Chapter 1 — The Father Awakens Too Late

When I returned ten years later, I told my mother to divorce me first. When I was five years old, my father's favorite sentence to scare me was:
"If you cry any more, I will divorce your mother and I won't need you anymore."
"After that, I will marry Ms. Ly from your kindergarten. Aren't you most afraid of her? You just let her take care of you."
Every time I burst into tears and throw myself into my mother's arms. My mother, On Tung Nghi, would look at my father with red eyes.
“Bui Nghien Tu, don't scare me with divorce.”
Dad lazily leaned on the sofa, his smile was both evil and handsome.
“Just teasing her, why do you think that's true?”
But this time I didn't cry. Because I am no longer the me from five years old, but the me from ten years later. Ten years later, On Tung Nghi's mother fell ill in the rented house and had no strength to call her father until the last phone call. And dad actually married Ms. Ly. She wore her mother's favorite white dress, sat in front of my dining table, and gently called me:
“Tri Tri, from now on I will be your mother.”
I woke up from the memory, ran to my mother who was washing dishes, gently pulled her apron and said in a low voice:
“Mom, you better leave dad first.”
1
The house was so quiet that there was only the sound of running water. The smile on Dad's face stiffened for a moment, then he leaned down and pinched my cheek.
“Bui Tri Tri, who taught you to say that?”
I hid behind my mother. Dad's hand stopped in midair. He is very handsome, even when angry, he is not fierce. Every time he bowed his head to look at others, he always made them feel like he would be able to comfort them in the next second. In her previous life, she was coaxed by him like that for ten years. It's okay to say it hurts. If you feel sorry for yourself, just say goodbye and leave. Until he fell ill in the rented house and could no longer wait for him. Mom put down the bowl and squatted in front of me.
“Tri Tri, Dad was just talking nonsense.”
I touched my mother's belly.
“Mom hurts.”
Mom was stunned. Dad's face also changed. He went into the kitchen to pour hot water and looked for food in the drawer. When he placed the pill in his mother's palm, his voice softened.
“On Tung Nghi, you're in pain but don't know how to call me?”
Mother's eyes turned red. He's always been like that. On the one hand, it makes others feel sad, on the other hand, it makes people unable to hate him. Dad put the scarf on Mom's shoulders.
"Tomorrow I'll take you to the hospital. Get a stomach endoscopy, don't delay anymore."
Mother did not speak. I tightened the hem of her shirt. Because I remember, at ten o'clock tomorrow morning, Ly Uyen Nguyet will call. She cried and said Chu Chu hid in the kindergarten bathroom and refused to come out, only calling for Bui's father. Ly Uyen Nguyet used to be a teacher in a charity project sponsored by her father. The first time Chu Chu met his father, he hid under the table and cried. Dad carried the boy out. After that, the boy always called his father "Dad Bui". Dad often said that they were pitiful, so he took it upon himself to take care of them a little more. In my previous life, it was also at that time that my father left my mother behind. Mom sat alone in the hospital hallway, in so much pain that cold sweat drenched her back. This time, while they weren't paying attention, I wrote my grandmother's phone number on a piece of paper and stuffed it into my mother's pocket. The next day, Dad actually drove us to the hospital. He registered for his mother's examination, bought hot porridge, folded the test form and stuck it in the medical record. Mom looked at him, her eyes softened a bit. But I'm still staring at his phone. Ten hours eight minutes, screen light up. Uyen Nguyet. Dad picked up the phone. Ly Uyen Nguyet's cry immediately spread.
"Nghien Tu, Chu Chu locked himself in the bathroom. He said he only needed Dad Bui. His biological father just came to cause trouble, the child was very scared..."
Mother's face turned pale. Dad frowned and stood up. I rushed to hug his leg.
“Dad, you said you would stay with mom.”
He squatted down and patted my head.
“Dad's going to leave for a while, he'll be back soon.”
“Chu Chu has teachers, has police.”
