. Later, money was found in the maid's pillowcase. After knowing the truth, Mrs. Tran only left a light sentence: "It's good that we found it, it just returned your innocence." The humiliation, as if being stripped away in front of everyone, was now creeping up her spine, inch by inch. "I said I wouldn't take it!"15My angry shout made Mrs. Tran's face turn pale in front of everyone. She quickly stepped forward, raised her hand to slap me. "Don't you dare touch one of my daughter's fingers?" I don't know when Mrs. Dao appeared at the top of the stairs. She strode to my side, gently pushing back the tangled hair behind my ear. "Mom..." I raised my head, my eye sockets immediately turned red, my voice trembled: "They want to take down my painting..." "Finally, you are willing to call me mom?" Mrs. Dao hugged me, her voice filled with pain and comfort: "Baby, it's just a painting, take it apart, take it apart, break it, break it. In my heart, you

ten thousand times more important than this painting.” I buried myself in her shoulder, my voice hoarse: "But I really didn't take that necklace." "Of course you believe me!" Mrs. Dao gently pinched my cheek, her fingertips wiped away the moisture at the corner of my eyes, her eyes were as steady as a shield. "With mom here, no one can slander me!" After comforting me, Mrs. Dao turned her head to look at everyone. Eyes as sharp as daggers swept over Mrs. Tran and Nguyet Nguyet. "Mrs. Tran, why are you making trouble again?" Mrs. Dao laughed coldly, her eyes fixed firmly on Mrs. Tran's face: "You and your mother always say that my daughter steals things, and even want to forcefully remove my paintings. I can coordinate the inspection, I can also bear the loss of the Dao family painting, but..." She raised her chin slightly, her voice rang out strongly: "If you take my painting apart and don't find the necklace, or find the necklace but there is no fingerprint on it..." Mrs. Tran was forced to the brink, and could only stubbornly ask Nguyet Nguyet: "Are you sure the necklace is in Han Han's painting?" Nguyet Nguyet firmly said: "I'm sure." Mrs. Tran took a deep breath: "Okay! Mrs. Dao, if the necklace is not in the picture, or the fingerprint is not Han Han's, I will let Nguyet Nguyet kowtow and apologize to Han Han in front of everyone!” “No need to kowtow.”