After waiting for three hours, my mother’s surgery was finally successful. The doctor breathed a sigh of relief as he removed the last tiny piece of glass from her leg, because even a small remnant could have caused unforeseen complications.
I called to tell Hanh the news, but didn’t dare mention the need to raise money for my mother’s hospital stay and medication. Since Triet was born, she’s been busy taking care of the children and hasn’t had any free time to work or earn money.
The doctor said my mother’s leg would need at least a month in the hospital, after which she could be transferred to home treatment. But the medication would need to be taken for six months, or even a year if possible.
My mind was a tangled mess; even a week later, I still hadn’t figured out a way to handle it.
Meeting Mr. Nhat to ask for help was the last thing I wanted to do, but it was probably the most feasible and best option right now.
I paced back and forth in the hospital corridor, looking haggard from a sleepless night and with my hair disheveled from constantly running my hands through my hair. I looked so worn out that it was hard to recognize me as the model who had caused a sensation in the newspapers just last month.
I moved around like a shuttle when a familiar voice made me look up: “Vinh Phuc? Is that you, Phuc?”
I looked towards the person speaking; coincidentally, it was Thinh Van. But it was embarrassing to let him see me in this state.
I replied, “Why are you here, Van? Visiting an acquaintance?”
Thinh Van sat down with me on a stone bench outside the hospital. He said, “I came to pick up my grandmother who was discharged. And who are you visiting, Phuc?”
I replied, “Oh, I brought my mother here for treatment.”
Thinh Van immediately looked concerned: “What’s wrong with Aunt Hai, Phuc? And why are you here alone? Where’s Hanh?” “Where’s An?”
Hearing Trường An’s name, my heart ached. But I didn’t want Thịnh Văn to know about my family situation; it was too complicated and messy to explain to an outsider. I just replied, “Hạnh has to stay home to take care of the little boy. As for Phúc and An… it’s over. There’s no chance of ever getting back together.”
Thịnh Văn put his arm around me, stroking my shoulders to comfort me, “I’m sorry for bringing up something that made Phúc sad. Cheer up, Phúc, you’ll find someone good and suitable for you. And if not, I’ll always be here.”
Those words made me feel so indebted to Thịnh Văn. Just a casual promise that night, and he willingly became a place I could return to anytime.
But that only made me feel even more unworthy.
I remained silent for a moment, the financial burden making it impossible for me to hide my feelings. Thịnh Văn, noticing my reaction, asked, “What are you worried about, Phúc? Is it about Aunt Hai’s illness…?”
I shook my head, “No. Mom’s fine, it’s just…”
My answer was enough for Thịnh Văn to understand. He reassured me, “That’s great! Don’t worry, Phúc. If you’re having trouble, Văn will help you out.”
I shook my head, and Văn continued, “Don’t be shy, Phúc. Consider this Văn’s family helping you out of gratitude for the past. If you hadn’t rescued Văn from the river that year, it would be the tenth anniversary of his death by now!”
I was happy to receive Thịnh Văn’s help. I said, “Thank you, Văn. But I’m only borrowing it; if you give it to me permanently, I won’t accept it.”
Thịnh Văn put his arm around me and shook me gently. His expression clearly showed he couldn’t understand why I was still so stubborn in this situation. Perhaps it’s because I’m my mother’s child, a woman seemingly crushed by fate but who never once considered giving up.
The next morning, my mother woke up after a sleep of over twenty-four hours. The first thing she asked wasn’t about her wounds, but: “Is this a private international hospital, son?”
Seeing me nod, she worried again: “Treatment here is very expensive. Could you transfer me to another hospital, Phúc?”
I reassured her: “Your leg is the most important thing. I can earn the money back, but if something happens to you, I don’t know what I’ll do.”
It wasn’t by chance that my mother knew this place was expensive. Because that year, a wealthy young lady who unfortunately scratched her finger with a rose was rushed here by her parents.
Thinking about it makes me feel heartbroken. Because who would have known those delicate hands would later become calloused from hardship? No one saw the rice being cut or the thorns piercing her, and no one offered a word of sympathy. Thịnh Văn bought fruit and various other food items from outside and brought them in. Seeing my mother’s money, he smiled and asked, “Auntie, are you still in pain? I brought some fruit for you to eat so you’ll get better quickly.”
I whispered to my mother, “Thịnh Văn’s parents lent us money for treatment here, Mom.”
