Chapter 5 — Youth Doesn't Give Up

I took a deep breath and forced myself to keep a calm tone: "This apartment... is not mine. My classmate lent it to me to study for exams. When the university exams are over, I will move out immediately." The adoptive mother laughed faintly, her voice bitter: "Classmates? Are there any classmates who are so 'kind' that they would let you live in a luxury apartment like this?" I took a deep breath, trying to keep my voice calm: "Just a normal classmate... her family has a bit better conditions." But my voice became smaller and smaller, shaking more and more.

“Do you consider me a three-year-old child?!” The adoptive mother almost screamed, her voice as sharp as a knife: "Stop pretending, we know everything - you were taken care of, right?!"

I bowed my head and didn't say another word. Lips pursed, throat choked, I don't know how else to explain. Some good intentions, in the eyes of some people, will forever only be tainted into calculations.

“Well, why bother talking to him?” The foster father put out the cigarette butt in the ashtray, his eyes cold: "Go straight to school tomorrow and make a fuss, let's see if he still dares not to give money!"

They left, leaving the room cold. I sat down in the chair, staring at the set of keys on the table, feeling as empty as a hole in my heart. Finally, I picked up the phone, hesitated for a moment before dialing Ky Due. "Ky Due... I'm having a bit of trouble..." I briefly told everything, feeling nervous. On the other end of the phone, Ky Due's voice was steady and cold: "Don't worry. Let me handle it. If they dare to come to school to cause trouble, I will have a solution." The next day, noon. As soon as I stepped out of the school gate, a pitiful cry rang out, piercing straight into my ears. The adoptive mother lay on the ground, beating her thighs with both hands, crying miserably: "Oh my God! My daughter is being raised by rich people! The school is ignored, no one is in charge!" His adoptive father stood next to him, wiping away his tears while shouting at the surrounding students: "We worked hard to raise him like this, but now he's rich and disowns us! And he says... we're not his biological parents!" Around, the crowd of students gathered more and more, whispers rang out continuously: "Who are they talking about?" “I heard that Lam Vi, the best student in the whole school, is being raised by a guardian?” “Oh my god… even my parents deny it, it's scary.” I stood at the edge of the crowd, my whole body shaking. Humiliation, anger, despair... All emotions seemed to swirl in my chest, making it difficult to breathe. This… is my family. For money, they can stop at nothing. “Lin Wei!” A clear, strong female voice rang out from behind, like a knife cutting through the heavy atmosphere. I turned my head - Ky Due walked quickly towards me, his demeanor was cold, his eyes were like ice. She glanced at her adoptive mother lying struggling on the ground, then glanced sharply at her adoptive father, the corner of her lips curled up into a faint smile: "Is it them?" I choked and nodded, my throat was dry, I couldn't utter a word. I nodded, my throat was dry, I wanted to open my mouth but couldn't get a word out. Ky Due took out his phone and coldly dialed the number: "Take the car to the school gate. Oh, call the lawyer too." Less than ten minutes later, a black Rolls-Royce stopped right in front of the school gate. Two men dressed neatly in black suits walked down, standing solemnly like a shield wall. “You two, our boss wants to invite you on a trip.” Their tone was polite, but did not allow refusal. The adoptive parents looked stunned at the luxury car, their eyes flashing with ambition and desire. “This… is this your car?” The foster mother stood up from the ground, quickly brushed the dust off her clothes, her voice trembling. “Get in the car.” Ky Due spoke calmly, his tone not allowing for negotiation. At the lawyer's office. Ky Due sat in the middle of the table, the adoptive parents sat opposite, looking tense, on the table were two things: • An agreement to terminate the foster relationship • A check for one million yuan

