Chapter 8 — The Room You Don't Need

My mother will sometimes sigh into the phone. “Now that your sister isn't close to you anymore, can't you take a little initiative?” I said: "Mom, relationships don't have to rely on me alone to compensate." She was silent for a long time. “Now you talk more and more stiffly.” I laughed. “Um, I'm studying.” Winter of second year of college, Trinh Lan's birthday. Our whole family went to take new family photos. In the photo, my father is standing in the middle, Trinh Lan is holding his arm. Trinh Y Chu still had a cold face, but his hand was on my shoulder. The photographer told her to smile. She frowned. "Mind." I reached out and poked her waist. The next second, she couldn't hold it in anymore and burst out laughing. When the photo was saved, I also laughed happily. On the way home, it started to snow. Trinh Lan wrapped a scarf around my neck. “Is it cold?” I shook my head. My father carried the cake, walked in front, turned around and called: "Slow down, the road is slippery." Trinh Y Chu put his hands in his pockets, his voice lazy. "If you fall, I won't carry you." Just as I was about to argue with her, she reached out and grabbed my arm. I lowered my head to look at her hand, suddenly remembering the first night I came to this house. She gave me the key, saying it would be troublesome to do it again. I didn't understand then. Only later will I understand. What you gave me wasn't just a key. It's the proof that allows me to enter your life. That's also the answer this house is for me. Snow fell under the streetlights, in tiny pieces, like a gift that arrived late. Trinh Lan turned his head, his eyebrows and eyes gentle. “Thin Van, let's go home.” I looked at her, at my father, at the difficult and trustworthy Trinh Y Chu next to me, my eye sockets gradually heated up. There was a time when I thought I was the one being pushed out to suffer. Only later did I know. There are a few abandoned turns, and at the end of the road someone will light a lamp. I am not anyone's replacement. It's also not a position that someone puts out when they don't need it, and if they want it back, they take it back. I'm Lam Thinh Van. I am the little girl that this house takes seriously. I smiled and ran over. “I'm coming.”