Chapter 25
Touching nostalgia
Ngoc and her daughters are but ordinary folk, drawing no attention from the media. The three of them easily get into the car. Anh Dao listens to the story, and the blonde woman comforts them with a few words before accelerating toward the Hoang Kim residence.
As today marks the beginning of the Tourism Festival, the streets lie utterly deserted. Ngoc and her daughters hurriedly get out of the car, repeatedly pressing the doorbell. Anh Dao reminds them that both the main gate and front door are half-open. The three girls rush into the villa.
Their worry about being late turns into fear of seeing an empty living room. They search around but no one responds, so they go upstairs and hear Sam wailing for his mother. Everyone runs into the room. The gates of hell open to a scene of Sam screaming hoarsely — and all that answers him is a nightmare.
Mother is walking toward eternity; she is in a place where there is no more sorrow, yet she leaves endless pain behind in this world. Never have descendants been so close to their dearest family member, but they feel as if she is as far as the horizon. Their bodies collapse amidst choking sobs. The mother and her daughters unknowingly cross the invisible barrier that has separated them for thirty years.
That barrier is the resentment of abandoning a child.
That barrier is the shame of sin.
That barrier is the fading affection for their dearest one.
A pond of plain water is no match for a single drop of peach blood — yet that very blood can turn heartless to its own kin. An intolerable mistake is the root of all suffering. Past grudges and present karmic debts are no longer psychological shackles. The three mother and daughters tremble, embracing her body that has yet to turn cold.
Feeling the warmth of familial love for the first time yet having to part forever, the girls no longer want to suppress their heart-wrenching cries. After countless long days and endless nights, not for a single moment has Ngoc forgotten her wish to see her mother once. Carrying countless thoughts in her heart, the daughter can only apologize in the end:
- Mother, I'm sorry, Mother! Please don't leave me again, Mother!
If they were to reunite under normal circumstances, the Lan sisters would treat their grandmother as a stranger. The only thing linking the three of them is guilt, making the granddaughters feel awkward in front of their grandmother. In this moment of life-and-death farewell, belated regret warms the cold emotions:
- Grandmother, I have wronged you! I'm sorry!
The mother and daughters scream and cry, begging her to come back to life. As their hands grope about, they accidentally bump into Thanh Hang's chest, making her cough slightly. Ngoc and her daughters are startled, bewildered, watching as tears well up at the corner of Thanh Hang's eyes. Ngoc, hurried and flustered, places her hand on her mother's nose. Her breath is faint — sometimes there, sometimes not… igniting hope.
Ngoc quickly presses her ear against her mother's chest, listening to the pounding heartbeat. Thanh Hang's sobbing heart echoes with a voice calling out to her descendants. Their dearest one trembles, silently touching nostalgia after days of nightmares.
She has waited for over thirty years, only now able to give warmth to her descendants. No longer feeling ashamed of the upheavals of her life, no longer sorrowful over her sins. At the moment when the family reunites, the four of them wish time could stop, allowing them to savor the joy of familial bliss. Past mistakes have become scars in Thanh Hang's heart. The mother who abandoned her child chokes with sobs, remorsefully apologizing:
- I… I have wronged you children!
The daughter gently nestles into her mother's embrace:
- I miss you, Mother!
Nostalgia replaces the countless words left unsaid. The granddaughters' feelings for their grandmother are not as deep as their mother's, but at this very moment of life and death, familial love reignites a warm flame in their hearts. The two sisters quietly wrap their arms around her, lower their heads to nestle into their family's embrace, and softly whisper words of love:
- I love you, Grandmother!
If Thanh Hang hadn't played this role, she would have spent her entire life longing for the words of affection in her dreams. Years of tears and resentment leave her eyes clouded and dull. But now, tears of happiness wipe away the long nights of nightmares. The mother holds her descendants tightly in her arms, her hands trembling as if afraid of losing her most beloved ones again.
After a long wait, the family was finally reunited — whether by deception or sincerity, the dream had come true. The mother and daughters could no longer part from the one who had brought them into the world. Trees have roots, water flows from its source. Even animals have parents. The girls had been restless, pondering over their origins. Now, they had returned to their roots, no longer willing to live like wildflowers and weeds.
Lies are the flip side of truth. For those who escape from reality, the truth holds less meaning than a lie. Facts can hardly mend the wounds of kinship; it's better to let lies heal all the scars.
