Chapter 13 — The Six Year Lie

No one answered. He sent another message: "Are you still well?" Still no response. To Cam Xuyen sat next to the bed holding the phone. Outside the living room, the sound of Ha Giao Giao coaxing Hoan Hoan echoed in waves. He threw the phone on the bed, bent over, put his hands on his forehead, and sat there silently. Ha Giao Giao hugged Hoan Hoan and sat on the living room sofa. After a while of coaxing, the child fell asleep. She picked up the phone, found a number and called. "Van Van." Ha Giao Giao lowered his voice very low. "What's wrong?" Lam Van Van's voice came. "Help me do something." Ha Giao Giao recounted the plan. The other end of the line was silent for a long time. "Are you crazy?" Lam Van Van's voice changed. "Listen to me." Ha Giao Giao's voice was calm. "You just need to bring people to the location, I'll handle the rest. I won't let anything happen to you." "That's kidnapping." "No one will know." Ha Giao Giao said. "Friday afternoon, I checked her duty schedule. Her younger brother went to the school bus after school. You just wait there, no one will find out." The other end of the line was silent for a long time. Lam Van Van's voice lowered: "Are you sure nothing will happen?" "I'm sure." "...Okay." PART 15 On Friday, after school, Tri An went to the school bus stop to wait for the car to pick her up. Lam Van Van's car parked opposite the station. Tri An was wearing a briefcase and standing under the station sign, bowing her head and playing with the cards in her hand. Lam Van Van walked over: "You're Tri An, right? Your sister told me to come pick you up. She's working overtime today and can't go." Tri An looked at her, not moving. "My sister's name is Thinh Tri Ha, right?" Lam Van Van added. Tri An hesitated a bit then nodded. "Let's go, I'll take you to find me." Lam Van Van reached out to pull him. Tri An held out his hand. Lam Van Van held his hand and walked towards the car, opened the door and carried him into the back seat. The moment she closed the door, her hands shook. The car drove to an abandoned residential area on the outskirts. Lam Van Van took Tri An to the third floor. He looked around and began to panic. "Where are you? Didn't you take me to find you?" Lam Van Van did not answer. Tri An reached out and grabbed the hem of her shirt, his voice filled with tears: "Where is my sister?" Lam Van Van bowed her head, removed his hand and pushed him into the room. "Stay here, don't run around." Tri An staggered, but before she could stand firmly, the door behind her closed. When Ha Giao Giao arrived, it was almost dark. Lam Van Van stood outside the hallway waiting. Seeing her coming, Lam Van Van took a step back. "Where are you?" Ha Giao Giao asked. "Inside." Ha Giao Giao pushed the door, looked at Tri An sitting huddled in the corner, then took out the phone to call Thinh Tri Ha. Thinh Tri Ha is on duty. The phone vibrated, she picked it up. "Hello?" "Miss Tri Ha." Ha Giao Giao's voice came through the phone, with a cheerful tone. Thinh Tri Ha's hand paused. "Tri An is at my place." Ha Giao Giao said. "If you come alone, I will send you the address. If you tell someone else, I will go first, leaving the boy alone here. If anything happens, you are responsible."The call was disconnected. Thinh Tri Ha phone received a location. She stared at the screen, her hands shaking. She stood up, walked out of the nurse's station, and called Gian Dien. "Something happened to Tri An." Thinh Tri Ha's voice trembled. "Ha Giao Giao take her away, send an address for me to come. I have to go alone..." "You stay there, don't go anywhere." Gian Dien interrupted. “I'll be right there.” A few minutes later, Gian Dien arrived at the pediatrics building and opened the car door for Thinh Tri Ha to get in. There were two other people in the car. Gian Dien did not introduce who they were, nor did Thinh Tri Ha ask. Gian Dien started the car: "Give me the address. Don't worry, Tri An will be fine." Thinh Tri Ha gave him the address. Gian Dien held the steering wheel with one hand, and with the other hand, he reached out and patted the back of her hand and then quickly pulled it back. Arriving at an abandoned residential area on the outskirts,

Gian Dien told the other two to stay downstairs, while he and Thinh Tri Ha went up. The door to the third floor was slightly open. Ha Giao Giao stood at the door. Seeing Gian Dien, her face changed: "Didn't I tell you to come alone?" Thinh Tri Ha ignored her, pushed the door open and rushed in. Tri An sat huddled in the corner of the wall. Hearing the noise, he burst into tears and rushed towards Thinh Tri Ha: "Sister!" Thinh Tri Ha hugged him, squeezing him tightly, his chin resting on the top of his head: "It's okay, I'm here." Gian Dien stood at the door, looking at Ha Giao Giao, cold eyes: "Do you know what you are doing?" Ha Giao Giao took a step back, raising her voice, carrying a cry: "It wasn't me, it was Lam Van Van, she did it. I didn't know she would do that..." Lam Van Van stood in the hallway, listening to Ha Giao Giao's words, her face pale. "You..." Lam Van Van opened her mouth. Ha Giao Giao, without looking at her, said to Thinh Tri Ha: "Sister Tri Ha, it really has nothing to do with me..." "Enough." Gian Dien interrupted her and turned his head to look down. The other two people went up and came before Lam Van Van: "Come with us." Lam Van Van stared at Ha Giao Giao, her lips trembling: "You told me..." "What did I tell you to do?" Ha Giao Giao interrupted. "I just told you to go pick up Tri An. What does it have to do with me if you bring someone here?"