Chapter 13 — Return to Eighteen

These six words again. I gritted my teeth and laughed coldly. Even though tears were falling, I still decided not to obey: "So what do you guys want?" Uc Kien Quoc did not answer, turned around and left. The door was closed, but I could still hear Lam Tu Cuc's voice ringing outside the door. "At that time, let Nhue Dao take his place to enroll in Bac Dai, anyway, they're the same, at that time just tell him to have a different citizen ID card." "As for this brat, marry him off as soon as possible." "Marry him to whom?" Uc Kien Quoc's voice was frustrated. "In my birth family, there was an old man who lived in the mountains without a wife. He paid a bride price of 100,000, but when he got married there, he was locked up and ran away." Uc Kien Quoc was silent for a while: "No." "Why not? Do you feel sorry for him?" "No." Uc Kien Quoc's voice was low, "The kid from the Lac family really likes him. If it wasn't because he liked Nhue Ninh, Lac Man wouldn't have bothered to come and sponsor us. If we marry him to the mountains, we won't be able to talk to the Lac family." Lam Tu Cuc's voice suddenly became harsh: "You only know about the Lac family! If Nhue Dao studies in the North, she will marry ten times better than Lac Tu Hanh in the future!" "What do you know?" Kien Quoc angrily shouted: "The Lac family has a good reputation in Giang Thanh. If we marry them, Nhue Dao's future will be more secure." Lam Tu Cuc snorted: "So what do you think we should do?" Uc Kien Quoc thought for a moment, the voice crept in from the crack in the door, each word was like a snake's venomous tongue, licking my heart. "Just call that kid Lac Tu Hanh over here." "Let the rice cook into rice, by then his belly will be big, he won't have to take it if he doesn't want to take it." Uc Kien Quoc's words were like a basin of ice water poured straight down from the top of his head. The blood in my whole body froze. I bit my lip, not letting myself make any sound. Through the crack in the door came Lam Tu Cuc's satisfied laughter: "This is a good way, when the time comes, the Lac family won't be able to deny it." "Then keep it that way." In Uc Kien Quoc's voice, there was an indifferently concealed cruelty, "Call the boy over tomorrow night, just tell Nhue Ninh that she's thought it through and wants to see him." The sound of footsteps faded away, and the living room light went out. Darkness once again enveloped me, I huddled on the bed, my wrists were tightened painfully by the rope. My mind moves at breakneck speed, I only have one day. I had to escape. I took a deep breath and started looking around. At this moment, there was a light sound of footsteps outside the door. I immediately lay down and closed my eyes and pretended to sleep. Someone walked in and stood by the bed for a while. Then I heard Uc Nhue Dao's voice, as light as a feather. "Sister, are you still awake?" I opened my eyes, using the dim light of the table lamp, I saw Uc Nhue Dao with her hair down, holding a bowl of porridge in her hand. "My parents asked me to bring you rice." Uc Nhue Dao put the porridge on the nightstand, sat down on the edge of the bed, tilted her head to look at me. "Sister, why did you say you were miserable like this? Isn't it enough to just obediently cooperate? Just force yourself to become like this." I stared at it, not answering. Uc Nhue Dao sighed, reached out and stroked my messy hair behind my ear, a gentle movement like a thoughtful sister. But in his eyes there was no trace of pity, on the contrary, he carried an excitement as if he were watching a good play. "I heard my parents talking just now." The corners of Uc Nhue Dao's lips curled up slightly, "Sister, you and Mr. Tu Hanh have loved each other for so long, it's not like you feel sorry for yourself." A wave of nausea rolled in my stomach. "Are you really not afraid of retribution?" Uc Nhue Dao was stunned, then laughed with relief. It leaned close to my face, its eyes shining brightly in the flickering light

scary. "What is retribution? Can you eat it?" "I only know that, from childhood to adulthood, as long as you want what you want, in the end it will be yours. My score is like that, so is Lac Tu Hanh." My heart sank. Uc Nhue Dao stood up, patted her clothes, smiled sweetly and looked innocent. "If you like the porridge, eat it. If you don't like it, then fast, anyway, it's not you who's hungry." The door closed. I closed my eyes and forced myself to calm down. During the day, Uc Kien Quoc and Lam Tu Cuc are unlikely to be at home, but I am tied up and need someone to help me untie the rope. Who would come in here during the day? I need to create an opportunity. I bent down to look at the rope on my wrist, then looked at the bowl of porridge on the nightstand. Suddenly, I had an idea. The next afternoon, the door opened. Lam Tu Cuc came in carrying a bowl of noodles. Seeing me still lying in bed, she sneered: "Are you awake? Eat." I didn't move. I raised my eyes to look at Lam Tu Cuc and whispered: "I want to go to the bathroom." Lam Tu Cuc frowned: "Stop it." "Can't stand it anymore." My voice carried sobs, "You don't want me to pee all over the bed, do you?" Lam Tu Cuc clicked his tongue in frustration, walked over to untie the rope tied at the foot of the bed, but my hands were still tied. She pulled the other end of the cord, dragging me into the bathroom like a dog. “Hurry.” I went into the bathroom and closed the door.