Sam felt a pang of sorrow recalling the pains of the past. Child deprived of a mother's love wiped away his tears in secret. He shoved his sensitivity into a corner of his heart, quietly sizing up the Lan sisters. The girls' apology reminded Sam of his old man. He deeply admired how his father had accurately predicted that all three mother and daughters would develop feelings for Hoang Kim. When he heard them calling out "Mother" and "Grandmother," he wasn't the least bit surprised.
Half an hour ago, Sam mentioned that Ngoc and her daughters wanted to have a heart-to-heart, but since they were in the hospital, they didn't dare say much. Ngoc had asked him to tell his mother that they would see her at home. Thanh Hang believed it and returned home with Sam immediately.
Sam admitted that he and his father had devised a plan to repair the family. He wanted his mother to tell him the reason why they had been avoiding each other, so that he could help her resolve the conflicts. His mother hesitated for a long while before speaking about the days when she had lost her daughter. Though she searched everywhere, she couldn't find any trace of her.
A few years later, she heard that Ngoc was living in a Motherly Grace Orphanage. An old nun told her that a fire had destroyed the orphanage, claiming the lives of countless children and nuns. She believed that Ngoc had perished in that fire and stopped searching.
A few days ago, a nun from the south contacted the old nun and sent her a photo of Ngoc as a child, along with a photo of Ngoc and her daughters, in hopes of finding their family. The old nun passed the photos on to her. When the accident with Hoang Kim happened, the four of them had not yet met. After listening to his mother's account, Sam offered a suggestion and persuaded his mother to fake her own death.
He finally understood why his mother had never mentioned having a daughter, let alone three beautiful granddaughters. It was because she had always believed that Ngoc had died long ago in her childhood. Back then, if she had known Ngoc was alive, she would have gone searching for her herself. And if she couldn't find her, she would have definitely told him and his brother that she had a daughter who had been lost. Sam and his elder brother would certainly have done everything to find her for their mother. Now, Ngoc and her daughters cannot possibly have romantic feelings for someone who shares their bloodline.
He still felt that something was not right, but he couldn't explain why. He suspected that his mother hadn't told him everything. Sam wasn't ready to ask yet; he waited patiently for the right time. But his mind was twisted into thoughts more tangled than a ball of thread that had lost its end.
Sam's lips curved into a puzzled smile—his left eye lifted, his right drooped, his brow furrowed—the exact expression of a policeman working a case. After thinking for a moment, he decided he'd apologize first and figure things out later.
Sam was the uncle who'd accidentally groped his niece's butt, sending them into a scratching, pinching frenzy that left him writhing in pain. Sam, both embarrassed and trying not to laugh, felt as if his face—once thicker than reinforced concrete—was being peeled down to a flimsy layer, leaving only a flush of vivid red. He sighed, lifted his head, rubbed his forehead, and muttered to himself:
"This time, you really dug your own grave, Sam, oh Sam!"
Sam skillfully blended into the family's story to spare both sides from embarrassment.
- Mom, I want you to hug me too!
Everyone was startled and flustered because they had forgotten all about Sam. The Lan sisters were the most awkward. Their anger toward Sam had not yet subsided. A body as precious as a thousand gold pieces belonged only to one person, yet he had violated it.
At that time, Sam's face had been scribbled with chaotic lines, so they didn't recognize him. Their fury urged the sisters to punish his wandering hands at any cost. Remembering how she had beaten her uncle to a pulp, the niece lowered her head, her face flushed bright red.
Sam only liked teasing pretty girls without any ill intent. Unfortunately, the dirty uncle had picked the wrong feisty niece to play tricks on and ended up getting chased and beaten. The mother and elder sister pursed their lips, glancing at Sam. He scratched his head, then his ear, and grinned awkwardly:
- One who doesn't know… shit… I mean, oops… isn't guilty!
Sam quickly corrected his foul language, and all four of them chuckled. He laughed:
- If uncle had known you two were my nieces, I would never have dared to tease. I'm sorry! - He turned to Ngoc with a serious tone - Sister, I'm truly sorry!
Sam's apology was simple, but Ngoc and her daughters, still sensitive, linked the subtle issue back to Hoang Kim. Their inferiority complex had yet to release them; that nightmare had once shattered Thanh Hang's spirit.
