Chapter 6 — Return to Save Yourself

During the graduation ceremony, grandmother sat under the stage, smiling until her eyes widened. I was wearing a bachelor's gown, standing in the middle of the stadium, suddenly remembering myself in my previous life. The woman was locked in a rented house, washed clothes, cooked meals, sought medical treatment, and was criticized for not being able to have children. She didn't even know she could stand here. She was also naturally surrounded by applause. I closed my eyes and silently told her: Look. We have arrived. During graduate school, I participated in a community project about women's rights. The project specializes in helping girls who have been threatened, slandered or have their privacy violated in intimate relationships. Co Lam Chu became a lawyer collaborating with the project. One time, a girl cried and asked me: "He really treated me very well before." "Is it too cruel of me to report to the police like that?" I gave her a tissue. "Good cannot cancel out evil." "You did not destroy him." "You are saving yourself." After saying this sentence, I suddenly froze. This is what I told her. These are also words spoken to me from the past. Years later, I became an investigative reporter. I have written about school admissions cases, written about shelters for victims of domestic violence, written about mental control in intimate relationships. My articles have helped many people. Grandma always said she couldn't read. But every time the newspaper was sent home, she would circle my name and put it in an iron box. In that iron box, there was also my admission notice. It has been laminated and preserved very well. At the age of thirty, Pho Dien completed his prison term. According to regulations, the police informed me to pay attention to safety. I thought I would be scared. But after hanging up the phone, I just calmly continued to edit the article. 10. In the afternoon, the receptionist said someone was looking for me. I entered the reception room and saw a thin, emaciated man. Deputy Dien. He's aged a lot. But his eyes still had that familiar sticky look that made me uncomfortable. "Thanh Hoa." I frowned. "Call me Ms. Hua." He smiled bitterly. "You are so powerful now." "After being released from prison, I have nothing left." "My parents are old, relatives blame me for embarrassing you, and no one wants to hire me." "Can you help me?" I looked at him, only feeling extremely absurd. "Impossible." His face was stiff. "Are you that unfaithful?" "Pho Dien, you're wrong." I calmly said: "I'm not unfaithful." "I just won't continue to act as a stepping stone for you anymore." The pitiful look in his eyes gradually crumbled, resentment welled up. "If it weren't for you, would I have to go to jail?" "You ruined me!" The reception room door was pushed open. Co Lam Chu walked in, wearing a neat suit, with an indifferent expression. "Do you need me to remind you that this place is recording and recording the entire process?" Seeing him, Pho Dien's face became distorted. "It's you again." Co Lam Chu walked up to me. "Harassing and threatening the litigant, I can help Ms. Hua apply for a protection order." Pho Dien stared at us, suddenly burst into laughter. "You two have been together since It's been a while, right?" "Hua Thanh Hoa, you're certainly not a good thing." I stood up. At this moment, I don't need Co Lam Chu standing in front of me. I looked at Pho Dien and said every word: "I'm good or not, it's not your turn to judge." "You only need to remember one thing." "My life, you will never be able to touch again." The security guard invited Pho Dien out. When he reached the door, he still turned around and scolded: "Sooner or later you will regret it!" I didn't pay attention to him. After the door closed, Co Lam Chu asked me: "Are you okay?" I nodded. "Very good." He looked at me, seemingly not too confident. I smiled and took it

A small box came out of the drawer. Inside is a plain ring. Co Lam Chu was stunned. "Hua Thanh Hoa?" I opened the box, raised my head to look at him. "Lawyer Co, I want some advice." "If I propose to someone who has been waiting for me for many years, is the success rate high?" His eye sockets immediately turned red. "It remains to be seen who the other person is." "Co Lam Chu." I said: "Do you agree to continue moving forward with me?" He was silent for a few seconds. Then smiled slightly. “I agree.” There were no brilliant fireworks. There are no pompous oaths. Only the afternoon sunlight fell on the table, illuminating that simple ring. I suddenly felt extremely fulfilled. Not because I finally have a new lover. But because this time, I chose love in freedom. The wedding was held very small. Grandma sat in the first row, wearing a red coat, in very good spirits. When we exchanged rings, she secretly wiped away her tears. I walked down the stage and hugged her. "Grandma, what are you crying about?" She patted me. "Happy." "Our Thanh Hoa family can finally live its own life." My eye sockets heated up. "Yes." Many years later, Co Lam Chu and I brought our daughter back to our hometown. The old house is still there. Grandma sat on a rattan chair drying in the sun.