Chapter 1 — After Divorce, Husband Prays to Donate Marrow for New Love

The phone rang for the 35th time, I was standing on Sanya beach, at my feet was the smooth white sand, in front of me was the blue sea. The phone in my bag vibrated frantically, as if it wanted to jump out. I bowed my head to look at the caller ID. Luc Dien. My ex-husband. The ex-husband just signed the divorce papers at the Civil Affairs Department three days ago. I clicked decline. The phone was silent for three seconds, then the 36th call came again. I picked up the phone.

“To Niem, where are you?”

His voice was urgent, carrying a panic I had never heard before. We were married for three years, and he always remained calm and calm. Even when signing the divorce papers, his hands didn't shake a beat.

“Sanya.”

"Are you crazy? You have to go home immediately."

I laughed: "Luc Dien, we are divorced."

"Something happened to Chau Dao."

Chau Dao. Hearing this name, the sea breeze suddenly became cold. Chau Dao was my college roommate, my best friend, and also the reason for my divorce.

“What is wrong with her?”

“She needs a bone marrow transplant.” Luc Dien paused for a moment, "The blood test results are out, the entire national bone marrow bank couldn't find anyone suitable."

I suddenly understood why he made 36 phone calls.

“You told me to donate bone marrow to her?”

The other end of the line was silent for two seconds.

“To Niem, I know this request is too much. But she will really die.”

I stood by the beach, barefoot stepping on the sea-soaked sand, pressing the phone to my ear, listening to the breathing of the man three thousand kilometers away from me.

“Luc Dien, do you know what the funniest thing is?”

“What is it?”

“You called 36 calls, not because you regretted divorcing me, not because you missed me, but because your new girlfriend needed my bone marrow.”

I hung up the phone. Turn off the power. Throw your phone in your beach bag. I stood in front of the ocean for a long time. Each wave rolled up, submerged past my ankles, then receded. The phone was turned off, but I felt like it was still vibrating. Probably an illusion. After three years of marriage, Luc Dien has never called me so many times. When pursuing Chau Dao, he was very active, posting eight statuses on social networks a day. I bent over and took out another phone from my pocket. That's right, I have two phones. In this phone's contacts, there is no Luc Dien, no Chau Dao, no one in the To family. I dialed a series of numbers.

“Miss Lam.”

“Too.” The other end of the phone picked up the phone very quickly, with a decisive tone, "How is Tam A's side?"

“Very good, very delicious seafood.”

"You really feel at ease. The Department of General's investment intention is still waiting for you to sign, and the Van Linh land valuation report is already available today..."

“Just leave it there.” I interrupted her, "Help me investigate something."

“Say it.”

"Bac Thanh Hospital, recently there was a patient who needed a bone marrow transplant named Chau Dao. Help me investigate her medical history."

Ms. Lam stopped for a second: "Chau Dao? Is that Chau Dao?"

“Yes.”

“I understand.”

I hung up the phone and put this phone away. Staying at the Sanya hotel until noon the next day, I checked out and bought a plane ticket for the afternoon flight. Not because of Luc Dien's 36 phone calls. It's because there is a necessary business deal about resolution. When the plane landed in Bac Thanh, it was seven o'clock in the evening. As soon as we exited the arrival hall, a black Maybach was parked at the door to welcome passengers. Ms. Lam stood next to the car door, wearing a black vest, holding a file of documents.

“Too.”

I got in the car.

“Has Chau Dao's medical record been obtained yet?”

“Got it.” Ms. Lam handed me the documents, "Acute bone marrow failure anemia, indeed needs a bone marrow transplant. Currently hospitalized at the hematology department of Bac Thanh hospital, the main treating doctor is Vuong Kien Quoc."

I flipped through two pages.

“How compatible are the results?”

"The national bone marrow bank does not have a suitable donor. But on the report there is a column that says 'Recommended testing of family members'."

I closed the document.

“That's interesting.”

“General To, I don't really intend to…”

"I'm planning to go back to the company for a meeting. It's not urgent about Chau Dao."

The car drove through the night of Bac Thanh, stopping in front of an office building located in the central CBD. The 46th floor is brightly lit. This building is mine. I changed into a pair of high heels in the elevator and smoothed my hair. When the elevator door opened, all employees in the office area stood up.

“Hello, General To.”

I nodded and went straight to the innermost office. Ms. Lam followed behind and closed the door.

“Van Linh's report.” She placed a thick file of documents on the table, "The land is valued at 1.2 billion, 30% lower than expected."