But after the rain comes sunshine. She told herself that a mother must put aside fear and guilt, so that her descendants would see it as an unintended mistake — and then that misfortune could no longer ruin their loved ones' lives.
She had no idea what else to hold on to, except that delusional faith. Even if it was a dream that wasn't real, she was determined to make it come true. If JK used that intimate video to destroy her dearest ones, she would fight the entire world to protect her family. Thanh Hang forced a smile, breaking the tense atmosphere:
- Those who didn't know are innocent! A family should forgive each other!
Sam immediately echoed, helping to mend the family bond:
- Because we are a family!
The words contained an undertone of forgiving the sin, yet the girls still couldn't let go of their feelings for Hoang Kim. Blushes of shyness tinted their peachy cheeks as they nestled into Thanh Hang's embrace. She doesn't recognize that feeling—the mother is rejoicing in the happiness of reunion:
- Welcome home, my children!
The words "welcome home" had already connected into a circle of arms embracing their loved ones. Sam smiles gently as he admires the family gathered together.
- Tch, Mother is so biased. Sister and nieces are taking up all the space, how am I supposed to hug Mother!
The four of them couldn't help but burst into laughter. The heavy air was finally lifted by their laughter, and everyone's hearts felt a little lighter. Thanh Hang threw a pillow at Sam's face:
- You little rascal!
Sam caught the pillow, covered his face with it, and let out a sigh of relief. Perhaps this joy was just a fleeting spark that would soon fade, but at least his mother was no longer tormented. Reducing one ounce of suffering could bring an ounce more hope.
Sam noticed that Ngoc and her daughters were acting unnaturally. It seemed like the three of them were harboring a secret that Heaven knew, Earth knew, and they knew—but only Sam and his father had no idea whether their feelings for Hoang Kim had crossed the line of kinship intimacy, or if it was merely a misunderstanding.
If the mother and daughters truly had feelings for Hoang Kim, it would be earth-shattering, and his mother would find it hard to forgive. Her spirit wouldn't survive such a collapse. Sam had already lost his mother once; he had to prevent the family from falling apart again.
That risk exists within an affection that defies moral boundaries. The four of them go through a soul-carving ordeal, with both the older sister and her niece holding deep feelings for his older brother. That lingering affection hides behind the apology to his mother.
Sam was startled and glanced at the girls. If their feelings for Hoang Kim were exposed, Mother would teach them a lesson. But Mother was laughing so happily. Surely, the three of them must be apologizing for something else; everything seemed fine this way.
Yet, Ngoc and her daughters carried a shame as if they had committed an unforgivable sin. What could be more sinful than that forbidden affection? From past to present, Mother had always been strict with him and his older brother, yet she was so lenient with her daughter and granddaughters. Though unwilling to lose this joy, she ought to offer them a few words of guidance. A pile of questions twisted in Sam's head; Mother was the only one who could answer them.
He suspected that Ngoc's story of being separated from the family since childhood was just the tip of the iceberg. Sam shuddered involuntarily, his heart turning to ice. Perhaps the truth was even colder than ice, which was why she had to hide it from her younger son.
Sam glanced at his mother, then silently looked at his elder sister and nieces. He needed to confirm whether this was his own imagination or if the iceberg had indeed frozen down to the bone. As thoughts whirled through his mind, he listened to his mother inquire about Luu Ly's condition. The smiles on the faces of Ngoc and her daughters vanished. Ngoc bowed her head mournfully, murmuring that the family's bone marrow was not a match.
- Mother, Luu Ly is receiving cancer treatment at Benevolence Hospital!
Thanh Hang immediately urged them to visit her granddaughter. Sam frowned and brought up the media:
- Mother, have you forgotten the crowd of vultures swarming around the hospital? If we all go together, they'll gather again and harass my sister and her daughters!
In the end, they decide to divide into groups. Ngoc and her daughters went to the hospital first, while Thanh Hang and Sam would follow later. Ngoc also called Anh Dao, the blonde girl who said she was still waiting at the entrance. They bid farewell to Thanh Hang and Sam. Sam yanked the curtain aside to scan the street. Waiting for the car to take them to the hospital, Sam gravely questioned his mother about his suspicions.
It was difficult for Thanh Hang to conceal the truth from her sharp-witted son; she had been waiting for the right time to tell him everything. That moment had come. However, a woman's heart is often filled with irrational fears. She feared that her two sons would no longer treat each other naturally as before. She dreaded Sam discovering that Hoang Kim's accident was related to Ngoc and her daughters, he would grow to resent his relatives. With no other choice, she pretended not to hear:
- What are you saying? Stop messing around, let's go to the hospital.