Thịnh Văn looked at me and shushed, “Phúc, Văn told you not to tell!”
My mother laughed, “This boy, you want to hide your good deeds from your aunt? I thank Thịnh Văn very much, please send my regards to your parents. Phúc, tomorrow you buy some fruit for me and go see Thịnh Văn’s parents to thank them. When I’m better, I’ll go and thank them too.”
While I was busy with these little things, Thịnh Văn sat there chatting with my mother. One thing I never knew was that my mother was fluent in English and French, and had a deep understanding of poetry and literature. My mother, an artist, when she returned to her hometown to play the role of a peasant woman, hid her ladylike demeanor to portray a harsh, suffering character.
Yet, for decades, she played the role perfectly. The young lady who once disdained the fragrant delicacies on the table is now accustomed to the pungent smell of meat and fish.
Following my mother’s instructions, the next day I bought a basket of delicious mangoes to give to Thinh Van’s parents. Seeing him so cheerful, he looked no different from a young man bringing his girlfriend home to meet his family.
Thinh Van’s paternal grandparents’ house in Saigon was truly a mansion, perhaps even larger than Truong An’s. Thinh Van said his grandfather had passed away a few years ago, leaving only his grandmother as the head of the household. Hearing of her illness, all the children and grandchildren came to visit, and Thinh Van’s parents, being the eldest children, came from the countryside to stay by her side day and night.
Thịnh Văn led me into the house and introduced me: “Grandma, Mom and Dad, this is Vĩnh Phúc, my friend!”
I bowed and said: “Hello Grandma, hello Aunt and Uncle. I brought some fruit for your family as a token of my gratitude. And while we’re at it, my mother and I would like to thank you for your support in helping my mother with her treatment.”
As I looked up, Thịnh Văn’s grandmother stared at me intently. She pointed directly at my face and shouted: “Nguyệt! Nguyệt!”
She was sitting on the bed but suddenly sat up. Thịnh Văn’s father had to help her sit back down and reassure her: “Mom, Aunt Nguyệt passed away a long time ago!”
Thịnh Văn’s mother looked at me again, and said bitterly: “Please understand, she’s old and a little senile. When Grandpa was alive, he had a younger sister, she passed away a long time ago, but Grandpa and Grandma just refused to accept the truth and kept searching for her.”
Thịnh Văn said that when he was alive, his grandfather kept running around everywhere looking for his sister. When he died, his only dying wish was for his wife to help him fulfill it.
Thinh Van said, “From then on, whenever she met someone with blue eyes, she would think it was Mrs. Nguyet. Coincidentally, Phuc’s mother was also named Nguyet, but his younger sister must be old enough to be their grandparents, she couldn’t possibly be as young as Phuc’s mother.”
She, who had been sitting quietly on the bed, suddenly cried out, “No! Nguyet is so young! She’s not dead, she’s not dead! She’s only a little over forty this year!”
She sat up and tremblingly got out of bed. Thinh Van’s father called out, “Mother, you’re not fully recovered yet, don’t go!”
She shook her head, “Even if I die, I must go! Let your father rest in peace in the afterlife!”
Then she extended her hand towards me, and I quickly ran to the bedside. She asked, “Is your mother also named Nguyet? Does she also have blue eyes? Was she only eighteen when your mother gave birth to you?” I nodded slightly. She said again, “Take me to see your mother! Hurry! Take me to see your mother!”
Although she was old and frail, no one in the family dared to argue with her. Everyone thought she had become deranged since her husband’s death. They said she was haunted by his dying wish, so she wanted to meet anyone with blue eyes.
Finally, Sheng Wen’s parents took her to the hospital. Sheng Wen rode behind me on his motorbike, and I, curious, asked, “Sheng Wen, it seems like Fu has never asked your full name before?”
Wen replied, “You want to know? Li Luo Sheng Wen. That’s the name my grandfather gave me.”
My hands trembled, and I asked again, “Wen… let me ask… was your great-grandfather… was he Mr. Li?”
Sheng Wen nodded as he opened the door for me to enter his mother’s hospital room. Inside, a wailing cry rang out: “Oh my God! Little Nguyet! Grandpa, I’ve found Nguyet! Thank God! Grandpa, you’re in heaven, you can rest in peace now! Nguyet, why did you leave for so many years? Lac and Marry have been searching for you for decades, Nguyet…”
My mother was also hugging Grandma Thinh Van and crying uncontrollably, while Thinh Van, seeing this scene, was stunned.
