Chapter 3 — I Wrote My Name In Jinghua

Chu Hoai Dan stepped out from behind the crowd, pretending like he was just passing by by chance.

“Mr. Vuong.”

“This girl is too stubborn.”

“If he would admit that he was mistaken…”

“Then none of this would have happened today.”

My wife raised her head and scolded him straight to his face.

"He got a high score on his own exam, on what basis did you guys steal it?"

The person next to Chu Hoai Dan immediately wrote down the stall number.

“Insulting staff.”

“Additional fine.”

I looked at his back bending down to pick up each peach. My chest felt like it was stuffed with wet cotton. Heavy to the point of suffocation.

“Zhu Huaimin.”

“If you want anything, aim at me.”

He took two steps closer, lowering his voice so only I could hear.

“I was originally aiming at you.”

“Don't you really like recording evidence?”

“Then keep writing.”

“Tomorrow Thanh Nguyen will announce to the whole school that you stole.”

“One day, my whole family was kicked out of the market.”

“There was a problem with your cousin's transfer exam application next week.”

“Can you fight?”

I don't answer. Outside the crowd, there was a middle-aged man wearing a gray shirt who kept looking at me. In his hand he held an old photo. The edges of the photo are worn white. When I turned around, he suddenly asked:

“Your mother… is her name Hua Lan?”

I stopped. Chu Hoai Dan also looked at him. The man immediately bowed his head and stuffed the photo into his pocket.

“Sorry, I got the wrong person.”

After saying that, he turned around and left very quickly. In the evening, he took me back to school. Before getting off the bus, he stuffed me a plastic bag. Inside are two oranges that have not been trampled yet.

“Kien Nguyet.”

“Your father saved my life that year.”

“Do whatever you want.”

“My family won't pull my leg.”

On Saturday, Thanh Nguyen Academy held the oath-taking ceremony for new students. Luong Mai intentionally placed me in the front row. Around my neck I still wear the student card that says "741 points". Chu Thien Thien returned to school as an outstanding student representative to give a speech. She said she started from Thanh Nguyen, then was specially selected by Jinghua Medical University. She stood in the middle of the hall. Behind me is a large screen showing my scoreboard. The only difference... the name on it has been changed to Chu Thien Thien.

“I want to tell the juniors…”

“Fate will not be cruel to those who try.”

The applause below echoed loudly. Diep Tri Thu sat next to me and scolded in a low voice:

“Is she also worthy of saying the word “try?”

Chu Thien Thien saw me and suddenly stopped for a moment.

“Of course…”

“There are also some people who get high scores but have bad intentions.”

“Wanting to use rumors to ruin other people's futures.”

“With that kind of person…”

“The school should handle it strictly.”

Luong Mai immediately turned the microphone towards me.

“Jiang Kien Nguyet.”

“Go up on stage and apologize to Chu Thien Thien.”

I stood still without moving. Cao Yen kicked my calf hard from behind. I was pushed onto the stage. The light shines down. Every face in the hall was blurred like a layer of water. Luong Mai stuffed the draft apology into my hand. I looked at the first line up there.

"Because I was jealous of my classmate Chu Thien Thien, I intentionally made up a rumor about swapping university entrance exam scores."

I directly tore the paper to pieces. Pieces of paper fell to his feet. The whole hall immediately fell silent. I picked up the microphone.

“My name is Giang Kien Nguyet.”

“Tail registration number 1937.”

“Total university entrance exam score 741.”

“The person who was admitted to Jinghua Medical University for its 8-year clinical program... was me.”

“Not Zhou Qianqian.”

The smile on Chu Thien Thien's face immediately disappeared. Luong Mai rushed to grab the microphone. I took a step back, holding out half of the letter from home in my pocket.

“My father, Giang Thua Vong, martyr of the rescue team.”

“My mother, Hua Lan, died in the operating room.”

“My brother, Jiang Zhaoye, died at the border.”

“You can cancel my admission notice…”

“But the words they left for me cannot be destroyed.”

In the last row of seats in the hall, someone dropped a thermos on the ground. The man in the gray shirt stood up. His face was whiter than paper. But before he could even step onto the stage— Chu Hoai Dan led two school security guards to block in front of him. He smiled falsely:

“The hall is active.”

“Outsiders are not allowed in.”

The man lowered his voice.

“I am a consultant at the hospital affiliated with the Provincial Medical University.”

“I have something to see Giang Kien Nguyet.”

Chu Hoai Dan's facial muscles twitched slightly.

“Advisors must also register.”

“Today is inconvenient.”

On stage, Chu Thien Thien suddenly snatched half the letter from my hand.

“Do family members of martyrs have the right to slander others?”

“Jiang Kien Nguyet, you use dead people as an excuse, don't you find it disgusting?”

I immediately snatched my hand back. But right in front of everyone— She crumpled the letter into a ball and threw it straight into the trash can next to her.

“Don't you love it very much?”

“Then go pick it up.”

Luong Mai held my arm tightly, turned down the stage and said loudly:

“Everyone saw it too.”

“Her mentality is extremely unstable.”

“The school will arrange for her to have a psychological evaluation.”

Cao Yen led someone to rush onto the stage and pull me backstage. Diep Tri Thu rushed to stop, but was pushed by Cao Yen next to the speakers.

“Whoever dares to help him will deal with it together!”

Behind the scenes there are no cameras. Cao Yen locked the door, picked up the clothesline and whipped it hard on my back.

“Bitch!”

“You embarrassed me in front of the whole school!”

I gritted my teeth, not making a sound. Luong Mai stood at the door, her voice filled with impatience.

“Don't hit me in the face.”

"In the afternoon, I still have to take photos to announce the punishment."

Chu Thien Thien bent down to pick up the microphone cord from the ground and wrapped it around her wrist.

“Jiang Kien Nguyet.”

“Sign an apology.”

“You signed, I return the last letter to you.”

“I don't let you touch it.”

Chu Thien Thien put the phone in front of me. On the screen is a photo of the last letter. It is being crushed at the bottom of the glass of water. The ink on the paper had begun to spread.

“A little later…”

“The words will all disappear.”

Suddenly there was a knocking sound outside. The gray shirt man's voice was low.

"In the relics of Giang Kien Nguyet's mother, there is a provincial-level transfer document that is classified as confidential."

“Who are you that touched her records?”