Chapter 24
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Questionable
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November 4th, Dawn
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Sam crawls up to check if his bro is still breathing steadily and if his heart is still beating. Only after confirming he is okay does he feel relieved enough to pee, then heads to the canteen for breakfast. There are a few people in the canteen. Sam stretches his shoulders and yawns, but his drowsy, blurry eyes immediately widen as he gazes at a pretty girl getting food at the counter.
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He's encountered countless beauties, but none can compare to these two young beauties. One has a strong-willed, sharp beauty, always feeling uncomfortable with lecherous gazes from men. The other is as pretty as a princess, yet she is shy and timid.
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The chronic condition of loving beauty acts up again. He raises his right eye and glances down at the hot girl with his left. His older brother is bedridden, and Sam going around teasing girls makes him feel a little guilty. However, he just wants to tease them a bit to wake himself up completely, which is well within acceptable bounds. His bro probably doesn’t want his little brother to be gloomy all the time, so Sam's guilt lessens.
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Sam justifies his habit of teasing girls. Then, taking advantage of the beautiful girls' wait time for their food, he slips over barefoot. His movements are lighter than a cat's, faster than a leopard's, and he approaches them silently, but they have no idea.
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The guy who loves beauty grins, touches their butts, and gives a gentle squeeze. The girls whirl around—two sharp “bops” ring out, each accompanied by a burning slap to his cheeks.
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- Pervert!
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- Granny’ll skin you alive!
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The people in the canteen don’t understand what is happening; they only see Sam being chased all over the place by two young beauties. He cackles, rubbing his stinging cheeks, which are redder than the sun.
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- Flowers are for picking, girls are for teasing! - Sam turns and runs backward, twitching his fingers and making a pinching motion to tease them - Being teased proves you’re as pretty as Miss World, so why are you hitting me? Be proud, beauties!
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The sharp-witted girl shouts, her face flushing red, and curses:
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- Don't let Granny catch you, you pervert!
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The timid girl’s face turns scarlet. The two girls feel wronged and disgusted by the feeling of their butts being touched and lightly pinched. From the past to the present, their bodies have only ever had the mark of one man. Now that they have been fondled by this pervert, they immediately fly into a rage and leap at him, wanting to kill Sam. The girl-crazy guy twists left, slides right, dodges east, swerves west—never forgetting to tease.
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- I challenge you two to catch me! I'll let you all freely 'abuse' and torture me!
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He emphasizes the word “abuse,” making their faces redder than the evening sunset. Sam raises his eyes, scratches his beard, admires them for a long time, and then teases them again. Ignoring everyone’s warnings, both girls dash after him while he runs like bait—occasionally slowing down just enough to let them think they’ve caught him, then Sam shows off his skills by slipping through narrow gaps while simultaneously threatening to pat their butts. The girls, on high alert, immediately raise their hands to cover their behinds. He stops halfway and laughs loudly:
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- Do you think I'm harassing you two again? - He rubs his nose and clicks his tongue - My older brother is in grave peril—no time for naughty fun. Bye-bye, little beauties!
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He blows them a kiss goodbye, picks up his shoes, weaves through the fallen tables and chairs, and glides out of the canteen like a whirlwind, vanishing from the doorway in the blink of an eye. The girls are so angry they cry. They kick the piled-up tables and chairs, grudgingly take their food, pay, and quickly walk out the door. The canteen owner calls after them, demanding money for the damaged tables and chairs. The two girls shout in unison:
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- You go find that pervert to claim the debt!
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The boss shakes his head, tired of today's young people. Annoyed, he cleans the food off the counter and reaches for the two bills of the highest denomination. The boss thinks the customer forgot, but no one claims the money. A woman says:
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- I see Sam put the money on the counter, he is compensating for the broken tables and chairs.
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Everyone praises Sam for being worthy of a man's face, for daring to act and daring to take responsibility. The owner scratches his ear and says there is a lot of money left over. Sam suddenly appears, shows his teeth, and laughs:
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- I'll be here for a long time, that money is a deposit for three meals a day.
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The boss stares blankly and asks:
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- Why are you back?
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Sam widens his eyes, staring at the boss:
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- The boss is kind, as honest as they come. No wonder you cannot make anyone compensate for damages.
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He sits by the table, ordering familiar dishes for himself and his family:
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- I am starving, please be quick.
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Everyone grins to themselves, sneaking glances at him; everyone wants to laugh, but no one dares. Sam raises the corner of his mouth, still not understanding what's going on, glances at his reflection on the shiny inox table, and stares, stunned, at the bizarre crisscrossing shapes drawn across his face. They all cover their mouths, listening to this guy grumble and curse at the old man:
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- Your damn ancestors, old man—I’m starving and you're still messing with me!