My mother’s name wasn’t Le Thi Nguyet, but rather Miss Ly Hoang Minh Nguyet, the youngest daughter of Grandpa Ly and his wife Marry.
That year, to keep the secret of his daughter’s illegitimate pregnancy a secret, Grandpa Ly had arranged a charade to deceive everyone. Only a few people knew my mother was still alive, but among them, only young master Ly Lac cared. Grandpa Li tried his best to brainwash everyone into believing my mother was dead. By the time Thịnh Văn’s parents’ generation came along, no one remembered my mother and me. Even Marry, who never gave up hope of finding her child, gradually fell into despair.
In reality, my mother fled all the way to Cà Mau, changing her name so no one would find out.
Thịnh Văn and I let the adults talk, while we stood outside in the hallway, leaning on our hands. Thịnh Văn chuckled faintly: “I never expected this. In the end, Văn has to call Phúc ‘uncle’ instead of ‘my love’.”
I also laughed: “I never expected that Phúc’s relatives are everywhere, and Phúc never knew about it.”
I told Văn about Trường An’s story, letting him know that the father of the child in my mother’s womb was Mr. Nhật. Trường An and Nhật Thiên are my half-brothers. Not to mention Ngọc Nam also has to call me uncle. And if Miss Ly Le Tram Anh knew about this, she certainly wouldn’t be happy either. But he didn’t call me “uncle” often.
Thinh Van and I stood there talking for a while, when suddenly there were hurried footsteps coming up the stairs from below. Then, the clacking of high heels on the floor, a woman was rushing towards us.
It was a woman dressed simply but elegantly, with sea-blue eyes that seemed to hold endless sadness.
Seeing me standing in the hallway, Mrs. Marry couldn’t help but call out: “Vinh Phuc! My grandson! Come here to me!”
Mrs. Marry hugged me tightly, her emotions overflowing in tears. She cried out: “Oh my God, my poor grandson! How many years you two have had to live in such hardship! Where is your mother? Take me to see your mother!”
I led Mrs. Marry into the room. Seeing my mother, she clutched her heart and cried out in anguish, “Nguyet! My precious daughter! Nguyet, I’m overjoyed to hear you’re alive! Nguyet, don’t leave me again! I’m so sorry I couldn’t protect you back then!”
My mother buried her head in Mrs. Marry’s shoulder and wept loudly, “Mother, I’ve sinned against you! Mother, please forgive this unfilial child! How can I possibly deserve your love, Mother? I’ve brought shame to the family, Mother, I’m so scared, I don’t dare come back…”
Mrs. Marry wiped the tears from my mother’s face and said firmly, “You don’t need to be afraid of anything! No matter how precious honor is, it’s not as important as my daughter! When your father was dying, he left me a dying wish: to find you and bring you back, and I must say ‘I’m sorry’ to you on his behalf.”
To give the adults some space to talk, Thịnh Văn quietly led me outside. He sighed, “So there’s no mistaking it anymore!”
I gave a wry smile, “Yeah, there’s no mistaking it anymore.”
Thịnh Văn clicked his tongue, “I should have just done it that day. Why hold back? Now there’s no chance.”
Thịnh Văn’s feeling was like someone who eats a steamed bun and saves the quail egg for last. In the end, the quail egg falls into a puddle of mud; even if you pick it up, you can’t eat it.
From that day on, my mother was no longer in the hospital. Instead, she was taken back to my maternal grandfather’s mansion—my great-grandfather Lý—to receive dedicated treatment from his private doctor.
When news of my mother’s return spread, some people came to visit, while others didn’t. My grandmother didn’t care, because she only cared about her daughter after so many years of separation. She ignored all the meetings, wanting only to be by her side, caring for her daughter to make up for the pain and loss. I’ve been home for a month now, and I don’t even want to know what life is like outside. These are the first days in my life when I no longer worry about food and clothing, and I don’t need to rack my brains trying to make money.
I offered to bring Hanh and Triet to live with me in the city, but she refused because she didn’t want to leave her father alone and cold. But I still tried to persuade her to come up here for the sake of her son; I didn’t want Triet to lack anything like I did before.
