Chapter 4 — Wife Is Your Destiny

9 Although the Kieu family mansion has been completely renovated, to ensure indoor air quality, the formaldehyde removal team still needs more time to complete. After being discharged from the hospital, my brother and I temporarily stayed at Hoa's house. Admission is near. I put all my effort into listening and speaking English - this is my weakest area. While I was sitting on the sofa, wearing headphones and practicing intently, Kieu Xuyen Dich suddenly passed by and stopped. “Kieu Hue, you've been sitting all day, get up and exercise.” He looked at me for a few seconds, then suddenly burst into laughter. Extending her teasing voice: "Little sister, your English accent... people speak English like an international plane flying straight to Europe and America, and you are like the type of village tractor you take on a long-distance passenger bus - it sounds familiar, but it's really 'countryside to the roots'." My face was hot, I couldn't help but grab the pillow next to me and hit him. “So you are the broken speaker on the tractor in the village!” Lately, for some reason, my brother refuses to go to the company and instead hangs around Hoa's house all day, in his free time trying to tease me endlessly. Since I wasn't used to it at first, I can now turn on him very naturally. Kieu Xuyen Dich grinned and held the pillow: "Then let's do this - you play a game with me, if you win just one game, I will practice listening and speaking with you, making sure to teach you thoroughly, helping you go from your hometown to the international level." “Kieu Hue, there is an excellent graduate student from Columbia tutoring you personally, without tuition fees, what else can you ask for? It's a great deal, right?” Even though I know he's extremely talkative, in terms of expertise... it's impossible to refute him. I... was embarrassed but moved. Every day I lost a lot and won a few, but Kieu Xuyen Dich still enthusiastically tutored me and taught more than six hours a day, very seriously. Night before bed. Hoa Chau Can knocked on my door. Give me a brand new iPad Pro. “Kieu Hue, the birthday gift is late.” This time I didn't call him "brother" anymore, just shook my head slightly: "Your birthday is over, you don't have to spend so much money. Since I was little, I haven't had a birthday party..." "It was a gift from my partner. I won't use it either, it would be more appropriate for you to use it." – Hoa Chau Can did not withdraw his hand – "Inside there is a pre-registered one-on-one English learning package with a native teacher, very suitable for basic learning. Good complement to my brother's method." I hesitated a bit, then didn't refuse anymore. It's just… I later learned— There is no such thing as a “coincidental fit”. Everything... was prepared specifically for me by Hoa Chau Can. 10 At the end of August, Kieu's parents and Kieu Nguyet Tam finished their trip and returned. I also officially moved to live in the Kieu family's house. My parents live on the fifth floor, my brother lives on the fourth floor, my sister lives on the third floor. As for me— I was placed on the second floor, next to the library and living room for guests. I didn't say anything, nor did I put my luggage in the closet. We'll have to leave anyway, even if we clean up, there's nothing worth lingering about. When Kieu Xuyen Dich came to find me, I was lying on the sofa scrolling on my phone. His eyes glanced at the still unopened suitcase, paused for a moment, then his voice became a bit awkward: "It's not convenient for you to live with your parents or me. Initially, it was planned that both you and Nguyet Nguyet would live on the third floor... But the renovation design had been set up a long time ago, so it was time to change it." It's too much trouble, so... let me temporarily stay on the second floor. Everyone still cares about me. There's no need for the whole family to worry about who lives where. Big or small room... it doesn't matter, right?" Seeing me silent, he added: "Kieu Hue, if you feel sad about anything, you can tell me. I will make it up to you.” I know… all those words are just excuses. Every little action of the Kieu family since I returned home made me more and more certain - something had happened during the few days I was absent. I sat up, put down the phone, didn't answer directly but just looked at him: "You're right, I'm not used to being in a big room." I looked straight into his eyes, without avoiding it, calmly asked: "During the