Sam had hoped his mother would open up, but in the end, he was left disappointed. For a long time, the two had treated each other as mother and son bound by blood. Whether sad or happy, he would always confide in her, but never with his father. Now, however, she had too many secrets to hide from him.
Although Sam was not her biological child, he never considered himself an adopted son. He believed his mother would treat him the same way. Unfortunately, her behavior now seemed to say: don't expect a mother to have absolute trust in an adopted child. Sam felt disheartened and gave a bitter smile:
- So in the end, Mother still only sees me as an adopted son!
Sam has no choice but to wound his mother's heart to force out the hidden truths. He can't bear the feeling of being treated as an outsider. The corners of his eyes quiver, welling up with tears as he bursts into sobs. Sam sulks at his mother; he needs to make her understand the sorrow of being treated as an adopted child. Thanh Hang has never seen Sam consumed by such sorrow and anger. Her hand trembles as she cradles his face:
- Biological or adopted, boy or girl, they're all the same!" - She tenderly embraced him - I have three granddaughters, and you all are my heart and soul, my very life. I don't want to lose a single one! My grandchildren must stay with me!
Sam wanted to know what his mother was so afraid of, so he pressed her relentlessly:
- It's not about discrimination against an adopted son, it's because you're hiding the truth. Mother's story is filled with a web of painful secrets involving my older brother, sister, and nieces!
Thanh Hang's face turned deathly pale, her whole body stiffened, unable to move, stammering in confusion. Sam paused for a moment. She still couldn't regain her composure, and he impatiently stood up:
- If Mother stays silent, I'll ask Sister. If Sister stays silent, I'll ask the nieces. I will keep asking until everyone opens their mouths!
She was scared out of her wits and hurriedly stopped him:
- I beg you, don't do that!
Sam can't bear to see his mother cry, but if he softens now, he will forever remain an outsider to the family's secrets. The son resolves to be firm, holding his mother tightly.
- Mother, I beg you, please don't keep hiding from me, don't treat me as an adopted child! - The son sobbed - I can't stand being regarded as an outsider!
Thanh Hang's eyes filled with tears as she listened to her son's bitter, choking voice. Sam was crying. He had always said he never wanted to be caught crying in front of his father, and even Hoang Kim had never seen him shed tears. He only ever cried with his mother.
Thanh Hang was cornered into a dilemma. Revealing all the secrets could risk the family falling apart and scattering. That risk might not necessarily come true. But if she kept hiding the truth, she wouldn't deserve to be a mother and would lose her children forever.
Thanh Hang wipes away her son's tears, her mind sinking into the tangled causes and consequences stretching from the past to the present. The family's tragic fate clenches her heart, a heart fractured by too much pain, now cracking open amidst her choked sobs. Tears of the past soak into the bitterness of the present. She is no longer crying alone — this mother now has her son by her side.
Upon learning that his mother had once betrayed JK, Sam feels a jolt of disbelief, as though the words 'Impossible to Believe' were branded across his face. Comparing the noble mother he revered — as vast as the sea, as high as the sky — to the woman who abandoned him, Sam feels a piercing irony, as if he's humiliating the woman who did not give birth to him. The dignified, virtuous mother he respects turns out to be heartless and treacherous.
The two mothers are as different as heaven and the abyss, yet both have committed the sins he despises and loathes the most. Fate truly knows how to toy with people. His childhood was stolen by the sins of the past. A curse clings to him more tightly than wandering souls; it makes him regret how deeply he hurt the heart that had always shielded him.
In the past, Sam smashed everything in the house and destroyed whatever he saw on the streets. His father had no choice but to bail him out of the police station and keep a constant watch over him day and night. Now, Sam cries in complete silence, like a mute, muttering meaningless words. His tears mourn the thirty years of suffering and torment endured by his mother.
Scalding tears scorch his eyes, bloodshot and blazing. Grief twists into rage, for JK has already dragged their family into the very depths of hell. Hatred morphs into haunting visions of JK's mocking grin, driving Sam to madness. Fury distorts Sam's face as if a beast is twisting his flesh. He cries tears of blood, roaring like a wild animal:
- JK, I'll cut your entire family into a thousand pieces!