“Who is the price gouger?”

“So Thi Group.”

I turned over the report: "What is the Department of Thua Vien doing?"

"Not sure. But recently he has been very close to Luc Thi."

My hand that was flipping through the documents stopped.

"Luc Thi? Luc Dien's Luc family?"

"That's right. Last month, Luc Dien's father became a general bidding partner in So Thi's new project."

I leaned back in the chair. After three days of divorce, the Luc family and I no longer had any relationship. But in the marketplace, we never talk about those kinds of relationships.

“Help me arrange a trip to So Thua Vien tomorrow afternoon.”

"Yes. There's one more thing..." Ms. Lam hesitated, "My mother called the company."

I looked at her.

“What did she say?”

"Tell me to come home to eat. Besides, at my uncle's house... Cousin To Uyen's wedding has already been arranged, on the 12th of next month, invite everyone."

I picked up the pen on the table and signed my name on the cover page of the Van Linh report.

"Answer my mother, it's okay to eat. As for To Uyen's wedding, don't go."

“Understood.”

Ms. Lam walked to the door, then turned back.

"Too, there's something I don't know if I should say it or not."

“Say it.”

"About her divorce, the Luc family has still kept it a secret and has not made it public. Outside, people still think that the two of them have not divorced. Luc Dien seems to have the intention..."

“It doesn't matter what he means.” I put down my pen, "My opinion is what matters."

That night I stayed at the company until eleven o'clock. After the meeting, I returned to the apartment, took a shower, and lay in bed. Turn off the lights, outside the window are the lights of thousands of houses in Bac Thanh. Floor 63, taking in half the city in sight. The phone rang once. It's a WeChat message. Luc Dien sent.

"Nien Niem, I know you've returned to Bac Thanh. Can we meet tomorrow for a while? It's not about Chau Dao."

I stared at the words "Nim Niem" for a full ten seconds. After three years of marriage, he called me To Niem. After three days of divorce, he called me Niem Niem. I don't answer. Put the phone down next to the pillow, close your eyes. Early the next morning, Ms. Lam's phone call came on time.

"General To, the secretary of the Department of Thua Vien has reported back, at three o'clock in the afternoon at his company. In addition, there is a new situation at Bac Thanh hospital."

“What is the situation?”

“This morning Luc Dien went to the hospital and even brought reporters.”

“Reporter?”

"It seems like they want to create public opinion. Using the angle of 'the ex-wife refused to save her life' to do the article."

I stood up and poured a glass of water.

“Is his brain damaged?”

"It may be Chau Dao's intention. Her social network account has more than eight hundred thousand followers. Yesterday she posted a status line saying 'there is someone who can save me but doesn't want to', the comment section has exploded."

I took a sip of water, put the cup down.

“Tell the legal department to prepare a notice. Don't distribute it yet, just keep it there.”

“Yes.”

“Also, the reporter you mentioned, investigate which newsroom it belongs to.”

"Already investigated. Intern at Bac Thanh Daily, named Phuong Nhat Minh. Studying in the same university course as Luc Dien."

“Personal relationship.”

“That's right.”

I changed my clothes and went out. Before three o'clock in the afternoon, I went to the bank. Not an ordinary bank. This is the VIP room of Thuy Hoa Bac Thanh Private Bank. The person who received me was the bank director himself.

“General Su, capital for the Van Linh project is ready and can be disbursed at any time.”

“Wait.” I sat down, "Help me look up Luc Thi Real Estate's recent loan documents."

The director was a bit stunned: "President To, this..."

“I know there are rules.” I looked at him, “I don't need specific numbers, just some information: Have they had any large loans due recently?”

The director was silent for five seconds.

“General To, I can only tell you that Luc Thi Real Estate's recent financial situation... is not very stable.”

That's enough. I stood up: "Thank you." At exactly three o'clock in the afternoon, I appeared on the 40th floor of So Thi Group. The receptionist looked at me.

“May I ask, have you made an appointment yet?”

Ms. Lam showed her business card. The receptionist saw the words on the business card and his face immediately changed.

“To... President To, please wait a moment, I will notify the General Department immediately.”

The office of Thua Vien Department is located on the top floor. Panoramic ground-level glass doors can see the most valuable river section in the North. He was standing in front of the window, when he heard the door open he turned around. The man is in his forties, wearing a gray tailored suit and a modestly designed Patek Philippe.

