Chapter 3 — Secret Explosive Burning of Cow Dung

Bach Nhiem said softly: "Does Mr. Luc have proof?" She looked at the camera.

"Anyway, this is just a one-sided statement from me."

Luc Van Da pushed the old notebook in front of the camera. On the yellowed paper were crooked words.

“On July 14, Van Duong exploded.”

“Nuu Dai Dung took the iron box.”

“The village head hit Van Duong twice.”

“She didn't cry.”

I stared at that text. The eye sockets are slightly stretched. Tham Kieu whispered and asked: "Is this your diary?" Luc Van Da said: "No." He stopped for a moment.

“Written by Van Duong.”

I was stunned. I write? When I was young, I wrote a diary? Luc Van Da looked at me.

"That day you said you were afraid that no one would believe you in the future."

“You should ask me to keep it for you.”

An image suddenly flashed through my mind. Under the old tree. I squatted on the ground, took a pencil and wrote and drew in my notebook. Luc Van Da sat next to him, holding half a dumpling in his hand. I said: "If I become famous in the future, what if they still say I stole it?" He said: "Let me keep it for you." I said: "Don't lose it." He said: “No.” I always thought it was just a child's idle talk. Turns out he actually kept it until now. Comments were silent for a few seconds. Then it went crazy.

“Help me, he really kept it for her for more than ten years.”

“Was Bach Nhiem manipulating public opinion just now?”

“Nuu Dai Dung, quickly explain!”

“This is not childhood fun, this is collecting old debts.”

The director in the headset asked Tham Kieu to maintain the program's progress. Tham Kieu took a deep breath.

“So can we connect with Mr. Nguu now?”

I was just about to refuse. A new connection request appears on the screen. Niu Dai Dung sat in front of the camera. His face was even more unsightly than before.

“I didn't say she stole it just now.”

“I just wanted to ask.”

I looked at him.

“You ask me, why didn't you tell me before that you took that box?”

Nuu Dai Dung's lips moved.

“I forgot.”

Luc Van Da suddenly burst out laughing.

“I forgot about the iron box.”

“So do you remember who is the person with your father in the photo in that box?”

Nuu Dai Dung raised his head. His face was pale. Comments on the livestream stopped for a moment. Luc Van Da turned the old diary to the next page.

“Van Duong.”

“That year she only wrote half a sentence.”

“The text on the back of the photo, I also copied it down.”

03 I looked at the old diary in Luc Van Da's hand. His fingertips pressed against the edge of the paper. The page is very thin. From the screen, I can still see the edge of the paper curling up because it's old. Tham Kieu looked at me, then looked at Niu Dai Dung.

“What is written on the back of the photo?”

Nuu Dai Dung panicked.

“This is our family's private business!”

Luc Van Da didn't pay attention to him. He looked towards me.

“Do you want to hear it?”

Very light question. But all the cameras at the scene were pointed at me. I want to say no. But the incident was dragged into the livestream by Nguu Dai Dung. He took out the iron box and asked me first. Now they say it's a private matter. There is no such thing as delicious food in the world. I put down the glass of water.

“Read it.”

Luc Van Da bowed his head.

“The back of the photo says: Nguu Vinh Phuc and Duong Thuy Phuong, May 1989.”

Nuu Dai Dung slammed the table and stood up.

“Shut your mouth!”

Tham Kieu immediately signaled the director to turn off his mic. Comments exploded again.

“Who is Duong Thuy Phuong?”

"Isn't the village chief's surname Niu? Niu Vinh Phuc must be the village chief."

“This melon digs deeper and deeper.”

“What secret did Van Duong reveal when he was young?”

The expression on Bach Nhiem's face is a bit unsightly. Initially, she intended to steer public opinion in the direction that I was a spoiled brat.