Chapter 5 — 20 Million Yuan Buys Freedom, Not Marriage

Life after separation passes very quickly. The house has just begun to be repaired, I come by every weekend to check on the progress. Gradually got used to Co Tham in the apartment next door. Not the kind of intentional closeness, just nodding when we met, sometimes standing in the hallway and saying a few words. One time I went to look at the house, it was raining heavily without bringing an umbrella. Standing in the lobby waiting for the rain to stop, he got out of the car and walked over to give me an umbrella.

“Still in the car.”

The next day, I returned the umbrella and he invited me inside to sit. His house has been repaired. Minimalist style, gray and white tones, not much furniture but every item is expensive. On the living room wall hung a painting, I recognized it at one glance - a painting by Trieu Vo Cuc.

“What do you do?” I asked.

“Which company?”

He didn't say more, and I didn't ask anymore. But that night when I got home, I searched for the name "Co Tham". When the results appeared, I stood still for a moment. Founder and CEO of Tham Nguyen Capital. The management scale is more than 20,000,000,000 yuan. Ranked 87th in the Forbes China list. My neighbor is a rich man… the unostentatious kind. It's not like I'm hiding myself, it's just that I've never paid attention to that world before. The next day when I met him in the hallway, my attitude was still the same. He seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and said one sentence.

“Did you find me?”

“How do you know?”

"Normal people will change their attitude after knowing. You didn't change, which shows that you investigated, but didn't pay attention."

I smiled slightly.

“You don't owe me money.”

He also laughed. From that day on, we talked more often. On weekends he would knock on the door and ask if I wanted to have lunch with him. I cook and it's convenient to make an extra portion to bring over. Everything happened very naturally. Until one day, Tran Hao appeared. That afternoon, I was at my new house watching the tile installer. The doorbell rang. I thought it was Co Tham. Opening the door, it was Tran Hao again. He was thinner, his chin was stubbled, his eyes were full of blood.

“How do you know my address?”

"I followed you. I followed you last Saturday, but I just didn't dare go up."

“Are you following me?”

"To Niem, I really know I'm wrong. I'll give you a chance—"

"How did you get in here? This area has controlled access."

“I followed a resident's car in. Niem Niem—”

The worker in the living room stuck his head out to take a look. I took a step back.

“Tran Hao, please go home.”

"I won't go home. If you don't tell me clearly, I won't go."

At that moment, footsteps sounded at the beginning of the hallway. Co Tham came over. He looked at Tran Hao, then looked at me.

"What is up?"

Tran Hao turned to him.

“Who are you?”

"Neighbor." Co Tham replied, "What about you?"

“I'm her boyfriend.”

“Ex-boyfriend.” I corrected it.

Tran Hao's face was extremely ugly. Co Tham stood there, not saying anything more, but his presence alone was enough to create pressure. One meter eighty-five, black turtleneck sweater, completely different temperament from Tran Hao. Tran Hao looked at him for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled coldly.

“To Niem, how long has it been since we broke up and you're already involved with someone else?”

“Tran Hao, I'm enough.”

"Am I enough? You tricked me into three years of love—"

“The trickster is you.”

He took a step forward. Co Tham also stepped forward, blocking between me and Tran Hao.

“She told me to go.”

Tran Hao raised his head to look at him. The air between the two of them was as tense as a guitar string. Finally, Tran Hao took a step back.

“To Niem, you Don't regret it.”

He turned and left. After the elevator door closed, Co Tham turned to me.

“Should I call the police?”

“No need, he's not up to anything.”

“Stalking is already harassment.”

I think a bit.

“Let's see.”

Co Tham didn't say more, but the next day I discovered there was a smart doorbell in front of my house.