Chapter 7 — The Conspiracy Behind the Report

It was like until the last moment, she was still waiting for this man to save her. But throughout the process, Pho Hanh Gian never turned back. The sentencing portion is very long. Forging death certificates. Fraud to trigger the trust fund process. Collaborating with medical staff to exchange blood samples of minors. Modify test data. Obstruct diagnosis and treatment. Fraud not achieved. Along with a number of other crimes. I listened very calmly. Until Le An Nhuoc suddenly collapsed and burst into tears. She said she just loved Pho Hanh Gian so much. She said her son also needs a future. She said I had too much. I looked at her. Seventeen years. We used to skip school together, we used to squeeze into a rented house, we used to eat the same bowl of hot wontons in the middle of winter. She knows I'm afraid of the dark. I know my stomach is not good. Knowing that when I died of Tinh Hoi, I vomited until morning. She also knows that Tinh Hoi is my life. That's why when she stabbed the knife down, she was able to stab so accurately. Stepping out of the courthouse, the sunlight was so bright that it made my eyes hurt. Tong Hoai called. "Tinh Hoi is awake, making noise asking for a video call." The screen is connected. Tinh Hoi wore a small blue hat, holding a stuffed dinosaur in her arms. "Mom, have you won yet?" My nose stung. "Yes." The boy nodded seriously. "Then go home quickly, I've walked seven steps today." When I ran back to the hospital, I often saw the boy holding onto the IV stand, slowly moving at the end of the hallway. One step. Two steps. Three steps. Before, the boy ran very fast. Like a small wind, rushing from the living room to the garden. Now, taking seven steps takes a long time to breathe. I squatted in front, spreading my arms. "Go slowly, mom is here." The boy frowned, trying very hard. At the seventh step, the boy jumped into my arms. Light as a leaf. I hugged the boy, tears falling on the hat. The boy raised his head to look at me. "Mom, are you scared?" I wanted to say no. But I couldn't fool the boy. I nodded. "A little scared." The boy stretched out his thin arms and hugged my neck. "Mom, I'm still here." Those five words. Tear up that false negative report. Push the story of Pho Hanh Gian's fake death, Le An Nhuoc's tears, the Pho family's reputation and all the doubts far away. Finally, I no longer had to constantly refresh the report page to confirm that the boy was still alive. No need to stare at barcodes to prove your sanity. There's no need to wait for a man who betrayed my mother and me to turn around. I hugged the boy tightly. “Yes.” “I know.” “This time, I took you back from them.”