Chapter 1 — Youth Doesn't Give Up

My adoptive parents tore up my transcript and forced me to drop out of school to work as a worker in an electronics factory, just to save money to pay tuition for their "darling". Desperate, I turned to my only childhood friend for help. But he and his new girlfriend - also the class beauty - bullied me to the point that I couldn't continue going to school normally. I used to think my high school life would end here. But my homeroom teacher loved that I studied well but was treated unfairly, so she secretly transferred me to the Gold class - where the best students in the school gathered. She comforted me: "As long as you are obedient and don't cause trouble, you can safely study until the university entrance exam." But I was more scared. The Golden Class is where the richest young men in the city gather - everyone is arrogant, arrogant, and doesn't care about anyone else. I thought I would have to face more terrible bullying... Until one day, the old beauty queen and her childhood friend stopped me in the hallway. She threw a 100 yuan bill in my face, her voice scornful: "That's enough to keep a scavenger like you alive for a whole month, right?" Before I could even bend down to pick up the crumpled bill, the next second, the "hardest lady" in the class led a group of rich kids to surround us. She leisurely pushed the class beauty's hand aside, her voice cold as ice: "Who gave you the courage to dare touch my body?" The day before the first day of school for grade 12, my foster mother called me down to the living room. “Lin Wei, you're eighteen years old, you should know better.” Her voice sounded gentle, but for some reason my heart pounded, a feeling of insecurity rose. The foster father sat on the other sofa, quietly smoking. In the haze of cigarette smoke, his eyes avoided, not daring to look at me. Lam Bao - their biological son, only fifteen years old - was sitting huddled in the corner, glued to his phone, not even glancing at me once. I felt my throat dry and tried to open my mouth: "Mom... what do you mean?" My adoptive mother said lightly, as if she were discussing the weather: "You are not our biological child. We have raised you up to now as fulfilling our duty. Now that Lam Bao is about to enter high school, the family only has enough money to take care of one child. Tomorrow, go to the electronics factory to work." Her voice was like lightning hitting my ears. In that moment, my mind was completely blank. “Not your biological child?” It's hard to blame... It's hard to blame that every time he made a mistake, Lam Bao only got scolded a few times, while I was punished to stand until midnight. No wonder every Tet holiday, Lam Bao's lucky money envelopes are always thick, while I only have a few loose bills. No wonder Lam Bao got sick, his adoptive mother stayed up all night to take care of him, and I had a high fever so I had to search for medicine myself. Before, I always thought... maybe it's because I'm a girl. I even consoled myself that as an older sister, I should give in to my younger brother. But now I understand — turns out, I'm not originally from this family. Turns out, from beginning to end, I was just redundant. “I won't go.” My voice was shaky but steady. “I have to finish 12th grade, I want to take the university entrance exam.” Hearing that, Lam Bao finally raised his head and pouted uncomfortably: "Sister, stop dreaming! Our family only has this much money, of course it's for me to study. You're just a kid." picked it up, why do you want to fight with me? My foster mother stood up and coldly looked down at me from above: "What's the use of your nonsense achievements? Why do girls study so much? Born early, making money is important.” I bit my lip, ran back to my room, and pulled out the score sheet that had just been announced for the inter-school exam. First place in the entire city: Lam Vi – 740 points. I tightened my grip on the paper and rushed straight to the living room: "Look! I am the valedictorian of the entire city! I have a scholarship, I don't need you to spend money!” My foster mother snatched the paper, without even looking at it, tore it into pieces and threw it right in my face. “What about the valedictorian of the whole city? Can you eat it? I knelt down, trembling and picked up each piece of paper, my hands were cold. “Mom, I beg you… Just let me finish 12th grade. I promise to get into a good university and make money to repay you two later..." "What can I repay you for?" The foster mother shouted loudly, her face cold as ice. “Your little brother is about to enter high school, money must be for him! You quickly go to the electronics factory to work, three thousand a month, just enough to pay his tuition!” The adoptive father slammed the cigarette butt into the ashtray, his face gloomy: "If you don't leave, then get out of