Chapter 4 — I Return From The Deep

"Let me borrow your temporary visitor card. How much time do you have to enter the experimental area?"

“15 minutes is enough.”

"Okay. I'll wait downstairs. If anything happens, call."

The car rolled from the side entrance of the South gate into the school campus. Stop in the parking lot behind the biological experiment building. I held the card, my palms slightly sweaty.

“Relax,” he looked straight ahead, his tone very calm. “What has been done before, done again, is not difficult.”

I took a look at him. Push the car door down. The hallway of the biological experimental area was quieter than in my memory. At 3 p.m., most people in the research groups are probably in a group meeting. I swiped my card to enter the building, took the elevator to the 4th floor. Room 407. Formerly Ms. Trieu's laboratory. The nameplate on the door has been changed——”Tong Uyen Nghi Research Group”. Looking at these words, my stomach flipped. Take a deep breath. I reached out and pushed the door. The door is not locked. There was no one inside. Tables, chairs, machines have been renewed, and the layout has also changed. But the row of old iron cabinets in the corner of the room is still there. Ms. Trieu's belongings are most likely still in those cabinets. I understand Tong Uyen Nghi very well. He has a calculating personality but is very lazy to clean up. Four years before taking over, she must have stuffed all the old stuff in the closet to get it over with. I walked over and pulled the first cabinet door. Inside was indeed a stack of old folders. Flipped a few times and found——the blue cover, with Ms. Trieu's name labeled on it. Experimental notebook. I flipped through it, the dates matched. Pocket. Continue flipping the second cabinet. Equipment usage record book, chemical list. Still. I take socks. The whole process takes less than 8 minutes. Close the closet door, turn around and prepare to leave. There is a person standing at the door of the room. She is a female student about 23 or 24 years old, with her hair tied in a ponytail, wearing a white blouse, and holding a cup of coffee in her hand. She looked at me, eyes wide.

“Who... who are you? How did you get in here?”

I tightened my grip on the bag strap. The head bounces numbers extremely fast.

"I came to get the old equipment manual," I said without expression, "The building management told me to come get it."

She looked at me suspiciously: "What manager? Why didn't I receive the notification——" At the end of the hallway, footsteps were heard. The sound of high heels. Clop, clack. I can't forget that sound even in my dreams. I raised my head and looked out the door. At the end of the hallway, a figure appeared. Beige overcoat, curly hair, sophisticated makeup, elegant smile at the corner of her mouth. Tong Uyen Nghi. She was talking to the person next to her while walking this way. His eyes glanced indifferently——then stopped. She saw me. The smile on his face disappeared inch by inch. Pupils shrink. As if seeing a ghost.

“Giang... Niem So?”

I grabbed the bag handle tightly. Nails dug into palms. It's been four years. This was the first time I faced her after being released from prison. The person who ruined everything for me. She stood there, wearing the white blouse Ms. Trieu used to wear, standing in front of Ms. Trieu's lab, using everything that used to be Ms. Trieu's. Live extremely flashy and brilliant. While Ms. Trieu has been dead for 4 years. And I just came out of prison, carrying a rotting tumor in my lungs that could take my life at any moment. The surprise on Tong Uyen Nghi's face only lasted exactly 3 seconds. Then she laughed. Chin slightly raised, restoring appearance leisurely and elegant.

“Little sister Niem So, are you out?”

She took two steps forward, her tone enthusiastic like a sister she hadn't seen for a long time.

“Hey, I didn't know you were coming out today, why didn't Mr. Tu Hanh tell me——”

“Get out of the way.”

My voice is very light. But she blocked the door, I couldn't get through. Tong Uyen Nghi blinked, looking hurt.