Suddenly, my phone rang. On the other end was Ngoc Nam, panicking: “Where did Phuc go? Oh my God, I just got back from the airport, I’ve been calling you non-stop, and I only found out you changed your number when I asked Aunt Hai. There’s something really important, An…”
I interrupted: “Hold on. Come to my house now, and we’ll talk about it later.”
Ngoc Nam said, “Okay, read the address…”
I went to the front door to read the address, and Ngoc Nam mumbled for a long time before suddenly exclaiming, “Hey, are you kidding? That’s my great-grandfather’s house! What are you doing there?”
I clicked my tongue, “Just come there and you’ll see!”
After saying that, I hung up, leaving Ngoc Nam on the other end with a million questions in his head.
I went to check on my mother. Although her wound had healed completely, my grandmother still made her sit in bed. Whether she was four or forty years old, in my grandmother’s eyes, she was still the little lady who had scratched her finger on a thorn on a rose branch all those years ago.
I said to my mother, “I’m so bored, Mom. Before, there was always something to do, but now all I do is eat and sleep, and I feel so useless.”
My grandmother immediately said, “Try to stay home for another month, then I’ll take you and your mother on a trip. We’ll travel all over Vietnam and then the world. We’ll travel until we’re completely broke!”
My mother laughed, I laughed, and my grandmother laughed too. If we used the money for travel, my mother wouldn’t have spent it all even when her legs were weak and her eyesight was failing. Outside the door, a servant respectfully said, “Madam, Miss, young master, Mr. Nam, the grandson of Mr. Ly Ngoc, and his relatives have come to visit.”
My grandmother said, “Alright. Bring the guests into the living room, I’ll be right out.”
I went to meet Ngoc Nam, while my grandmother went to meet her guests. But what I didn’t expect was that Ngoc Nam wasn’t alone; he was accompanied by Mr. Nhat and Truong An.
We looked at each other, but now our circumstances were different. There was no joy, only sadness creeping into my heart.
Mr. Nhat went ahead, followed by Ngoc Nam and Truong An. As we climbed the stairs, my heart ached as Truong An approached. Mr. Nhat greeted my grandmother and said, “Madam Marry, I have something important to tell you today.”
My grandmother pointed inside: “Please come in.”
The two adults sat opposite each other, Truong An stood behind Mr. Nhat, and Ngoc Nam and I stood behind Grandma. I was about to speak. Suddenly, Mr. Nhat also stood up and said, “Madam, you are an elder, so I beg your permission to stand here and speak with you.”
My grandmother waved her hand, “We have been doing business together for many years. There’s no need for such formality.”
Mr. Nhat still didn’t sit down. He said, “Madam, I beg to kneel and bow my head in apology. It was I who, that year, caused Minh Nguyet to become pregnant.”
They say “a man’s knees are covered in gold,” yet Mr. Nhat didn’t hesitate to humble himself and kneel. He continued, “I know my sin is heinous, causing Minh Nguyet a lifetime of suffering, and causing you endless pain for decades.”
My grandmother said sadly, “I’ve never asked Minh Nguyet about this, and even now she hasn’t said a word to me. That year, she’d rather give up her status as a young lady and struggle in the marketplace than let my husband know you were the father of her unborn child, fearing her father would come to your house and make a big fuss. Why? Why didn’t you propose marriage before she left home?”
I was about to speak, but Ngoc Nam grabbed my hand and held me back. Mr. Nhat continued, “Madam, back then I was a cowardly young man. I didn’t have the courage to tell the truth when another girl was also accusing me of being the father of the child she was carrying. I really wanted to marry Minh Nguyet, but Madam, in the end, I was one step too late.”
Just one moment of lack of courage, and Mr. Nhat allowed this tragedy to drag on for so many years, tormenting and tearing apart everyone involved.
My grandmother took a deep breath, then calmly said, “You’re at fault, and you sincerely apologize. Anyway, Nguyet and Phuc have returned to me. I won’t hold grudges about the past. But whether Nguyet and Phuc accept you is something I can’t interfere with.”
Having spent so long practicing Buddhism at the temple, my grandmother had truly understood the importance of letting go of the past and cherishing the present.
Mr. Nhat bowed his head in gratitude to my grandmother and slowly stood up. He continued, “Madam, there’s a second thing I want to tell you, about Truong An and Vinh Phuc. That day, Vinh Phuc left before I could tell him the truth. The truth is, Truong An isn’t my biological son!”
