Chapter 4 — The Real Female Lead Returns

04

“My shirt!!”

Tham Lan's scream rang out again. But this time, she quickly controlled her emotions - her face was pale, her eyes were red, she bit her lip, looking like she was about to cry but didn't dare.

"Sorry! Sorry!" I was "so scared that I lost my expression", dropped the brush, frantically used my sleeve to wipe the ink stains, "I... I didn't mean it..."

The more you wipe, the more it smudges. A small dot of ink turns into a large patch.

"Enough!" My father shouted loudly, his face dark.

My mother also pulled me out, looking sadly at Tham Lan's shirt:

"Oh my god, this shirt is my birthday gift! Ha Tieu asked someone to buy it from Shanghai, how can I clean it now..."

Hearing the name "Ha Tieu", Tham Lan's tears finally fell - drop by drop, clattering on the floor. I coldly smiled in my heart. It turns out that's it. This shirt was a gift from Ha Tieu, no wonder she treasured it so much.

"Dad, mom, don't blame me, I didn't do it on purpose..." Tham Lan sobbed as she continued to play the good guy, "It's just... I like this shirt so much..."

That sentence is more painful than a scolding. Mr. Ly and Tieu Ho stood next to each other awkwardly, not knowing what to say. My father was extremely angry and pointed at me:

"Khuong Nguyet! Look at the good things you do! You've been clumsy all day! Punishment - copy 'Three rules of discipline, eight things of attention' a hundred times! Don't eat before you finish writing!"

Penalty for copying? I was secretly happy - it was exactly what I wanted! I bowed my head, my shoulders shaking slightly as if I was "warmly" crying:

“Dad, I know it's wrong… I just want to learn how to write… I won't dare anymore…”

I cry very well - only sound, no tears shed - making others think I'm in a lot of pain, but actually my face is still dry. Sure enough, my mother softened her heart and advised:

"Old Khuong, don't be too strict, she didn't mean it. Tieu Nguyet just came back, she doesn't know anything, you have to teach her slowly."

"It's because you don't know anything that you have to let him remember his life!" My dad is still angry and can't hear it.

At that moment, Ha Tieu walked in from outside. He must have heard the movement so he went in to take a look. When he saw the living room scene, he frowned slightly. His eyes glanced over Tham Lan's shirt and then to my "crying" back.

“What's going on, Uncle Khuong?”

My mother told the story from beginning to end, and finally muttered:

"It's also because of Tieu Nguyet, she's so clumsy... she ruined Tieu Lan's beautiful shirt..."

Ha Tieu's eyes fell on me and stopped for two seconds. I felt his gaze, but was still immersed in the "acting", crying not loudly but enough to make others uncomfortable.

"Uncle Khuong," Ha Tieu suddenly spoke up, "Isn't the penalty for copying a hundred times a bit too much? Tieu Nguyet just came back and doesn't know all the words yet, so how can she copy it?"

My father was stunned. That's right, I - a child who grew up in the mountains and forests - don't even know all the words, how can I complete the "great task" of copying books? I "cry" louder:

"I know how to read! The teacher in the village taught me! I can copy!"

I intentionally "clicked backwards". The more I spoke, the more my father thought I was stubborn and the angrier he became. Sure enough, my father's face became even darker:

“Are you still arguing?”

“Uncle Khuong, it's like this.” Ha Tieu said slowly,

"Copying books is bad for your eyes. It's better to let Tieu Nguyet help at your place. There's a shortage of cleaning assistants. By the way, you can also teach her some rules in the barracks."

My father thought for a moment, looked at me then looked at Ha Tieu, and finally nodded:

"That's okay. Ha Tieu, leave this girl to you, take care of it carefully, don't let her cause trouble again!"

“Okay, make sure to complete the mission.” Ha Tieu looked at me and smiled meaningfully.

In my arms, the villain girl jumped up and made the sign “Yeah!” The plan is successful. Tham Lan's eyes looked at me and Ha Tieu, showing a bit of jealousy and unwillingness, but she didn't say anything, just bowed her head, looking even more pitiful. I know — right now, she must hate me to the core. Not only because I ruined the gift of the person in her heart, but also because I had the opportunity to be with Ha Tieu. That's right. I want you to hate me, to the point of losing your reason, to the point of... revealing loopholes. This game has just begun.