Chapter 7 — Twice Do Thanh Hoa

The autumn sky is clear, the sunlight is bright. Surrounded by new students full of vitality. I took a deep breath of Beijing's air and then dragged my luggage towards the check-in area. Arriving at the dormitory, after making the bed, I opened the woven bag. Inside is indeed filled with all kinds of specialties and new clothes. At the bottom there was a white envelope pressed underneath. I opened the envelope and took out the letter paper. Five full pages, dense writing. “Ha Ha, I really know I was wrong.” "During this time, I couldn't sleep every night. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw you being taken away by the police..." "I always took out your childhood photos to look at. How good were you then, why did you become like you are now?" "I'm sorry. I regret why I was so cruel at that time, why did I call the police..." "I'm not asking you to forgive me right away, I just hope you don't ignore me. Can you give me a chance to make up for it..." Every sentence and every word is a mother's heart-wrenching repentance. I calmly read every word. Finally, I folded the letter paper back up and put it in the envelope. Then I zipped the suitcase, stuffing it to the bottom. This letter along with all the hurt they brought me will forever be buried deep. I stood up, brushed the dust off my hands, then turned around and left the dormitory, going to the cafeteria to have my first meal at Tsinghua University. During my four years in college, I risked my life studying, won a national scholarship, and participated in all kinds of competitions. I can completely take care of my tuition and living expenses. I carefully recorded every amount of money I received from my youngest aunt in the book. In the fourth year, I returned all that money to their account, both capital and interest. During these four years, every winter and summer vacation, I returned to my youngest aunt's house. I never entered my parents' house again. During Tet when I was in my fourth year, relatives still gathered to eat at my youngest aunt's house as usual. At the dining table, Aunt Hai looked at me, sighed, and wanted to say it again. "Ha Ha..." Finally, Aunt Hai still couldn't help but speak up: "You're about to graduate. In the past two years, your parents have aged very quickly, and your mother's hair has turned half gray." "After all, they are my biological parents. What happened that year... they have already been punished. We should stop, okay?" The eldest aunt who was next to her also chimed in: "That's right, blood and flesh, no one can really hold a grudge for the rest of their life." I put down my chopsticks and used a tissue to wipe my mouth. I raised my head, looked at my relatives who were looking at me expectantly, and without hesitation said, "I know." “But I don't forgive.”