Chapter 8 — The Child You Never Knew

The show enters its third week of filming. Tieu Chau's popularity continues to increase. After each episode, related topics reach the top of hot searches. But public opinion is divided into two opposing streams. The audience who supported Tieu Chau felt that this child had natural talent and was the biggest highlight of the show. The opposition pointed their nose at Khuong Niem, saying she *"Used children to whitewash"*, *"People with criminal records do not deserve to be on a game show"*, *"What qualifications do they have to educate future generations"*. Behind these sounds there is someone pulling the strings. Khuong Niem knows. The method of manipulating cyber violence three years ago was all too familiar to her. Set a rhythm to launch negative topics, coordinate with marketing accounts to create waves, then let passersby who don't know the truth follow along. The day of filming on Tuesday, an incident pushed the conflict to a new level. The task that day was "Children's Entrepreneur", simulating a commercial setting, allowing children to cooperate in groups and run a fruit juice stand. Tieu Chau was assigned to the same group as Doa Doa, and Wen Tam Duyet was the "advisor" for this group. The filming process took about 40 minutes. Tieu Chau quickly took over the entire pricing and sales strategy of the counter. The boy let Doa Doa take charge of collecting money and took care of communicating with customers himself. The people who came to buy juice were all extras arranged by the program, but Tieu Chau's response was completely unlike acting. Even midway through, he discovered that the counter next to him was out of lemons, so the boy proactively offered to exchange his remaining lemons for the other person's plastic cup, achieving an exchange of goods. At the final tally, Tieu Chau's team earned 68 yuan, the highest in the entire field. But when the director called cut and prepared for the summary interview, On Tam Duyet suddenly spoke up.

“Actually, today's strategy is something I discussed privately with Chau Chau in advance.” She smiled at the camera, "Yesterday I talked to her a lot about business, taught her some tips. Seeing her apply it today, I'm so touched."

When Khuong Niem walked out of the surveillance room, she just happened to hear this sentence. Tieu Chau stood behind the counter, raised her head to look at Wen Tam Duyet, the expression on her face was one of heartbreaking alertness. The five-year-old child already understands that adults are lying, and also understands that what he says will have no effect.

“Chau Chau, are you right?” On Tam Duyet smiled, bent down and asked the boy, "You remember everything I said yesterday, right?"

Tieu Chau looked at her for two seconds. Then, the boy turned to the camera: "It's not that. It's what I thought of." The scene was silent for a moment. Wen Tam Duyet's smile stiffened for less than a second and then recovered. She smiled and patted Tieu Chau's head: "You're a child, you're too embarrassed to admit it. It's okay." The cameraman continued filming. The director did not call cut. That evening after the program aired, in the final cut, Tieu Chau's denial was cut out. The story's image shows: Wen Tam Duyet enthusiastically guided, Tieu Chau intelligently learned, the two of them worked well together to achieve good results. The comment area is filled with compliments for Wen Tam Duyet *"so gentle"*, *"knows how to teach children very well child"*, *"truly a naturally good mother"*. As for Khuong Niem's biological mother, from beginning to end, she never had a single close-up angle. La Dong called almost screaming: "On what basis does your child's merit count on Wen Tam Duyet's head? The part where she said 'I taught him' was clearly nonsense! Why don't you come out and say it clearly?

“Who will believe what I say?”

“So you just keep watching your child get robbed? Did you see Wen Tam Duyet riding on your head and neck? Khuong Niem, what are you waiting for?

Khuong Niem looked out the window. Below is a night scene of Hengdian film studio, in the distance there are a few studios that are still lit.

“Almost.” she said.

“You always said it was almost there!”

“This time it's real.”

La Dong on the other end of the line gasped, as if trying to restrain himself from swearing. “You give me one day.”

“Final.”

“Wait until the final.” Khuong Niem's voice was very light, but every word was clear, "Everything, on the final day, becomes one."

La Dong did not inquire anymore. She understands Khuong Niem very well. Once this woman has made a decision, no one can change her mind. Hanging up the phone, Khuong Niem found the phone number that didn't save the name, typed two words and sent it over.

“Continue.”

The other person replied immediately: "Received." This week's filming duties are heavier than previous weeks. In the final preliminary round before the finals, six families will have to eliminate two. Pho Tu Nien visited the filming location twice this week. Every time, Ha Than comes first, cleans up the scene, and then he appears, standing in the surveillance room or the corner of the studio, watching Tieu Chau's every move. He didn't look for Khuong Niem to talk privately anymore. But his existence itself is an invisible pressure, making the entire organizing committee from top to bottom tense like strings. On Thursday afternoon, a lawyer's letter was sent to Khuong Niem's hotel room. Is an official legal document. Pho Tu Nien, as the "biological father of the child born out of wedlock", requested to conduct a DNA test and apply for joint custody. Khuong Niem sat in front of the table, reading the document from beginning to end. Tight sentences, tough attitudes, each clause clings to legal boundaries to exert pressure. At the bottom of the last page is the signature of Lam Giang's largest law firm. Tieu Chau is sitting and doing homework on the bed next to him. His kindergarten homework only took him five minutes to complete. Now he is doing third grade math homework that Khuong Niem bought online.

“Mom, is someone looking for you to cause trouble?” The boy did not raise his head to ask.

“How do you know?”

“The speed at which my mother turns the paper is faster. When mom is unhappy, her fingers will move quickly.”

Khuong Niem closed the document and put it in a drawer. “No big deal.”