Chapter 7 — You Waited For Me Two Lives

Ta Canh immediately turned around. Her eyes were filled with tears, as if she couldn't believe that even the lady was on the side of an outsider. It stubbornly raised its neck:
"Where do you rely on to control me? You are not my biological mother!"
Ta Giac's face changed. He quickly walked over and grabbed Ta Canh's arm.
“Third brother!”
He turned to his wife, his voice carrying a bit of panic:
"Mother, Third Brother didn't do it on purpose. He's still young and doesn't understand things."
The lady waved her hand, without any anger on her face.
"You're right, I'm not your biological mother. But I'm your father's wife, the head mother of the Ta family. You've called me mother for six years, I have the duty to teach you. This apology, you must say today."
Ta Canh bit his lip, tears finally falling. It turned away, its small voice like a mosquito cried:
“…Sorry.”
A Bao hid behind me, only showing half of his face, timidly looking at the ferocious and scary young master suddenly crying. He hesitated for a moment, took out half a piece of sesame candy from his book bag, and slowly reached out.
"Let me eat. Once you eat, you won't be sad anymore."
Ta Canh looked at the candy in bewilderment and did not accept it, but tears fell even more. The lady bent down, took a malt candy from her sleeve, and gently placed it in A Bao's palm. The candy wrapper is oiled paper folded squarely and thoughtfully like the two boxes of cakes she gave me on Tet holiday.
“Good child, don't be afraid.”
She patted A Bao's head and stood up straight to look at me.
“A Chau, I am very happy that you are happy now.”
I bowed and bowed. When I stood up, I saw the broken light in her eyes, like morning dew, like a light in a far away place.
14
A few days later, Ly Tan Bach met mountain bandits when he went to the district city to buy goods. When I came to claim the body, the white cloth was lifted, the face underneath was unrecognizable. Amidst the mixture of flesh and blood, only the crooked pomegranate flower embroidered on the corner of my shirt was still recognizable. It was because I embroidered it, the needlework was rough, but he wore it for three years and refused to change it. I fell to the ground. When I woke up, I was lying at home. A Bao lay on the edge of the bed, his small hand holding my finger, his face full of tears. Seeing me open my eyes, its mouth distorted and its voice cracked:
“Mother, do I no longer have a father?”
I hug it to my heart. My throat felt like it was blocked by a cotton ball soaked in water, I couldn't say a word. The funeral was hastily organized. I sprinkled a handful of soil on the grave, my eyes turned red, tears kept flowing. God, you are so hypocritical. In my previous life, you collected my body and buried me. In this life, I will take care of your future. Ta Tuy Ngoc took out a piece of paper from his sleeve and brought it in front of me. On the paper was Ly Tan Bach's handwriting, and there were also his fingerprints, writing that he voluntarily sold himself to the Ta family's palace as a slave for a period of fifty years.
“He asked me to take care of you and your mother.”
Ta Tuy Ngoc said calmly. I held the paper tightly, my whole body trembling. My heart hurts, but on the contrary, I am more alert. Ly Tan Bach absolutely will not sell me. You know the pain of being my slave.
“Shameless and shameless.”
Ta Tuy Ngoc pursed his lips and tied me back to the Ta family's palace. He stood before me.
"From now on, she is a concubine of the Ta family. Her name will be recorded in the family tree, and after death she will be buried." in the Ta family's tomb."
I didn't move at all, sitting on the edge of the bed looking at the pomegranate tree outside the window. Young green fruits are hanging on the branches. What I wanted in my previous life until my death, I no longer want in this life. Ta Tuy Ngoc frowned.
“Aren't you happy?”
I calmly said:
“What's so funny?”
“I give her the status of concubine.”
His voice was low, as if he was suppressing his anger.
“Before, didn't you dream about having a name?”
I turned my head to look at him. Sunlight passed through the window, dividing his face into light and dark halves. The face that once kept me awake day and night, now looking back, it's just a layer of normal skin. I laughed, but tears fell again.
“It turns out people have always known. People know what I want, but they just won't give it to me."
He opened his mouth, his throat moved, but he couldn't say anything.
“Ta Tuy Ngoc, I once had a perfect love.”
I wiped my tears, my voice calm.
“Do you think I still need your alms now?”
His face gradually became whiter, just like in the study room when I said I wanted to leave. Only this time he didn't say "don't turn around" anymore. When the lady arrived, she was stopped outside the door by a guard. She only looked at the guard once, and he bowed his head. The door was pushed open, sunlight poured in. I raised my head and saw her light blue silhouette, tears immediately couldn't stop.
“Madam.”
She walked over, hugged me, her hand gently patting my back. After a long time, she sighed.
“What an animal.”
“Do you want to leave?”
My eyes moved slightly and I immediately knelt down.
“Madam, please help me!”
15
A Bao squatted on the ground to pick up books. The book page was soaked in mud and water, the handwriting blurred into a patch.