Truong An grinned broadly at me, while I was stunned, unable to believe my ears. My grandmother knew all about my relationship with Truong An. Hearing this, she became quite excited: “What do you mean?”
Mr. Nhat recounted that year, Truong An’s mother firmly believed he was the father of the child after he got drunk and stayed overnight at her house. He didn’t know that she had actually been pregnant for a month before and then plotted to trick him.
When she was three months pregnant, she came to his house causing a scene, but outwardly claimed she was only two months pregnant. In December of that year, she gave birth to Truong An, but said it was premature. No one suspected anything until they saw that Truong An didn’t resemble either her mother or father.
Because Truong An was the child of a Western man, her appearance and features were strikingly similar to her father’s.
After secretly having Truong An’s hair sampled for DNA testing abroad, Mr. Nhat was shocked to discover that Truong An was not his biological son. But he didn’t hate the child; instead, he hated her mother. Because she had plotted to harm him, causing him to lose the woman he loved and the unborn child in her womb.
He became cold and indifferent to her, spending his time with poetry and books outside of work. But she wouldn’t sit idly by; once again, she drugged him to become pregnant and give birth to Nhat Thien.
He became even more distant from her after realizing her deceitful nature and her unwavering repentance. Yet she loved him, passionately and obsessively, leading to an incurable depression.
When she learned that he named the child Truong An because my mother liked that name, she went mad but couldn’t do anything. And when Truong An was four, she finally ended her life in agony.
Mr. Nhat added: “That day, I fainted when I heard Minh Nguyet say that Vinh Phuc was her biological son. I know Vinh Phuc was shocked too, but before I could tell him, he packed his bags and left, cutting off all contact.” It turned out that for all these years, Mr. Nhat had never told Truong An the truth, because he knew it would be too difficult for Truong An to accept. Since Truong An lost his mother at a young age, he didn’t want him to be left adrift knowing he also had no father.
My grandmother breathed a sigh of relief after hearing this, and softly said, “This must be Truong An’s first time visiting our house. Phuc, you take An for a walk to cheer him up.”
I stood there stunned, like I was made of wax, while Ngoc Nam proactively pulled the two of us out. Standing in the backyard, Nam took my hand and placed it in Truong An’s, tiredly saying, “There you go, mission accomplished! I went abroad and you two are still bothering me! Oh dear… I think now I have to call Phuc ‘uncle’…”
I smiled shyly, while Truong An quickly pulled me into his arms and hugged me tightly, without saying a word. He placed a kiss on my lips filled with longing. After a long kiss, he finally pulled away and said, “How could you leave me for a whole month? I wanted to find you to tell you the truth, but I didn’t know where to look!”
Truong An told me that during that time, he searched everywhere for information about me. Although he knew I had gone back to my hometown, he didn’t know where it was to find me. Unfortunately, Ngoc Nam was on vacation for a whole month, and Truong An flew there but still couldn’t find him.
Truong An said, “This guy travels like a horse. He keeps getting lost in one place and then another. I searched for half a month and still couldn’t find him.”
Ngoc Nam retorted, “I was traveling, not settling down! I couldn’t possibly stay in one place for a whole month, could I? I’d rather go for three or five days than travel for a whole month!”
Truong An held me tightly, asking, “Did you miss me?” I teased him, “Who cares! If you had been a little slower, I would have followed Thinh Van!”
Ngoc Nam pouted, “You’re so used to lying! Which Thinh Van? It’s Ly Lac Thinh Van, right?…”
I growled, “Hmph… Be quiet so I can talk!”
Ngoc Nam stomped out angrily, pretending to cry hysterically, “I’m going to tell my boyfriend! Sang… Those two are bullying me…!”
I led Truong An to my room, asking as we went, “Why didn’t you go to Mr. To’s place and ask where Peter Nguyen lives?”
Truong An hugged me and we fell onto the bed, “Did you think I wouldn’t ask? That devil is so selfish, he pretends to be busy to avoid you.”
After a moment of silence, I asked him, “Are you sad?” I thought he would inevitably feel sad, knowing that the father who had cared for him all this time wasn’t his biological father, and the mother he missed day and night was actually so wicked.
Trường An smiled and replied, “So, are you sad?”
I shook my head, “Of course not. Because I have a father, and a grandmother too.”
Trường An looked straight into my eyes and replied, “I’m not sad either. Because… I have you!”