His eyebrows furrowed tightly.
“Tri Tri, you can't be that cold-blooded.”
I raised my head to look at him.
“Every time Dad heard him cry, he didn't hear Mommy was in pain.”
Dad was stunned. Mom's fingers tightened around the medical record. Ly Uyen Nguyet is still crying on the phone.
"Nghien Tu, I really have no choice. Chu Chu said if you don't come, he won't come out. You know he trusts you the most..."
Dad closed his eyes and supported his mother's shoulders.
"Tung Nghi, I'll take the boy out and I'll be right back. I'll wait for you."
Mom looked at him.
“Bui Nghien Tu, today is the day I go for a checkup.”
His throat moved slightly.
“I know.”
But he still left. He left very quickly, even forgetting that his mother was afraid of the cold and brought a scarf with him. I took the paper out of my mother's pocket.
“Mom, call grandma.”
Mom looked at the number on the paper, tears falling onto the paper. Mom looked at the dilapidated numbers I wrote and was stunned for a long time.
“Tri Tri, when did you remember your grandmother's phone number?”
I bowed my head and played with my fingers.
“I remember in my dream.”
Mom didn't ask anymore, just squeezed the paper in her hand. When grandmother came running, mother was in so much pain that she couldn't stand up straight. The nurse asked the family. Grandmother immediately helped her mother.
“I am her mother.”
After checking, dad came back. He was holding Chu Chu in his arms, Chu Chu held a strawberry cake in his hand. Ly Uyen Nguyet followed beside her, her eyes red.
"Miss Tung Nghi, I'm really sorry. Chu Chu saw Mr. Bui before coming out."
She spoke very softly.
"Actually, I also advised him not to bother Mr. Bui, but the child lacks a sense of security. You have Tri Tri, surely you understand?"
Mother's lips were frighteningly white. Dad put Chu Chu down and quickly walked towards mom.
“Is it painful?”
Mom avoided his hand. Dad stiffened. Chu Chu pulled his sleeve.
“Dad Bui, my stomach hurts too.”
Dad turned around. Just one second. But mom saw it. He still squatted down and picked up Chu Chu.
“I'll take you to the doctor.”
Mom bowed her head and crumpled the test results sheet. I smoothed it out little by little and stuffed it back into her pocket.
"Mom, don't throw it away. If you're not healthy, you have to treat it well. Health is the most important thing."
2
The next day was a day for fathers at the kindergarten. In my previous life, before my childhood, I wore a sign saying "My dad is an architect", but when it was time to go on stage, my dad held Chu Chu's hand. The whole class applauded. The teacher smiled and said, today Uncle Bui is temporarily Chu Chu's father. I stood behind the curtain, feeling like someone had ripped out a piece of my heart. This time, I put the recording rabbit in my bag beforehand. It's a toy my dad bought me. Just press it on my ear and it can record. He forgot, but I didn't forget. In the morning, dad arrived very on time. Black shirt, gray jacket, and holding a moon-shaped brooch in his hand. He squatted down and pinned it on her dress I.
“Today Tri Tri is the most beautiful girl.”
I held his hand back.
“Are you just going to be my dad today?”
He laughed.
"Of course."
Ly Uyen Nguyet led Chu Chu in. Chu Chu's eyes were red and she didn't have a name tag on her chest. When Ly Uyen Nguyet saw her father, she was first stunned, then bowed her head.
"Mr. Bui, don't pay attention to us. Chu Chu doesn't have his father coming, it's not the first time."
Chu Chu immediately cried.
“I want Dad Bui.”
The surrounding parents all looked over. The teacher was a bit confused.
"Brother Bui, how about you help Chu Chu for once? If the child cries like this, it will be difficult to continue the activity."
I grabbed my dad's shirt sleeves. He lowered his head to look at me, his eyes full of awkwardness.
“Tri Tri, just this once.”
“Dad made a promise to me just now.”
“The boy doesn't have a father.”
“So you have a father?”
