Chapter 3 — The Child You Never Knew

Khuong Niem raised her eyes. These eyes have not changed compared to three years ago, clear, cold, not containing any excess emotions. She looked at Pho Tu Nien, clearly saying every word: "When you made me lose my reputation, you never asked me what I relied on. When you made me disappear from this industry, you never asked me what I relied on. Now you come to ask me what I relied on?" Pho Tu Nien's temples twitched. “Those are two different things.”

“Those are not two different things.” Khuong Niem's voice was bland as if she was telling someone else's story, "Three years ago, I was alone with my two-year-old child and received a warning letter from your company's legal department, the words were *'If you continue to post false statements, full legal liability will be prosecuted'*. I went to a platform to speak up to defend myself, but there was none. Do you think at that time, I should call you to tell you, 'You have a son'?"

Pho Tu Nien did not respond.

“What will you do then?” Khuong Niem continued, "Out of responsibility and control to take this child? Forcing him to call Wen Tam Duyet stepmother?"

“You speak clearly.” Pho Tu Nien's voice was sharp, "The baby's story has nothing to do with Tam Duyet."

“It has nothing to do with her?” Khuong Niem laughed softly, without any warmth, "You ruined me for her, now tell me it has nothing to do with her?"

Outside, there was the sound of employees walking around. Pho Tu Nien was silent for a few seconds, during those few seconds, his expression turned from anger to something deeper.

“I want a DNA test.” he said.

“Don't do it.”

"Khuong Niem, don't force me to use the law. You should understand better than anyone else, taking that step won't benefit you at all."

“Are you threatening me?”

“I'm telling you the truth.” Pho Tu Nien's speaking speed was very slow, each word falling like a chess piece on a chess board, "The investor of this program is a company under me. You can now stand in this studio, because I haven't spoken yet. You cooperate, everything is easy to say. You don't cooperate..." He paused, "I have a hundred ways to make you unable to keep even this last chance of exposure."

Khuong Niem's shoulders stiffened for a moment, then relaxed again. She tilted her head to look at the lamp stand in the corner of the wall, as if she was looking at a very distant place.

“Pho Tu Nien, you can try.” She turned her head and looked straight into his eyes, "It's okay if you touch me. But if you touch my son, I risk my life for you."

She pulled the door open and walked out. In the hallway, Tieu Chau was leaning against the wall waiting. When he saw her coming out, he immediately approached. He didn't ask who the other man was, nor what they said. He just grabbed his mother's hand and squeezed it gently.

“Mom, nine minutes fifty-eight seconds.” The boy said.

The shooting continued. But the atmosphere has completely changed. The director's attitude towards Khuong Niem is much more polite than three parts, and Tieu Chau's screen time is also more than in previous episodes. This change was not kindness, but opportunism after testing the wind direction. Everyone was guessing the reason why that big person suddenly visited, and Khuong Niem became the focus of everyone's scrutiny. In the foreign filming section scene at the market, six children compete to show off. Doa Doa, secretly taught by her mother, went straight to the meat and fish shops, showing off her appearance. Some other children were playing loudly, some bought a bunch of snacks and almost exceeded their budget. Tieu Chau was the last to start. Before entering the market, the boy stood at the entrance and observed for two full minutes. The cameraman followed him, in the lens, this boy's expression was focused as if he was solving a math problem. Then the boy moved. First, go to the unsold vegetable stall far inside and buy the three cheapest seasonal vegetables. On the way back, passing by a fish seller preparing her goods, he stopped.

“Miss, you can't sell this fish, right?” The boy raised his small face and asked.

The seller was stunned: "How do you know?"

"I'm packing up, but that fish hasn't been put in the ice box yet. If it can't be sold, I'll have to throw it away. Sell it to me for five yuan, it's better than throwing it away."

The seller was made fun of: "How old are you?"

"Five years old. Five bad years, is that okay?"

The seller smiled and shook his head, wrapping the fish. That fish had a market price of at least fifteen yuan, Tieu Chau spent the least amount of money in the whole group to buy the only salty dish. This documentary was cut by the director's team on the same day and posted to the program's official account. Three hours later, likes exceeded one million. The comment area exploded once again. Top 1 comment: *"Help me, this kid's way of forcing prices is exactly the same as Pho Tu Nien's trade negotiation tactics, analyzing the opponent's weaknesses first and then setting a price."* Khuong Niem read this comment in the evening while bathing Tieu Chau. She looked for three seconds, then put the phone down. The phone screen lit up again. An unknown phone number sent a message with only one line: *"Tomorrow the producer will find you to talk. Your son will not be eliminated this season, but the price to pay is to cooperate in filming a special plan."* No signature. Khuong Niem stared at this message for a long time. She did not reply, nor did she delete it. She locked the screen and continued to apply soap to her son. Tieu Chau was playing with a rubber duck in the water when she suddenly said: "Mom, why are those aunts and uncles secretly looking at us today?"

“I guess I saw your excellent performance today and wanted to learn about your bravery.”

Tieu Chau thought for a moment and said very seriously: "Then they can't learn it. Because that method was invented by me." Khuong Niem couldn't help but laugh: "Yes. I thought of it myself."

"Mom." Tieu Chau spoke again, his voice a little lighter than before, "Is the man wearing a gray shirt today a bad person?"

Khuong Niem's hand paused for a second, continuing to rinse off the soap bubbles on her child's shoulder. "Not necessarily a bad person. But not one of ours."

“So if he comes again, I will protect you.”

"Okay." Khuong Niem kissed her child's forehead, "Chau Chau protects mother."