Chapter 10 — Ten Children?

15 The first month after their grandmother passed away, the nine brothers understood for the first time in their lives what it means to truly have no home to return to. In the past, no matter how much trouble they suffered outside or how much money they earned, just go to the beginning of the alley, push open the mottled iron gate, they would definitely see her sitting at the door, waving a leaf fan. She is the pillar that supports everyone. But now, the door was pushed open, and the old rattan chair suddenly became empty. The wind blew through the yard, making the place empty and terrifyingly lonely. People don't know where to go, nor where to celebrate New Year's Eve. Chu Tranh even suggested using an iron chain to completely lock the yard gate.

“I can't stand it.”

The scarred man with red eyes sent a voice message in the group:

“Every time I push the door open, I feel that in the next second she will carry a basin of water from the kitchen.”

"Let's lock it up as a souvenir. From now on, everyone will live their own life."

You're hiding. Everyone is avoiding the pain of losing someone to rely on. But I don't agree. On the twenty-seventh day of December before Tet, I looked at the empty chat group and decisively sent a message:

“Tomorrow the twenty-eighth of December, everyone will be home for dinner on time.”

“Whoever dares not come, don't recognize me as your sister anymore.”

After sending that sentence, I was actually not sure. But on the morning of the twenty-eighth of December, when I pushed open the yard gate, the noise inside was almost enough to make the roof explode. The nine brothers, not one missing, all returned. It's not just them. Chu Tranh brought along his newlywed wife. Mr. Ba brought along his son who had just turned three years old. Mr. Bay carried two large boxes of seafood. Tran Du also naturally tied his apron and stood next to the water tank in the yard to help Tran Thuc wash vegetables. The two of them were arguing about whether to add shrimp or mushrooms and their faces turned red. I put down my bag, went straight under the eaves, got a basin of clean water, carefully cleaned her dusty old rattan chair, then solemnly placed it back in its most familiar position. The yard is still extremely noisy. Mr. Ba's son ran around the yard chasing a stray cat. Mr. Nam took out the scissors he brought with him and insisted on cutting his nephew's "most fashionable" hairstyle, scaring the child to the point of crying. Chu Tranh habitually lit a cigarette, his eyes scanned the yard and finally stopped on the empty chair. There was truly no trace of her there. But when Chu Tranh turned his head, looked at the warm fire smoke filling the yard, looked at his younger brothers arguing and us laughing and talking about wrapping banh coc, his eye sockets turned red. He suddenly understood why I must gather everyone. Family has never disappeared. Because the legacy she left us was never just an old house or a yellowed notebook. What she left behind was an extremely valuable emotional asset. No matter where the ten of us, who were once abandoned by the world, go, as long as we remember her, we will know how to love others, how to maintain a family. ## 16 Later, life is like a tireless river, constantly flowing forward. I got married, bought a not big but warm house with Tran Du in the city where I was working, and had a small family of my own. I don't say anything quit my favorite research job to return to the small city. You guys have never asked me to sacrifice my future to repay the so-called kindness of nurturing me. Everyone has their own stable life. Chu Tranh's car repair shop is increasingly expanding, becoming a famous car repair shop in the area. Tran Thuc's restaurant is doing well and has recently opened a few more branches. Mr. Ba is gradually getting older and no longer accepts difficult long-distance shipments. He stayed at a local logistics company as a team captain, focusing on leading his students. The other brothers also live normal lives but firmly on their own paths. We are no longer stuck together every day like when we were kids. Sometimes because of busy work, we can't meet even once in half a year. But the family group is extremely bustling every day. Chu Tranh likes to post photos of luxury cars that have just been repaired, showing off his skills. Tran Thuc is passionate about researching new dishes, always posting videos of trying dishes to the group for everyone to praise. Mr. Chin is like a dedicated family leader. Every time the season changes, he punctually sends a pile of health care articles, and persistently supervises everyone who goes to the hospital for their annual health check-ups. Thanks to their unfettered love, I was finally completely free from the chains. I am no longer just "a Thanh Hoa student raised by nine older brothers" who carries the hopes of the whole family. I'm no longer the shy girl who feels guilty every time she spends a penny. I am an independent engineer in charge of an important project, Tran Du's hard-working wife, and also a normal young person who goes camping with friends on weekends. I can wholeheartedly devote myself to the research I love, and can also rest assured to take time off to travel around the world. When they are in trouble, I can contribute money without hesitation. When I encounter social events that I don't want to participate in or trivial matters that I don't want to shoulder, I can also courageously say "no". I love them deeply, have their love, but no longer have to give up myself for them. That was the life she really wanted to give me when she brought me home on that snowy day. In the sixth year after getting married, on the Mid-Autumn Festival, I took my five-year-old daughter and Tran Du back to my old house. Sunlight penetrates through the grape arbor, falling in dappled streaks of light. The girl tied her hair in two pigtails, curiously ran into the main house, stood on tiptoe and looked at the old photo of her grandmother on the table. It looked for a long time, then turned its head, blinked its big eyes and asked me:

“Mom, are all the uncles outside really your brothers?”

I walked over and picked up my child, smiling and nodding:

“That's right.”

The girl frowned, looking suspicious, using her fingers to twist the hem of her shirt:

“But people are not the same at all.”

"Uncle Eldest is so dark, Uncle Third's so fat, Uncle Nam's hair is curly. Mother's like no one else."

I was amused by your child's innocent words. I caressed my baby's soft face and gently said:

“Dear, you must remember, family members do not necessarily have to be the same.”

“As long as after dark, there is a group of people who always remember to leave a set of bowls and chopsticks for their children on the dining table, and always remember to wait for their children to come home to eat, that is enough.”

As soon as he finished speaking, there was immediately a noisy argument outside. This group of old men whose combined years were hundreds of years old quarreled over a trivial matter. It turns out they were comparing who bought the more valuable gift for their niece. I held my child's hand and stood at the door waiting for them. Time has indeed left cruel traces on their bodies. Elder Chu Tranh's sideburns already have silver strands. Mr. Nam finally stopped dyeing his hair all colors and obediently left his hair black. Mr. Ba has been driving for many years and has lumbar spine disease. He has to support his waist when standing for long periods of time. But when the gate was pushed open, those nine no longer young men were still standing outside the exam venue like before, simultaneously putting down the things in their hands. Bright smiles appeared on their weathered and weathered faces.

“An An is back!”

Chu Tranh called loudly, his voice still full of energy. At that moment, the autumn wind blew through the small yard, blowing a few yellow grape leaves down. I stood in front of my brothers who were still willing to use their lives to protect themselves, tears could not help but flow. Finally, I completely understood one thing. In the past, it was not out of pity that she picked up ten homeless children to take home. She used a normal square table and the rule that no one's part should be left on the table forever, teaching ten broken and thorny people how to put themselves back together and become each other's strongest family. To this day, every time he gets drunk, Chu Tranh is still used to boasting to anyone:

“People like us who have rolled around in the mud can still raise a Tsinghua student.”

But I think, Thanh Hoa has never been the only answer this house offers. What she spent her whole life nurturing were ten normal people who could support themselves, know how to live kindly, and also know how to love others. The smell of food once again floated from the kitchen. Tran Thuc carried a plate of hot sweet and sour fried ribs and walked out into the middle of the yard, calling loudly:

"Stop arguing! Wash your hands and eat!"

We laughed and raised our glasses. It's almost dark. It's time to have dinner.

— END —