Dad's face darkened.
“Bui Tri Tri, don't talk like that.”
Ly Uyen Nguyet squatted in front of me, her voice gentle.
"Tri Tri, it's not that your father doesn't need you, it's just that Chu Chu is more pitiful. You have a mother who loves you, and Chu Chu only has Uncle Bui who will look at him."
She smiled very gently.
"You're so happy, let me borrow it from dad for a while, okay?"
I hugged the recording rabbit tightly. In the end, Dad still held Chu Chu's hand on stage. The teacher walked over, took down the board in front of my chest, and coaxed me in a low voice.
“Tri Tri, please wait a moment, don't let Chu Chu feel too hurt.”
When the sign was taken down, Dad turned his head to look. He saw. But he did not stop it. I lowered my head and looked at the empty space in front of my chest. The moon pin is still there, but my dad is no more. On stage, Chu Chu held his father's hand.
“Dad Bui, can you say you are my dad?”
Dad stopped, there were many people below watching. Ly Uyen Nguyet's tears fell. Dad squatted and wiped Chu Chu's face.
“Today, I am your father.”
Applause rang out. I pressed the rabbit's ear and turned around to go backstage. Ly Uyen Nguyet quickly followed. She closed the door to the equipment room, and the gentle expression on her face immediately disappeared.
“Tri Tri, you are not good today.”
I moved backwards. She bent down to look at me, her voice still gentle.
"Your father likes children who understand. The more you mess up, the more he gets bored with your mother."
I said nothing. She smiled.
"Your mother can't keep a man, and you can't blame me. In the future, if I really become your mother, you'd better be more obedient."
I hugged the rabbit tightly, she reached out and took my brooch.
“This moon is so beautiful, Chu Chu also liked it just now.”
I covered my breasts. Ly Uyen Nguyet's face turned cold, she grabbed my arm.
"The things Bui gave me are not impossible to give to Chu Chu."
When the door was pushed open, I was sitting in the corner, my arms turning red. Mom rushed in and hugged me.
“Tri Tri!”
Dad stood outside the door, his face very unsightly. Ly Uyen Nguyet's eyes immediately turned red.
"Nghien Tu, I'm just letting Tri Tri rest here. She's too excited today, I'm afraid it will affect her activities."
Dad looked at me.
“Tri Tri, did you hide here by yourself?”
Mom immediately raised her head.
“Bui Nghien Tu!”
A look of regret flashed in Dad's eyes, but he still frowned.
“I just wanted to ask for clarification.”
Mom squatted in front of me, wanting to touch my wings my hand but I don't dare.
“Tri Tri, does it hurt?”
I looked at her.
“It hurt just now, it doesn't hurt anymore.”
Mother's eyes turned red. I took off the moon in front of my chest and placed it in my father's palm.
“Dad, let Chu Chu borrow the moon too.”
He was startled and was about to explain. Mom picked me up and walked past him outside. Dad raised his hand to stop her.
“Tung Nghi, I just want to clarify the situation.”
Mom looked at him.
"You are her father, my husband. Why do you choose to side with her first every time?"
After returning home, I gave the rabbit to my mother.
“Mom, the rabbit can talk.”
Mom pressed the play button. Ly Uyen Nguyet's voice came from the toy.
“In the future, if I really become your mother, you better listen a little.”
"Your mother can't keep a man, so you can't blame her."
Mother's face gradually turned white. After being stunned for a moment, Mom copied the recording. Then put it in the divorce file.
3
On mom's birthday, dad woke up very early. He bought flowers, not lilies but camellias. Mom is allergic to fleur de lis, he still remembers. He also booked the restaurant. I also bought my mother a white dress. When mom walked out of the fitting room, dad looked dumbfounded. He walked over and adjusted the straps of her dress.
“On Tung Nghi, you look the most beautiful in a white dress.”
Mother's eyes turned red. In her previous life, she was comforted by this statement. She thinks Dad finally remembers what she likes.