Chapter 6 — The Child You Never Knew

During the few seconds the camera panned, the surveillance screen showed Wen Tam Duyet leaning down and saying something into Tieu Chau's ear. The distance is too far, the surveillance camera cannot capture sound. But Tieu Chau's shoulders clearly showed tension. Khuong Niem stood up.

“Where are you going?” Trieu Hang sat next to him and asked.

“Go see my son.”

"You can't go in now. The rules say parents are not allowed to interrupt in the middle."

Khuong Niem ignored him and went straight to the door. The backstage staff stopped her: "Miss Khuong, the filming hasn't ended yet."

“Get away.”

"Miss Khuong, if you do this, it will affect the performance of the program. If you rush in now, this part will be considered abandoned, the director will..."

“I said stay away.”

The employee looked at her face, hesitated for two seconds, and finally moved to give way. When Khuong Niem pushed open the door to the filming room and walked in, Wen Tam Duyet was smiling and helping Tieu Chau adjust the position of the newly completed puzzle city. Everything looks so harmonious and beautiful.

"Mom." Tieu Chau saw her, his eyes lit up, he stood up and ran towards her.

Khuong Niem sat down and hugged her child. Tieu Chau buried his face in the crook of her shoulder, his voice very low: "Mom, she said if I don't listen, the program will kick us out." Every inch of Khuong Niem's back stiffened. She raised her head and looked at Wen Tam Duyet, who was smiling perfectly three steps away. On Tam Duyet tilted his head, looking confused: "Sister Niem Niem, what's going on? Chau Chau was still very happy just now, we had a lot of fun playing together." The camera is still on. Red light flashes. Khuong Niem knew she couldn't explode right now. The fact that she broke into the filming scene was inherently a violation of the rules. If she now accuses Wen Tam Duyet of threatening her child, without evidence, without recording, public opinion will only say that she is used to her old ways, making up lies and smears. She couldn't do anything.

"Nothing." She picked up Tieu Chau, "Chau Chau doesn't feel well, I'll take her home to rest."

“What a pity.” Wen Tam Duyet's voice carried a moderate amount of regret, "I still want to play with Chau Chau a little longer."

Khuong Niem turned and walked out. When she got to the door, she heard Wen Tam Duyet behind her saying to the camera: "It's okay, sister Niem Niem is probably just too worried about the baby. Next time, Chau Chau is so cute, I really like him." That gentle and honest tone made it impossible to find a single flaw. That evening, the behind-the-scenes clip "Wen Tam Duyet patiently babysat the child but was interrupted by his irritable mother" was edited by the program's official page and released into a short video. Online comments lean heavily to one side. *"What's wrong with Khuong Niem? Wen Tam Duyet is so good, why is she rushing in there?"* *"I'm sorry for Wen Tam Duyet, having been bullied by that kind of person once but still willing to treat her children well, it's really too honest."* *"There are some people who are destined to perish, with an attitude like this, who would dare to cooperate with her again?"* Khuong Niem sat on the hotel room window sill, reading the text. comment one. Tieu Chau was sleeping. She adjusted the screen brightness to the lowest level, with no expression on her face. The phone rang. It's La Dong.

“See that video?” La Dong's voice tried to suppress his anger until he was calm, "That bitch On Tam Duyet is pretending to be pitiful in front of the camera. You're being punished." Do you know what kind of cursing it turned into?"

“Then why are you still so calm! Khuong Niem, are you planning to endure it all your life?

“Not holding back.” Khuong Niem pulled the curtain back, blocking the light outside, "It's not time yet."

“When will it be time? Waiting for her to bully your child too?”

Khuong Niem did not answer this question. La Dong on the other end of the line was silent for a few seconds, as if digesting something. “Nien Niem, do you have something to hide from me?”

“Go to bed early.” Khuong Niem hung up the phone.

Her eyes stopped on the baby locator watch on the table. Tieu Chau wore it all day today. She pressed a small button on the side, the watch screen lit up, displaying the words: *The recording has been saved.* Khuong Niem looked at this text, then put the watch back in the box.