“To Niem.” He smiled, "Admired for a long time."

“The General Department is being polite.”

“Please sit down.”

I sat down on the sofa, Ms. Lam stood behind me.

“Van Linh land area, is the General Department very interested?”

“I won't hide anything from you, I must get it.” He poured me a cup of tea, "But I heard that President To is also aiming for that land."

“Already on target.”

“That's interesting.” So Thua Vien sat down opposite, crossed his legs, "Do you know who my recent partner is, Mr. Su?"

“Luc Thi Real Estate.”

“Yes.” He raised the teacup, "The relationship between the Luc family and you..."

“There is no relationship at all.”

So Thua Vien raised his eyebrows.

"Is President Su so decisive?"

"Luc Dien and I are divorced, Mr. So. In the business world, we only talk about benefits, no talk about old people."

“Okay.” He put down the teacup and leaned forward slightly, "Then I'll be frank. For Van Linh land, the Luc family offered 800 million, plus the right to cooperate and develop in the future. How much will Mr. To set the price?"

“1.2 billion.”

So Thua Vien's hand holding the cup of tea paused.

“Is President To being so generous?”

“That land is worth that much.” I looked at him, "Besides, Mr. So, what I spent was not just money."

“Oh?”

“So Thi Group plans to list on the stock exchange next year, right?”

His face changed.

"General Su's information is really sharp."

“I can help the Department introduce someone. Trieu Pengfei of Capital Huasheng.”

So Thua Vien put his foot down. Hoa Thinh Capital is the largest private investment fund in Bac Thanh. Trieu Bang Phi is the managing partner, holding a fund of twenty billion yuan.

“President To is familiar with Trieu Bang Phi?”

I took my phone out of my pocket and scrolled to find a photo we took together. The photo was taken at a private dinner party in Shanghai last month. Me, Trieu Bang Phi and two industry tycoons. So Thua Vien looked at that photo for a full five seconds.

“General To,” He stood up, “Happy cooperation.”

When I walked out of So Thi, it was already five o'clock in the afternoon. It's about to get dark, the office buildings in Bac Thanh turn on their lights. Ms. Lam reported in the car: "Mr. Su, Luc Dien's reporter's article has been written and is ready to be published tomorrow."

“What angle?”

“‘The ex-wife found it impossible to save her, tested for bone marrow compatibility but refused to donate.’ Accompanied by a photo of Chau Dao lying on a hospital bed, looking pitifully emaciated.”

“Compatibility test?” I turned my head, “Who said I was compatible?”

“They figure it out for themselves. It's said to be based on a certain blood relationship between you and Chau Dao..."

“Wait.” I interrupted, “What blood relationship?”

Ms. Lam scrolled through notes on her phone.

“I just discovered this today. President Su, maybe you don't know... Chau Dao's mother and your mother were former colleagues."

“I know this.”

“But there is another layer of relationship.” Ms. Lam lowered her voice, "Chau Dao's father is Chau Quoc Luong. Thirty years ago, when doing business in the South, he cooperated with my eldest uncle's family. I haven't looked up the specifics of the cooperation yet."

I leaned back in the car seat and closed my eyes. Chau Dao. I thought she just stole my husband as simply as that.

“Continue to investigate.” I opened my eyes, “Especially that blood relationship part.”

“Understood.”

"Also, that article by Luc Dien, let him post it."

“Don't block it?”

“Do not block.”

Ms. Lam looked at me and didn't ask anything else. At eight o'clock in the evening, I went to my mother's house to have dinner. My mother lives in an old dormitory in Bac Thanh. The house has three bedrooms and a living room. The interior is still in the style of more than ten years ago, with white walls and blue curtains. In the living room, there is a square, old TV. She was busy in the kitchen when she heard the door open and immediately came out without even taking off her apron.

“Are you back? Get skinny. What do you eat in Sanya?”

“Seafood.”

“What nutrition does seafood have? Come here, sit down, mom is already stewing rib soup."

At the dining table there were only the two of us. My father passed away five years ago. My mother lives here alone and refuses to move, saying she's used to it. I bought her a house Spacious luxury apartment in the CBD. She came to check it out once and then complained of dizziness, it was too high.

“Mom, Luc Dien and I are divorced.”

Her chopsticks picked up the food and paused for a moment, then continued to pick it up and put it in my bowl.

“I know.”

“Mom knows?”

"My mother-in-law called me last month. She said it was my fault, told me I didn't take care of the housework and just ran out all day."