Chapter 5 — Red Rope Binds Fortune

"It's just a few scriptures. My elder brother has already passed his bachelor's degree. Do you want to curse them by burning them now?" "Mother, it turns out you also know that those are not just a few scriptures." She choked on her words. Tham Hoai Canh said in a low voice: "Later I will send someone to bring it over." "Not later." I looked at him: "Right now." His face darkened: "Tham Tri Dan, have you made enough trouble?" "Brother can't bear it?" He didn't answer. Mother stood up: "Where are you, take the eldest lady back to Tieu Phuc Duong." This time no one acted. The servant just left, the Phuc Luc is still in my hand. Everyone knows that if we continue to drag me back at this time, spreading the word would be tantamount to trampling the Tham family's face to the ground. Mother took a breath and changed her voice: "Tri Dan, last night you beat me because you were impatient. But your sister's marriage involves the whole family, you can't just care about whether you are comfortable or not." I looked at her. "Finally, mother is willing to call herself mother." Her face stiffened. Since she moved to Tieu Phuc Duong at the age of ten, she rarely called herself her mother in front of me. Most of them said, "Mother did this because she wanted the best for her child", "Miss Tham must understand." Only when she needed me to yield did she take this word out. I put Phuc Luc in my sleeve: "I want to return to my courtyard." Mother frowned: "My courtyard is Tieu Phuc Duong." "That's not a courtyard." I said: "It's a place where people serve things." Actually, the Tham family once prepared a hospital for me. Located in the west, the name is Thinh Dan Vien. That's the place my great-grandmother chose for me when she was still alive, saying the sunlight was good and the summer wasn't stuffy. But not long after I moved in, my sister got sick, so my mother moved me to Tieu Phuc Duong's side. When we got to the door of the hospital, the sign had been changed. Order Nghi Cac. The pomegranate tree in the hospital is still there, but it has been moved to the corner, its branches and leaves have been pruned lower. Down the hallway hang embroidered dowry items that have just been dried, scented bags, handkerchiefs, shoe covers, all with auspicious patterns, some in pairs. My old swing is gone. In the main room are the chests of the sister's dowry. The largest one was unlocked, revealing a corner of red paper. I pulled my hand out. It's my birthday card. The red paper is old, the date of birth has not changed a word, but the name has been scraped off. Above, use new ink to write three more words "Tham Lenh Nghi". The scrape mark is very deep, the original name "Tri Dan" is still vaguely visible. Footsteps were heard from behind. Tham Lenh Nghi held the door frame, the tears on her face had not yet dried: "Sister, I can return those things to you. Don't make trouble anymore, okay?" I held up the birthday card: "How should I pay for this?" She saw the red paper, her expression changed: "I didn't know it was also in the chest." "There are a lot of things I don't know." She bit her lip: "I know you hate me." But when I was young, I really almost died, my mother said that only you could save me. At that time, I was too young, what could I do? "What happened after that?" She didn't say anything. I stepped forward: "When I was ten years old, you were still young, at twelve years old you were still young. But when you were fifteen years old to discuss marriage, you wore my long life lock in front of the maquis' palace. Were you still young at that time?" She took a step back, her voice became urgent: "So what do you want me to do? Everyone said that I was able to survive thanks to your blessing. If I took it off, mother would be afraid, brother." will be afraid, you're afraid too!" "Afraid of what?" Tears rolled down her eyes: "Fear of you is nothing." I folded up the date of birth and put it in my sleeve. "You don't live on my blessings." I said: "You live on them trampling me down." Facial expression

Tham Lenh Nghi turned white. 7As soon as he reached the courtyard door, his mother led someone and quickly ran over. Seeing the red paper exposed at the cuff of my shirt, she said sternly: "Put that thing down." "Your date of birth is written on it." "The name has been changed." "Isn't shaving off the old name considered stealing?" The mother looked outside the courtyard and lowered her voice: "Tri Dan, I know you have suffered many injustices over the years. But if Linh Nghi cannot get on the palanquin tomorrow, his whole life will be ruined. You are not like him, you are blessed, even though you are two years late. years, there will finally be good days." I asked: "Mother, where are my good days?" She was stunned. "Is it in Tieu Phuc Duong, or is it in the date of birth card that had the name shaved off?" A troubled look flashed in her eyes, but it was quickly overshadowed by anger. "Do I have to force my sister to die?" I did not continue to argue with her, put away the date of birth card and walked towards the front of the hospital. Mother shouted from behind: "Stop it!" This time Tham Hoai Canh blocked the door. He looked at me and said in a deep voice: "Tri Dan, don't push everything to the end." "The person who pushes everything to the end is never the one who wants to get his things back." His eyes wavered.