Chapter 24 — There Are Wounds That Only Truth Can Heal

The two of us made a pot of tea. Sit and talk. No mention of the case. No mention of divorce. Just tell stories. New customer of the beauty salon. Niem Niem last weekend. Say something that makes the whole family laugh. Then discuss again. Dumpling shop at the end of the alley. Just changed the formula. Not as delicious as before. Two people chatting. Until sunset. Lam Tinh stood up. Before going out the door. Suddenly turned his head to look at me.

"Van Ninh."

"After all this."

"Did you see it?"

"Can I change anything?"

I thought for a long time. Then smile.

"Before."

"Every time I decide something."

"I often think."

"How will others see me?"

"And now."

"I don't think anymore."

"I was just thinking."

"This."

"Is that true?"

"Is it worth doing?"

Lam Tinh finished putting on his shoes. Stand up straight. Gently nodded.

"This change."

Step out. Walk along the street. Immerse yourself in the familiar scenery of an afternoon in a small city. I closed the pharmacy. Take one last lap. Rearrange each medicine box on the shelf. Check expiration date. Mark products that need to be processed tomorrow. Get on the electric car. Slowly run home. That night. Niem Niem insisted that I sit and assemble Legos with my child. She said.

"Last time I didn't finish building it."

"It must be built very high."

I drive an electric car. Go all the way to familiar streets. Turn into a small alley. Run into the apartment complex. Niem Niem was sitting in the middle of the living room. Spilled the entire box of Legos all over the carpet. Colorful puzzle pieces are everywhere. She is very serious. Sort each color. Place stones of the same color next to each other. Attentive expression. It's like working on an extremely important project. I raise my head.

"I've been waiting for a long time, mom."

I smiled.

"Mom is home."

Then sit down next to your child. I picked up a red lego.

"Where do I start?"

Niem Niem pointed to the blue base plate in the middle.

"So let's start from here."

Mother and daughter sat on the carpet. Quietly assemble each lego brick. Little by little. The sky outside. It's completely dark. The kitchen timer rang. I stood up. Bring the pot of soup to the table.

"Call Niem Niem to eat."

She regretfully put down the lego.

"Shall we continue building?"

I patted my child's head.

"Let's keep building."

On the dining table. There are two sets of bowls and chopsticks. Two bowls of soup were still steaming. Street lights outside the window. Quietly sneezed into the room. Small house. Under that light. Shows up clearly. Every item. Everything is in its right place. This book page. Closed. There's the next page. I do not know. But when turned over. My hand. No longer trembling. Half a year later. Tran Dich ranked third in the vocational school's midterm exam. He texted the good news. Attached is a photo. This is the first weld that meets standards. Straight weld line. Neat connections. I only answer in two words.

"Not bad."

He immediately responded.

"I will do better."

I texted back. A moment later. He sent more.

"Thank you, Miss Co."

I saved that photo. Place in phone album. Right next to the sun and flower painting. That Niem Niem once painted. Two photos are next to each other. It looks so harmonious. It's all a result. Of people who live very seriously. Later that year. Lam Tinh opened a second branch of the beauty salon. In the new urban area. The decoration is much nicer than the first store. Opening day. She pulled me come to congratulate. I give you a basket of flowers. As soon as she looked at it, she criticized it. Then remove all the flowers yourself. Plug it back in a different way. Place in front of the door. Much more beautiful. Second year after retirement. My cousin bought a small piece of land in the suburbs.

"When are you free?"

"Bring Niem Niem to play."

I took her there once. Niem Niem sat all day. Catching worms in the garden. So happy that I don't want to go home. Until you get home. Open your book bag. Discovered there was still a worm inside. The child was startled. Quickly brush it out. Then I hugged myself and laughed for a long time. Kim Ba Group. After that incident. Moved to another place to live with his son. Sometimes. He sent me a message.

"Happy New Year."

I also replied.

"Happy New Year."

That's all. Trieu Hoa Lan. Still living in the south of the city. Her daughter went to the pharmacy to buy medicine. Conveniently told.

"My mother has been learning Tai Chi recently."

"Every morning I go to the park to practice."

"Very intense."

Lawyer Luu. Then he called me twice. Announcing the final result of the Tran Quoc Binh case. Announcement that the divorce file has been officially archived and completed. Both times. All very professional. Hang up immediately. And Ha Kien Minh. We still see each other. During parent meetings. Or when picking up and returning Niem Niem. Every time we meet. Just nodded. Say exactly what needs to be said. Not much. Not a lot. Every time I come back from my dad's place. Niem Niem all chirped. What to eat today? What did you play? Where are you taking me? Bright sparkling eyes. I just listened quietly.

"Have you done your homework today?"

She immediately searched her bag. Take out your notebook and show me. New is life. One day at a time. No need to rely on anyone's pity. Can still move on. That small city. Still there. That street. Still there. Those three pharmacies. Still there. Co Van Ninh. Still here.