Chapter 1 — Two Teeth Under the Hoe Tree

When I was 4 years old, my father used a red rope to tie me under an old tree at the beginning of the village. He said he was going to buy candies, but until the sun went down, I rubbed the red string and he still didn't come back. I don't cry. Because before leaving, Dad sewed a crumpled lottery ticket to my collar. He squatted in front of me, his mouth reeking of alcohol, instructing every word: "Nhi Nha, if Dad doesn't come back, you take this paper to find a policeman named Trieu Quoc Cuong." I asked bewilderedly: "What if the policeman doesn't pay attention to you?" Dad's eyes immediately turned red, he raised his hand to wipe his face hard. "If he doesn't pay attention, tell him that in the basement of the dormitory in the north of the city, there is something he wants. been looking for ten years now.” Having finished speaking, he stuffed the last half of the Mantau cake in the house into my hand, then turned and left without looking back. Neighbor Mrs. Vuong said my father didn't need me anymore and told me to prepare to beg. I do not believe. I held the lottery ticket tightly in my hand. Later, I really found Uncle Trieu and also really found the basement that dad was talking about. But when I saw that rusty iron box full of secrets, I understood - Dad not only tricked the whole world, but also used that same red rope to tie me up for my whole life. … The third day after my father left, I was unbearably hungry. Mrs. Vuong passed by and saw me still sitting under the tree. She sighed and threw half a rotten apple to me. She said: "Nhi Nha, don't wait any longer, that bad gambler Tran Ho has been gone for a long time." I do not believe. Dad said he was going to buy candies. Dad won't lie to me. By the fifth day, I had gnawed off a chunk of bark. I finally understood, maybe dad really won't come back anymore. I touched the stiff paper sewn into the collar. That's dad's order. I have to go find Trieu Quoc Cuong. I walked barefoot, following the direction my father had pointed, towards the city. I walked for a day and a night, and by the time I entered the city, the soles of my feet were blistered and bleeding. The police station gate is very high and imposing. I stood outside the door, not daring to enter. The security guard saw me and immediately waved his hand to chase me away: "Whose child is this? Go play somewhere else, don't block the police car's path." I held tightly to the door frame. I can't go. Once you leave, you won't be able to find your father anymore. I opened my cracked mouth, shouted hoarsely: "I'm looking for Trieu Quoc Cuong!" The security guard was stunned, he had probably never seen a child dare to call the criminal captain's name directly. He was still about to chase me away when a black police car stopped in front of the gate. A man wearing a police uniform stepped down, tall and majestic, his eyes exuding a cold murderous aura. The surrounding policemen all stood to attention and saluted, calling him Captain Trieu. I know, it's him — Trieu Quoc Cuong. I rushed over, hugged his thigh tightly. "Uncle Trieu! I'm looking for you!" Trieu Quoc Cuong bent down, frowning as if he wanted to crush a fly. He wanted to pull his legs out, but I was holding him too tight. "Let go!" he shouted. I trembled in fear, but still did not let go. I reached out my hand tremblingly, with difficulty untying each thread on the collar. "This... was my father, Tran Ho, who told me to give it to you." As soon as he heard the words "Tran Ho", Trieu Quoc Cuong's face immediately changed. Just now I was a little disgusted, but now I was completely angry. "Tran Ho?" Without even looking at me, he waved his hand and slapped me straight in the face. Pop! The lottery ticket was kicked and flew, circled around and then splashed into a dirty puddle not far away. "Is that murderer not dead yet?" Trieu Quoc Cuong stood high and looked down at me, his eyes filled with blood. "He murdered my sister, now he dares to send his illegitimate son here to swindle money?" People around started whispering. "That drug addict Tran Ho, he must be having a fit again." I don't have money, so I sent her here

