Chapter 17 — Loss Of Memory Forgetting Old Love

Into the luxurious house entered a group of people wearing suits and leather shoes, valuing all the furniture. My favorite diamond hairpin, the brushes and watercolors my grandmother collected, all the paintings in her study, even the cherry tree in the back garden. The good news is that the debt has been paid off. The bad news is we couldn't bring anything with us. My grandmother hugged me, who was only thirteen years old at the time: "Don't be afraid, I'm here." She took me to live in the Tham family's house. Everyone in the Tham family had bright smiles. Old Lady Tham pulled my hand and placed it in the hand of seventeen-year-old Tham Tu An.

“He has been engaged to me since childhood, from now on this will be my home.”

Tham Tu An gave me a lot of delicious food, gave me the books he kept, bought me the best watercolors, and kept my hobbies in mind. Because of me, he plucked all the flowers he liked. Because of me, he beat the teeth out of those who said I was a parasite. Because of me, he rejected all the love letters from high school. The three most beautiful years at the Tham family were all associated with Tham Tu An's smile.

"Ninh Ninh, in the future you can only marry me, not other men. Who will treat you better than me?"

"If you marry someone else, even if I steal you, you will still have to steal me back!"

The image changed again, grandmother's coughs became more and more intense. Obviously taking medicine but the effect is not as good as before. I ran to find Grandma Tham, and heard Grandma Tham and Uncle Tham say: "Her illness has worsened and she no longer has the strength to paint. Giving her those precious medicinal herbs is a waste, change them to cheap products." Uncle Tham: "This is a good way. If we take her away, others will say our family is ungrateful. But if we take care of her and she dies on her own, then we can't be blamed." I covered my mouth, tears falling like rain. From that day, I knew that my grandmother and I's only hope was Tham Tu An. I followed him, won his favor, tried to think of ways to extort money from him in exchange for expensive medicine for my grandmother. Compared to my grandmother, what does my face and reputation count? Grandma also noticed the change in the Tham family's attitude and offered to take me away several times. I know that saying she wants to go means giving up treatment and doesn't want to involve me further. I can only go against my conscience and say that I love Tham Tu An very much, I cannot leave him, and beg my grandmother to stay. At that time I only had one thought: quickly paint and make a name for myself, be able to support my grandmother, I will immediately move out of the Tham family! However, things did not go as expected. The more I rush, the more I fail. In the national student art competition, I didn't even make it to the next round. Within a few days, my grandmother's condition suddenly worsened. I begged everyone in the Tham family, but no one was willing to spend money. That night, Tham Tu An did not come home. I called him non-stop, he didn't pick up. Grandma passed away. I still don't remember what the last thing she said to me was. I only remember her pale face, her gradually cold hands, and her eyes that could never open again. The next day, the best work voted in the final round of the contest was my painting. Under the tree cherry, a chubby girl happily raising her head, and the gentle back of a person sitting in a rocking chair. The author of that painting is Ta Ninh. It wasn't the first time she relied on having a good brother to oppress me. The power of the Ta family is sky-high, all my things can become hers, including Tham Tu An. After taking care of my grandmother's funeral, I bought a bouquet of flowers to look for Ta Ninh. In the bouquet there was a knife hidden. I intend to join the same fate with her.