Chapter 1 — 7 Year Marriage Isn't Real

On the day of our seventh wedding anniversary, I suddenly received a text message from the bank. Account balance fluctuates. Amount transferred: 1.2 billion yuan (≈ 4,380 billion). Before I could recover, the lawyer's phone call came.

"Hello Ms. Phuong, all procedures for notarizing the inheritance left by your grandmother have been completed. However... there is a problem."

He paused for a few seconds then slowly said:

"We looked up the marriage registration system, but couldn't find any information about the marriage between you and your husband."

"In other words, according to the law, you are currently still unmarried."

"Therefore, this entire inheritance will be in your name alone."

I was speechless, my hand tightening on the phone. His eyes slowly stopped at the wedding photo hanging in the middle of the living room. The man in the photo... At this moment is at another woman's house, happily choosing a name for their child with her. After the lawyer finished saying that sentence, I was silent for three seconds.

"Are you sure?"

The sound of flipping papers was heard on the other end of the line.

"Miss Phuong, we have verified three times. In the system of the Civil Affairs Department, there is no marriage registration record between you and Luc Can Nien."

I sat in the office, my fingers unconsciously twirling the ring on my ring finger. Seven years ago, the second day after the wedding. Luc Can Nien sat up from the bed, bent down and gently kissed my forehead.

"You should sleep a little longer. The marriage registration thing will let me go to work, so you don't have to run back and forth."

I curled up in the blanket and smiled, thinking I had married the best man in the world.

"So who is the person who registered his marriage?"

The lawyer hesitated again, as if considering his choice of words.

"Tong Dao."

I said nothing. The daughter of a part-time maid at Luc's old house. Since childhood, she has been running behind Luc Can Nien. Every time she met me, she always bowed her head and softly called out:

"Miss Phuong."

"The registration period was October 8, seven years ago." The lawyer said. "It's also the second day after your wedding."

The phone screen lights up. Luc Can Nien sent a message to:

"Wife, have dinner early tonight and wait for me. I'll buy you the necklace you've been talking about for a long time. As soon as I get off the plane, I'll stop by the company to take care of some things first."

I stared at that message, then opened my friends circle again. Two hours ago, Tong Dao posted a post. Attached photo is a first class window cover and a latte. The status line reads:

"First time flying long distance, quite comfortable."

I left the circle of friends and said into the phone:

"Lawyer, when can the inheritance procedure be done?"

"Anytime is fine. If it's convenient for you, come to the office tomorrow morning to sign and you're done. All assets will be transferred to your personal name, without any third party involvement."

"Okay. Tomorrow morning."

I hung up the phone, stood up and went out to the living room. This house is two hundred and sixty square meters wide, a high-floor apartment with a river view. Luc Can Nien bought it when he got married. He once said he would give me the best house in the city, so I could become the happiest woman. On the tea table was placed a bouquet of roses that had not yet wilted. It was the bouquet of flowers he asked his assistant to bring the other day. On the card was written: Miss you every day. I turned the card over. The back is blank. Nothing. Just like the bet this marriage. I don't wait for him to come home. I called a car to the airport. In the arrival hall, people passed by. I stood behind the pillar, wearing a mask. Twenty minutes later, he walked out. Luc Can Nien wears a long dark gray coat. His one meter eight seven body figure stands out too much in the crowd. Next to him is Tong Dao. She wore an ivory white turtleneck sweater, her hair was down, her whole body was clean and elegant, like a quiet white orchid. The two kept a half-step distance. Then, he stopped and reached out to help her tuck her wind-blown hair. The movements are very light, very natural. Like I've done countless times. Tong Dao raised her head to look at him, her eyes curved. He leaned down and kissed her forehead. I stood ten meters away, watching that scene. The location of that kiss was exactly the same as where he kissed me every morning before leaving the house. His phone lit up. He took it out, looked at it, locked the screen, and put it back in his pocket. Probably the message I sent ten minutes ago:

"Let me know when you get there."

He didn't answer. I turned around and left. Leaving the airport, the night wind blew into my collar, chilling me to the bone. The phone vibrates. It's a text message from an unknown number.

"The medicine bowl from seven years ago, have you ever checked the ingredients?"

I stopped on the side of the road, staring at that text. Seven years ago, wedding night. Luc Can Nien brought in a bowl of black medicine.

"My mother found an old Oriental medicine doctor who prescribed it, saying that drinking it is good for your health and makes it easier to get pregnant."

He gave me a spoonful to drink, then smiled and said: That bowl of medicine is very bitter. I frowned and swallowed. He immediately leaned over and kissed me, saying:

"If it's bitter, let me make it sweet for you."

I'm still not pregnant. For seven years. Eastern medicine, Western medicine, acupuncture, ovulation induction, I have tried all methods that can be tried. He never pushed me. Always say:

"No rush, having you is enough."

Now that I think about it, it's not like I wasn't in a hurry. But he didn't need me to get pregnant. Because another woman is already pregnant in my place. The next morning, I went to the lawyer's office. While signing the papers, lawyer Tran Tung opened each file in turn in front of me.

"This is Thinh Hoa Group under your grandmother's name, and currently has a market value of about forty billion yuan."

"These are three office buildings on Tung Giang Street, valued at about twelve billion yuan."

"And this is real estate and trust funds abroad, converted to about sixty billion yuan."

I calmly signed each part. The hand did not tremble.

"Miss Phuong." Tran Tung hesitated. "The total value of these assets exceeds one hundred billion yuan. Are you sure you want to complete all the transfer procedures within a week?"