Thanh Hang panics, clutching Sam tightly in her arms. If his mother doesn't stop him, her son will become a monster, bathing JK's family in blood to reclaim justice for his family. She fears Sam will die a miserable death for the crime of murder. The killer would be thrown onto a deserted island, torn apart by beasts. Sam would suffer endless humiliation, this beast-hearted world would spit on him. The fear of losing her child crushes the mother's spirit. She tightens her embrace around him, refusing to let go.
- Please, don't do this! Murder is a capital crime!
Sam no longer cares. The maddened beast is now driven by a single obsession — to wipe out everyone connected to JK.
- Let go, Mother. Even if I die, I'll kill that dog bastard's entire family!
Swallowed by his emotions, Sam struggles violently, pushing his mother away. She doesn't have the heart to do it, yet still raises her hand and slaps her son across the face.
- Idiot! If you act recklessly, he'll broadcast that shameful footage to the entire world! Our whole family will be buried in the same grave!
Sam had never been scolded by his mother before, and now, for the first time, she slaps him. This slap not only jolts him from his frenzy but lacerates his mother's heart with equal ferocity. Sam's cheek turns crimson with the imprint of her hand. The painful mark gouges at his mother's heart. Her trembling hands press against her son's cheeks.
- Does it hurt? I'm sorry!
Sam had sworn never to let anyone hurt his mother. Yet now, he had broken all his vows, making his mother ache because she hit him, and he himself hurts because his mother is upset. Mother and son embrace each other tightly.
- If you die, I still have your brothers, sisters, and granddaughter by my side! A son is his father's very lifeblood. Losing a child, he would collapse, worse than death! — His mother slaps his back over and over, sobbing as she shouts — Have you thought about your father? You foolish child!
His mother's tearful reproach is like a bucket of cold water poured over Sam's mind. For years, when Sam needed fatherly love the most, his father silently stayed by his side. And Sam quietly looked after his father. Even when Huge was wallowing in depression, Sam patiently listened to his ramblings with the liquor bottles.
Whenever his father passed out drunk in the hallway, on the floor, or by the table, Sam would bury his head into his father's chest and sleep till morning. Yet Sam still feels guilty, as if he has never truly loved his father with all his heart. He feels like something is missing to bridge the bond between father and son.
His mother's words awaken him from his daze. He realizes his flaw: he has never truly cared for his father. This lack of care reveals itself when he loses control and goes mad. He is obsessed with seeking justice for his mother, his siblings, and his niece, but he has never considered his father.
To others, that simple question is easy to answer, for his father has nothing to do with this tragedy. But Sam cannot accept that false logic. He must admit that he has wronged his father. Shame forces him to lower his head, silently crying as he clings tightly to his mother. Thanh Hang gently wipes away her son's tears.
- From now on, you must learn to control your anger. Mother can't stay with you forever to advise you. One day, I'll have to leave you children...
Sam grins, stopping his mother from saying something unlucky:
- Mother will live to a hundred, embracing a house full of grandchildren! If that bastard in heaven, that skull-and-crossbones guy, or JK the dead dog dares to lay a finger on you, I'll snap their necks!
His mother is both frightened and amused by Sam's teasing words.
- Don't talk nonsense. Beware of heavenly punishment!
- Our family has done nothing wrong! — Sam picks his nose, clicking his tongue — Heaven should be afraid of us. That old man has eyes but sees nothing, treating us unfairly. That old man is a damn woman, I curse him to suffer for it!
The heavens, enraged by his arrogance, roar with thunder. Sam lifts his chin, raises his clouded eyes, and shouts toward the sky:
- Damn it! What the hell are you barking at, you mutt? I'll flip your heavenly palace upside down...!
Hearing the thunder, his mother turns pale, immediately covering Sam's mouth to stop him from insulting the heavens:
- You little imp, are you trying to scare your mother to death? Cut it out!
Sam suppresses his laughter, raises both hands, and nods in agreement. She only lets go of him after the thunder quiets down, giving him a fierce glare, warning him not to mess around anymore. His mother's sharp glare clearly shows how much she hates his relentless mischief. Sam has no choice but to straighten his face and listen obediently to her scolding. He follows his mother around, busying himself with packing.
A son fears his parents, not the heavens. For his family is the creditor of the Almighty Himself.
Note
[1] Pleading with a smiling face or simply laughing something off are both ways to win people's hearts.