Chapter 1 — The Room You Don't Need

The ninth year after my parents broke up, my father remarried. He asked my sister and I if we wanted to live with him. These past few years, my mother has been nagging in her ear every day: no one is good for her step-mother, no one is sincere for her step-sister, and gone is Cinderella. So she shouted in refusal: "I won't go! I don't want to go to my stepmother's house to bear the resentment!" Then, she pushed me forward. "Lam Thinh Van understands the most. No matter where he is, he can't stand it. Let him go with you." I stood in place and saw my father's phone light up on the table. "Don't urge her to change the way she addresses herself, it's good that she's willing to call her aunt. If Tinh Van is afraid of strangers, don't let her meet too many relatives tonight." "I changed the curtains in my sister's room to light beige, is it too light? If she doesn't like it, I'll change it back tomorrow." I stared at the screen, my eyes suddenly stinging. While my mother and sister were waiting to see me become a laughing stock, I raised my head and said to my father: "Dad, I'll go with you." The private room immediately became quiet. Lam Giao Giao looked at me, as if I had suddenly gone crazy. “Lam Thinh Van, are you not mentally alert?” My mother, Ha Van's, face was also unsightly. She reached out and pulled me. "What trouble are you making? Your sister won't go, so are you still determined to stick around?" My wrist was squeezed by her until it hurt. My father immediately stood up and pushed her hand away. “Ha Van, don't pull her.” My mother smirked. "Now I know how to protect my daughter? Where will I go soon?" The year my parents divorced, I was nine years old. The court ordered that we two sisters live with our mother, my father pays monthly alimony, and comes to pick us up on holidays. It's not like he never thought about taking us to live with him. It's just that my mother always said, men have a new life, girls are a burden. She told me this sentence and also told Lam Giao Giao. But Lam Giao Giao was hugged and comforted by her grandmother. As for me, she pushed me to the front to block the wind. Good food for you first, nice clothes for you first, extra classes and classes you like first. The sentence I receive the most, forever, is: "Thin Van, you understand a little better." The two words understanding are like a rope, holding me tight for many years. But today, I suddenly didn't want to continue being squeezed anymore. I looked at my mother and said softly: "It's because you don't want to go, it's not because I don't want to." Lam Giao Giao's face turned pale, and then she shouted: "What are you pretending to be? Don't you just want to please your father?" "Will my stepmother really be good to me? Will my step-sister like me? If I leave, sooner or later I will come back crying." I looked towards my father. There was anticipation in his eyes, but also caution. “Thin Van, are you really willing to go?” I nodded. "Consent." My father seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, his voice also lowered. “Okay, Dad, take me home.” My mother laughed mockingly. "Going home? Lam The Ninh, don't talk like that. It's your new home, not hers." My father's face darkened. “There's a room there for the baby.” Lam Giao Giao crossed his arms and looked at me sarcastically. "The living room can also be called a room. Lam Thinh Van, don't be too emotional." I finally raised my eyes to look at her. “At least someone asked me if I liked it or not.” As soon as this sentence came out, my mother was stunned. Her face turned red, she pointed at me and said: "If you follow him today, if you feel resentful later, don't come back to me crying!" I thought I would be sad. But strangely, at that moment I just felt relieved. I picked up my schoolbag and stood next to my father. Lam Giao Giao coldly said: "Remember, I want to be Cinderella myself." I don't turn around. Whether it's Cinderella or not, you have to enter the door to see it anyway. I went back to my mother's house to pack my things. Actually, there's not much. My clothes only occupy the bottom floor of the closet, the two upper floors are filled with Lam Giao Giao's coats and bags. My desk is next to the balcony, and the drawer has been broken for two years. My mother always said: "If you can use it, don't color it." I folded a few clothes I usually wear into my suitcase, then put photo albums and papers in the inner compartment. Lam Giao Giao leaned at the door and looked at me. “Are you really going?” I don't answer. She went in and conveniently flipped the bag

