Chapter 16 — Secret Explosive Burning of Cow Dung

Even knowing full well that I was taken to Van's house was hiding an old debt that she didn't want to admit. When I spoke, my voice was calmer than I thought.

"Do you think I'm happy living in the Van family?"

Bach Nhiem's eyes were bloodshot. It was as if she finally couldn't pretend anymore.

“Isn't it good?”

“You have loving parents, Luc Van Da to protect you, and a bunch of people to testify for you.”

“What about me?”

"Since I was little, I had to hide with my aunt."

“She was in debt, she was drinking, she was crazy.”

“Before she died, she still held that lock tightly, saying that it should have been exchanged for money for us to spend the rest of our lives.”

My mother on the phone line took a deep breath. Bach Nhiem's wound felt like it had been torn open, there was no way to close it anymore.

“When I was more than ten years old, I took the entrance exam, and I couldn't even collect enough money to register.”

“What's wrong with me bringing that lock to ask for a price?”

“It's been around my neck for so many years, it's mine.”

I stood still, staring at her.

“The word Duong An is engraved on it.”

“Not Bach Nhiem.”

Her face suddenly distorted.

“It's just a name.”

“If you have what you have today, isn't it because you are lucky?”

“What if the person who was taken to the Van family that year was me?”

“If I also had someone to nurture and protect me, would I be worse than you?”

I suddenly don't want to argue with her anymore. Because I see it through. It's not that she doesn't know where she went wrong. She just feels that all the good things that don't fall into her hands are owed to her by others. Tham Kieu's face was very gloomy.

“Bach Nhiem, you just admitted, you always knew the silver lock had another origin?”

Bach Nhiem woke up, his face changed. She realized she had said something wrong.

“I didn't mean that.”

“It's because everyone pushed me too hard.”

The old lady next to Nguu Dai Dung's house smiled faintly.

“You look exactly like Duong Thuy Phuong.”

Bach Nhiem was startled and looked over. The old lady's voice was hoarse.

“She said the same thing that year.”

“She said she was destined to suffer, so taking someone else's child in exchange for money was not considered wrong.”

“She said that the Van family is poor, raising one child is raising a child, raising another child is not enough.”

“But people's children are not chickens or ducks, they are not things that can be changed cages at will.”

My throat is choked. My mother on the other end of the phone sobbed loudly.

“At that time, I didn't know.”

“Duong Duong, I really don't know.”

I immediately brought the phone closer.

“Mom, I know.”

“We don't owe you anything.”

“Never been in debt.”

The crying on the other end of the line became even louder. Luc Van Da suddenly asked the old lady.

“Where did Niu Vinh Phuc hide his birth certificate that year?”

Nuu Dai Dung's voice echoed from outside the frame.

“Stop asking!”

The old lady used her cane to tap the ground hard.

“You shut your mouth.”

She turned towards the camera and said slowly: "Not in my hands."

"Not at the Niu family's house either."

“Before he died, Niu Vinh Phuc was afraid that people would return old debts, so he took his things to an old photography shop in town.”

Tham Kieu was stunned.

“Photo shop?”

The old lady nodded.

"That photo was taken there."

“The photographer is an old friend of his.”

“He stuffed the birth certificate and the remaining half of the letter into a box iron roll film container.”

“He said that as long as no one questioned him, he would just leave that thing to rot in the wall of the photo darkroom.”

My heart suddenly tightened. Luc Van Da immediately stood up. The lens vibrated once. I asked: "Where are you going?" He picked up the car keys on the table.

“Go to town.”

Before I could say anything, the old lady suddenly raised her head.

“It's late.”

“Nuu Dai Dung went to that photo shop yesterday.”

12 My spine suddenly felt cold. Nguu Dai Dung went to the photo shop yesterday.