Chapter 19 — The Night Before Exam Day

"Dad's biggest mistake in his life was not turning back after taking you away." "Today, dad turned around." I suddenly raised my head. Inside the blockade tape, my father put on a protective vest and followed the police toward the underground passage. I rushed forward. “Dad.” He turned his head to look at me. The face that I had been complaining about for so many years, for the first time, I did not avoid it. "Go take the exam." He said. "Don't let him win." Tham Truong Bach chuckled underground. "Manh Thanh Hai, are you also worthy of being a father?" My father did not answer. He bent down and entered the underground passage. Two minutes later, a violent crash was heard underground. Then there was a loud explosion like a gunshot. The crowd screamed. Ms. Tan hugged me tightly. I stared at the underground passage, my nails digging into my palms. A broken voice rang out over the intercom. "The suspect has been controlled." "The hostages are safe." "The sealed cabinet has been found." "Suspected the box containing the remains is still intact." My whole body seemed to be drained of strength. As tears fell, I heard the exam preparation bell ring. Ms. Tan grabbed my hand. “Manh Chi.” “Let's go.” I turned around. Behind him, someone carried Tham Chu out. There was blood on his neck, his eyes were terrifyingly empty. As he passed me, he said hoarsely. "Sorry." I didn't stop. Also don't turn around. I just clutched the exam notice, walked through the security door, and entered the afternoon exam room. When the Math exam paper was handed out, my hands were still shaking. I wrote my name on it. Manh Chi. For the first time, these two words are so heavy. It's not just the name on the exam notice. That's also the name my mother used her life to push out of the clay furnace. It's the name my aunt called me for eighteen years in chains. It's a path that I have to protect myself. After the afternoon exam ended, Tham Truong Bach was officially escorted away. His true identity was quickly investigated clearly. His original name was Tran Quang Lam. Eighteen years ago, he borrowed Tham Truong Bach's real identity to survive, relying on changing his identity and evidence of old cases to escape the crime. Copper cards and copper wires opened the sealed cabinet in the old warehouse. Inside there is a list, photos, denunciation documents, and even a letter left by my mother Lam Tri Ha. There were only a few lines on the letter. If anyone reads this letter, please tell my child. She is not a disaster. She is the tomorrow that I will have to send out even if I risk my life. The basement under furnace number 7 was also opened. Mom finally left that layer of ash. My aunt woke up in the hospital, holding a box of ashes and crying without a sound. My mother stood outside the hospital room, her eyes red, asking if I could still call her mom. I hugged her. She is not the one who gave me blood and blood. But he was the one who protected me from wind and rain for eighteen years. My father was investigated for a long time. His old secrecy cannot be erased. But the fact that he led the way to save people at the last minute also became another testimony. Duong Tue, Ms. Hong and the people involved were caught one by one. Tham Chu revealed all the people who had participated in falsifying identities and sabotaging the exam. His university entrance exam has stopped. My life doesn't stop. The day I found out my score, I went to my mother's grave. The wind blew through the cemetery, as if someone gently stroked my head. I placed the admission notice in front of the tombstone. Kinh Thi University. I did it. The clay furnace in the dream no longer makes the sound of iron chains. I finally understand, that's not me five years later. Those were people who had been imprisoned in the past, risking their lives to push me forward. I didn't turn back. Because they are all behind me.