my li. “Don't take my things away.” I pressed her hand back. “There's nothing of yours in here.” She seemed to hear a joke. "Is there anything in this house that belongs to you? Even the room you live in was the same year that I criticized you for not taking it." Outside the living room, my mother called out to her sister: "Giao Giao, don't argue with him. If he wants to go and suffer, just let him go." I closed the suitcase, my heart suddenly became empty. Before, I thought I was pushed out because I understood things. Later I realized, it was because they were sure I wouldn't protest. When my father came to pick me up, he stood at the door, not entering. My mother saw him, her tone was very harsh: "Lam The Ninh, you better not regret it. If Thinh Van is bullied at your place, I will not forgive you." My father looked at her, his voice very cold: "For the past few years, she has been resentful at your place, have you ever seen it?" My mother paused. Lam Giao Giao immediately blushed. "Dad, what do you mean? Are you saying mom mistreats him? What about me? Is it true that since you have a new wife, you don't need me anymore?" My father rubbed the sugar seal. “Giao Giao, dad also invited you today.” “I'm not going!” "Okay." He said, “I respect you.” Lam Giao Giao did not expect him to answer so quickly, his face stiffened. I pulled my suitcase out the door. Before the door closed, I heard my mother lower her voice to comfort her: "Don't be afraid, sooner or later your father will know that you are still thoughtful. Your sister will suffer a little and will come back." The elevator door closed. I stood in the cramped space, my eye sockets were a little teary. My father reached out and patted my head. "Thin Van, if you're not familiar with that place, tell dad. You don't need to please anyone, nor do you need to immediately turn into someone else's liking." I bowed my head and hummed softly. My new house is in the south of the city. Before entering the door, my palms were sweaty. The door opens from the inside. Trinh Lan's stepmother stood in the mysterious entrance, wearing light-colored home clothes, smiling very gently. She leaned aside and said: "Thin Van, welcome home." In the mysterious gate, four pairs of slippers were placed. Including a new pair, light blue, true to size. Trinh Lan took me upstairs. "Your room is on the second floor. See if you like it first. If you don't like it, we can fix it." The moment the door was pushed open, I was stunned. Room facing south. The room faces south, the curtains are light beige, the bed sheet is soft blue and white squares, and a small night lamp is placed on the desk. There are empty bookshelves on the wall and a half-empty wardrobe. Not a temporary living room move out. It's the position that was truly meant for me. At the door there was a tall girl standing there. Long, neatly tied hair, cold eyebrows and eyes. She looked at me for a few seconds, handed over a set of keys. “Access card, house key, room key, drawer key.” I took it, not knowing what to say. She added another sentence: "Don't lose it, it will be troublesome to do it again." The tone was cold. But the key chain is a little star. Trinh Lan smiled and introduced: "This is Y Chu, two years older than me, not very good at talking." Trinh Y Chu frowned. “I can talk.” Then she looked towards me. “If someone bullies you in the future, you can find me.” I held the keys tightly, my eye sockets suddenly heated up. At my mother's house, even my drawers don't have locks. In the stepmother's house in their mouth, I have my own key. The first night in my new home, I almost didn't sleep. Not out of fear. But because it's too unreal. The bed is very soft, the blanket has a faint soapy smell. The curtains block the moonlight just enough, and the night light is on at the head of the bed, as if I'm afraid I'm not used to the dark. I turned over very gently, afraid of waking all of this up. The next morning, I woke up at six o'clock. As usual, I go to the kitchen to look for work. Before, at my mother's house, I cooked breakfast and washed the dishes. Lam Giao Giao slept until noon, and my mother even lowered her voice to remind me: "Move slowly, don't make noise for your sister." But as soon as I picked up the cooking shovel, Trinh Lan came in. She was stunned for a moment and walked over to take the shovel out of my hand. "If you want to eat, just tell auntie, no need to compete with her." I'm a bit confused. “I know how to cook.” “I know.” She smiled and said, "Knowing how to cook doesn't mean it can be done every day

must cook.” This sentence made me dumbfounded. Trinh Y Chu walked through the dining room, holding a glass of water in his hand, and suddenly said: "There's a lot of oil smoke in the kitchen, I just washed my hair." Having finished speaking, she left. I unconsciously touched my hair. Breakfast is red apple yam porridge. Trinh Lan placed the bowl in front of me. "Your father said your stomach isn't good, so I'll give you some sugar." I bowed my head and took a sip, the hot steam rising up made my eyes sting. I don't like eating too sweet. Even my biological mother doesn't remember this story. Because Lam Giao Giao likes to eat sweets, the cakes, drinks, and dumplings in the house are always according to her taste. I said I didn't like it, and my mother immediately said: "Everyone eats, it's just you who talks a lot." Over time, I became too lazy to speak. After breakfast, dad took me to renew my bank card. “In the future, living expenses will be transferred directly to your card.” He said, “It's your money, you manage it yourself.” I was stunned. Over the past few years, he has transferred money to my mother's card. I have never seen it. My mother said, girls can't have too much money. I lowered my head to look at the new bank card, suddenly feeling a strange feeling of alienation. It turns out I can also own something that belongs to me. At noon, Lam Giao Giao texted me. “Did your stepmother make you work today?” I don't answer. She sent again: “Does your step-sister show her face to me? I told you, you're just an outsider there." I placed the phone face down on the table. Trinh Y Chu saw it. “Who teased you?” "Do not have." Obviously she didn't believe it, but didn't ask further. In the evening, Lam Giao Giao suddenly arrived. She said she was passing by and wanted to see how I lived. When Trinh Lan opened the door, her eyes scanned the living room. “Is this everyone's house?” She intentionally emphasized the word "everyone" very heavily. I went down the stairs. She saw the new sweater on me and her face changed slightly. “Lam Thinh Van, you adapt so quickly.” I didn't reply. She walked straight to my door, pushed it open, and was about to enter. Trinh Y Chu walked out of the study room, holding the door with one hand. “Knock on the door.” Lam Giao Giao was stunned. “I'm looking at my sister's room, what does it have to do with you?” Trinh Y Chu's face was expressionless. “Her room, she decides.” Lam Giao Giao's face immediately became ugly and he turned his head to glare at me. “Do you really consider yourself the master?” I looked at her. “At least people here will ask first if you agree or not.” She was so angry that her eyes turned red and she turned around to leave. Ten minutes later, my mother called. “Lam Thinh Van, are your wings stiff? Your sister came to visit you, and you still let outsiders humiliate her? I held the phone, my fingers were cold. Trinh Y Chu directly took the phone out of my hand. Her voice was very calm. "Auntie, humiliation wasn't given to her, she earned it herself because she didn't knock on the door." After speaking, she hung up the phone. I looked at her blankly. She returned the phone to me. “If you don't want to hear it later, don't listen.”