Chapter 6 — After Divorce, I Am a Real Angel

The staff there must have been used to seeing couples resent each other, going through the procedures very mechanically, only at the end of handing over the divorce book did they say the customary sentence: "Wish you two go your separate ways in the future, peace." Each person goes their own way. I gently squeezed the small green notebook, feeling a bit dazed. Three years ago, at this same place, Pho Kinh Nghien signed his name expressionless, and I was so nervous that my palms were sweating and I couldn't hold the pen steady. When taking photos, he stood half a meter away from me, not like he was getting married but like he was kidnapped. Three years later, still this person, still this place, but have become strangers. Stepping out of the Civil Affairs Department, the sunlight was bright. Pho Kinh Nghien walked half a step ahead of me, his back straight, suit and leather shoes, still an arrogant Deputy General. He stopped walking, tilted his head and looked at me: "I told the driver to take you home."

“No need.” I walked around him, toward the sidewalk.

“To Nghien.” He called me back, his voice low, "Where are you? I should at least know where you went."

“Is it related to you?” I didn't turn my head, "Deputy President, we are divorced. Legally, we no longer have any relationship. It's my business, don't bother you."

“To Nghien!” He chased after me, grabbed my arm, "Do you have to be like this? Even though we're divorced, we..."

“What are we?” I turned around to look at him and smiled, "Pho Kinh Nghien, do you mean we can still be friends? Don't joke. In the past three years, we weren't even strangers, at most we had a master-servant relationship. Now the contract has expired, the servants don't work anymore, it's that simple."

His face turned gray, he grabbed my hand but refused to let go.

“Are you still angry about last night? Yes, I admit, I spoke a bit harshly back then, but that's…”

“That's because To Tuyet is there, right?” I said for him, "Because your white moonlight is there, you can't show concern for the 'maid', can't let her misunderstand, can't ruin the image of deep loyalty in her heart. Pho Kinh Nghien, you're so pitiful."

“What did you say?”

“I said you're pitiful.” I stared into his eyes, saying every word, "Loving someone to the point of deceiving yourself, clearly having her in your heart, you have to marry someone else. Marrying someone else, then lingering on and not forgetting, turning yourself into a farce. You know, for the past three years, every time I see you entertaining drunk guests, hugging me and calling 'Tuyet Nhi', I find you both pitiful and ridiculous."

Pho Kinh Nghien's face turned pale.

“What... what did you say?”

"I said, every time you get drunk, you think of me as Su Tuyet." I yanked my hand away, "Pho Kinh Nghien, I don't owe you. The To family owes you, I've used three years of my youth to pay it back. From now on, we don't owe anyone anything, each of us goes our separate ways - No, you don't have to be at peace, I hope you never get what you want, that's what you owe me."

After speaking, I turned and walked away. This time he didn't chase. I went to the sidewalk, hailed a taxi, pulled the door open and sat in. The moment the car rolled away, through the car window, I saw Pho Kinh Nghien still standing in place, unmoving like a statue. The sunlight shone on his body, but did not reach his dark eyes there. The driver asked me where I was going, I read the apartment address, then leaned back in the chair and closed my eyes. Tears finally fell, silently. To Nghien, don't cry. Because this kind of person is not worth it. I told myself in my heart, but my tears were like broken pearls, I couldn't stop them. After three years of self-pity, patience, and bitterness, the dike finally broke in this moment. The driver looked at me through the rearview mirror and quietly handed me a bag of tissues.

“Girl, are you heartbroken?”