Chapter 1 — When I was born, I wanted to give my mother another chance

The second day after I passed the civil service exam, my parents divorced. Mom made me a big dinner. She, who was quiet, quietly gave me a bank card. Mom said she was going away for a trip and told me to learn how to take care of myself. I think that my mother was finally able to let go of suffering for more than thirty years and began to live for herself. But the next day, people picked up my mother again from the cold river. I sat next to my mother's coffin for three days, not eating or drinking, until my father gave me a diagnosis of her depression. That's when I realized that my mother had been struggling in darkness and suffering for thirty years. It was only because of me that my mother tried to hold on for so long. I hugged my mother's photo and cried until I fainted. When I woke up, I found myself at the train station in the 1980s, back to the day I welcomed my mother home. 1.

“Tut— Tut—”

The sound of the steam whistle of the ancient steam train rang out every now and then, waking me up from the extreme pain. I was confused as I watched the green train door open and a stream of people stepped down. Trung Son jacket, military uniform, Liberation Army green hat, red polka dot skirt, stylish flared pants... The colorful costumes of the era undulated before my eyes. While I was confused and didn't know what to do, I suddenly felt a light tap on my shoulder.

“It's Tieu Thu, right?”

I turned around. In front of me is a woman with two braids. Her skin is tanned, she has double eyelids, phoenix eyes, dimples at the corners of her lips, and wears a thick blue shirt made of synthetic nylon.

“Mom…” I exclaimed in surprise.

Just recently, I held a black and white photo of my mother when she was young and cried until I fainted. Yet now, the person in the photo is alive and kicking in front of me.

“Mom!”

I didn't have time to think anymore, I rushed to hug her tightly, sobbing.

“Eh… My name is Vu Uyen Uyen.” Mother's voice was soft.

A while later, mother spoke again:

“Tieu Thu, can you let me go first?”

I secretly pinched myself—it really hurts, it's not a dream. I quickly let go of my mother and raised my hand to wipe the tears from my face. Mother smiled softly:

"Thank you Tieu Thu for coming to pick me up. I'll also bother you later, auntie and Tieu Thu to take care of me."

“My name is Tieu Thu?” I pointed at myself, unsure.

“Aren't you Tieu Thu, your eldest child?”

I looked around at the people carrying bags under their arms, then looked at the heavy black cloth bag in my mother's hand.

“This is the time to return home after working in the countryside?”

Mom nodded hesitantly. My mother once told me that her grandparents were sent to re-education camps. When she was eighteen years old, she returned to the city and lived with her eldest uncle's house. The eldest uncle has a daughter named Vu Thu. It turned out that this wasn't a dream—I was transported into the body of Vu Thu, my mother's cousin.

“Comrade, have I identified the wrong person?” Mom started to hesitate.

“There's no mistake, it's me.”

I grinned, grabbed my mother's luggage, and put my arm around her.

"I was just joking with you just now. Little sister, let's go home."

The station was crowded with people. Three-wheeled vehicles roll on the road. The young men wore new-style sunglasses. The trendy girl had just finished getting her hair done and stood leaning against the barbershop door. Merchandise display windows are filled with family planning slogans. Mom and I were both curious and looked everywhere. Cross West Street Busy city, turn into a small asphalt alley. Along the road, the sound of bicycle bells mixed with the laughter of neighbors.

“Tieu Thu, where are you going?” Mom stopped in front of a small house.

I hastily retreated, walking quickly into the yard. In the yard, several families were busy cooking. I didn't know what my eldest uncle and everyone else looked like. I was afraid that my mother would find out something strange, so I pretended to be calm and cleared my throat:

"Mom! I'm home! I picked up Uyen Uyen!"

"Damn brat, why are you screaming! Your mother isn't deaf yet!"

The middle-aged woman wearing an apron lifted the curtains. She glanced at my mother, snorted coldly, then turned back inside.

"You can't even eat enough, now you have another mouth to eat. You don't have the courage to just take one person after another home. I see you want to force this whole family to the end!"

Just then, the sound of furniture being smashed rang out in the room. My mother reflexively took a step back. I quickly grabbed her hand.

"Sister, my mother is cold on the outside but very kind on the inside. There are many opportunities in the city now. In the future, if you find a job, maybe the whole family will depend on you."

I stood up straight and pulled my mother into the house. In the dark room, there were three bowls and a small plate of pickles on the table. A middle-aged man in a shirt sat down at the table. He looked up at my mother once, then bowed his head and continued to eat the dumplings.

"If you've been on the train for so long, why don't you bring dry food with you? Then I won't welcome you. There are chairs in the yard, so come sit yourself."

The eldest aunt pulled off the cloth covering the basket and took out a dumpling. She called loudly:

"Tieu Thu, come here to eat."

2.

