Chapter 8 — Voices Behind the Dark Room

Luong Thua Trach's tears immediately fell. Before closing the door, I saw Luu Ngoc Mai standing at the end of the hallway. She held onto the wall, her face drained of blood. And behind her, Luong Duc Hai was staring at me with those gloomy eyes. I know this is far from over.10After the hotel room door closed, I leaned against the door and stood for a long time. Duong Duong sat by the bed, holding the rabbit in his arms, always looking at me. She seemed afraid that I would suddenly disappear too. I walked over and hugged my baby. "Mom, I'm not going." She pressed her face to my chest and said "yes" softly. That sound was like a spark falling into my heart that had been cold for two years. Early the next morning, the lawyer brought the documents to the hotel. She listed each thing to me. The report, video, audio, storage room photos and the child's statements to a professional must be kept. You also need to quickly apply for a physical safety order. I asked her: “Can something like that work?” The lawyer looked at Duong Duong beside the bed. "For the child, the danger is very clear." "You cannot continue to rely on the conscience of a family to protect her." That sentence made me completely awake. The thing called conscience has long been swallowed by them right on the Luong family's dining table. That afternoon, I went to the police station to add documents. The female police officer took out a few printed photos and asked me to confirm the marks on the storage room door frame. In the low position, the faint word “don't” felt like a needle stabbing me in the eye. When I sign my name, my fingers always tremble. The female police officer gave me a cup of warm water. "You did a great job." I lowered my head to look at the paper cup. "I did it too late." She didn't comfort me. Just say: "Then start now, don't delay any longer." When leaving the police station, Luong Thua Trach was waiting at the door. He saw me and immediately stood up straight. "An Ninh." I didn't stop. He followed, his voice low and hoarse. "I had an argument with my father." I asked: "So what?" He was silent for a moment. "He said he just wanted to teach the child." I smiled faintly. "Are you here to explain for him, or find the stairs for yourself?" Luong Thua Trach's face was unsightly. "I don't mean that." "So what do you mean?" He looked at me, his eyes red. "I want to see Duong Duong." I stopped walking. "She doesn't want to see me." "I'm her father." I raised my head to look at him. "Dad is not the two words on the book. household registration." "But when she is scared, you have to stand in front of her." Luong Thua Trach's lips trembled. "Later I will stand." I said: "The two words 'later' are too easy for you." Those words made him stand still in place. I returned to the hotel and saw Duong Duong practicing pronunciation with Ms. Manh's company. Ms. Manh held the card and spoke very slowly. "Mom." Duong Duong looked at her, then looked at me. "Mom." Tears immediately welled up in my eyes. Ms. Manh shook her head at me, signaling not to get too excited. I held back my tears and squatted in front of my child. "Duong Duong is so good." She reached out her small hand and touched my face. "Mom, don't cry." Four words. Clear, complete. Only then did I understand that she was not unable to speak. She just hid her voice in that dark room. In the evening, I started looking for a house. It must be close to the rehabilitation center, must have its own access control system, and must make it impossible for the Luong family to arbitrarily come to it. The broker sent more than ten houses, I looked at each one one by one. Duong Duong sat next to him, pointing to a photo. “Morning.” That house has very good sunlight, from the window you can see a row of sycamore trees. I immediately made an appointment to see the house the next day. But before I could put the phone down, someone suddenly knocked on the hotel room door. I look through cat eyes. Luu Ngoc

Mai stood outside the door. She was carrying a cloth bag in her hand, her face was puffy, as if she had been crying all night. She said in a low voice: "An Ninh, please open the door." Duong Duong heard her voice and immediately curled up under the blanket. I didn't open the door. "Go away." Luu Ngoc Mai cried through the door. "I know I'm wrong." "But you can't really destroy Thua Trach." I tightened my grip on the door handle. "The one who was destroyed was Duong Duong." It was quiet outside for a moment. Then Luu Ngoc Mai's voice suddenly changed. "Do you have to force our whole family to die?" "Luong Duc Hai was so angry that he couldn't eat or drink." "If you continue to make a fuss, who knows what he will do." I picked up the phone and pressed record. "Are you threatening me?" Luu Ngoc Mai's crying stopped. At that moment, a piece of paper was stuffed through the door. I bent down to pick it up. On the paper there was only one line of crooked words. If you want the child to be safe, don't report to the police. 11I took a photo of that paper and sent it to the lawyer along with the recording. The lawyer quickly called back. "Don't meet with them alone." "Don't let the child out of your sight." "Tomorrow we will directly apply for a protection order." I agreed. After hanging up the phone, I sat by the bed and looked at Duong Duong sleeping soundly.