Chapter 27 — I Have Conceded Enough

“I accept your apology.”

“But accepting it doesn't mean going back.”

The elder bowed his head.

“I understand.”

Mom walked forward. Today she wears the jade brooch that I once repaired for her.

“Are you free next month?”

She asked.

“What's wrong?”

“Let's go have a meal together.”

“It's just the two of us.”

After she finished speaking, she hastily added:

“Outside.”

“Don't go back to the Ta family.”

I pondered.

"On the afternoon of the tenth day of next month, that's fine."

Mom's eyes immediately lit up.

“Okay.”

This time, it was her turn to say "okay". She didn't hug me. Don't cry and ask me to forgive you immediately. Just be careful to save the time to your phone. Before leaving, she turned to look at the carving knife in the glass case one more time.

“Can it really be repaired to the point where the fracture is invisible?”

“Okay.”

“Then why don't you fix it?”

I looked at the weld marks on the knife body.

“Because it actually broke.”

The edges of my mother's eyes turned red again. She nodded.

“I remember.”

14

The day the exhibition ended, the assistant gave me a jewelry box.

"Mr. Luc sent it."

I opened it. Inside is that engagement ring. The ring has been cleaned. As bright as before. In the box there is also a note.

“Things return to their original owner.”

I looked for a while. Close the lid of the box.

“Send it back to him.”

The assistant hesitated.

“Mr. Luc said, he will always wait.”

“That's his job.”

“Do I need to send a message?”

I was originally going to say no need. But I remember the day I returned home. In the break room. Everyone was waiting for me to go crazy. Hua Tinh Mien asked me if I could give him my fiance. I took off the ring. Say “Okay”. That was the first word I said after returning to the Ta family's house. It was also the beginning of their continuous demands. I gave the jewelry box back to the assistant.

“Tell him.”

“Not this time.”

The assistant smiled slightly.

“Is this only correct?”

“Yes.”

She took the box and left. I turned off the last light of the exhibition booth. The toolbox is located right at your feet. In the box was my grandmother's carving knife. There are restored notebooks. And the metal nameplate was taken down from the door of the room in the Ta family's house. I don't return it. I don't intend to hang it up anymore. The name does not need to be nailed to anyone's door. Only then can we prove where it belongs. To Yen Thu is urging me outside the door.

“Hurry up.”

“The celebration party is waiting for you.”

I picked up the toolbox and walked out. The night wind blew. The city's street lights flashed one after another. I used to think that. Only if you hold on tightly, will you not be abandoned again. Only realized it later. There are things that when you let go, you don't mean giving it to someone else. It's about finally being able to pick myself up again, from right where I once stood. RUN OUT OF