Chapter 7 — 20 Million Yuan Buys Freedom, Not Marriage

The exhibition took place at the contemporary art museum in the west of the city. Co Tham drove to pick me up. When I got in the car, I noticed he had changed his clothes. Dark blue vest, inside is a white t-shirt. Completely different from the usual home style.

“You look quite formal today.”

“Go see a friend.” he said.

When I arrived, I realized that this so-called "exhibition" was not normal. It was the first exhibition in China by a leading gallery from Zurich. The guest list is full of people from the financial and artistic world. When checking in at the door, the staff saw Co Tham and immediately showed extreme respect.

"Mr. Gu, please come here. The VIP room is ready."

We were led to a private gallery on the second floor, inside were hung more than a dozen paintings. Co Tham introduced me to some works. He understood very well, but the way he spoke was very restrained, not boastful at all.

“This painting is de Kooning's final work, when he was starting to lose his memory, but that's why the painting is more free.”

I looked at the picture. The colors are chaotic, the lines are rough, but there is a power that is difficult to name.

“Do you like this style?” I asked.

"It's not like, it's respect. When a person throws away all reason, what's left is the most real."

I tilted my head to look at him. He was looking at the picture, there was something in his eyes that I had never seen before. Halfway through, someone came to say hello.

"Mr. Gu! Long time no see."

He is a man over forty years old, with a big belly, and he knows people are doing business by looking at him.

“General Liu.” Co Tham nodded.

Mr. Luu's eyes stopped on me and smiled.

“Is this… sister-in-law?”

"Friend." Co Tham replied.

"Friend? Since when did President Gu have such a beautiful female friend?" His eyes looking at me made people uncomfortable, "What do you do?"

"Design." I said.

“Design? What design? Graphics? Interior?”

“Space design.”

“Oh—” he trailed off, looking down at him with a hint of disdain, “it's a tough job.”

I didn't reply. Co Tham spoke up.

“General Luu and To Niem are independent designers, last year they won the Asia-Pacific Space Design silver award.”

I turned to look at him. He also looked at me. I never told you this.

“You interrogated me?”

"Public information on the website. Her winning work is a plan to renovate a community library, the jury's comment is 'creating infinite possibilities in a limited space'."

Mr. Liu's face was a bit ugly.

"Oh, that's really good. That's rude."

He smiled wryly and left. Co Tham and I continued walking.

“Since when did you investigate?”

“Second day knowing you.”

“Second day?”

“The first day you said you were a designer, I wanted to know how much you did.”

"Conclude?"

“Exceeded my expectations.”

I couldn't help but laugh.

“Your way of praising people… is quite special.”

“I'm not complimenting, I'm just telling the truth.”

At the end of the exhibition, Co Tham took me home. At the gate of the area, I saw a person sitting next to a flower bed. He stood up and walked towards the front of the car. Seeing Co Tham in the driver's seat, he looked at me in the passenger seat.

"To Niem, come down. I have something to say."

I opened the car door and got out.

"Don't talk here. Follow me."

“If you have anything, just say it here.”

He gritted his teeth.

"Okay. Let's talk here then."

He pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket and opened it for me to see. Is a definition real estate price, clearly stating apartment 1701 southern school district, value 21,500,000 yuan.

"Buying more than a month has increased 1,700,000 yuan. To Niem, you're good at choosing a house."

I said nothing.

"I came to tell you something. 20,000,000 yuan for you to use, of which 5,000,000 yuan is what I deserve."

I looked at him.

"What do you mean?"

"That 20,000,000 yuan was the dowry your father gave you when our families discussed getting married. We've been together for three years, we've set a wedding date, and your father made it clear in front of the whole family that it was money for the two of us. Now that you've unilaterally broken up, I have the right to take a portion."

“Tran Hao, that's what my dad gave me.”

"Your father said it's for the future couple, not for you alone. I asked a lawyer, even though we haven't registered the marriage yet, according to the division of assets when living together—"

“We have never lived together.”

He stopped. Yes, we have never lived together. For the past three years, everyone has lived in their own house, never living together. His face changed completely.

"That doesn't matter. I've spent three years on this relationship—"

“What did you spend?”

"Time! Emotion! Effort!"

"What you paid was a lie. The car loan was fake, the reason for borrowing the money was fake, even the motive for approaching me was fake."

His face was red.