Chapter 3 — The Snow Melts, The Sun Shines On The Green Mountains

I can't answer. Thanh Thach Ao's things are not bad, the bad thing is the way to get them out. The truck criticized the bumpy mountain road and refused to enter the village. People can only carry goods to town, prices are forced down by half. That evening, I calculated a math problem in the back of my exercise book. A kilo of walnuts sold in the village costs less than five dong, but when brought to the supermarket in the district, the price increases several times. I don't understand where the difference went. I only know that on days when the mountain roads are not open, people in the village still have to sell goods at cheap prices. At the beginning of twelfth grade, I changed my aspiration goals. From pedagogical major to economic management major at a university in the province. The homeroom teacher asked:

“Being a stable teacher, you always wanted to apply before, right?”

“Before, I thought there was a shortage of teachers in the village.”

“And now?”

"Now I realize that that place lacks everything. The most lacking thing is someone who can sell the goods."

The day the university entrance exam results came out, the lookup page kept rotating. I squatted in front of the computer at the village headquarters, crowded with more than forty people behind me. Some people gasped, some chanted Buddha's name, and Uncle Tran still held in his hand a piece of uncut tofu. The website finally appeared. As soon as the score appeared, before I could see clearly, Luong Quoc Dong slammed his hand on the table.

“I'm sure I passed the provincial university!”

Aunt Chu started lighting fireworks. Luong Thu Nghia put three and a half copper coins into my hand. One dollar bill, two five dime bills, the rest are all coins. Paper money is so old that it is soft.

“I gave you money to repair the road when I was eight years old.”

I pushed the money back.

“The road hasn't been repaired yet.”

“Then keep it to yourself.”

“No, just leave it at your place.”

He closed my hand and once again pushed the money towards me.

“Chieu Tinh, grandpa is old.”

Outside the yard, fireworks were still ringing. Suddenly I don't want to hear that word "old".

“You have to see with your own eyes how I finish fixing the road.”

He patted my head.

“Okay, I will try.”

Before the start date, a student support fund in the province contacted me, saying that someone would agree to pay the entire cost of four years of university. The other party refused to reveal his identity, only giving one condition. After graduating, I must prioritize interning at the company they designate. After reading the agreement, I immediately refused. Tuong Tu Lan asked me why.

"In that agreement, they included your future. Money cannot come naturally."

Chapter 3

“What about tuition?”

"Scholarships, student loans, part-time jobs. Can a barely alive person be forced to die by tuition fees?"

Luong Tranh slammed his bank card on the table.

“Use your salary first.”

“I still have to get married.”

“You can get married late, but you can't study late at university.”

I also pushed the card back.

“Brother, trust me for once.”

The night before the departure, Tuong Tu Lan sat by the bed and sewed the corner of the blanket for me. She was afraid that the blanket and mattress in the school would be mistaken, so she used red thread to crookedly embroider the word "Love". The needle punctured her finger, but she did not speak. I gave her a band-aid.

"Mom, there is a supermarket in the city. I can buy anything myself."

“Do supermarkets sell salted and sour cowpeas?”

“No.”

“So why are you still so strong?”

She bowed her head and continued sewing. The small insects suffered The light attracts, flies around and then hits the lampshade, making a rustling sound. Looking at the gray hairs that had appeared on her temples, for the first time I clearly realized that I would have to leave for a long time. Every day there are buses running out of the village, so getting home is not difficult. But every time it rains, Thanh Thach Ao road collapses, no one knows how long the return trip will be delayed. I spoke very softly on the outside, but on the inside I was still uneasy. I'm afraid the city is too big, I'm afraid I won't be able to keep up, and I'm even more afraid that after studying for a few years, I'll come back and still not be able to do anything on this mountain. Tuong Tu Lan rubbed the tip of the needle on her hair.

"Don't frown anymore. My door isn't welded to death. If you want to go home, go home. If you want to move on, just move on."

After speaking, she rolled up the blanket tightly. Looking at her quick movements, it was as if the next day I would only go to town to sleep one night and then return before dark. During my college years, I won a scholarship, tutored high school students, and during winter and summer vacations, I worked in customer service for an e-commerce company. When I'm busy, my throat is so hoarse that I can't speak, I can only text home. People in the village took turns sending me things. Walnuts, chili sauce, dried sweet potatoes exposed to too much sun. A cargo box can fit half the village's belongings into it. Not only am I not skinny, but my face is also rounder. The day I graduated from college, I received a job offer from a large retail company. Also that day, Luong Thu Nghia was hospitalized. ### 5 When I ran back to the district hospital, he was bargaining with the nurse.

“Transfer one bottle less, save one bottle money.”

The nurse was so angry that she burst out laughing.

"This is medicine, not beer. Can you share a drinking table?"

I pushed the door open and entered.

“If you save money, I'll tell the whole village.”

Luong Thu Nghia immediately became obedient. He had pneumonia and was treated promptly so it was nothing serious. During the days he was in the hospital, when I peeled an apple, he criticized the skin for being too thick. When I poured hot water, he criticized it for being hot. I got angry.

“What do you want in the end?”

“I want you to go to work.”

“Wait until you leave the hospital.”

“Is the company waiting for you?”

“My results are good.”

“If you have good results, are you allowed to be rude?”

I stuffed the apple into his hand.

“Learn from you.”

He took a bite and laughed. After working, I stayed in the provincial capital for three years. I moved from the store to the purchasing department, then followed the team in charge of agricultural products in the districts.