Chapter 1 — Secret Explosive Burning of Cow Dung

I said that when I was little, I only liked to play with boys and was scolded as a "pick-me tomboy girl". Right after that, the connection program called my childhood friend, and he immediately exposed my history of "setting firecrackers and exploding cow dung". At the reality show studio, the MC asked about childhood friends. The other guests were all reminiscing about the close relationship between sisters and aunts. It was my turn to touch my nose: "When I was little, I usually only liked to play with boys." The live comment box immediately exploded: "Another pick-me girl acting different?", "Genuine green tea, specializes in choosing boys to play with." I was about to explain when the screen switched to connecting with my childhood friend. He didn't even lift his head and added the same sentence: "Because of girls, no one plays cow dung burning games with her." The whole studio was dead silent for three seconds. MC held the headphones tightly: "Sorry, what did you burn?" Truc Ma sighed: "Burning cow dung is gathering dried cow dung, stuffing firecrackers in the middle, and exploding all over the village... When she was 7 years old, she blew up the fence of the village chief's house." The comment shows a series of question marks. I lowered my head to drink water, pretending not to hear his closing sentence: "There are also games like picking bird's nests, wading in the river to catch fish, climbing walls and flipping tiles, pushing the principal's bicycle down the hillside... No one's daughter would want to play these games with her." 01 The lights in the studio are very bright. So bright that I could clearly see the glue marks on female MC Tham Kieu's false eyelashes. She smiled and brought the microphone in front of me.

“Van Duong, just now everyone was talking about their childhood best friend, what about you?”

After the three guests in front finished speaking, the atmosphere was very gentle and warm. Bach Nhiem said that when she was young, she had a close girlfriend and the two of them wore the same dress. Male singer Quy Hanh said that he and his neighbor practiced playing the piano, and then they both passed the exam to enter the children's palace. It was my turn, the lens pointed straight at my face. I touched my nose.

“When I was little, I usually only liked to play with boys.”

As soon as the words left my mouth, I knew I was done. The scene was silent for half a beat. Tham Kieu's smile stiffened at the corners of her lips. From the corner of my eye I glanced at Bach Nhiem. She bowed her head and took a sip of water, but her eyes curved into a smile. The comments on the big screen started flowing like crazy.

“Another pick-me girl pretending to be a tomboy.”

“The female guest told stories about her girlfriend, but she kept mentioning the boy.”

"What's the point of making the color look special?"

“I met this type of person all the time in middle school, always calling girls troublesome.”

I opened my mouth. Actually, I want to say, it's not that I don't like girls, it's that they don't like playing with me. It's not because I'm cold or classy. But because my childhood entertainment was really not suitable for girls. Tham Kieu quickly saved the situation.

“It seems that Van Duong was very active when he was young, and the boys definitely liked to play with him.”

Before I could nod, the connection screen suddenly lit up. A mysterious old friend invited by the organizers appeared. Luc Van Da is sitting in a very ordinary office. He was wearing a black coat, with an enamel cup in his hand. As soon as the lens switched, he didn't bother to raise his head.

“Because it's a girl, no one plays cow dung burning games with her.”

The whole studio was silent. The glass of water in my hand stopped at my mouth. Tham Kieu held the headphones tightly.

“Sorry, what did you say burn?”

Luc Van Da finally raised his eyes. His expression was very calm. It's like telling a very normal story.

“Burn cow dung.”

“Collect dried cow dung and put firecrackers in the middle.”

“After lighting the fire, it exploded all over the village.”

“When she was 7 years old, she blew up the fence of the village chief's house.”

In the studio, no one dared to speak up. Quy Hanh's expression looked like he had just stuffed a raw ginger root into his mouth. Bach Nhiem's smile stiffened. The comments turned into a series of question marks.

“???”

“It seems like I cursed a bit too early, didn't I?”

“This is not pick-me green tea, this is a village terrorist.”

“Is the village chief's wall still okay?”

I bowed my head to drink water. The water is cold. Face is hot. Luc Van Da hasn't stopped yet.

“Still picking up bird nests, wading rivers to catch fish, climbing walls and flipping tiles.”

“At age 8, she pushed the principal's bicycle down the side of a hill.”

“When I was 9 years old, I stole my grandfather's iron pot and went to the river bank to boil snails.”

“At the age of 10, he led a group of children from the whole village to dig a sweet potato tunnel, almost burying himself alive.”

I looked up.

“Luc Van Da.”

He looked into the lens: “Yes.” I gritted my teeth: "You can close your mouth now." He nodded: “Okay.” He paused for a second: "But the story about when she was 12 years old and dyed my rooster blue, I think I can still tell more." The whole studio burst into laughter. Tham Kieu laughed so much that she almost dropped the script. I put down the glass of water: "That's because your chicken pecked me." Luc Van Da replied: "It pecked you because you put a straw hat on it first." Comment on turning the car completely.

“I died laughing, it turns out the boy playing with her had an accident at work.”

“Whose daughter would burn cow dung like this haha.”

"I declare, Van Duong is not green tea, she is the village's top gangster."

"Luc Van Da's mouth is so mixed, these two people are really close."

I looked at him on the screen. He doesn't look changed at all. Still looking calm, not in a hurry. But I know, the calmer you are, the more toxic your mouth will be. Tham Kieu immediately followed.

"Van Duong was so naughty when he was young, Mr. Luc must have had a good relationship with her, right?"

Luc Van Da picked up the enamel cup.

“For now.”

“That time she burned cow dung, I was the one who delivered the matchbox.”

I closed my eyes. Finished. The two of them walked hand in hand into the mud. Bach Nhiem suddenly laughed.

"Van Duong was really amazing when he was young."

“Playing with all the boys like that, it must be very welcome.”

Her voice was light. But words change the direction. I understood immediately. She wanted to regain some of the malice that had just been extinguished by the humorous comments. I was just about to speak, Luc Van Da spoke first.

“Welcoming is not really.”

"Mainly, the boys ran too slowly and couldn't escape her."

The whole studio burst into laughter. Bach Nhiem's smile faded. Tham Kieu took the opportunity to change the topic.

“It seems like this was a very special childhood.”

I thought this matter was over. But 10 minutes later, during a break. Assistant Tieu Hoa rushed to my side holding the phone, his face strange.

"Miss Duong, you have reached the top 1 hot search."

I took the phone. Top 1 hot search is not “Van Duong pick-me girl". It's not "Luc Van Da exposed". It's 6 big words: Van Duong blew up the wall of the village chief's house. Before I could react, the top 2 hot search also jumped up: The village chief's son responded to Van Duong. I clicked to see. An account with a green tick had just posted a video. In the video, a middle-aged man sat in the middle of the yard, behind a newly built red brick wall. He said: "There's nothing worth talking about about the wall."

“Today I just want to ask Van Duong a question.”

“In the past, my father hid the iron box under the wall, did you steal it?”

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