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Someone jokes:
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- Why do you still tease girls when you're hungry?
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He chuckles:
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- Poking a beast is a kind of fun!
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He pours some tea into his hand, about to wash his face, when he hears the sharp-tongued girl's voice:
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- Your granny will make you have fun until you cry, pervert!
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Sam laughs as if his mouth is flattened and runs quickly.
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- I really poked a beast!
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The two girls chase him all the way outside the canteen. The three of them are chasing each other in the hospital corridor. The security team can't stop them. The whole hospital is in an uproar. What the hell is with the running back and forth, and the three of them arrive at Hoang Kim's room again. The fugitive and the catchers have their hands on their knees, all panting heavily. Sam grimaces and raises his hand.
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- Let's have a temporary truce, I'm tired... splatter a cage—uh, I mean, splatter bullets... wait... I said temporary truce…
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Sam doesn’t understand how he has been able to run several kilometers without feeling tired. The two tigresses chase after him as he dashes around splashing smoke, exhaling through his ears. Unluckily, he stops in front of his older brother's room. Even with the guts to eat God, he doesn't dare to riot in a place that needs quiet. But it is terrible, the tigresses don't need to know where they are, so the beasts roll up their sleeves and rush forward resentfully.
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- Your granny will make you die!
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- Don't you dare to run!
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He sweats from exhaustion, his limbs tremble from hunger, and he loses all his strength, so he stands still helplessly, letting the tigers eat his flesh. The girls pinch his cheeks and smack his face with loud pops. Sam doesn't want to hit girls, especially pretty girls, he is even more reluctant to lift a hand. The foolish guy who pokes a fire ant's nest is forced to beg for help:
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- Old man, mother, save me...
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The two immediately open the door. Sam's father turns his huge eyes, stares at the girls abusing his son, and the old man laughs happily:
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- Did your dad die? Who the hell told you to mess with feisty girls? You had it coming!
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- Your damn ancestors, old man, you're not saving me and you're still laughing...
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Sam yells angrily. His mouth hangs open and won’t close, his expression tense and unreadable as he looks at his mother. In just a few seconds, his mother is shocked, turning into doubt, then her eyebrows furrow, and she looks closely at the two girls. Her eyes narrow and then suddenly open wide so that her pupils are stiff, the cloudy white of her eyes is stained deep red by hot tears.
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Sam is stunned, watching the bitter tears settle in his mother's gentle eyes. His mother only sheds tears for her own flesh and blood, but now she is crying for strangers. Sam remembers always receiving this kind of family love. He is confused by her strange expression, not knowing whether she should be happy or sad.
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His mother observes the two girls as if they were her own flesh and blood, her gaze filled with both tenderness and sorrow. Sam is confused—why does his mother feel such deep compassion for them? Sorrow has carved deep lines into her melancholy face over the past thirty years. Past sadness and present pain overlap, tormenting her spirit.
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The two girls appeared even more peculiar now—whether the sharp-witted girl or the timid maiden, both flushed crimson. Embarrassment and fearful timidity toward his mother tangled together, an utterly dissonant emotional cocktail. The girls retreat several steps in confusion, then flee with lowered heads.
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Thanh Hang doesn't dare pursue them. To this day, she cannot face the karmic debt she's sown for her descendants. The two young girls throw themselves into the arms of their mother approaching from afar. She narrows her eyes in surprise and asks:
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- Who provoked you two?
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The girls silently cling to their mother. That image called to mind the newborn child Thanh Hang had abandoned—who had now become the mother of her granddaughter. Thanh Hang wants to approach her daughter and granddaughter, but she doesn’t dare face her loved ones. She’s afraid she won’t be forgiven. The old mother silently gazes at her child and grandchild embracing. Her descendants are closer than ever, yet Thanh Hang can never touch that heart-carved nostalgia.
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Sam tilts his head, staring at his mother's bittersweet smile—tears are pooling at her eyelids' corners. His eyes—one round, one flat—peer at the mother and daughters. The two girls are no longer blushing—their shy pink glow is replaced by a pale, purplish face. Just minutes ago, they were as fierce as tigresses, yet more beautiful than fairies. Now, pale as corpses, they shrink behind the young woman, like wrongdoers fearing punishment.
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The young woman is no better—she stands transfixed as if spellbound. She mirrors his mother’s and the two girls’ feelings exactly, as if looking into a mirror. There is only one difference—hidden beneath the tangled sorrow, joy, and fear is resentment. It's not unforgivable, but it's not easy to let go. The resentment is anything but mild.
