Chapter 14 — There Are Wounds That Only Truth Can Heal

Niem Niem is still at Lam Tinh's house. Tonight the baby sleeps there. The house is so quiet... You can clearly hear the TV echoing from the apartment next door. Ha Kien Minh sat on the sofa. Saw me coming in. He was about to open his mouth. But I said it first.

"Your mother went to the Civic Center."

"Civil registration counter."

"Get a file bag."

"Do you know about that?"

The expression on his face changed slightly. But very quickly... I regained my composure.

"I don't know."

"Kien Minh."

I hung the bag on the rack. Take off your jacket. The voice was calm and cold.

"From today."

"Any movement at your house."

"You will all know."

He took a deep breath. Slowly stand up.

"Van Ninh."

"Can you..."

"Can you hear me say something?"

"This..."

"It was never instigated by you."

"My mother..."

"She made a lot of her own decisions."

"Even you."

"We'll only know later."

I sat down opposite him. Quietly look at that face. I've been looking at this face for eight years. Know clearly every time you frown. Know the habit of slightly raising the corners of your lips when talking. Know that face. No meaning... I really understand the person behind it. I looked straight into his eyes. The voice was terrifyingly calm.

"Kien Minh."

"If you say..."

"You're not the mastermind."

"Then tell me."

"You know what."

"Know when?"

"Which business are you involved in?"

"What do you not participate in?"

Ha Kien Minh slowly sat down on the sofa. Hands clasped tightly together. Place on your knees. Looks exactly like someone waiting to plead guilty.

"Tran Nhuoc Mai's story..."

"I know it all."

"It's your fault."

"You were too young back then."

"Too selfish."

"I know."

He stopped for a few seconds.

"After she died."

"Mom told me..."

"The baby is still alive."

"She handled everything well."

"I didn't ask her how to handle it."

"I thought..."

"She just gave some money to Tran Thuc Phan."

"Let her raise the child."

I looked straight at him.

"Don't you know the baby's household registration is entered in my name?"

He stopped. Just one second. Then nodded slightly.

"Not from the beginning."

"Not until before I married you."

"Mom just told me."

"She said..."

"She thought of a way."

"It won't affect our marriage."

"The baby has a household registration."

"You can also grow up normally."

"And you made it clear..."

"It's using my name."

"So then..."

"How did you react?"

Ha Kien Minh bowed his head. The fingers tighten gradually.

"Don't say anything."

The living room lights stretched his shadow onto the wall behind him. Heavy again. I looked at him.

"I don't object."

"It doesn't stop it either."

"Silence..."

"It's tacit agreement."

He did not deny it. I continued to ask.

"And Tran Quoc Binh."

"In Zhao Pei Dao's letter."

"She said..."

"His accident has something to do with you."

Ha Kien Minh immediately raised his head. That's an expression... I've never seen it on his face. It was as if the deepest secret had just been ripped apart.

"That..."

His voice was hoarse.

"It's not directly related to you."

"I never arranged that."

He closed his eyes. Take a deep breath. A very long time later. Just spoke hoarsely. The space is so quiet. The ticking sound of the clock on the wall rang out clearly. Then one more round.

"My mother..."

"I don't want that baby..."

"There is still a father live."

"You think..."

"As long as Tran Quoc Binh still exists."

"Sooner or later..."

"The child will also know everything."

I looked at him.

"Therefore..."

"She caused Tran Quoc Binh to have an accident."

"Van Ninh."

He raised his head. In his eyes there was only extreme fatigue.

"You really..."

"I didn't know until later."

"I know."

"I had a big argument with my mother."

"You said..."

"I can't hide this for the rest of my life."

"But my mother just said."

'You've been hiding it all these years.'

'A few more years won't make any difference.'

I placed them all into an almost complete picture. Until now. I truly understand. Ha Kien Minh's mother... Not only helped her son hide his past. She did much more than that. I asked again.

"Trieu Boi Dao."

"Tran Dich's grandmother."

"Just passed away earlier this year."

"Do you know?"

Ha Kien Minh raised his head again. He replied softly. Added again a moment later.

"That old woman has been sick for many years."

"He passed away at the beginning of the year."

I opened my bag. Take out the prescription sheet. Place on the tea table. Push towards him.

"Her last prescription..."

"Prescribed at my pharmacy."

Ha Kien Minh's hand was stiff. The expression on his face also froze. He just looked down. Don't dare reach out to take it. I looked at him.

"Is it really natural death?"

Ha Kien Minh was silent.

"Kien Minh."

A very long time. He just became hoarse.

"Don't know."

"I really don't know."

I held back the prescription. Put it in your bag. What to ask. I stood up. Go into the bedroom. Lock the door from the inside. Silence for a long time. I heard Ha Kien Minh's footsteps. He went into the kitchen. Open the faucet. Then turned off again. The sound of sofa springs rang softly. He lay down. I lie on the bed. Stare at the ceiling.