Chapter 6 — The Path of Remembrance

"That's why you have to find your own way, you can't just rely on me forever." Her expression changed. Not disappointed. But not used to it. She was used to me needing her. And I'm taking away what she's used to. "So... okay. If you don't know any songs, just find me." "Yes." She turned around and left. The moment she closed the door, she turned her head to look at me. What was in that look did not look like goodwill. It's more like insecurity when something is shaken. Things started to develop in a strange direction. Since I refused to let Luc Uyen Dinh tutor me, the wind in the classroom changed. Trieu Giai Giai openly said that I was "not reasonable" during recess. “Uyen Dinh has good intentions to help her, but she still doesn't know how to accept it.” “That's right, people from the countryside really don't understand the rules.” When these words reached my ears, I was painting in the art room. I painted my army of white geese. Eighteen geese lined up in a square formation, with a majestic aura. After watching, Ms. Ton said I "have a natural talent for drawing living creatures", and told me to start practicing colors and composition to prepare for next month's competition. I considered Trieu Giai Giai's words like a breeze in my ears. But there are things that I don't ignore and will disappear. At noon the next day, in the cafeteria, I carried a tray of food to find a seat. When passing by Luc Uyen Dinh's table, Trieu Giai Giai suddenly stretched his legs. I almost tripped. The soup in the tray is waved out and poured onto the uniform sleeves. “Oh, sorry, didn't see you.” Trieu Giai Giai's apology was so fake that she was even lazy to act. Luc Uyen Dinh raised his head and took a look. “Giai Giai, be careful.” There's only one sentence. Didn't ask her to apologize, nor did she ask if I was burned. I wiped my sleeves, picked up the tray and left. I sat down in the empty seat in the corner. Lam Tieu Ha brought her tray. “I saw Trieu Giai Giai trip you.” "No problem." “She wouldn't do this kind of thing herself.” I raised my head. “You mean Uyen Dinh told her to do it?” Lam Tieu Ha did not answer, just bowed her head to eat. But not answering is also the answer. I took a bite of rice. Too salty. Not the salty food, but the taste in my heart. That afternoon was physical education class, an eight hundred meter running test. This school's physical education class is also very systematic, with a plastic track and timer. Physical education class in town is just the teacher taking us to the field to freely move, occasionally playing shuttlecock. But I'm so used to running. Before riding Gray Gray every day, I run five hundred meters to warm up. Because Gray Gray eats grass on the top of the mountain, I have to run up there to ride it. Furthermore, when driving geese, I often run all over the mountain to chase the disobedient ones. As soon as the command gun rang out, I rushed away. While running, my mind was filled with Trieu Giai Giai's legs. The more I thought, the angrier I became. The angrier I got, the faster I ran. When I crossed the finish line, the gym teacher looked at the stopwatch twice. “To Niem Niem, three minutes and eight seconds.” The whole class was silent. What is the concept of three minutes and eight seconds? The fastest girl in the class also took three minutes and forty seconds. Luc Uyen Dinh ran four minutes and fifteen seconds. The gym teacher looked at me seriously. “Have you ever practiced athletics?” "Not yet." “So why did you run so fast?” “Maybe because I often drive geese.” No one in the class laughed. Because they were all panting, and I was talking without being out of breath. Luc Uyen Dinh stood in the crowd, the smile on his face faded a layer. Trieu Giai Giai opened her mouth and forgot to close it. The gym teacher told me to go to the office and say that the school's athletics team was recruiting potential people. I said yes. On the way back to class, Luc Uyen Dinh chased after her. “Nien Niem, you're really good at gymnastics.” “I'm used to running in the mountains.” "You really should develop your sports well. Maybe you can become a gifted student in the future." I heard the meaning in her words. She hoped I would follow the path of an athletically gifted student. Because gifted students and people with good cultural achievements are not on the same track. She's not afraid that I'm good at gymnastics. What she

I'm afraid my cultural achievements will also improve. I smiled, said nothing. In the fifth weekly test, I got eighty-three points in math, seventy-nine points in literature, and fifty-two points in English. Overall ranking increased from bottom of the class to seventh from the bottom. This level of progress is not earth-shattering, but it is enough for Ms. Phuong to say one more sentence in class. “To Niem Niem has improved a lot this time, continue to maintain.” Trieu Giai Giai's expression is very difficult to describe. Luc Uyen Dinh clapped his hands, his face was gentle and impeccable. But beneath that gentleness, I saw something else. That day after school, Luc's mother came to pick us up. In the car, Luc Uyen Dinh proactively told Luc's mother my score. “Mom, Niem Niem improved a lot this time, she got eighty-three points in math.” Luc's mother was very happy and said she would make another dish for me tonight. But when I got home, before going upstairs, Luc Uyen Dinh said something to me.