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Observing every gesture, analyzing meticulously, Sam gets lost in the fog, unable to decipher this strangeness. Beyond his brother, his mother has mentioned no relatives. The four women keep performing their silent act; his patience is stretched to the limit. If Sam keeps standing around like some background character, he’ll go crazy.
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Sam's father quietly observes. Sensing Sam is about to act rashly, he gently taps his shoulder as a signal. Sam nods understanding. Everyone is distracted. Father and son split up. The father saunters past the young woman and her daughters, circling behind them. Sam darts forward, pulling his mother toward the trio.
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- Mother, I touched those girls without meaning to. I'm afraid people won't forgive me. I need you to apologize with me!
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Unease settles over the four. The mother and daughters turn to leave, but Sam's father blocks their path. The old man scratches his head and laughs it off:
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- My son acted improperly toward your daughters. He wishes to apologize. Please forgive him!
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When the trio attempts to leave again, Sam shouts at his father:
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- Huge, stop them!
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The old man slightly lifts the corner of his mouth upon hearing Sam dare to call his name. He ignores Sam and stands tall, blocking the way. Wherever the mother and daughters try to go, the massive shadow moves to that side. As the girls grow annoyed and are about to shout, Sam cuts in:
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- I'm sorry about what happened in the canteen! Please forgive me!
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The women don't dare accept the apology, afraid to face their dearest. Thanh Hang still hasn’t brought herself to believe her descendants will forgive her. The mother hesitates; the young woman and girls grow more terrified. All four avoid each other's gazes.
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Women—unfathomable creatures, these goddesses of trouble. Sam mutters impatiently before forcing conciliation:
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- So, what's the relationship between the four of you? If it's about money, we can negotiate. - He pauses, giving them a moment to brace themselves to hear what they fear most - If you're family, then let it all go! My older brother isn’t even awake yet! What time is it already, and you're still sulking?
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Huge nods, satisfied that Sam knows how to lower his voice. The father chooses to speak gently:
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- Past sorrow is just a stumbling block in our growth. We must look to the future—can't collapse in the past. People of the same family should reconcile. Can you really avoid each other for the rest of your lives?
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When Sam brings up his Older Brother, the women freeze for a moment—but they can’t escape Huge’s sharp gaze. The mother and two daughters lower their heads in contemplation; their unusual demeanor sparks doubt in Huge’s heart. This sorrow doesn’t seem like grief over family; it feels more like the emotions between a man and a woman. Huge is taken aback, staring at the girls in shock.
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Huge has always prided himself on his unerring instincts—but this time, his confidence wavers. Who the hell would’ve thought all three of them could have feelings for Hoang Kim? The girls lower their heads, as if trying to hide their emotions.
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Huge’s face contorts in shock. What the hell is this? Three women—mother and daughters—caring about the same man is already absurd. But if that man is also their relative? That’s even more unimaginable. Huge slaps his forehead hard, trying to shake off the crazy thought. If he keeps misjudging the three of them, it’s no different from insulting Hoang Kim.
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Whispers and murmurs around them break his thoughts. People are pointing and gossiping. All three women are entangled with Hoang Kim. If the family continues lingering here, they'll become juicy gossip for the crowd. A flock of vultures will latch on and never let go. Everything will spiral into chaos and lose control. He must stop this disaster before it starts—so Huge steps aside and lets the women go.
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Thanh Hang watches her descendants disappear down the corridor. She instinctively raises her hand to call out but gives up in the end. She quietly turns around and wipes away her tears, returning to her son.
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In the end, nostalgia is still just a memory. Humans cannot turn back time to rewrite the past.
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Sam was right about their relation to the family. But Huge let them go anyway. Sam confronts his father angrily:
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- What are you doing? - Sam lowers his voice so only the old man can hear - You let them go—how am I supposed to find them again?
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The father sighs, helpless before his impulsive son. Sam’s got a sharp eye, but his reckless nature keeps him from thinking things through. But being hot-headed—that's who his son is. Sam is still young. At sixteen, he’s a rebellious brat with plenty of complaints about life, but his so-called depth is occasionally shallow.
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The old man clicks his tongue and subtly gestures to go somewhere with no one around. Sam sticks both hands into his pockets, puckers his lips, and whistles as he walks to the back of the hospital. He looks around to confirm it's safe, then asks his father why he let them go. Huge takes out a cigarette, lights it, and takes a drag:
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- Women shed tears for the ones they love. Only a reunion after long separation could stir such emotions among relatives—it proves they’re not just kin.
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Sam clicks his tongue and brings up his mother:
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- I saw that young woman holding resentment toward Mom. Did Mom wrong her somehow?
