Chapter 3 — He Wants To Use Me To Hide A Secret

No food, no water, and forced to kneel in the hallway? This is trying to take my life! My grandmother looked at the surprised look on my face, the corner of her lips curled up into a cold smile.

"Are you not satisfied?"

"Didn't you say just now that you would sacrifice everything for your family?"

My heart is pounding in my chest. Not out of fear. But because of a cold, boiling anger. No food, no water, no kneeling in the street. What a trick to pull firewood from the bottom of the pot. In my previous life, I neither begged nor protested. I actually knelt on the street to the point of dehydration, knelt until I fainted, and finally was carried out, forced to take medicine, and then the next day was put on a palanquin. My ancestors used that method to completely crush my will. Turn me into a puppet with no soul, only knowing how to obey. In this life, I look at her face full of wrinkles but without any compassion. Look at the obvious coldness in her eyes. Suddenly I understood. When dealing with evil people, you cannot use common sense. The more you obey, the easier she thinks you are to control. The more you struggle, the more she enjoys the pleasure of holding everything in her hands. We have to step out of her way of thinking. The terror and fear in my eyes instantly disappeared. Instead there was an almost frantic calm. I bowed my head in front of her again. This time, the sound of the forehead hitting the tile floor sounded deep but clear.

"Your Majesty... consents."

My voice was very soft, but unusually firm, even carrying a hint of... joy? The proud smile on the grandmother's face stiffened. She thought about me begging. I thought about the scene where we protested. I thought about my collapse. But I never thought about the words "agree" from me.

"My daughter is willing to pray for the family's blessings, willing to kneel before her ancestors to reflect on herself."

I raised my head, my eyes incredibly bright.

"Grandmother is right, my daughter really needs to let go of all attachments to be able to devote herself wholeheartedly to the family."

"Not eating or drinking, just can express my daughter's determination to her ancestors!"

I proactively turned her punishment into my own sacrifice. Turn your cruelty into my devotion. This time, it was her turn to be confused. What she wants to see is my submission to suffering. Not our initiative to step forward. I didn't give her time to react and continued:

"Please, great-grandmother, fulfill my daughter's last wish."

"Please give me a book to record my first name, so that I can hold it in my arms and pray to my ancestors."

"My daughter wants to tell you that the daughter of the Tham family is pure and innocent when she gets married. It is for the glory of the family that she accepts sacrifice!"

I intentionally emphasized the words "purity" and "sacrifice" very strongly. Every word hit her nerves hard. If she doesn't agree, it means there is a devil in her heart, she doesn't want to let me leave "cleanly". If you agree, you will be forced to hand over your personal name book to me. It was you who I pushed onto the moral platform I built with my own hands, with no way back. The grandmother's face kept changing. She stared at me, as if wanting to find a flaw in my face. But we don't have it. On my face there was only the spirit of "hy "birth" was determined and brilliant. At that moment, Truong's mother walked in holding a purple sandalwood box from outside.

"Old lady, the first lady's maiden name book has been received."

All eyes were focused on that box. The mother-in-law's lips moved slightly a few times. In the end, she gritted her teeth and blurted out one word.

"Give it to him."

Mama Truong walked in front of me and handed the box to me. I reached out with slightly trembling hands to receive it. As soon as the box entered my hand, it was cold and heavy. Inside it holds the key for us to break the situation. I hugged the box tightly to my heart, as if embracing my only hope.

"Thank you, great-grandmother, it has been accomplished."

I bowed my head again, then stood up.

"Your Majesty will now come from the street."

I didn't even look at her, picked up the box, turned around and left. That back was as determined as a martyr walking to the execution ground. Grandmother looked at my back, her eyes extremely complicated. Perhaps this was the first time she felt that everything was out of her control. From the road located in the most remote corner of the government. Pushing open the heavy wooden door, a stream of rotten dust immediately hit my face. Rows and rows of sacred objects quietly stood under the dim light. Like countless eyes, silently watching me. This is a symbol of the glory of the Tham family. It is also the cage that has bound me for two lifetimes. Two strong-bodied ladies followed me inside. They are all my ancestors' people, in charge of guarding me.

"Eldest lady, please."

One of them spoke up expressionlessly. I walked to the cushion in the middle, hugged the box, and slowly knelt down. The door behind closed.