"How can dry food be as delicious as dumplings? Uyen Uyen, I'll give it to you."

I didn't give my mother time to react and immediately stuffed the dumpling into her hand.

"Tieu Thu, I'm full, really. Before getting off the train I just ate a scone."

My mother frantically pushed it back to me.

"If you don't eat, how can you have the energy to study and take exams? Have you forgotten? Just now, the homeroom teacher said that in two months the textile factory will recruit workers."

I blinked and signaled my mother. The eldest aunt asked in surprise:

"Thu Thu, what do you say? Recruiting workers? Exams?"

I pretended like I just realized I said something wrong:

"It's not me, it's Uyen Uyen's younger brother. Today my homeroom teacher went to the station to pick up relatives, and he almost got pickpocketed. Luckily, Uyen Uyen saw her and screamed so the thief didn't have time to attack.

The homeroom teacher asked about me and said that in two months the textile factory will be recruiting workers. The eldest aunt suddenly stood up.

“Did your homeroom teacher really tell Uyen Uyen to take the entrance exam?”

I boldly continued to make up:

"Yes! Mom, my homeroom teacher never lies. Why haven't I heard any recruitment news yet?"

The eldest aunt slapped her thigh and spanked:

“This stupid girl…”

The eldest uncle tapped on the table.

"She just came back, we'll talk about it later, let's eat first. Go get some chopsticks for Uyen Uyen."

I quickly pulled my mother across the dining table. Mom was about to say something, but I immediately stuffed the dumpling into her mouth. At night, I pulled my mother to sleep with me. The old wooden bed just needs to be moved slightly and it will creak again. I turned around and hugged my mother. Her body is very warm, if you get a little closer you will feel hot. I had forgotten how long it had been since I had been this close to my mother.

“Tieu Thu, sister should not lie.” Mom whispered softly. “It's me that bothers everyone.”

I'm a bit angry:

“Don't talk nonsense. They won't accommodate me either. Uyen Uyen, if you are bullied, you must protest."

I once read the letter my grandfather left for my mother. My grandparents were intellectuals who studied abroad and did nothing wrong. Before the incident happened, my grandfather secretly gave all his savings to his eldest uncle and asked him to take care of his mother. I gently comforted:

“In two months, the textile factory will recruit workers, the information has not been announced yet. If you pass the exam, it won't count as cheating."

My mother choked up:

“Thank you, Tieu Thu.”

In her previous life, my mother worked in a textile factory. But this is not the path she wants to take. I whispered softly:

“Mom... Uyen Uyen, do you want to take the university entrance exam?”

Mom was silent for a moment, then softly said:

“I want to… But that's it.”

“Just want it. I have money, take care of your tuition, consider it an investment."

In her previous life, her cousin Vu Thu still worked at a textile factory. At this time the salary is probably about forty dong a month. I just traveled here, and I'm exhausted all day. Hearing my mother refuse, I fell asleep before I could argue further. The next morning, my eldest aunt pulled me into her room and whispered:

“This afternoon, dress properly and follow your mother to the state-owned restaurant.”

I'm excited:

“Can I invite Uyen Uyen to come with me?”

After saying that, my arm immediately received a solid blow.

“Eat, eat, eat all day long! Your father has already found a matchmaker for you, so why take him?"

I'm dumbfounded:

“Matchmaking?”

The eldest aunt lowered her voice mysteriously:

“Engineer working in airport construction, monthly salary is sixty dong.

He's even taller than your brother! A bad premonition suddenly arose in my heart.

“Is his name So An Ha?”

“How do you know?”

The eldest aunt looked at me with searching eyes, giving me goosebumps. So An Ha is my father's name. During more than twenty years of my life, this father figure has always been blurred to me. Because I am a girl, since childhood I have been estranged from my grandparents. Right in front of my father, my paternal cousins could beat me without any hesitation. Every time I go to my grandparents' house, my mother and I can only eat in the kitchen. Dad never stood up to help my mother and me, not even a word. If dad was introduced to cousin Vu Thu from the beginning, then why did he later marry my mother? 3.

“Mom, I heard that So An Ha's parents favored his brother, his entire salary was taken by his parents to support his brother.”

The eldest aunt also had to endure the miserable situation of being a daughter-in-law, so she couldn't help but feel sorry for her daughter.

“No way! Why did Aunt Ba introduce people like that?”

“It is true that knowing the face does not know the heart. Mom, remember, someone in the neighborhood's wife is working at the ward office. People know many things.

I'll let Aunt Ba inquire further." The eldest aunt glared at me, but in the end she didn't force me to go on a blind date anymore. I secretly borrowed high school textbooks from my cousin Vu Thu's friend. Since childhood, my mother dreamed of being like her grandparents, becoming a university student and doing scientific research.