Chapter 9 — Voices Behind the Dark Room

Even while sleeping, she still held the rabbit's ears. The ear is sewn to one side, the stitching is rough. I suddenly remembered two years ago, Luu Ngoc Mai returned from the balcony holding the rabbit, saying it would just be patched up a bit. Then she laughed very naturally. Yet I didn't ask more. The next morning, I took Duong Duong to see the house. The house is located in a residential area behind the rehabilitation center. Two bedrooms and a living room, the living room faces south, on the window sill there is a pot of betel leaves left by the previous tenant. As soon as Duong Duong entered, he stood still in the sunlight. I asked my child: "Do you like this place?" The girl nodded. "Morning." I made a deposit right on the spot. Moving house cannot last long. In the afternoon, I went back to the Luong family's house to get Duong Duong's clothes and papers. The lawyer arranged for an assistant to accompany me, and the police station also advised me not to come alone. When entering, the Luong family's living room was much more deserted than on Mid-Autumn Festival. The wine stains on the table have not been cleaned yet. Luong Duc Hai sat on a red wooden chair, saw me walk in, his eyes were gloomy. "Do you still know the way home?" I ignored him and went directly to the bedroom to pack my things. Liu Ngoc Mai followed behind. "An Ninh, do you really have to go to this extent?" I put Duong Duong's picture book in the suitcase. "I just took her to a safe place." She lowered her voice. "You took her away, who will help you from now on?" I stopped. "I would rather be alone and tired to death than let her continue to be 'helped' by you guys." Liu Ngoc Mai's face turned pale. She suddenly knelt in front of me. "I beg you." "Please withdraw your application." "Your father is old, if he is really brought in for questioning, he will lose all face for his entire life." I looked at her. "When Duong Duong was two years old, did you ever think her whole life would be ruined?" She cried so much that she couldn't speak. Luong Thua Trach stood at the door, holding a bag of documents in his hand. "The papers are all in here." I took it, opened it and checked. Birth certificate, household registration page, health insurance card, all are available. I was a bit surprised. Luong Thua Trach's voice was very low. "I won't stop you from taking her away." I raised my head. His eyes were full of blood. "But I want to make up for it." I said: "If you want to make up for it, start by signing." His fingers tightened. “You still have to see the divorce agreement.” I didn't argue with him. Because I know he hasn't really cut it yet. My mouth said not to stop me, but in my heart I still hoped I would be soft-hearted. When I left the Luong family's house, Luong Duc Hai suddenly spoke up. "Dao An Ninh, don't think that taking the child away means you win." I turned to look at him. He sat on the chair and said word by word: "He has the surname Luong." I calmly said: "Whether or not she will continue to have the surname Luong in the future is not up to you to decide." Luong Duc Hai's face immediately turned pale. The day he received the new house key, Duong Duong walked three times around the living room. Every time she walks in front of a door, she raises her head to look at me. I immediately opened the door for my child to see. Bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, balcony. Finally, she stood in front of the small storage cabinet, her fingers squeezing the rabbit again. I squatted down and opened the closet door. Inside was empty, only a mop. I completely removed the cabinet door and placed it in the corner of the balcony. "This place will never be locked up." Duong Duong looked at the doorless cabinet and slowly let go of the rabbit. That night, the first time she slept for five hours straight in her new home. In the following days, her language improved very quickly. She knows how to say "drink water". Know how to say "don't want". Know how to say "mother hug". Each word is like a sprout plucked from the mud. Ms. Manh said this is a sign that the feeling of safety is returning. But she also reminded me. “The faster you progress, the more old memories you have

"You have to prepare yourself mentally." I thought I was ready. Until that afternoon, during drawing time, Duong Duong drew a small black house. Inside there was a very small person. Outside the door stood three adults. I saw next to one of the three adults, a little girl writing two crooked words. Dad. 12 I stared at those two words, without speaking for a long time. Ms. Manh gently picked up the drawing paper and placed it in the middle of the table. She was in no hurry. asked Duong Duong. Just took out a few emotion cards. "Duong Duong, how does the little guy in the picture feel?" Duong Duong pointed to the crying face. "Scared." Ms. Manh asked again: "Do the people outside the door know that he's scared?" Duong Duong nodded. My heart immediately sank to the bottom. I squatted next to my child, trying to keep my voice steady. "Duong Duong, are you outside the door?" She looked at me, tears quickly rising. "Dad is coming." "Open the door." "Close again." My whole body stiffened. Luong Thua Trach said after that he only heard Liu Ngoc Mai mention one sentence. But Duong Duong's memories are not like that. Ms. Manh signaled me not to continue asking right away. She brought another card over. "Duong Duong, who carried the child out at that time?" Duong Duong pointed to the picture of grandmother. "Grandma." "Wet pants." "Broken rabbit." The girl said brokenly.