Chapter 3 — Thien Kim Half Wonton

Three years ago, he said my cruelty disgusted him. Today, his eyes looking at me are still like looking at a moldy rag.

“Tham Tri Duong, Van Tinh kindly invited you here, not for you to come here to cause trouble.”

I looked at him.

“Chu Nghien Le, do you remember who repaired this watch for me before?”

An unnatural look flashed across his face. When I was seventeen years old, my watch broke. It was he who ran with me across half of Giang Thanh to find an old mechanic to repair it. He once said:

“The things your father left behind, I will definitely help you protect.”

After that, he protected it all the way to To Van Tinh. To Van Tinh gently pulled his sleeve.

"Nghien Le, don't be like that. Tri Duong has suffered a lot, it's normal for her to have resentment in her heart."

As soon as these words were said, the eyes of the people around me looked at me with even more disgust. She's always like that. She didn't scold me. She just needs to say a nice word for me, and everyone will automatically give her their knives. Tham Hoai Xuyen says:

“Tri Duong, apologize.”

I burst out laughing.

“I came to pick up my things and still have to apologize?”

His voice became heavier.

"Sorry Van Tinh."

I don't know when, Luc Dinh Nghien was standing next to the door. He looked at this scene but did not speak. I suddenly felt so meaningless. I took a step forward, reaching out to remove the watch from To Van Tinh's wrist. Chu Nghien Le immediately grabbed my wrist.

“Try touching her.”

I turned around and threw a glass of red wine straight into his face. The crowd was quiet for a moment. Chu Nghien Le wiped his face, anger finally flared in his eyes.

“Tham Tri Duong, do you want to die?”

I said:

“You block once, I throw once.”

To Van Tinh quickly blocked in front of him.

“Don't, today is my thank you party.”

She bit her lip and took off her watch.

“Zhi Duong, if you really want it that much, I can give it to you.”

She held the watch towards me. As soon as I reached out, she let go. The watch fell to the ground. A “click” sound rang out. The watch cover cracked. A small old photo clipped inside was exposed. To Van Tinh bent down to pick it up, moving faster than me. I stepped on the back of her hand. She was in so much pain that she cried out. Chu Nghien Le pushed me away.

“You crazy!”

I bumped into the corner of the table. A glass ornament the size of a soup bowl rolled down and hit the carpet. Finally, Luc Dinh Nghien also came. Did he help me? Are not. He stood in front of To Van Tinh, looked at me and said:

“That's enough.”

I looked at the cracked watch and laughed until my throat hurt.

“Luc Dinh Nghien, it's been three years, you're still so good at choosing.”

His face was pale. To Van Tinh hugged her hand, tears falling.

“Tri Duong, I just want to pick it up and give it back to you.”

I said:

“Do you dare give me the picture inside?”

Her crying stopped. Tham Hoai Xuyen looked at her.

“What photo?”

To Van Tinh clasped the watch in her palm.

“I don't know. Maybe it's the photo my uncle once put in.”

I held out my hand to her.

“Give it to me.”

She hid behind Chu Nghien Le. Chu Nghien Le scolded:

“You injured Van Tinh like this because of a torn watch, and even wanted to rob her Star?"

I didn't look at him. I just looked at Tham Hoai Xuyen.

“Don't you want proof?”

“Give me the photo and I'll tell you what happened three years ago at the top of the stairs.”

Tham Hoai Xuyen did not move. He looked at To Van Tinh. This was the first time he hesitated between me and her. To Van Tinh immediately put the watch into her pocket, her voice trembling:

“Mr. Hoai Xuyen, my hand hurts.”

Tham Hoai Xuyen's hesitation immediately disappeared.

“Take Van Tinh to treat the wound first.”

I stood still, watching them leave around her. Luc Dinh Nghien went last. He lowered his voice and said:

“Duong Duong, I will help you get the photo back.”

I bent down to pick up the broken watch cover on the ground.

“Don't help.”

“If you help me once, I will lose half my life.”

He was stopped by me and couldn't say a word. At the door, the hotel manager stopped me.

“Miss Tham, General Manager Tham said the items damaged tonight will be recorded on your invoice.”

I touched my bag, there were only three hundred yuan left inside.

“Just write it down.”

The manager brought the invoice. Glass ornaments, eighty-six thousand. I took the pen and signed the words "A Hoanh". The manager's face was unsightly.

“This is not your real name.”

I raised my head.

“Didn't the Tham family say I was dead?”

“Where do dead people get their real names?”

The night I returned to Nam Thanh, the stall was destroyed. The pot was overturned to the ground, the wonton wrapper was stepped on in the mud, the thermos was cracked, and the soup and oil flowed out. Uncle Luu squatted next to him, smoking. Seeing me return, he angrily stamped out his cigarette.

“Ah Hoanh, two people dressed in black did it. They said she offended someone who shouldn't have offended someone."

I put the car up. The axle is bent. This car has been with me for two and a half years, sheltered from the rain on rainy days and sheltered from the wind in winter. In the trunk of the car were also the wontons I wrapped when I couldn't sleep. Now it's like a dog with a broken leg. Uncle Luu cursed:

“People with money are really worthless. What kind of bravery does it take to bully a wonton seller?”

I said:

“Uncle Liu, lend me the hammer.”

He was stunned.

“Do you still want to fix it?”

"I still have to go sell it tomorrow morning."

Uncle Luu's nose stung, he turned around to get the tools. I squatted on the ground, tapping the axle until my palms filled with blisters. Luc Dinh Nghien's car stopped at the beginning of the alley. He stepped down and looked at the scene of destruction on the ground, his expression extremely unsightly.

“Who did it?”

I didn't pay attention to him. He sat down and raised his hand to touch the wheel. I used a hammer to hit him right next to his hand.

“Don't touch.”

He withdrew his hand.

“I'll give you a new one.”

“No need.”

“Tham Tri Duong, can you stop treating everyone as enemies?”

I raised my head to look at him.

"You're not even worthy of being an enemy."