“Two options.” Ky Due's voice was steady, cold, but carried pressure that made it impossible to resist: "Sign your name, take the money, then get out. Or... don't have a penny, and I will immediately sue you two for slander, leaving you two in jail to rot." The adoptive parents' eyes were glued to the check. One million. A number enough for them to spend lavishly for many years. The adoptive mother trembled as she held the pen and hurriedly exclaimed: "Sign! Sign now!" She nodded and scribbled her name on the agreement, as if afraid that if she was one second late, the check would fly away. The foster father did not hesitate at all, after signing his name, he took the initiative to roll his hand, with a satisfied look on his face. It all happened in less than five minutes. Ten years of nurturing — just one check, bought out completely. Ky Due used his phone to record the video from beginning to end, every detail was recorded clearly and transparently. She pushed the check towards them, her voice cold as ice: "From today onwards, between you two and Lam Vi, there will no longer be any relationship. If you dare to bother her again, my lawyer will personally come to your house." The adoptive parents held the check and left, not even looking back at me once. I stood in front of the ground-level window, watching their figures get into the car and blend into the crowded crowd. At that moment, my tears finally fell. Not because I couldn't bear to leave, but because... utter despair. Turns out, in their hearts, I wasn't even worth a check. “What are you crying for?” Ky Due walked up to me, his voice calm but firm: "After listening to you yesterday, I gave it to the investigator. You should be happy to escape that family." I quickly wiped away my tears, trying to take a deep breath: "This is the last time... I cry for them." “That's good.” Ky Due patted my shoulder, his eyes serious: "Concentrate on studying for the university exam. Don't let unworthy people affect your future." I nodded. That's right... now, I only have one goal left: to pass the Thanh Hoa or Bac Dai exam. I must change my fate. The next day, holding the relationship severance agreement, I went to the police station to complete household separation procedures. “You want to transfer household registration away from the current head of household, right?” The employee received the documents and raised his head to confirm. I nodded strongly: "Yes, I'm sure." From today, on my household registration book, there is only one name left. When I walked out of the police station, I felt light - as if I had just removed an invisible shackle that had been on me for the past ten years. One day before the pre-university exam medical examination, Truong Vu Hao - a boy in the golden class - suddenly came to me. “Lin Wei, have you felt any discomfort in your body lately?” I was a bit confused: "No... what's wrong?" He looked around, making sure no one heard, then leaned close to my ear and lowered his voice: "My dad works at the Department of Sanitation. Today Yesterday someone came to ask him for 'a little help' during a medical examination." I paused, my fingers tightening on the math book in my hand: "Is that... Tran Mong?" “Absolutely.” Truong Vu Hao nodded, his voice filled with seriousness: "I heard that her family used a lot of connections to find a way to 'play dirty' during the medical examination, causing you to be eliminated from the list of candidates. But don't worry, my dad has talked to the center, they will keep an eye on protecting you." I let out a breath, my legs trembled slightly, my eyes became serious: "Thank you... really thank you." Turns out, I thought Tran Mong's silence meant giving up... It turns out, she was still secretly playing tricks.

The day of the medical examination, I held a tense stomach and walked into the medical center. The hallway was white, the smell of disinfectant was strong, and the atmosphere was so quiet that it made my heart beat even faster. I have a vague feeling... today, maybe it won't be peaceful at all. I am extremely careful with each inspection item. “Honey, your blood sample needs to be taken again.” The nurse in charge of taking the blood suddenly called me over, holding a test tube with a strange label in her hand. My heart skipped a beat. Could it be that... this is the person Tran Mong arranged? “Why take it back?” I tried to keep my voice calm. “The sample just now… was contaminated.” The nurse's eyes slightly avoided. At that moment, a middle-aged man wearing a white blouse walked over. “Tieu Ly, what are you doing?” “Dear… director, this classmate's blood sample needs to be taken back.” The director picked up the test tube and looked at it, his face immediately darkened: "What are you doing? Did you arbitrarily change the label of your blood sample?!” The nurse's face turned pale: "Director, I... I..." "Guard!" The director shouted loudly: "Someone here is operating incorrectly!" In less than five minutes, the other nurse was escorted away by security. I stood in place, feeling my legs weak. If it weren't for Truong Vu Hao's father reminding me in advance, if it weren't for the director's timely discovery... Maybe... my university entrance exam would have been ruined. “Are you okay?” The director asked, his voice full of concern. "Don't worry, your examination is still normal and will not affect the exam." I nodded, my voice trembling: "Thank you... thank you, teacher." Leaving the health examination center, I immediately called Ky Due. “I know about it.” Her voice was as cold as ice: “Tran Mong's father is being investigated. Their small company... just wait and see, it's about to fall apart."