Chapter 17 — 58 Lakhs And His True Face

“As long as you know how to look at people, you'll be fine.”

“But don't dare to trust anyone else because of a few bad people.”

“So you will live a very tiring life.”

I thought for a moment then smiled.

“Don't worry, you're not that bad.”

“Just buy a car, buy a house, get married in the future…”

“I make all my own decisions.”

“No one can take their parents' money and make decisions for their children.”

"Right."

Mother's voice immediately regained vitality.

“If you still look for something like last time, I'll be the first person to disagree.”

“My father will not let others take advantage of him anymore.”

“We'll keep this money for you.”

“Do whatever you want.”

"Even if you don't get married in the future, you can keep it all for your old age."

Hanging up the phone, I lay looking at the ceiling and laughed for a long time. A feeling of relief that had not been there for a long time slowly rose in my heart. In the following days, life gradually returned to peace. Co Tu Hang's side is no longer proactive in contact. Occasionally he posts a few blurry photos online, with captions like "so tired", "life is like a play"... I no longer click to watch. There were a few times when he texted me in the middle of the night and I didn't see it until the morning. The content was just "you were also suffering at that time", "let's talk again"... I didn't answer. Sometimes I take screenshots and send them to my cousin to listen to his analysis from a legal perspective on this type of "whitewashing". Gradually, the messages became less. Then, maybe he understood... The door on my side was completely closed. His profile picture dropped to the bottom of the list, disappearing in a corner that I no longer turned to. At work, after that incident, the company tightened security. All important project documents are transferred to the new system, with clear decentralization to each level. I also formed a new habit. At each stage of completing the plan, I save the entire process, along with emails and meeting minutes, all neatly arranged. Not to warn anyone. It's to protect yourself. During that time, I occasionally met familiar faces downstairs in the building. Someone smiled and said hello.

“Hieu Ninh, your last proposal was okay.”

“I heard that during the meeting you even argued against the customer's request?”

Their eyes... were a little different from before. No longer "the young girl who gets the boss's attention". But a person who can handle work and handle pressure. One time, my boss stopped me in the hallway.

"The company has already evaluated the document leak issue last time, and I handled it quite well."

His voice was still calm.

“Remember later, ability and quality are equally important.”

“I also have to remind myself.”

I nodded.

“Thank you boss.”

At that moment, I suddenly realized— I was no longer the new employee who was always afraid of being fired. I have my position. Have your own say. Of course, no matter how good my job is, the thing my parents care about most... is still my marriage. One weekend, I returned to Tuong Duong. The hardware store sign in front of the house is old, the red letters are faded by the sun. Inside was still filled with tools, drills, wires, and the familiar smell of steel and motor oil. My father was introducing a new drilling machine to customers, and his eyes immediately lit up when he saw it.

“Are you back?”

He handed the job back to the staff and walked over to carry my luggage for me.

“Is the road blocked?”

“It's okay.”

I replied smiling. At dinner, the table was full of my favorite dishes. Braised meat, stir-fried lotus root, steamed eggs, and even a bowl of soup sweet shrimp. My mother criticized me for being a picky eater, but kept picking food into the bowl.

“Look at you, how skinny you are.”

“No matter how busy you are working outside, you have to eat well.”

Halfway through, the story still returns to love.

“Your colleague introduced that guy, what do you think?”

"Last time you said you were busy so you didn't come see me."

“People also have good intentions.”

"Are you free this weekend? Or let's go out for lunch tomorrow afternoon?"

I put down my chopsticks and wiped the corner of my mouth.

“Mom, I don't want to rush yet.”

“Don't look at marriage as something that has to be done.”

“I want to give myself more time.”

My father was peeling shrimp and did not interfere. Just glanced at me, then continued to peel each one very slowly. His hands were rough, but the shrimp peeled off cleanly, with no shells left. Mom was about to continue speaking when he coughed softly.

“It's your business, let it decide for itself.”

“My job is to prepare a way out for it.”

“Don't force it to move forward.”

I stopped and looked up at him. Rarely does he take my side in this matter. Mom glared at him.

“You always defend him.”

“I'm just worried about him being disadvantaged.”

“It's not easy for a girl to struggle outside alone, it's better to have someone trustworthy by her side.”

She sighed, then looked at me.

"Mom, don't force me to find someone."

“I just want to tell you one thing.”

“In the future, no matter who you meet…”

“Never use your parents' money as a measure.”

“If you really like that person and really find that person trustworthy…”

"Even though our family doesn't have many bride gifts, don't feel disadvantaged."

“And if you don't like it…”

“Even if we destroy the whole family, don't get married just for the sake of dignity.”

Speaking of this, her mother's voice choked.

“That day my father came home and didn't say a word all night.”

“The next morning, he went to the bank and withdrew fifty-eight thousand by himself.”

"Tell me that from now on, no one will touch you anymore."

“I know… he's heartbroken too.”

“But you still said…”

"As long as the daughter is not disadvantaged, leave the money there, you will feel secure when you see it."

My eye sockets heated up immediately. The light on the dining table dimmed slightly, I put down my chopsticks. I said softly.

“Parents can rest assured.”

“I will keep that money well.”

“In the future, no matter who I meet…”

“I won't let my parents be the ones to suffer anymore.”

"I won't bet on my parents' heart and soul."

My father raised his head and looked at me, the corner of his mouth curled up slightly.

“It's good to know that.”

He put the peeled shrimp into my bowl.

“A little refresher.”