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Huge takes a puff of the cigarette. Sam hates the burnt smell and waves it away:
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- That reeks! Put it out—this isn't the time to be smoking that damned thing!
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Doubt occupies Huge’s entire mind. The father ponders amid smoke invading his thoughts, gray wisps swirling endlessly across his distrustful face.
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- I also noticed that the mother and two daughters have feelings for Hoang Kim.
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Sam gapes, eyes wide like an O, mouth agape like an A, staring at the old man.
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- What did you say? The three of them love my brother? You gotta be kidding…
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The old man frowns and says:
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- Zip that mouth of yours.
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Sam slaps a hand over his mouth, but still asks again. Huge emphasizes every word:
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- They’re not in love—yet. But the emotions? They’re brewing. It’s deeper than just innocent affection, but still not quite love. It’s teetering on that thin, fragile edge. I suspect they share unforgettable memories with your brother. Hoang Kim liked to meddle in others' affairs. Perhaps that charming, goddess slayer nephew of mine had once again left behind tender feelings through chivalrous deeds—just like back in Hexagon Kingdom.
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Huge blows out a puff of gray smoke and bursts into laughter:
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- Tch, maybe I’m just too suspicious.
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His words remind Sam of that moment—their meeting with his mother, the girls immediately blushing, confused, afraid, as if they’d committed an unpardonable sin. He doesn’t want to believe it, but the thought clings to his mind like a leech. Doubt takes root deep in Sam’s mind, its branches spreading across his tightly drawn face. Sam tells Huge everything he saw:
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- You were right, old man! They must have feelings for my brother—that’s why they’re shy. A mother and daughters caring about the same man? I thought the irony had already hit its max. And since they’re relatives, they’re scared of being scolded by their mom. The relationship between the four of them is mind-bending—it’s not that simple!
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Huge stares at Sam wide-eyed. He never expected his son’s deduction to be even more twisted than his own. The old man gapes at him like he’s looking at some strange creature. Sam explodes:
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- We’re talking about something important here. Be serious, old man!
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Huge suspects the girls' clumsiness, shyness, fear, and blushing—but reason won’t let him accept such madness. Put gently, it’s absurd. Put bluntly, it’s incest.
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- You’re not wrong. Huge says - But you’re not entirely right either. You think a mother and her two daughters—upright and virtuous women—are the kind to shamelessly fall for their own relative? That’s incest, son!
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Sam carefully considers every angle.
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- What if they got separated from their family when they were little? People wouldn’t know they’re related to Hoang Kim. My brother helped them out, so they developed feelings for him. Women get moved easily.
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Sam shrugs:
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- My brother’s a legendary goddess slayer, famous around the world. He’s handsome, gallant, and overly concerned about others. Especially women, he’s gentle every second. He always gets teased by pretty girls. That’s just how he is—no wonder girls fall head over heels for him. It’d be weird if a girl didn’t fall for him. Hell, even I like him—let alone the girls!
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He pauses, suddenly worried his guess might be true:
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- Maybe they only found out about their true heritage recently. But it’s too late now. You can’t just shut off emotions the moment you learn the truth.
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Huge goes from one shock to another. The old man stares, speechless before his paranoid son. He can’t believe his son has an imagination more vast than a thousand light-years. He draws on his cigarette, letting the smoke warm his body that’s still trembling from Sam’s insane theory. Sam is saying things Huge only dared to think. Huge frowns and shifts focus to something else:
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- I think your mother wronged them. She doesn’t dare admit they are her descendants. What mistake did she make that scares her into hiding from her own children?
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Sam’s face scrunches up like a monkey chewing ginger.
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- Who told you to let them go? You just love twisting your brain into knots guessing at riddles, don’t you? You’re such a pestilence[1], old man. Damn you!
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Huge groans and pats his son on the head.
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- Damn it, always so smart—then outta nowhere, you go full stupid. Nosy crows and owls are circling around to eavesdrop, four sentimental women are weeping to become bait for them to feast on?
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Sam’s face looks like a goose just took a dump on it.
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- Oh ha.
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- Oh ha~. - The old man curls his lip into a smirk and draws out his words in a mocking imitation of Sam - Talked for half a damn day, and all you’ve got is ‘Oh ha’?
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Sam ignores the teasing and asks for a real plan. Huge lifts his foot to stub out the half-smoked cigarette:
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- Where did you grope those two girls?
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Sam looks blank. Doesn’t get it. The old man clicks his tongue in disappointment.
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- Damn it, every time you’re dumb for girls, you go stupid to the point of a desert of words!
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Sam shouts, furious:
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- Damn it, who the hell would understand such a messy question right away?!
