Chapter 5 — Manh Xuan Duong

He ordered the most expensive suit, invited countless noble guests, and then stood side by side with me on stage. After the MC finished speaking, he first gave the microphone to Luc Dien. His eyes looked straight at me, as if filled with deep emotions: "Before meeting Tang Tang, I never thought... in this world there would really be someone who would love me so sincerely, even more than loving herself. I was born in such a family, in such an environment, always having to consider the benefits, calculate the pros and cons... But she is different." “What she gave me… is far more precious than what I could ever give.” It's great, isn't it, the words are so profound that they even make him emotional? The microphone was brought to my hand, I squeezed it tightly, smiling slightly at Luc Dien: "But... I don't love you." "Luc Dien, you kill people. How can I love a murderer?" He froze on the spot, as if turned to stone in an instant. As if to coordinate with my words, the large screen behind - broadcasting live all over the internet - suddenly cut to a video. The image is a bit blurry, but enough to recognize the person in the video. In the dusty abandoned factory, Luc Dien pointed his gun and shot straight at Chu Nguyet Dao. Blood splashed, mixed with her bright red dress, forming a blur. What about me? Of course, because of the pain, she curled up on the ground, completely hidden by her skirt and the pile of old machinery next to her. The whole school was in an uproar. That image - through a livestream that spread across the internet - created a storm of public opinion capable of nailing anyone to a column of shame that could never be taken down. Even if that person... is the "Crown Prince" of this era. It was as if the tower that had stood tall since the birth of the world, in an instant collapsed, desolate. Luc Dien turned his head to look at me, his eyes flashing with shock and unbelievable confusion. In the end, all the emotions in the bottom of his eyes were only despair and pain, as bright as blood. He opened his lips and for a long time choked out a question: "Why...?" “Is there some mistake, Tang Tang, is there some misunderstanding…” His voice was hoarse as if it were filled with blood. I smiled slightly: "What misunderstanding? I did it on purpose." To kill someone, you must kill your mind. In the years I've been with him, I haven't collected evidence of countless crimes he's committed - treating human lives like trash. It's just... not enough. I want to use evidence that Luc Dien killed someone to save me to put him in prison. He thought he was killing someone to save the person he loved. But now, from the high clouds falling straight to the mud, even love is a lie from the beginning. “Trash like you… why do you think I will love you?” I said, my smile even brighter: "Oh right, I almost forgot to tell you - my brother's name is Ha Te Xuyen." "There are so many people that you conveniently killed, I definitely can't remember who is who." “But it's okay… I remember it very clearly.” 21 The solemn engagement ceremony prepared by Luc Dien himself... eventually became the execution ground to send him to prison. Everything was so noisy that it was irreversible. I turned over all the evidence of the murders he committed over the years to the police. Of course, I was also called in for questioning as usual procedure. “What is your relationship with Luc Dien?” – The police asked. “Don't I look like it, Captain Qi?” I smiled and replied: "Enemies." From the moment that video played on the big screen, from the moment I saw the pain, shock and despair on Luc Dien's face — the smile on my face never disappeared. Even though Chu Nguyet Dao is dead, there is one thing she said... not wrong. — I have never loved Luc Dien. From the very beginning when I approached him, I had my own purpose. Each piece of evidence of Luc Dien's crime was presented, clearly and irrefutably confirmed. The great man who had been threatened by him in the past also stood up, ready to testify to demand justice for his beloved youngest son. Those people... none of them are good people. I like watching them dog bite dog even more. The routine interrogation was about to end, Captain Te gently tapped his hand on the table, and asked me: "In the case of intentional injury leading to death eight years ago, the victim was Ha Te Xuyen - the person killed by suspect Luc Dien - what is his relationship with you?" The smile on my lips suddenly stopped. It was as if someone was squeezing my heart, the suffocating pain made me softly answer: "He is my brother." Just be my brother, Ha Te Xuyen. I was born a lowly person, with a dirty nature, a despicable heart that cannot be exposed to the light. Don't let anyone else know that besides me. 22 That fall came, I decided to leave this city. Before leaving, team leader Te came to me again. He said, Luc Dien asked to meet me one last time before he would confess his entire crime. So through the glass barrier, I once again faced him. He looked at me, his eyes