Chapter 19 — The Child You Never Knew

Coming out of the principal's office, when passing by the waiting area, the mother wearing the mink coat was still there. Seeing Khuong Niem come out of the principal's office, the expression on her face changed from curiosity to confusion, then to dissatisfaction.

"What's going on? Is there something wrong with her child?" She pulled a teacher next to her and asked in a low voice.

The other teacher shook his head and said nothing. Tieu Chau held Khuong Niem's hand and walked to the school gate. The boy suddenly said: "Mom, you were worried about money just now, right?"

“How do you know?”

"When mom heard that she had to go to the capital, her finger rubbed the edge of her pants. She did that every time she paid."

Khuong Niem burst out laughing helplessly. “Nothing can be hidden from you.”

“So are we going?”

“Is the money enough?”

Tieu Chau stared at her for two seconds. "When mom said the word 'enough', the corner of her mouth tilted to the right. That was a sign she was lying."

“Five-year-old children don't need to worry about money.”

“But you can help me save money.” Tieu Chau said very seriously, "You can not eat snacks or buy new toys. I still keep the money I earned at the second-hand market last time."

Khuong Niem squatted down and squeezed her child's nose. "That money is yours. You keep it."

“So my money is also my money.” Tieu Chau argued, "Why can't I help mom?"

Khuong Niem opened her mouth, suddenly realizing that she was speechless by the logic of a five-year-old child. She stood up, took her child's hand and walked towards the bus stop. "Okay. You help me contribute some. But the money you buy ice cream on the way will be deducted from your share."

“Successful communication.” These two words were said by Tieu Chau in an extremely young tone.

After walking a dozen steps, a black sedan quietly parked on the side of the road. The car window lowered, revealing Ha Than's face.

“Miss Khuong.” His tone softened a bit compared to when he was at the studio, “The deputy director told me to bring you something.”

He passed an envelope through the window. Khuong Niem did not accept. “What?”

"All travel and accommodation expenses for the Genius Class interview trip. Airfare, hotel, and meals have all been arranged."

“I didn't ask him to arrange it.”

"He said, maybe you will refuse. So he told me to give you the message." Ha Than paused for a moment, "This isn't for you. It's for the baby. The baby's future shouldn't be delayed just because of money."

Khuong Niem looked at the envelope. The envelope was not sealed, inside you could see a pre-printed schedule and a bank card. Tieu Chau is also looking. The boy tilted his head slightly in thought, then said to Ha Than: "You are the assistant of the man in the gray shirt, right?" Ha Than nodded.

“Then help me ask him a question.” Tieu Chau's tone was very serious, "Is he giving money because he wants to be good for you, or is it because he wants your mother to feel indebted to his kindness to give money?"

Ha Than's expression changed slightly. He glanced at Khuong Niem, then looked at Tieu Chau.

“I will pass on the message.” he said.

Khuong Niem led Tieu Chau straight. The envelope was still in Ha Than's hand. After walking twenty meters, Tieu Chau spoke up: "Mom, if that money is clean, you can actually take it. If you don't take it, it's a waste."

“Who taught you that?”

“The sales lady at the second-hand market said so.”

Three days later, phone call of Khuong Niem shouted. It's not La Dong, it's not Ha Than, and it's not that strange number. As Deputy Lady. The call was made from the landline of the Pho family's old house. Khuong Niem hesitated for three seconds before picking up the phone.

“Khuong Niem.” Lady Fu's voice no longer had the condescending tone like the time in the hallway of the recording area, instead it was stiffly restrained, "Are you free? I want to see you for a moment."

“What?”

“About Chau Chau.” The deputy lady stopped, "It's not to make things difficult for you. There is something that must be said directly."

Khuong Niem was silent for five seconds. "When?"

"Tomorrow afternoon. You set the location."

This statement made Khuong Niem a bit surprised. People like the Deputy Lady have always been hers to designate the location for others to coordinate with.

"Tea shop at the south gate of Lam Giang park. Three o'clock in the afternoon."

Hanging up the phone, Khuong Niem leaned against the back of the chair, her fingers unconsciously tapping on the table. Tieu Chau was sleeping, breathing regularly. She opened the phone book, looked up the name La Dong, hesitated for a moment, then didn't call. She then opened another chat window. Phone numbers are not saved.

“The deputy lady asked me to meet her.” She sent it.

Very quickly there was a reply: *"I know. This afternoon she went to the Deputy General's office, closed the door and talked for an hour. When she came out, her face did not look good."*

“What are we talking about?”

*"Not sure. But after the conversation, the Deputy General told me to completely withdraw the documents from the final joint custody application. Completely withdraw, do not save copies."* Khuong Niem stared at this message for a long time. Then she exited the chat frame and locked the phone screen. Outside the window is the night scene of Lam Giang old town. There are no neon lights of high-rise buildings, only scattered street lights and the occasional light of cars passing by. The apartment she rented after moving here was on the sixth floor, a dark patch of the river surface could be seen in the distance. She sat in the dark for a long time, stood up, adjusted the corner of the blanket for Tieu Chau, then went to the kitchen to pour a glass of water. After drinking half of it, she put the cup down on the kitchen counter and gently said a sentence to the empty kitchen.

“It's best if you really let go.”

No one answered her.