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- Messy your head. - The old man says, flicking a finger at Sam’s forehead - Now listen, dumbass!
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Sam doesn’t have time to curse back at the old man. He wants to settle this quickly so he can take care of his big brother. Sam says he was just teasing girls at the canteen, then pricks up his ears to let the old man knock some sense into him:
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- Ask the canteen owner who they are—whether they are here for a check-up or visiting relatives? Whether it’s a visit or a check-up, their names are on the hospital’s list. Got it?
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Sam’s eyes light up in sudden understanding. He and his father trade a nod, clasp hands, and chuckle.
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- Act.
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***
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Sam brings breakfast from the canteen for the whole family. Mother focuses on eating. He signals to his father with his eyes. Father and son find an excuse to go outside. Sam reveals the identities of the three women:
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- The young mother’s name is Ngoc. The shy girl is the eldest daughter, Tuyet Lan. The brat who pinched me the hardest is Bang Suong. The youngest daughter, thirteen-year-old Luu Ly, is in the emergency room with late-stage leukemia. Her blood is so rare, it rejects even blood and marrow from relatives. No match has been found—yet.
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Sam suddenly turns sorrowful like a timeworn stone. His usual comical face disappears, replaced by an indescribable burden. The old man has never seen his son so quiet. Sam himself doesn’t know how to describe this sadness. He fears a future where no one can bring him peace anymore. Huge laughs softly like a madman. The old man doesn’t expect his son to be so sentimental—he even gets sentimental over lolis.
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- Heavens, did you take the wrong medicine? A pervert who likes big busts and curvy asses also loves lolis now?
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Huge’s words hit Sam’s dark heart. He instantly kicks the old man’s leg.
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- Damn you, you muddy old geezer!
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Huge holds his leg, laughing till tears come out. He teases to lift the mood, but Sam can’t stand his damn joking. He urges him to move the plan forward.
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Huge hides in a corner, waiting for Sam. After a while, Sam and Thanh Hang come out of the room. Huge sees her looking both excited and anxious. The father smiles slightly as Sam gives a thumbs-up signal. Thanh Hang asks a familiar nurse to take care of Hoang Kim. She and Sam exit through the back door to avoid the media.
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Waiting for Sam’s message, Huge heads to the emergency room. He knocks several times before someone opens the door. Ngoc realizes he’s the one who stopped her earlier. She quickly tries to close the door, but his arm—solid as steel—holds it open. Huge speaks softly and slowly:
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- If we keep struggling here, people will gossip.
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Ngoc reluctantly lets him in, throwing the door wide open to prevent any gossipers from making up stories. Huge places a bag of fruit on the table and glances at Luu Ly on the hospital bed. Eyes closed, face pale, but her breathing is still steady. The old father breathes a sigh of relief, happy for Sam—because Luu Ly is the one who brings peace to his son. The Lan sisters sit beside their little sister, awkwardly lowering their heads, silently listening as Huge asks about Luu Ly. Ngoc thanks him and briefly explains the situation. Huge nods slightly and says:
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- My older sister is gravely ill. She wants to see you and your daughters one last time, but she hesitates. I fear she won’t get another chance to reunite with family.
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Huge’s voice is filled with sadness, grief to the point it can’t get any heavier. Not long after reuniting with family, they are about to part in life and death again. Why can’t God give this family a peaceful day? Ending one pain only to fall into another. Heaven has the virtue of cherishing life—so why must it torment mother and daughters to death just to be satisfied?
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Thirty years—Ngoc finally gets to see her mother, but cruel fate forces them apart once more. Ngoc wants to tell her mother many things, but it’s too late. She is angry at heaven, cursing herself.
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At this painful moment, grievances, emotions, sins, and mistakes no longer shackle the minds of the three women. Descendants must go to their dearest loved ones to ease their longing and atone to the one who gave them birth.
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Huge adds that she regrets her past mistakes and misses you and your daughters. A drop of kinship blood outweighs a river of plain water. They want her to touch the nostalgia. She’s endured a lifetime of pain; holding her children in her arms will be her last happiness in this life. The three women bolt from the room. Huge says:
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- My sister is at home. She hates being disturbed. You should all go home. I’ll take care of Luu Ly!
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They thank Huge. Once far from the room, Ngoc calls Anh Dao and asks her to bring them to Hoang Kim’s house:
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- I don’t want strangers prying. Please help me! I’ll explain later!
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Notes
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[1] (Dialect, colloquial) Used to curse or talk about someone you dislike—someone who plays tricks on you, often makes you angry, or causes trouble. It can also be used jokingly when teasing or bantering with each other.
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