Chapter 13 — Live towards the light

16 Cut off Co Thanh standing there. Stiff as a block of stone. Like being split in half. One side is the past. One side is the future. Co Vi and Vuong Le's eyes were like headlights, shining straight at him. No worries. It's calculation. They are waiting. Waiting for him… again like before. Sacrificing his small family... to fill their bottomless hole. Co Thanh slowly turned his head. His eyes went over my shoulder. Look towards the end of the hallway. Outside the window... is pitch black night. Like thirty years of his life. No light. He thought of his mother lying up there. She gave him life. But also use the same thing... bind him. Using favoritism, selfishness and control... to lock up his life. He didn't even hesitate to use his life... to complete the final manipulation. He thought of his father again. That gentle man. Before he died... he held his hand and told him to treat me well. But what did he do? Over and over again... using my tolerance in exchange for so-called "peace". He… is not a good son. Not only an irresponsible son, but also a failed husband and a failed father. His eyes finally turned towards me and Lac Lac. I still calmly looked at him, not pushing, not urging, just waiting quietly, waiting for him to give me an answer. Lac Lac's small hand tightened the hem of his shirt, his big round eyes filled with fear and insecurity, looking at his father as if pleading, as if if he just turned his head, everything would fall back to the old hell. Co Thanh's eyes stopped on the bloody scratches on his son's arm, traces left by his mother, just to intimidate. At that moment, something in his heart completely collapsed. What exactly is the so-called "family" that he always protects? A place where he can arbitrarily hurt his son. What is the so-called "filial piety" that he always clings to, an excuse for him to stand by and watch his wife and children suffer. It shouldn't be like that. He slowly, very slowly loosened his clenched fist. When he raised his head again, all the hesitation, struggle, and pain in his eyes had completely disappeared. Only sanity remained after seemingly dying once, and an unshakable determination. He did not look at Gu Wei and Wang Li. Also do not turn your head towards the recovery room. Step by step, he walked steadily in front of me. He reached out and took my hand. That hand has let go countless times, abandoned it countless times. This time, he held it so tightly that it seemed like he wanted to pour all his determination into it. Then, he turned to Co Vi and Vuong Le, word by word, coldly saying:

“I'll leave it to you guys later.”

No emotions. As if talking about something that no longer concerns me. After speaking, he took my hand, led Lac Lac, turned around and left. No hesitation. No attachment. Gu Wei and Vuong Le were dumbfounded. They did not expect such an outcome. Unexpectedly, the older brother they always held in their hands... actually dared to let go. Co Vi reacted, screaming wildly:

"Co Thanh! You beast!"

“Mom is still lying there, don't you dare go!”

“Are you still human!”

Vuong Le also shouted:

"What's going to happen to you when you're gone? Who's going to pay for the hospital bills? Who's going to take care of her!"

"Thing unfilial! You will be beaten by heaven!”

Knife-sharp curses rushed from behind. But Co Thanh... didn't seem to hear. His steps never stopped. Only the hand holding my hand... tighter and tighter. His back shadow stretched under the cold white light of the hospital. It's also a bit tragic like betting it all. We walked out of the hospital gate. The cold night wind blew past, making my mind strangely alert. I thought… it was all over. But behind him, Co Vi's crazy voice rang out again, carrying extreme despair:

“You! Remember carefully!”

“You think you can run!”

“I will ruin your reputation!”

“I will let everyone know, you are the one who forced your biological mother to jump off the building and then abandoned you!”

17 Rebirth We returned to our own small house. Not spacious, not lavish. But the atmosphere here... no more arguing, no more calculating, no more feeling of suffocation. All that remains is… freedom. Lac Lac also seemed to feel that. The boy is no longer timid like in the old house. It ran everywhere, its eyes full of curiosity, its face bright. As for Co Thanh... his condition is very bad. Since leaving the hospital, he has hardly said a word. Sitting on the small sofa, holding my head, like a soulless corpse. I know there is an earthquake in his heart. The break, the guilt towards his mother, the uncertainty about the future... it's all biting him. I don't bother. There are paths he must walk on his own. There are wounds, he must heal himself. I just quietly bathed Lac Lac and coaxed her to sleep in the small room. Then, pour a cup of warm water and place it in front of him.

“Rest.”

Having finished speaking, I returned to the room. That night, I slept very peacefully. And he... stayed awake. The next morning, when I woke up, he had already prepared breakfast. Two fried eggs, a few slices of bread, two cups of hot milk. His eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep, and his face was haggard. But his eyes... were much brighter than yesterday.