Chapter 3 — Little Sun In Your World

I waved my hand, pretending to be at ease: "It's okay, I'm mentally very strong. But..." I tilted my head, the corner of my lips slightly raised, my eyes full of curiosity: "I'm really curious, why did he have to force Giang Than to open his mouth to speak? Being mute has nothing to do with the matter of inheriting the family fortune?" Giang Phong sighed, then slowly told me a story, very old, but so tragic. Three years ago. Giang Than's parents were killed in a deliberate car accident. The person who planned that accident was none other than their younger brother - Giang The An, Giang Than's second uncle. That day, Giang Than sat in the back seat. He was the only survivor, and witnessed his parents die tragically right before his eyes. Since waking up in the hospital, he has never opened his mouth again. Psychiatrists say this is serious psychological trauma accompanied by selective mutism. Giang Than blamed all the mistakes on himself — he thought that if he hadn't insisted on buying toys that day, his parents wouldn't have died. From then on, he used silence to punish himself, and also used silence to isolate himself from the world. Giang Phong's voice was hoarse, both tired and resentful: "My second uncle's family has long been looking at the shares in Giang Than's father's hands. Now my grandfather is seriously ill and is preparing to redistribute the assets. According to the will, Giang Than must personally open his mouth to inherit his share. Otherwise, the entire property will be managed on his behalf by second uncle." He clenched his fists, his eyes flashing with cold hatred: "That second uncle's family is truly a pack of wolves in human clothing. {Read the full story at Van Ha's love page} If we let them take over, A Than's life will be over." Giang Phong leaned back in his chair, his eyes were dark, his voice was hoarse: "For the past three years, I've been looking for all kinds of experts, using every method... but no one can do it. It locks itself in that hard shell, no one can enter." His eyes looked at me deeply, carrying a bit of fragile hope: "Until I found you, Lam Hieu Ngu. I thought... perhaps only a 'poison' like you could treat poison with poison, explode that shell, and pull it out of the darkness." After listening, I was speechless. It turns out, under that cold layer of ice, hides a deep wound... and a whole bunch of dark plots. "I got it." – I said, “I will try my best.” Stepping out of the study room, I saw Giang Than standing under the cinnamon tree in the yard. The moonlight poured down, covering his body with a layer of pale silver light, making that tall, thin figure look like it didn't belong to this world. He stood there, so alone that it felt like the whole world had abandoned him. I slowly walked over and stood next to him. "This." He didn't move. “Your brother… just told me everything.” His shoulders, trembled slightly — very slightly, but I saw it clearly. I studied him, tilted my head up and looked up at the moonlight. My voice slowed down, no longer carrying the usual joking tone: "Actually... my parents also left very early. When I was five years old, they divorced, each of them had a new family. I was like a rubber ball, kicked back and forth by them." I took a breath, my eyes glanced over the foliage above, curled my lips and smiled faintly: "After that, my grandmother took me back to my adopted hometown. You know, in my hometown there is a saying: children talk a lot, they are for fear of loneliness. Use sound to fill the void, you won't feel cold anymore." “I'm the one who talks the most in that village. Everyone calls me ‘Little Speaker’.” I kept talking to myself, but he quietly listened. This was the first time between us there was no confrontation, no teasing, no cold resistance. The atmosphere... strangely, was incredibly gentle. “So, Giang Than…” I tilted my head, looking straight into his dark eyes, the sparkling moonlight reflected in the bottom of my eyes. “Whatever you want to say… just say it. And if you don't want to talk, that's okay. Anyway… I have a lot to say, I can speak for you. If you want to curse someone, I will curse for you. Whoever you want to fight, I'll fight for you." He tilted his head to look at me, in those deep black eyes, reflecting the moonlight... and reflecting my silhouette. His lips moved slightly, then from his pocket, he took out a milk candy. It's a Dai Bach Tho milk candy. I was stunned. Seeing that I didn't accept it, he directly peeled off the wrapping paper and gently stuffed the round candy into my mouth. The sweet, fatty milk taste melts right on the tip of the tongue, bit by bit, penetrating to the bottom of the heart. I raised my head to look at him, but he had stiffly turned away, his earlobes in the moonlight red to transparent. I let out a "puff" sound and laughed softly. It turns out that this thousand-year-old iceberg... also knows how to be shy. But... it's so cute. 4 That night, after receiving the Dai Bach Tho milk candy, between me and Giang Than... a miraculous change happened. He still doesn't say much, but no longer treats me like a pest. I teased him during class, but at most he just frowned and used his pen to tap me on the head. I fight for his snacks, he will push the remaining half to me. I dragged him away from school to an internet cafe to play games, he reluctantly followed, and then when I played chicken to the point of being scolded, he wouldn't say a word, just coldly grabbed the mouse... one shot, five lives - silencing all his foul-mouthed teammates. The whole school thought we were in love. Rumors spread everywhere that I, the "demon girl", had pulled "gao lang chi hoa" Giang Than down from the sacred pedestal. Only I know, between you and I... it's actually like a strange kind of symbiosis. I'm in charge of making noise, and you... are in charge of cleaning up the mess. Bach Vu Yen's eyes looked at me, each day becoming more toxic and bitter. She tried to find me several times to cause trouble, but I always betrayed her: "Lin Hieu Ngu, people like you are not worthy of Giang Than! One day you will meet your retribution!” I put my hands up, raised my eyebrows and smiled: "Oh, so you deserve it? Believe it or not, when you leave school today, you will step in dog feces? The result...she actually stepped in a pile of hot dog feces right in front of the school gate. Bach Vu Yen screamed madly on the spot. From then on, when she saw me, she automatically dodged three meters away. Today, the school held an autumn picnic, going to an amusement park in the neighboring city. On the bus, I naturally sat next to Giang Than. I put on headphones, turned on screaming rock music, and my whole body swayed to the rhythm of the music. Giang Than sat by the window, looking at the scenery outside, not knowing what he was thinking. Sunlight filtered through the glasses, falling on his long eyelashes, casting a small shadow under his eyes. … F* it. Crazy beautiful. Me Take off one earphone and plug it straight into your ear. A screaming heavy metal song was playing inside, the lead singer's voice seemed to rip through the sky. He was startled, turned to look at me, his eyes filled with words: "Do you want to die?!" I winked and smiled teasingly: "Is it good? Are you high?" He frowned, reaching out to take off his headphones. I pressed his hand back: "Don't move. Listen to the end of this song... feel the power of life." He didn't struggle anymore, so he just left the headphones there, only his eyebrows frowned even tighter. All the way, I chattered and told boring jokes to him. He occasionally picked up the phone and typed back: 【Yes.】 【Fair enough.】 【Idiot.】 Arriving at the amusement park, everyone was like a horse loose from the stable, scattering in all directions. I immediately pulled Giang Than, my eyes shining: "Let's go, I'll take you to experience the feeling of your heart pounding!" He clearly resisted, looking at the poster at the entrance to the Haunted House with extreme discomfort. His feet seemed to be nailed in place, but in the end... couldn't stand my stubbornness and was still dragged inside by me. Inside the haunted house — Solid black, the sound of ghosts crying and wolves screaming, cold air blowing from the air conditioner, the creepy effect reaches max level. But I... the more I go, the more excited I get. Holding Giang Than's hand, I dragged him away, eagerly touching here and looking there: "Wow! This ghost's makeup is really great! His eyes are about to fall out!" "Hey, that hanged ghost's tongue... is silicon, right? The material is really good!" Suddenly — A "female devil" with messy hair and a bloody white shirt rushed out from a dark corner, accompanied by a shrill scream. I instinctively screamed, not out of fear, just... following the air.