Chapter 20 — I Have Conceded Enough

No one took it away. It's like if I don't touch it, I'll never give it back.

“After the wedding is over.”

“Don't use the name of family to ask me to return.”

Dad's face sank.

“Ta Tri Vi.”

“Do you know what you are saying?”

“I know.”

“Because of this little thing, you want to cut ties with your family?”

“Not because of this little thing.”

“So what was it about?”

I rolled my eyes at them. Dad. Mom. Big brother. Hua Tinh Mien. And Luc Tram Le was standing on the stairs, not saying a word. I suddenly realized there was no need to explain anymore. No matter how much they explain, they can only come up with the lightest excuse. A knife. A stone. One room. A wedding. Then he told me that making a fuss over a few of these things was not worth it.

“Nothing.”

I picked up a suitcase filled with tools and notebooks.

“See you tomorrow.”

10

Back at the studio, I sorted the things in the plastic bin back into the old wooden box. Seeing the broken carving knife, To Yen Thu did not say a word. She took a magnifying glass and looked carefully at the fracture.

“Connected.”

“Will it leave a scar?”

“Yes.”

“So just leave the scar as it is.”

She looked up at me.

“No pity?”

“Grandma once said, first we have to see what we can keep.”

“It's good to keep the rest.”

To Yen Thu did not comfort me. She just turned on the blowtorch.

“Come here.”

“Connect yourself.”

I put on gloves. The break in the tip of the knife is very neat. Welding is not difficult. The difficulty is adjusting the temperature. Too high will damage the old knife handle. If it's too low, the connection won't be strong. I kept my eyes glued to the fire. The handle is very sturdy. Halfway through, my eyes suddenly blurred. A drop of water fell onto the desk. To Yen Thu gave me a tissue.

“Cry.”

“Don't cry.”

“That's the leaky studio roof.”

“Probably.”

You didn't expose me. I dried the table top and continued my welding work. At one o'clock in the morning, the carving knife was connected. The fracture left a faint weld line. Not beautiful. But still usable. To Yen Thu leaned back in the chair.

“Are you still going tomorrow?”

“Go.”

“They destroyed your things like that, and you still agreed to be a bridesmaid?”

“I promised.”

"Before, you didn't have this kind of trustworthiness."

“Before, we promised too many things.”

“There are things that cannot be done.”

"But this last time, no matter what, it must be done completely."

To Yen Thu looked at me for a long time.

“You're still waiting for them to keep you.”

I didn't answer. She's right. Until I returned to the Ta family today, deep in my heart, perhaps there was still a glimmer of unrealistic hope. Or maybe my mother sees me packing my things and will come out to prevent Hua Tinh Mien from touching my tools. Or maybe the eldest brother knows that the carving knife is a relic of his grandmother and will really scold it once. Or dad won't use money to value things. But not at all. That last bit of hope was broken in half along with the carving knife. Now what is repaired is only the knife. I don't need to go back to the old place anymore.

“No more waiting.”

I put the knife in the box.

“This time it's true.”

11

The day of the wedding, the weather was very nice. Before departing, Aunt Tran stopped by the studio once. My aunt gave me a paper bag, inside were the keys to the Ta family and the employee card I left it on the shoe cabinet.

“My lady told me to leave it to you.”

I didn't ask why the returned item was still brought here. There are people who just don't admit it and believe that leaving never happened. I stuffed the paper bag into my bag. Arriving at the hotel, Hua Tinh Mien was applying makeup. Seeing me, it immediately smiled.

“Sister.”

“Finally, I'm here.”

I'm wearing a bridesmaid's outfit. It was chosen by Hua Tinh Mien. Light gray color, simple design.