Chapter 1 — Me Five Years Later

The day I was diagnosed with prostate cancer, I received a text message from "the me from five years later." "You don't have prostate cancer. It's your younger brother using voice change software to trick you, don't give up your spot to go directly abroad!" "Now immediately go to the sports lottery point of sale to buy tickets to bet on four World Cup matches. Remember the scores I said, buy as much as you can!" "After going abroad, concentrate on it." researching the field of AI technology. Five years later, standing right at the beginning of the storm of the times, you will completely change your destiny!” I was stunned. After returning home, my younger brother's voice, Tham Minh, echoed from inside the room: "Your sister is truly stupid beyond measure! You imitated the novel, made up a 'future me', then used voice-changing software to call her. I didn't expect her to believe it!" Dad sighed: "Her mind is like this, even if she goes abroad, she's only destined to be deceived. If only she got married early, the bride price money could still be saved for her family." I'm getting married." Mom also chimed in: "What kind of books do you have to go abroad to study? If you stay here, you'll still be able to help me in the future." I trembled violently, looking down at the last message. "You must sign an agreement to end the relationship! Absolutely don't be soft-hearted! My brain felt like it was stuffed with glue. But I know I shouldn't be heartbroken right now. I ran to the sports lottery point of sale, based on the text message to buy World Cup betting tickets. On the way, I did a little calculation. Today I sold starch sausage for 162 yuan, I used 150 yuan to buy lottery tickets. With 12 yuan left, I walked into an Internet cafe. I responded to the foreign university's direct admission notice, confirmed that I would enroll on time, and then opened the photo editing software. As soon as he got home, Tham Minh held out his hand as usual. "Sister, why did you come home so early today? Where's the money to sell starchy sausages?" I shook my head: "You're not feeling well today so you went to the hospital for a check-up, you spent all your money!" Tham Minh froze, his face full of guilt: "Which hospital did you go to? Is it official? Is the checkup standard?" I placed the fake medical record made at the Internet cafe on the living room table. "End-stage stomach cancer, recommend hospitalization for chemotherapy to continue..." Tham Minh widened his eyes and opened his mouth. The three people looked at each other. I smiled bitterly: "Didn't everyone already know that I had prostate cancer? Why are you so surprised?" Dad was the first to react. "Where to get checked?" "The provincial hospital. They said it was the final stage." Mom's lip trembled violently. I calmly said: "The doctor said that after chemotherapy, we can only live for a year or two at most. We have to have long-term treatment and then monitor the effectiveness." My brother exclaimed in surprise: "Long-term treatment? How much does it cost?" Their faces turned white little by little. Mom took a deep breath: "Vy Vy, this disease... is very difficult to cure..." "Vy Vy, you should go to bed first. Your father and mother will discuss a bit." Younger brother impatiently: "What else to discuss? It's a late-stage cancer, like a bottomless cave..." Mom started to sob. They blatantly entered the room right in front of me. The room was not quiet at all, voices were constantly echoing. "Didn't you say you were just fooling your sister? What's this all about?" "I don't know! I just want to trick her! If she goes abroad in the future, whose money will I get to spend?" "Vy Vy really has cancer! Who will make the money to support us when we get old?" The scolding of her father and younger brother was rarely so unanimous. Only the sound of my mother's cries remained. Then there was deathly silence. A long while later, the room door opened. Father and younger brother both frowned, only mother's eyes were red and swollen. She sat down next to me: "Vy Vy, we can't treat it anymore. I know you're upset, so am I."

