Chapter 5 — The Six Year Lie

Gian Dien nodded, turned the steering wheel onto the main road: "I sent you the place over there, not far from the hospital." Thinh Tri Ha turned to look at him: "Doctor Gian, these things are already bothering you." "You're the only one taking care of the children, I'll help if I can help." Gian Dien looked at Tri An sleeping through the rearview mirror, his voice lowered. Boarding the plane, Tri An sat in the middle, Gian Dien sat next to the window, Thinh Tri Ha sat in the aisle. Tri An pressed his face against the window and looked down, asking many questions. Gian Dien patiently answered each question one by one. When the plane took off, Tri An closed his eyes and held Thinh Tri Ha's hand tightly. She gently reassured him. Gian Dien leaned over Tri An: "How are you?" "I'm fine." After the plane flew stably, Tri An fell asleep. Thinh Tri Ha covered him with a blanket. Gian Dien leaned by the window. After a while he spoke up: "I'm over there. If you need help, don't be polite." Thinh Tri Ha nodded: "Doctor Gian, why are you helping me?" Gian Dien thought for a moment: "That day she cried. I thought, a person who can kneel, can beg, can be patient for her younger brother, helping her once is not a loss." Thinh Tri Ha did not speak. She remembered going to the office, remembering from the time To Cam Xuyen forced her to apologize, Ha Giao Giao forced her to kneel, Tri An's surgery was canceled, until she lost her child. Gian Dien gave her a package of tissues. Thinh Tri Ha received it but did not open it. Her tears have dried up, she will not cry for anyone anymore. "Come to Singapore, I invite you to dinner." Thinh Tri Ha said. Gian Dien replied lazily: "If you invite me to a meal, is that enough as a thank you?" Thinh Tri Ha did not speak. "Okay, please. I eat a lot, you should prepare yourself first." Thinh Tri Ha laughed softly. PART 6 To Cam Xuyen stayed with Ha Giao Giao for two days. She said she was uncomfortable, he immediately stayed by her side to take care of her without leaving her side, giving her medicine, taking her temperature, and getting up in the middle of the night to change towels. "Still uncomfortable?" To Cam Xuyen brought the porridge to the bed. Ha Giao Giao lowered his eyes, nodded, his voice soft: "I keep feeling dizzy... Cam Xuyen, can you stay with me a little longer?" To Cam Xuyen didn't say anything, just hugged her and gently patted her back. She leaned against his chest, the corner of her lips curled up quietly and then quickly hid it. Two days later, To Cam Xuyen called Thinh Tri Ha three times but no one answered the phone. He sent a text message: "Have you caused enough trouble?" No one answered. Ha Giao Giao propped himself up and sat up on the sofa, his voice sweet: "Cam Xuyen, what's wrong? Your face doesn't look very good." "Nothing, the hospital has some unfinished business." He placed the phone face down on the coffee table, stood up and walked towards the bathroom. “I'll go take a shower first.” When the sound of water rang out, Ha Giao Giao sat silently for a moment then reached out to pick up his phone. The screen is still bright. Above the message "Have you caused enough trouble?" The name is Thinh Tri Ha, scrolling up further are all outgoing calls that no one picks up. She took a look, put the phone back in its place, leaned against the sofa, a smile appearing in her eyes. Two more days passed, To Cam Xuyen called again, still no one listened. He squeezed the phone in his hand, suddenly feeling something was wrong. No matter what Thinh Tri Ha does, she cannot leave Tri An in the hospital. He stood up to get his coat. “Where are you going?” Ha Giao Giao's voice rang out from behind. "There's an urgent matter at the hospital." "Do we have to go now?" Her voice softened. “Cam Xuyen, I'm still upset, can you stay with me?” To Cam Xuyen stopped, didn't answer, pulled the door and walked out. On the way, he ran two red lights. Arriving at the hospital, he rushed straight into the pediatrics room. Tri An's bed was empty, the sheets were neatly folded. He stood in front of the bed, his head pounding, immediately turned around and ran towards the nurse's station. "Thinh Tri Ha

where?" His voice was so loud, the nurses in the hallway all looked over. No one answered. To Cam Xuyen slammed his hand on the counter: "Where did Thinh Tri Ha go?" Tieu Chu raised her head, her eyes red: "She's no longer here." "What do you mean?" "Miss Tri Ha has already completed the transfer procedure." Tieu Chu's voice trembled. “She left last week. Doctor To, these past few days you don't even know whether she's still in the hospital or not? "To Cam Xuyen's chest heaved violently: "Which hospital to go to?" "Don't know." "How could you not know?" "She just doesn't want you to know!" Tieu Chu raised her voice and tears fell. “Doctor To, Tri Ha had a miscarriage, did you know? She is pregnant. That day, he sent someone to take her blood, saying he needed a compatible test for an emergency case. The night after the blood was taken, she lost her child. Do you know that she was lying alone in the hospital bed, not even someone to pour her a glass of water? To Cam Xuyen's face was pale. "She told me, she just found out she was pregnant, and before she could meet the baby, the baby was already gone." Tieu Chu burst into tears. “When she knelt on the ground to beg you two, there was still your child in her belly.” To Cam Xuyen stood in front of the nurse's counter, her whole body stiff. He remembered what Thinh Tri Ha said before kneeling down that day: "I'm dead."