Causing trouble." "Captain Trieu, don't pay attention to that wandering girl, throw it straight into the orphanage." My hand hurt from that slap. But I didn't cry. Dad once said, Nhi Nha shouldn't cry, crying is a bad omen, dad won't be able to come back. I crawled to that dirty puddle. Carefully picked up the lottery ticket. That was dad's order. I wiped it on my shirt, but it couldn't be clean. When Trieu Quoc Cuong saw me like that, his eyes became even more hateful. "Drag him away, don't let me see Tran Ho's descendants again." I was like a chicken being lifted up. My feet couldn't touch the ground. I couldn't leave! After being sent away, my father's mission would not be completed. When I was dragged to the gate, I hugged the door frame with all my strength and shouted the words my father had told me. "The basement of the dormitory in the north of the city! There's something over there that I've been looking for for ten years!" The atmosphere suddenly became quiet. Trieu Quoc Cuong's back paused. He slowly turned around, his eyes even more terrifying than before. He took a few long strides, grabbed my collar. Staring at my eyes, gritted his teeth and asked: "Where did you say?" "The dormitory... the basement..." - I struggled to utter each word. That was where his sister, Trieu Man, disappeared. It was also a wound that had not healed for the past ten years in my heart. Mr. 2 Trieu Quoc Cuong threw me into the car. My head hit the window, making a painful "pop". But I didn't dare say a word, I just squeezed the dirty lottery ticket. The car drove so fast that it scared everyone. All the way, Trieu Quoc Cuong kept scolding. "Tran Ho is really scum, a beast!" "Now he even dares to mention the dormitory, is he provoking me?!" Every time he said a word, he slammed his hand on the steering wheel. The sound of the car horn was deafening, as if he was venting all the hatred in his heart. I didn't understand what he was saying. But I knew, my father was not scum. He would give me his only raincoat on days when it was pouring rain, while I was as wet as a rat. Dad would buy it. He gave me the best fried chicken thighs every time he won. Even though he lost more than he won, he got drunk and broke things... But he never kicked me. The car suddenly braked. My head hit the back of the front seat, causing tears to flow. The air here was filled with a rotten smell - the smell of garbage mixed with dead rats. Trieu Quoc Cuong got out of the car Disgusted, he covered his nose with his hand. He looked at the building in front of him, his eyes confused, and shouted: "Lead the way!" I jumped in fear. The blisters on the soles of my feet burst, stepping on the dirty water hurt my bones. I limped towards the entrance to the basement. The people around poked their heads out, pointing and whispering. "Isn't that the bastard from Tran Ho's house?" "Why did you bring the police back?" "Tran Ho must have caused trouble, I said. But, that comet will get shot sooner or later." I bowed my head and walked faster. The entrance to the basement was filled with trash. "This place?" he asked. I nodded, “My dad said… in the deepest corner.” I climbed onto the pile of trash and started using my hands to push away the rotten boards. A mouse rushed past my feet, making me almost scream. Following my father's instructions, I walked to the corner of the wall. But… Nothing. That secret compartment that dad talked about — gone. I started to panic. I used my nails to scratch the crack in the wall so frantically that my nails almost burst out of my fingers. "Where... where..." I was so impatient that I was drenched in sweat and tears fell to the ground. If I don't find it... I'll never see my dad again. Trieu Quoc Cuong strode in, grabbed my wrist, it hurt

to the point where I wanted to scream. "That bastard Tran Ho, you really dare to make fun of me!" He pulled me out like a bag of trash. I struggled violently, my feet writhing on the ground. "No! It's here! Dad's not lying!" "Please, Uncle Trieu, just wait one more minute! Just one minute!" I made a "thump" sound and knelt down on the ground. Bow your head before the pile of trash and broken glass. Once, twice, three times. My forehead hit a piece of glass, blood flowed down, seeping into my eyes, causing a sharp pain. Trieu Quoc Cuong paused. He looked at me with a bloody face and laughed coldly. "Tran Ho's son certainly knows how to act to please others." "Do you think that by bruising his head a few times I will forgive him for killing Man Man?" I don't understand what crime he's talking about. I just knew, I had to find that thing. As soon as he let go, I immediately rushed back to the corner. I frantically dug my hands into the tile joints. Not here... not there... Dad, where are you? Dad, don't lie to Nhi Nha... Suddenly— My fingers touched something cold. It is located deep under the bottom brick crack in the corner of the wall. It's an iron ring! I was so happy, I used all my strength to pull it out. Clack! A loose brick popped out. I reached in and touched a heavy iron box. "Found it! Found it!" I shouted happily, hugging the box tightly in my arms. It was a rusty cookie box with a sealed lid that couldn't be opened. Trieu Quoc Cuong was stunned. He walked quickly back, reaching out to grab it. "Give it here!" I hugged the box tightly, curling up like a little hedgehog. "No! Your dad said only dad can open it!" "I'm a police officer! This is evidence!" Trieu Quoc Cuong started to pry my fingers apart one by one. I was so scared, I opened my mouth and bit hard on the back of his hand. I don't care if he's a police officer or someone else — whoever steals Dad's things is a bad guy. Trieu Quoc Cuong was in so much pain that he jerked his hand away. I was thrown out and hit the wall hard. But I still held the box in my arms tightly and didn't let go. Trieu Quoc Cuong looked at the bloody tooth marks on the back of his hand and burst out laughing. "Is that a dog?" He didn't kick me anymore, just stared at the iron box with complicated eyes. The box was rusty and patchy, looking at it you could tell it had been old for a long time. It's the cookie box style from ten years ago. It's also the type of cake that Trieu Man likes the most. His hands trembled slightly.