this house!" I tightened my grip on the torn pieces of paper, my whole body trembling but I still tried to stand up straight: "I'm not going." My voice was hoarse, choked in my throat. “I will take the university entrance exam.” “Pop!” The sound was deafening. My left cheek was numb and hot, the whole world before my eyes seemed to collapse in an instant. My foster mother's slap hit me straight in the face, causing pain and numbness. “You ungrateful and ungrateful thing! Get out of this house! My family does not raise useless things!” That night, I was kicked out the door. In my pocket I only had thirty-eight yuan — not even enough to rent a room for one night. It was dark and the wind was cold and biting. I sat huddled in the corner of a 24-hour convenience store, hugging my pillow, hearing a whisper from the cashier counter: "Another student ran away from home..." The next morning, I still went to school as usual. No house, no money... but I still have books. At noon, my stomach was hungry, I secretly walked to the trash can, intending to see if anyone had eaten leftover boxed lunches. “Oh my, isn't this our teacher?” Tran Mong's voice rang out from behind. I turned my head and saw her holding up her phone, the lens pointed straight at me. “Everyone, come and see this! Lam Vi is looking through… the trash!” Groups of students rushed in, the whispers growing louder and louder. Many people also took out their phones and aimed them at me. My face was hot, both embarrassed and humiliated, I just wanted to leave immediately. But my arm was tugged by Tran Mong and held tightly: "Where are you going in such a hurry?" This scene is so hot, if we don't reshoot it... it would be a waste." At that moment, Giang Pham stepped forward. For a moment, my eyes lit up with a ray of hope. He is my childhood friend, we grew up together since childhood, he understands my situation, he will definitely help me... "Giang Pham..." I tremblingly held out my hand to him. He bowed his head, looked down coldly, then kicked away half the dumpling I had just found. “Disgusting.” The giggles around me rose up, each word felt like a knife stabbing straight into my heart. At that moment, all hope in me... was completely crushed. I stared blankly at the dumpling falling to the ground — that was the only thing I had have to eat today. Giang Pham stood next to him, the corner of his lips curled up into a sarcastic smile: "Mong Mong, have you seen how pitiful she is? Should I give her some money?" Tran Mong pulled out a few small change bills from his small leather bag, then threw them on the ground in front of me. She used the tip of her shiny shoe to slowly step on those bills, the corners of her lips curled up slightly: "If you want, kneel down and pick them up." Noisy laughter suddenly rang out around me, each round, each round like a knife piercing my heart.{Read full at page Van Ha Tuong} I bent down, my trembling hand picked up each wrinkled bill. That's my only food money for today. At that moment, I really felt like I was... no different from trash. The following days, I lay down at the back of the classroom during the day, trying to quietly exist; At night, I huddle in the corner of a 24-hour convenience store to sleep. The video Tran Mong filmed of me rummaging through the trash was spread all over the classroom, everyone's eyes looking at me were filled with contempt and ridicule. But I don't care anymore. I threw myself into studying like a crazy person: doing tests continuously, copying vocabulary, writing notes, crushing every question. And the result... In the next exam, I still ranked first in the block. Poverty can ruin my body, but it can never destroy my grades. Until one day, the homeroom teacher called me to her office. “Lin Wei, I found a place for you.” Her eyes were full of pity, her voice was gentle: "Golden Class agrees to accept you as a temporary student." I was dumbfounded. Gold Class…? Is it the place in legend where all the tycoons and wealthy families gathered throughout the city? “Miss, I…” I stammered, not daring to believe it. The teacher smiled and reassured: "Yellow Class has its own lecture hall, the teachers are all the best in the city. Yes, the students there are all from rich families, but as long as you are obedient and don't cause trouble, you will be able to study peacefully until the university entrance exam." My heart was pounding, every rhythmic beat seemed like it wanted to jump out of my chest. This… is my only chance. I bowed my head deeply, trying to hold back my tears: "Thank you... Thank you very much." "Don't thank me. This is an opportunity I earned on my own." The teacher looked at me with serious eyes: "Remember, once you go there, absolutely don't cause trouble." I nodded, as if a small light had just flared up in my eyes. For the first time in a long time, I felt like I had hope.