Chapter 1 — A Retreat Called Love

After I was admitted to the hospital with a broken leg, my husband told the police to find someone: "Quickly go home and cook for my mother!", I turned around and filed an application. Before the plaster was finished, the phone vibrated non-stop. Fifty missed calls. It all comes from my husband. I thought he knew about it and was worried about my condition. So, I trembled and called back. Unexpectedly, as soon as the connection was made, a series of curses rang out on the other end of the line.

"Where have you been?"

"My mother has been waiting since morning and still hasn't had lunch!"

I was stunned. Then told him that my leg was broken and I was currently in the hospital. My response was just a faint laugh.

"A broken leg, not a broken arm."

"If I take the bus home, will it die?"

I won't say anything more. Quietly hung up. Ten minutes later. The hospital room door was pushed open. Two policemen entered. One person looked at me and said:

"May I ask, are you a family member who was just reported missing?"

I was stunned. He went on to say:

"Your husband reported to the police, saying that you ran away from home and did not take care of the elderly."

Hearing that... I burst out laughing. I broke my leg. The moment the bone moved out of position, a "crack" sound rang out very clearly in the ear. Immediately after that, the pain was so intense that I could barely breathe. Sweat soaked her bangs, stuck tightly to her face, both cold and itchy. The doctor is treating my wound. Every time the tip of the tweezers touched my skin, my whole body trembled with pain. The plaster was only halfway applied when the phone in my pocket began to vibrate continuously. The buzzing sound echoed in the quiet emergency room, sounding especially deafening. I don't have the strength to take out my phone. The doctor raised his head and looked at me then paused his movements.

"Didn't you answer the phone? It's been ringing for a long time."

I gasped, nodded slightly, and asked him to help me get the phone. The screen showed fifty missed calls. Not a single one was missed. All belong to Chu Nghi. I thought he couldn't contact me so I was impatiently looking for me. Even the feeling of self-pity over the pain subsided a bit. I trembled and dialed back. As soon as the phone was connected, the shouting immediately came.

"To Tinh! Where have you been?!"

Chu Nghi's voice roared through the receiver, making my ears ring. I opened my mouth to speak. But my throat was so dry that I almost lost my voice.

"My mother has been waiting since nine o'clock in the morning! She hasn't even had a lunch to eat!"

“Did you do it on purpose?”

“Did I say something to you yesterday that's why you're showing off your attitude towards me today?”

I lowered my head to look at the leg that was temporarily fixed. Blood mixed with antiseptic. It looks extremely difficult.

“Chu Nghi…”

I tried to gather the remaining strength.

“I... I broke my leg... I'm in the hospital....”

The other end of the line was silent for exactly one second. I thought he would ask what was wrong with me. Will ask which hospital I am in. But what awaited me was a cold laugh.

“Hmm, broken leg?”

The doubt and contempt in that voice was like a needle piercing my heart.

“A broken leg, not a broken arm.”

“Don't know how to call?”

“Don't you know how to take a taxi home?”

“Is the hospital that busy?”

"Your mother's blood pressure increased because you poked her!"

“If anything happens to you, I won't leave you alone!”

At that time, my heart was more painful than my broken leg. I no longer have the strength to argue. I'm not in the mood to explain anymore. Just quietly hung up. The entire emergency room fell silent again. The doctor who was treating my wound looked at me with eyes full of sympathy. He said nothing. Just silently speed up the movements with your hands. Finally, the plaster layer is finished. My whole leg felt heavy as if it were filled with lead. I lay on the makeshift hospital bed, looking up at the fluorescent light on the ceiling. The light was blindingly white. So spicy that my eyes wanted to cry. Ten minutes passed. It's only been ten minutes. The door to the emergency room was pushed open again. Two uniformed policemen entered.

"May I ask who is To Tinh?"

The older police officer spoke up, his eyes scanning the room. I raised my hand. The two of them walked straight to the hospital bed. The expression on his face was both serious and a bit reluctant.

“Hello.”

“We received news from your husband, Mr. Chu Nghi.”

“He said she ran away from home for no reason and refused to take care of the elderly.”

I lowered my head to look at the leg hanging high, covered with a thick layer of plaster. Then burst out laughing. The laughter was very soft. But my chest aches every time. I took out my phone. The screen is still bright. The call history is still there. The first line is the name Chu Nghi. I gave the phone to the older police officer.

“Please do me a favor.”

My voice was so calm that even I felt strange.

“Please call my husband back.”

The police officer paused slightly then took the phone. I looked straight into his eyes. Slowly say each word:

“Just tell him that…”

“Rice, I will never cook for his mother again in this life.”

“And this marriage…”

“There's no need to continue anymore.”

The older police officer looked at me for a few seconds. Perhaps he encountered many family problems. But his eyes looked at the plaster on my leg and then at the call history on the phone screen, his expression still slightly gloomy. He took the phone. Click call back. As soon as the bell rang, the other end of the line picked up. Chu Nghi's voice was full of frustration:

"To Tinh, do you still know how to call back?"

The police officer spoke up:

"Hello, I'm the local police officer."

The other end of the line immediately went silent. A moment later, a surprised voice rang out:

"A police officer?"

"That's right."

"Currently, my wife is being treated at the hospital for a broken leg."

"As for your report saying she ran away from home and didn't take care of the elderly..."

The police officer stopped for a moment.

"We confirm that information is not true."

The atmosphere in the hospital room was so quiet that you could clearly hear the sound of breathing. A moment later. Chu Nghi reluctantly said:

"Ah... that..."

"I didn't know she was really hurt."

The police officer looked at me and continued:

"One more thing."

"Your wife asked me to convey the message."

"This marriage does not need to continue anymore."