few days you returned home... what happened?" He was slightly startled. Silence for a while, then finally spoke: "After I returned, Nguyet Nguyet had a high fever. When he woke up, his parents asked him for a long time before he finally told him—" "He said, when I was little, I was kidnapped because he was jealous of the big doll my mother bought me. He was angry that's why he did it..." "Then he said, I still hate him, in my dreams I always said I hated him, and I will never forgive him." I was stunned, staring at him, my mind suddenly blank. He frowned, with a bit of sadness and disagreement in his eyes: "But the truth is that I was negligent that year! I was leading you and was busy watching the racing, but when I turned around I couldn't see you anymore." “You shouldn't blame Nguyet Nguyet. That day he cried until he was shaking, and said he was willing to move to another place to make it up to me. That's why my parents..." 11 I was completely stunned. Kieu Xuyen Dich's words were like a sharp, powerful key that pried open the lost memories from many years ago in me— "Uh... U U U U——!!" A rough hand suddenly covered my mouth. I was roughly picked up by a human trafficker, and my whole body immediately left the ground. Just now, my brother was pulling me into the crowd, impatiently running to the front to watch the race. There were still bodyguards around the outside of the crowd, they hurriedly pushed us inside while looking around looking for us. I struggled as hard as I could, but a strong chemical smell assaulted my nose— I immediately went limp, no longer able to resist. With my head on his shoulder, I just felt... so sleepy... My consciousness gradually became blurred. In the middle of the chaotic crowd, my eyes suddenly met the eyes of the little girl holding her hand by her parents standing far away. It's my sister - Kieu Nguyet Tam. But... just a second later, as if she had just seen something hateful, she snorted coldly, then deliberately turned her face away. My throat felt like something was stuck in my throat, making it hard to breathe. A complex, bitter, numbing feeling kept rising up into my chest. At that time, she was only four years old... how much could she understand? But why? Why did she lie? Why do you hate me so much? I took a deep breath, looked straight at Kieu Xuyen Dich, then slowly, each word clearly: "I never said those words. I've never talked in my sleep before." “Until today, I remember absolutely nothing about being kidnapped, one could even say… my childhood memories are almost blank.” The room immediately became eerily quiet. Kieu Xuyen Dich's eyes continuously changed, torn, unbelievable, then extremely confused. He closed his eyes and raised his hand Gently rub between the eyebrows. When he opened his mouth, his voice was hoarse, as if carrying a heavy burden: "It's okay... it's over, let it go. From now on, our whole family... lives well." He paused for a moment, then opened his eyes, trying to force a comfortable, gentle smile: "Who dares to bully you... I'm the first person who won't leave it alone." 12 That evening's dinner was a family party, Kieu's father specially invited Hoa Chau Can to dinner. The atmosphere is quite gentle and chatty. Kieu Nguyet Tam sat next to Hoa Chau Can, occasionally picking up food for him, her voice sweet as honey, so soft that it could be squeezed out of water: "Mr. Chau Can, try this dish~ I specially asked Aunt Tan to teach you how to make it today." Hoa Chau Can nodded slightly and only replied: "Thank you." I retracted my gaze, turned to look at my parents, then spoke softly: "Mom, Dad, I have something to discuss with you two." In an instant, all eyes turned to me. Kieu's mother put down the soup spoon, her voice full of concern: "What's wrong, Hue Hue? Could it be that today's dish doesn't suit your taste?" “That's not true.” - I shook my head, trying to keep my voice calm and unwavering: "I've signed up for the college entrance exam preparation class again. It starts next Monday. The school is located in the west of the city, quite far from home." “I want to find a house near school to live, convenient for studying and traveling.” As soon as he finished speaking, Kieu's father immediately frowned tightly, his voice carrying the majesty of the head of the family: "Moving out? There is a driver in the house, we can pick you up every day, why do we have to intentionally move out?" “I just came to the Kieu family not long ago, and I'm a girl, how can I be alone outside like that?”