Chapter 1 — There Are Wounds That Only Truth Can Heal

An eighteen year old boy stood in front of the pharmacy. In his hand was a photocopy of the household registration book that had turned yellow over the years. It clearly states my name, Co Van Ninh, head of the household. But in the family members section, another name appeared. Relationship: Eldest son. I stared at the paper for three seconds, my face unchanged. Then calmly take out your phone and call the health examination department of City Center Hospital.

"Hello, I would like to make an appointment for a general examination for my son. Male, eighteen years old. Hope to arrange it as soon as possible."

The other end of the line confirms the examination time. I calmly answered each question, hung up the phone and looked up at the teenager at the door.

"What's your name?"

"Tr... Tran Dich."

"Okay. At eight o'clock in the morning, the day after tomorrow, go to the medical examination department of Central Hospital. Fast before coming."

The teenager was stunned and opened his mouth to say something. Obviously he didn't expect my reaction to be so calm. My name is Co Van Ninh, thirty-six years old. Currently operating three pharmacy chains in a third-tier city. The scale is not large, but it is considered somewhat famous locally. My husband, Ha Kien Minh, is a project manager for a construction company. Life is not rich, but it is full. We have been married for eight years and have a five-year-old daughter named Ha Niem Niem. Those originally peaceful days were only truly turned upside down three days ago. That day, the police came to the door.

"Miss Co, according to civil status information, under your name there is an eighteen-year-old son, registered as your biological son. Do you know about this?"

At that time, I was inventorying the medicine in the warehouse. Hearing that sentence, the pen in my hand stopped for exactly two seconds.

"Don't know."

The police officer gave me a printed copy of civil status information. The first time I saw that strange name. Date of birth: April 22, 2007. Relationship to head of household: Eldest son. I have never met this person. In 2007, I had just turned eighteen years old. At that time, I was studying hard for university exams, staying in the dormitory all the time, and rarely going home on weekends. Where do boys come from? But in the civil status system, everything is clearly recorded. That child is registered under my name, complete records, valid procedures, archived from eighteen years ago. My first reaction was... Someone made a move. But I said nothing. Just quietly put the paper in your pocket. At this moment, a teenager named Tran Dich was standing right in front of me. He is tall and thin, with tanned skin. The T-shirt was so faded that the collar was frayed. The shoes on the feet were unglued and temporarily wrapped with white tape. Amidst the shelves of colorful medicines in the store, he stood there looking so awkward and withdrawn that he looked even more lonely.

"Why did you come to me?"

"My grandmother passed away earlier this year."

He tightened his grip on the backpack strap, his voice low.

"When cleaning up her remains, I saw a photocopy of the household registration book... it had your name on it."

"What's your grandmother's name?"

"Trieu Boi Dao."

That name is completely unfamiliar to me.

"Where are you?"

"Southern area of the city. Social housing."

He paused for a moment then continued.

"Grandma said... if one day she is no more, you should go find the person listed in the household registration book."

I looked at you. He avoided my eyes and turned to look at the blood pressure monitor on the counter. Expression on the mirror His face was both stubborn and nervous, as if he was afraid of being rejected.

"What do you do now?"

"Work as a mason's assistant at a construction site. Move bricks, transport materials... do anything."

"Have you finished high school yet?"

"No money for college."

At that moment, Tieu Tang, my employee, was standing outside the door holding a glass of water, his neck stretched out, trying to look inside.

"Little Monk."

"Go to the warehouse and check the cold medicine."

He immediately shrunk his neck and turned away. I wrote the appointment code on a sticky note and stuck it on the back of Tran Dich's hand.

"Remember to be on time the day after tomorrow. Bring this booking number."

"Before you get the examination results, don't say anything to anyone. Don't go looking for anyone else."

"I didn't come to ask for money."

He looked at me, his voice stiff but very sincere.

"I just want to know... if what's written in the household registration book is true."

"I also want to know."

He stopped. Perhaps I didn't expect to answer like that. At that moment, an old man walked in to buy medicine. I turned around to receive guests, leaving him standing behind. By the time I turned back... Tran Dich had left. That night, Ha Kien Minh came home very late. His body was still covered in construction site dust. I sat at the dining table. Niem Niem's daughter has been sleeping for a long time. On the table is a printed copy of civil status information. After washing his hands, Ha Kien Minh sat down. He glanced at the paper, his expression almost unchanged.

"Is it a police matter?"

"What are you going to do?"

"Do a health check first, then do a DNA test."

"Everyone waits for the results and then calculates."

He was silent for a few seconds. Finally, slowly ask:

"Van Ninh... when you were eighteen years old, do you really not remember anything?"

"I really don't remember."

"But the civil status records were registered eighteen years ago."

His voice was slow and strangely careful.

"What if... what if that really happened?"

"I was still young then."

"There are things... maybe even I don't know."

I raised my eyes to look at him.

"I'm asking you..."

"...or are you trying to convince me?"

He slightly curled his lips.

"I'm just worried about you. If that child really exists, we have to think of a way to solve it. I don't want you to be embarrassed, and I don't want our family to be embarrassed because of this."

"The results aren't out yet, what are you worried about?"

"I just told you in advance so you could mentally prepare."

He picked up a piece of food and put it in my bowl.

"No matter the outcome, I will stand by your side."

I bowed my head and slowly took a sip of soup. The words he said were too round. So round that there isn't even a single gap. Just because it was so perfect... I felt even more that something wasn't right. The next morning, I received a call from Lam Tinh. Lam Tinh is my best friend since childhood. She opened a beauty salon right on the same street. Quick mouth, sharp eyes. It's difficult to hide anything from her.

"Van Ninh, what happened to your house? Yesterday I passed by your pharmacy and saw a young man come out. I asked Tieu Tang and he said he sent him to check the warehouse, he didn't know anything."

"Nothing."

"Nothing, your voice sounds so lacking in confidence?"