It's annoying, but we have to think about the whole family. Your little brother is still young..." I suddenly raised my head. "Even if I cure it, I won't be able to cure it, I'll still have to endure the pain. Your father and I have already discussed that Uncle Vuong's son in the factory is currently lacking a wife, so you should marry there." Dad continued: "There's only a year or two left. If you marry there early, you can still have a child. The three hundred thousand yuan of dowry money was originally intended to be saved for your younger brother to use in the future, but we have discussed it, I can give you thirty thousand yuan for medical treatment." I sat there stunned, not daring to believe my ears. Mother wiped away her tears: "You know the situation in the house. Tieu Minh is in twelfth grade, just in time to sprint, with a lot of extra tuition money." His younger brother nonchalantly chimed in while playing the game: "That's right. My parents said that if I don't do well in the exam, they will send me abroad." "Listen to me. If a woman doesn't give birth to a child, her life has no meaning." "Uncle Vuong's family didn't know that you were sick. Wait until you get married, then tell them, they will definitely break the pot and sell iron to cure your illness. By then you give birth to another son, life will be good!” Three people chanted. The tall, scary shadows on the wall were like demons, wanting to swallow me completely. “You don't care how I live and die, do you still want to make more money from me? I'm not getting married!" 2. It seemed that my father did not expect that a daughter like me who had always been resigned would dare to refuse right in front of him. His expression immediately changed: "You dare! Why are you still stubborn when you're already half dead?" My younger brother was impatient: "Sister, I know you call Uncle Vuong's son stupid, but if you don't marry there, who will pay for your medical treatment?" I immediately asked three questions in a row: "My tutoring fee is more than four thousand yuan each month, can't I take it out to treat your illness?" "Can't I mortgage the house to treat your illness?" "You can't borrow money for my child's chemotherapy." Dad took a step forward, his face full of anger. "What tone do you use to talk to adults like that? Is it easy for us to raise you like this? Is that how you repay us?" My younger brother said I had a beautiful dream. My mother just cried and remained silent. If I hadn't received those messages, faced with questioning at this time, I would probably blame myself, feel guilty, and regret telling them that. But now, I straighten my back: "From childhood to adulthood, I have never had to spend money on extra tuition once. Tham Minh spent at least more than a hundred thousand yuan on tuition." "Isn't there your share in this house? Do you really force me to get married because you want to be good for your child, or do you just want to get rid of a burden and take the opportunity to make money and make a fortune on someone who is about to die? Only then did my parents look at me a little more, giving me the little love I always craved. But now, I didn't want to pretend anymore. Dad rushed over, slapped me hard in the face, opened the door and threw me into the corner with a righteous look: "No matter who has cancer in the house, I will handle it the same way." We must put the interests and stability of the family first!” “Why do I have a selfish daughter like you? With one foot in the coffin and still looking at my brother's assets, I don't know how to sympathize with my parents' suffering!” “You stay out there and reflect on yourself properly. Only when I agree will I let you in." The door slammed shut. My head was pounding. I reached out to touch the back of my head.

The back of my neck, I realized I was being beaten to the point of bleeding. "Mom, open the door! My head is bleeding!" The throbbing pain became more and more intense, I could barely stand. The sound of the lock slightly moving was heard in my ear. "Ly Xuan Dung, if you dare to open the door for this selfish, unfilial daughter, we will divorce!" "Forgive her this time!" "Forgive her this time and there will be a next time! I think it's all because of you spoiling her that she has become like this!" Mom said softly to me: "Vy Vy, it's not that we ignore you, it's that we don't have money! If you marry, you'll have money! Understand things a bit! Don't tease your father." Angry!” A feeling of utter absurdity arose in my heart. There is no money because all the money has to go to Tham Minh. They forced me to get married because they wanted to earn some extra money from me before I die. "Even if I die, I won't marry you." "Then you'll die outside!" I gritted my teeth, held my head, and walked barefoot out of the hallway. The wind is bone-chillingly cold. I tried to support myself and move forward, my legs felt as heavy as lead. This road seems to have no end. I understood too late. Or maybe I've always been covering my ears to steal the bell. Actually, the door of this house has never welcomed me. The convenience store employee saw me and quickly stopped me. She took me inside and poured me a cup of hot water. She advanced money to buy medicine and bandages to help me bandage, and even gave me her shoes. "What happened, sister?" Unexpectedly, when I needed my family the most, the only person who brought me warmth was a stranger. I grabbed the glass of water. The heat blew onto my face, making me temporarily unable to distinguish whether it was steam or tears. "Just take it slow, everything will get better!" I bowed my head, closed my eyes tightly. "Thank you!" 3. The next day, right on time for work, I wrapped a bandage on my head, rushed into the factory where my parents worked and screamed. "Dad! Mom! I'm about to die, everyone help me!" My parents' colleagues were surprised, gathered in a circle and whispered. My parents panicked and quickly pulled me away. "I want to live! Everyone stopped paying for Tham Minh's extra tuition, mortgaged the house to treat my illness!" Dad's voice completely lost: "Are you crazy?" Mom also completely changed her tone: "Vy Vy, don't be so willful! We all want the best for you!" "I told you yesterday, if you get married, you will have money for medical treatment. Today you still come here to cause trouble? If everyone knows you are sick, uncle Does Vuong still want to accept you as his daughter-in-law? "I don't want to get married. We have a house, our parents have a salary, and Tham Minh's tuition is so much, why can't he use it to treat my illness?" "You are my parents, and have the responsibility and moral obligation to help you overcome this life-and-death barrier." My parents were speechless. It seemed like they didn't expect that the girl who had always been able to take whatever she wanted was now able to pressure others like that. Tham Minh hurriedly ran to the factory with an angry expression. He threw an anonymous letter in my face: "Tham Vy, you've made me lose all face! The letter asking for help stuffed into the principal's office was written by you, right? You also asked the whole school to donate to you? You're not ashamed but I still need face!" I laughed coldly: "I want our whole family, your school and everyone to think of a way to save you!" Mom couldn't believe it and widened her eyes, looking at me like I was looking at a stranger. Only then did I suddenly realize the disgust in her eyes. That's right, in the past I was always used to taking a step back. They are my closest and most trusted people in the world. It's okay to take a step back, it's okay to hold back a little. But they consider it a natural and reasonable thing.