Chapter 4 — Two-Face Roommate

Advisor Tran stopped, his eyes fell on Tong Huynh's face, his voice calm: "I denounce Wen Tu for illegally using electrical equipment. This behavior itself is not a problem. Students have the right to report violations, the faculty recognizes that." Tong Huynh's shoulders relaxed slightly. "But the anonymous denunciation letter you sent..." Advisor Tran pushed the printed paper in front of her. "The content is related to fabricating the truth and personal attack, causing actual damage to On Tu's reputation. The Student Affairs Office determined that this behavior constitutes defamation."Tong Huynh's expression changed. "The faculty's opinion of handling is to record a one-time error, cancel his eligibility for emulation this school year, and at the same time request him to directly apologize to On Tu." "Based on what?"Tong Huynh suddenly stood up. The chair's legs scraped across the floor, her voice was shrill as if it were choked in her throat: "This is an anonymous letter. How can she prove that you wrote it? Is it okay to just rely on what she said?" "Handwriting assessment." I leaned against the back of the chair. The voice was not loud but clear enough in the quiet office. "That day in the office, you tacitly admitted that the letter was written by you. But I never said that you just needed to admit on the spot." "I asked advisor Tran to send the original copy to compare the handwriting. I provided the exercise book and the course essays you submitted as samples."Tong Huynh's face immediately turned white. She opened her mouth but no sound came out. Counselor Tran tapped on the table: "The appraisal results have confirmed that the handwriting in the anonymous denunciation letter has a very high degree of similarity with your handwriting. Tong Huynh, this disciplinary action is warranted." The office was silent for nearly ten seconds. Tong Huynh slowly sat down, his fingers tightening on the fabric on his knees, his knuckles turning white. Advisor Tran continued to say: "In addition, this will be recorded in your loyalty file. Before graduation, if you need to transfer the file, the relevant units will see this record."Tong Huynh suddenly raised his head: "Fidelity file? Ms. Tran, I only wrote a letter..." "I wrote a defamation letter, not a letter of feedback." Advisor Tran's voice did not change. "This is the conclusion discussed by the Student Affairs Department, no. I alone must decide.”Tong Huynh's eyes began to turn red. I stood up, pushed my chair under the table and looked at advisor Tran: "Miss Tran, can I go now?" Advisor Tran nodded: "Okay. A written notice will then be sent to each person's mailbox, remember to check." I turned and walked towards the door, my steps were neither fast nor slow. Behind him came the sound of Tong Huynh trying to hold his breath, intermittently, as if he was trying not to cry out loud. She held back the whole way. It wasn't until I reached the corner of the hallway that I heard a sob come from the office. I don't turn around. The light at the end of the hallway was very bright. The midday sun penetrated through the glass door, spreading a dazzling light on the tile floor. I stood in the corner of the hallway. The sunlight shined brightly on the tiled floor, warmth spread from the soles of my feet, but still could not dispel the darkness in my heart. A disciplinary decision has been made. She was disciplined, I was disciplined too. No one achieves good results. But what I lost was my eligibility to compete, and what she lost was the purity of her integrity record. Put two things on the scale, her side is heavier. But I still don't feel comfortable. On the way back to the dormitory, I walked very slowly, recalling the whole incident in my head at once. When Tong Huynh was disciplined, he did it himself, but my disciplinary action was not canceled. I did use an electric pot. The school's rules were clearly written, I was not unjust. What really annoyed me was her calculation when stepping

Come on me to climb higher. When I pushed the door back to the dormitory, Tong Huynh was there. She sat on the bed, a book open on her knees, but her eyes stared blankly at the wall. His eyes were still red, and his eyelashes still had tears that hadn't been wiped away. Seeing me come in, she reflexively closed the book, her fingers clutching the spine of the book, her nails turning white. I didn't look at her, went straight to my desk, sat down and plugged in the computer. Silence was like a wall blocking the room. About five minutes later, Tong Huynh opened his mouth. Her voice was hoarse as if filled with sand: "On Tu, are you satisfied now?" My fingers didn't stop, continuing to type on the keyboard. "I'm asking you, are you satisfied?" 7 She asked again. This time the voice was louder, the last syllable trembling. "I was disciplined, my integrity record has a stain, are you still not happy?" "Happy." I said: "But it's not enough." She seemed to be hit by something, suddenly sat up straight on the bed: "What do you want? I've admitted, I've been disciplined. Do you still want to force me to quit school?" I closed the computer and turned around to look at her. The tears in her eyes were still spinning, but that wasn't self-pity. I could see it, it was hatred. “You were disciplined because of the defamatory letter you wrote, not because of me.”