Chapter 3 — Roommate Raising Dad

Unexpectedly, on the third day, Ms. Hua, the academic advisor, called me to her office. Her voice was still quite polite, but inside and out she advised me not to make a big deal out of it. "Giang Niem, To Mien Mien's family is really difficult, her father's health is not good either. You have just entered school, you should still focus on unity." I looked at To Mien Mien sitting next to me. Her eyes were red and swollen, she was holding a tissue in her hand, looking like she had been bullied by me for ten years. Ms. Hua pushed a piece of paper in front of me. "She said your department previously signed a mutual support agreement, but now you've changed your mind." I bowed my head and looked. On the paper was written: "All members of room 416 voluntarily help Uncle To Dai Hai while he is at school." "Each person voluntarily pays four hundred yuan in support money each month." "Jiang Niem voluntarily gives up the lower bed for Uncle To to temporarily rest." "Jiang Niem voluntarily advances two thousand yuan in hospital fees." Below is also my signature. The handwriting is so crooked and ugly that it hurts my eyes. I burst out laughing. "Teacher, do you think this is my signature?" Ms. Hua was a bit confused. "That's why I called you to verify." To Mien Mien immediately cried. "Giang Niem, at that time you clearly agreed. Now you're afraid of losing face so you refuse to admit it." I stared at her. "To Mien Mien, what is the nature of forging a signature, do you know?" Her face turned white, but still speechless. "I'm not fake." I opened my phone. "The time recorded on this piece of paper is two o'clock in the afternoon on the third of September. At that time I was in line at the library to receive a student card, with location, photo, and surveillance camera." I opened the chat history in the group room again. "At two twenty in the afternoon, I also asked Tuong Hoa to help me get the key in the group, because I was not in the dormitory at all." Ms. Hua's face changed. She called both Tuong Hoa and Manh Thanh. Tuong Hoa finished reading the paper and immediately shook his head. "I didn't sign." Manh Thanh also said: "My name was not written by me." To Mien Mien was impatient. "Why is everyone on Giang Niem's side? Obviously everyone has agreed to help my father!" I opened the recording. Inside was her voice threatening us. "If you don't pay, I will post it on the school's confession page, so the whole school can see how you bully poor students." The office was immediately quiet. Ms. Hua frowned. "To Mien Mien, what exactly is this?" To Mien Mien cried until she couldn't breathe. "Miss, I'm just so scared. I don't have money, my dad is sick. I just want to ask everyone for help." I said: "Begging for help doesn't mean you're allowed to forge a signature. Being poor also doesn't mean someone else owes you." Ms. Hua rubbed her forehead and raised her voice. softened. "Jiang Niem, the academy will criticize and educate her in this matter. Can you temporarily stop expanding your influence?" I looked at her. "Teacher, an adult man entered the female dormitory twice, took over the bed, rummaged through the furniture. A student forged his signature, demanding money from others. Are you sure you only need to criticize and educate?" Ms. Hua paused. I continued to say: "If the school does not handle it according to regulations, I will ask my mother to discuss with the academy." She asked: "Who is my mother?" "Trinh Nghien Thu, lawyer." To Mien Mien's crying stopped for a moment. I put my phone away. "Teacher, I came to university to study, not to work as a free babysitter for someone else's father." The next day, my mother went to school. All the frustrations caused by being forced by morality, from today on will be clearly calculated, no one can cover it up. 5My mother did not rush into the dormitory to curse, nor did she bang the table. She wore a black suit, carried a file bag, and sat in the school's conference room

library, presented each document in turn. Police report report. Minutes of the security department. Regulations on dormitory management. Photo taken from video. Transcript of audio recording content. Copy of fake agreement. List of property damage. Along with related laws. The dean of the student affairs department, the academic advisor, Aunt Phung and the security room teacher were all present. My mother's voice was not loud, but every sentence was extremely clear. "First, does the school allow adult men to continuously enter and leave and stay in the female dormitory?" "Second, is the student's bed and personal property occupied, is the school responsible for managing it?" "Third, someone forged my daughter's signature, asking her to give up money and give up her bed. What procedure is the Academy prepared to follow?"The conference room was eerily quiet. Ms. Hua's face was a bit unsightly. The head of the student affairs office immediately said: "Miss Trinh, the academy will seriously investigate this matter." To Mien Mien sat in the corner, crying until her shoulders were shaking. To Dai Hai also came. He sat on the sofa with his arms crossed, looking unconvinced. Hearing this, he suddenly spoke: "What investigation? Don't you just sleep in one of her beds and drink a glass of water? People with money really like to make small things big." My mother looked at him.