Chapter 16 — On Le

Lam Nhuoc Duong raised his head: "But I also have pressure. I just transferred schools, I want to prove myself. Luc Hoai Can always said you don't know anything, I thought..." Luc Hoai Can sat below, his face changed. I interrupted her: "Are you apologizing or sharing responsibility?" In the hall, someone laughed softly. Lam Nhuoc Duong grabbed the microphone and took a long time to squeeze out a sentence: "I'm sorry." I asked, “Where are my notes?” She stiffened. "Where's the scratch paper?" She looked at Mr. Chu. Teacher Chu avoided her eyes. Lam Nhuoc Duong took out a bag of documents from his briefcase, went down and gave it to me. "It's all here." I opened it to see, the note paper was creased, the scratch paper was missing a corner but it was still there. I said: "I accept your return, which does not mean forgiveness." Her eyes turned red: "What else do you want?" I said: "I don't want anything. From now on, stay away from me." The last bit of fake apology on her face crumbled, she turned and ran out of the hall. The principal coughed awkwardly: "In the future, students must learn from experience." Hua Kieu lowered her voice: "Again." Luc Hoai Can stood up. The principal asked: "Luc Hoai Can, what is your problem?" He walked up to the front of the stage, not holding the article. "On Le, sorry." Everyone looked at him. "I once received the tutoring fees you gave me, and also received help from your family. When you were misunderstood, I did not stand up. When your spot was changed, I remained silent. When Lam Nhuoc Duong took your things, I said for her. I took my frustration out on you, taking your kindness as humiliation." Every time he said something sentence, the hall became quiet again. I looked at him. He continued to say: "I will pay all the tutoring fees and the house payments you helped. The couple will also return it to you or convert it into money." Dad said in the front row: "That's okay, someone else is already wearing it, we don't need it." Some people couldn't help but laugh. Luc Hoai Can did not laugh. He took out that clean error notebook from his briefcase and placed it in front of me. "This book is also given to you. I learned some of the lessons inside from your scratch paper. Before, I refused to admit it." I opened the first page and saw half a sheet of notes that I had lost a long time ago. In the hall, someone scolded him in a low voice. Luc Hoai Can said: "I'm not asking for your forgiveness. I'm just stating clearly what I owe you in front of everyone." I closed the notebook: "The money is paid to my father, the cards are left to you. Don't use others as a stepping stone in the future." He bowed his head: “Okay.” The principal announced on the spot that the school restored my competition record, withdrew all untrue comments, and publicly explained the rate adjustment. Mr. Chu was removed from the competition team, Lam Nhuoc Duong's disciplinary action was recorded, and Uncle Truong had to stand in front of my father's noodle shop and post an apology letter for three days, with letters larger than the menu. Dad intentionally pressed that compensation form under the cashier counter. Hua Kieu asked him: "Why are you keeping it?" Dad said: "Protect moisture, put on table legs." The neighbors laughed so much that they almost spit out the noodles. On the spring exam day, I represented the school in the city to receive the award. There were many familiar faces below, and there were also many people who had stood and watched the excitement. Ha Vien Son gave me the certificate: "On Le, this time there was no mistake." I said: "There is no need to be afraid." Laughter rang out below. When the host read the achievements, his father stood up in the last row, his shirt not neatly tucked in, his hands clapping until they turned red. "My daughter, first place!" Hua Kieu shouted along: "On Le first place!" This time, no one said I relied on money, no one said I cheated, no one said I didn't deserve it. Luc Hoai Can sat in the corner, gently clapping his hands. Lam Nhuoc Duong did not come. Afterward

I heard that she changed schools and Mr. Chu is no longer standing on the podium. I don't ask more. After receiving the award, I returned to the noodle shop. There was a long line in front of the door, the sign was wiped shiny. Someone pointed to the certificate on the wall and asked, "Boss, is this your daughter?" Dad scooped the noodles into the bowl, his voice louder than the pot of broth. "Yes, my daughter On Le. Knows how to do her homework, and knows how to catch mistakes. Whoever says she can't do it, eat this bowl of noodles first, then read the certificate on the wall three times."I stood in front of the door, holding in my hand the bag of notes and scrap paper I had found. The night wind blew across the street, the comments never appeared again. I stuck the old notes into the first page of the new notebook and wrote a new topic. This time, the signature is no longer Thanh Le. I wrote On Le. On in On Le, Le in On Le.