Chapter 12 — The Mother Who Stole Her Dream

The doctor bowed his head and wrote the certificate. Duong Duong stood next to me and said in a low voice:

“Khuong Le, surely Manh Tinh didn't just follow you for a day or two.”

I looked out the window. The street lights on campus turned on one after another. Many people have finished dinner and are going back to the dormitory. In their hands they hold milk tea, lunch boxes, and fruits. It was just a very normal life. But it took me a long time to enter that life. The doctor gave the certificate to Ms. Lam.

“There's one more sentence I have to write.”

She stopped and looked at me.

"Students' malnutrition is related to not being provided with enough food for a long time. It is recommended that the school pay attention to ensuring living conditions."

Miss Lam received the paper in a very low voice.

“Thank you, doctor.”

When the scan was sent, the time was six hours twenty-four minutes. The city dance troupe quickly responded. Temporarily retain status. Then students must bring the documents themselves to check directly. After listening, Duong Duong leaned his whole body against the wall, as if he had finally come back to life. I was just about to breathe a sigh of relief when I suddenly heard footsteps outside the medical room door. Manh Tinh stood there. She was wearing workout clothes and a thin shirt over it. There was no smile on his face.

“Khuong Le.”

She looked at me, her voice so low that her guilt was evident.

“I'm just worried about your health.”

Duong Duong immediately stood up straight.

“You were so worried about him that you forged the renunciation certificate?”

Manh Tinh bit her lip.

“I don't fake it.”

“The document was not written by me.”

Ha Minh Triet raised his eyes.

“But in the security guard's book, the person who brought it was you.”

Manh Tinh's fingers tightened the hem of his shirt.

“Someone asked me to help move it.”

I asked:

“Who?”

She didn't answer. Ms. Lam took out her phone.

“Speaking now still counts as proactive coordination.”

“Wait until the school checks the cameras and security books, the nature of the incident will be different.”

Manh Tinh's face changed. She glanced at me, then looked toward the end of the hallway. There, my mother was running out of breath. The two people's eyes met in midair. My mother's face immediately turned pale.

13

Manh Tinh took half a step back. My mother spoke first again.

“What are you looking at me for?”

“I don't know you!”

That sentence was shouted so quickly, it seemed like it had been prepared in advance. Miss Lam looked at her.

"Miss Dinh, we haven't asked you yet."

My mother's face stiffened. Manh Tinh's lips trembled.

“I'm really just helping deliver documents.”

Duong Duong smiled coldly.

“Help who?”

“Help a parent you don't know?”

Manh Tinh did not speak. Ha Minh Triet put the phone in front of her. On the screen is a camera image at the security post. Manh Tinh wears a mask and holds a yellow file bag in her hand. The time is 3:17 p.m. At that time I was still practicing. She had absolutely no reason to go to the casting office on my behalf. Ha Minh Triet says:

“You can continue to deny it.”

“But the school has a camera, the security guard has a registration book, and the selection office has a record of receiving documents.”

Manh Tinh's eyes immediately turned red.

“I didn't intend to harm him.”

Duong Duong was so angry that his voice trembled.

“You almost destroyed his preliminary round.”

“Isn't that still considered harmful?”

Manh Tinh looked at me, clearly His eyes were full of self-pity and also unwillingness.

“You have everything.”

“The teacher likes you, the dancing position is yours, and the preliminary qualification for the dance troupe is also yours.”

Hearing that sentence, I suddenly felt funny. Do I have everything? Every day I have to count every penny for food. In the evening, soak the hard, cold rice to swallow. I sewed shoes until my fingers bled with needles, but I still couldn't bear to replace them with a new pair. What she saw was just a few minutes of me standing in the front row. She didn't see how much I had to swallow to stand there. I asked:

“So you help Dinh Mai?”

Manh Tinh raised her head, tears falling.

“She said you were under great mental pressure.”

“Saying you don't care about your life because of dancing.”

“She also said that you originally wanted to withdraw, but didn't dare tell the teacher.”

My mother immediately screamed.

“You talk nonsense!”

Manh Tinh seemed to be cornered and suddenly took out his phone.

“I don't talk nonsense!”

“She once sent me a text message.”

The entire hallway immediately fell silent. Manh Tinh opened chat history. My mother's profile picture is a picture of flowers she used in the parent group. In the chat, she asked Manh Tinh: If Khuong Le is not the main dancer, will you replace him? Manh Tinh replied: According to the reserve order, it's probably you. My mother continued texting: Then help me do something. In the back are a few photos of a copy of my ID and an old diagnosis sheet. Tang Tang inhaled a cold breath. Ms. Lam's face completely darkened. My younger brother stood next to me, looking at the screen, his lips gradually turning white.

“Mom.”

His voice is very low.

“Did you really send it to her?”