seemed to be blown red little by little by the lonely autumn wind. “Even if you want revenge on me… why do you have to lower yourself like that?” Ha. Ha ha ha ha! Yet he asked me why I degraded myself? I smiled, the corners of my eyes curved up gracefully: "Degrading myself? You mean that I willingly stay by your side, without name or status, being Chu Nguyet Dao's shadow?" “Or do I cuddle with you every night and try my best to seduce you in bed to please you?” "Don't you understand? I'm an actor, everything is an act. This body to me is just a corpse. Those two children, to me are just two masses of flesh and blood without a soul. I don't care, I have no integrity, no morality - how can I be heartbroken or humiliated because of those things?" “From beginning to end, I have only one goal — no matter what the cost, I must drag you and Chu Nguyet Dao to hell together.” His handcuffed hands began to tremble violently, even his red eyes and pale lips were no exception. He asked me: "Ha Te Xuyen and you are not related by blood... If you forget everything and marry me... we can live happily together." “You will have a life that you, in this lifetime, will never be able to achieve.” “I don't want it.” I lost patience and stood up: "The so-called happiness you talk about, to me - is hell on earth." “Also, my name is not Ta Tang.” “My real name… is Manh Xuan Duong.” 23 I am an evil person, born to be scum. My biological father died in a car accident. Even though he was an alcoholic and every time he got drunk he would pull my hair out and hit me, but he deeply valued his life. Under normal conditions, he will He never finished drinking and drove his motorbike into the street, then was hit by a truck until his head was severed from his neck. Although Uncle Ha is a bastard, he values money very much. There is no reason to suddenly gamble carelessly. My mother is selfish, always hiding her own money very carefully. She couldn't easily let Uncle Ha discover the gold jewelry she had hidden. It's all… because of me. It's all because of me. I've always known myself to be a morally corrupt person, the type of scum who was born despicable. As for my brother - he is always bright and brilliant, pure as the sun. I never thought I deserved him. I just want to quietly wait until I'm eighteen, then maybe confess my feelings, then quietly leave him. My life - which has nothing to look forward to. But he is different. You deserve to have a brilliant, fulfilling and happy life. The person who broke everything must pay the price thousands of times, ten thousand times more. I took everything Luc Dien had given me and sold it all to compensate for the breach of contract. After that, I said goodbye to Ms. Tinh. Alone, quietly returning to the countryside. The small town is still as quiet as before, quiet and desolate. The old milk tea shop... unexpectedly is still in the same place. Milk tea made with all kinds of colorful flavoring powders, so sweet, it's actually not delicious at all. But for us back then, it was a rare luxury. As if possessed by a ghost, I walked in and ordered a two-yuan cup of taro milk tea. The shop owner was making tea and chatting: "I didn't expect there to still be customers. The schools around here have all moved out, and this shop is about to be demolished." "It's a shame to say it out loud, I opened this shop when I was underage, almost thirty years ago." He rambled, I put on a mask, got impatient and turned away. The wall is full of colorful sticky notes. The handwriting on it is not uniform. This is a guestbook wall that was very popular in those years. I suddenly remembered, I think I wrote something here before. So I approached and carefully searched. When Manh Xuan Duong was fifteen years old, he wrote on a piece of blue paper, his handwriting was soft, stroke by stroke. "It seems like I'm a very bad person. My brother and I... are not normal." Not signed, not dated. I think no one will know. But this time, I looked up. Right below that piece of blue paper, there was a piece of pink paper pressed against it. On it is a familiar handwriting, strong and decisive. “But, my sister is the most wonderful person in the world.” "I'm not good. I always hope that one day, she will be more than just my sister." I stood frozen in place, the blood in my body seemed to freeze, then seemed to bounce back. Something, through the accumulated years, stabbed straight into my heart, even after so many years... still resounding like thunder. The shop owner came over carrying a cup of milk tea rich in taro flavor, and was surprised to see me with tears streaming down my face, wetting my mask. "Little girl, what's wrong..." I slowly wiped the wet corners of my eyes, calmly took the cup of tea from him, and calmly said thank you. “Thank you, your milk tea... is always delicious.” Many years later I learned about the silent sincere feelings of those years, even if misunderstood, even missed... they did not make me regret it. Because my brother and I — we'll see each other again soon already together.