Chapter 21 — After Divorce, We Learn to Love Again

"Uncle Trieu."

"What my son got today..."

"Half is thanks to the dowry and my connections in exchange."

"If you're not grateful, that's fine."

"At least..."

"Don't poison the person who saved your family."

Trieu Ngoc Lan's arm hangs down. I walked past her. Never looked back. At the foot of the steps. A black car quietly parked there. The car window is lowered halfway. Revealing the eyes that I was so familiar with. Co Tram Chu sat in the back row. Quietly look at me. Finally... I still came. Do not enter the courtroom. I passed by the car. Don't stop.

"Khuong Niem."

He called me. I stopped walking.

"My mother's story..."

"How are you going to handle it?"

"All the assets were in her name but were funded by me, so I froze them."

"From now on..."

"Her income is only her pension and a little savings accumulated from before."

"Enough for her to live a decent life."

"But not enough..."

"To continue to make waves."

I looked at him.

"Aren't you afraid she hates you?"

He calmly replied.

"Does she hate you or not..."

"It's not important."

"As long as she can't hurt you and the children anymore."

I turned around to look at him. The sunlight behind him shined. Surrounding his figure was a pale yellow halo. He is thinner than a year ago. Dark circles under my eyes... Even darker than mine.

"Thank you..."

"For submitting that evidence."

He gently shook his head.

"No need to thank me."

"That's what you should do."

I pursed my lips.

"You can also choose not to do it."

"Protect your mother..."

"It's obviously more beneficial for you."

He looked at me. The voice is very light.

"You and the children..."

"More important than her."

I bit my lip slightly. It took a while to speak up.

"When will we return to Tinh City..."

"Let me know."

I got into the taxi I called in advance. When closing the car door. Through the rearview mirror. I still see your car parked in the same spot. Didn't move at all. The car drove very far. I slowly withdrew my gaze. The phone screen lights up. It's the photo Aunt Chu just sent. An An and Lac Lac are "fighting" on the bed. Lac Lac grabbed her sister's hair and laughed. An An frowned, her small face full of impatience. I laughed. Then put the phone in your pocket. Don't look back anymore. After returning to Tinh city. I started to speed up. Niem An Logistics needs more and larger warehouses. Need more shipping routes. A more professional customs declaration team is also needed. Based on the network of relationships in Southeast Asian seaports that my father introduced, in just three months, I successfully negotiated four new logistics routes. Connect with Vietnam. And the Philippines. Revenue doubled. By the end of the second year. Niem An Logistics' annual revenue officially exceeded one hundred million yuan. I went from renting an office... to buying a building for my headquarters. Personnel also increased from twenty-eight people... Developed to one hundred and twenty people. The business no longer stops at cross-border e-commerce logistics. Which extends to supply chain management. A famous financial magazine in Tinh City published a special issue about me. The title is:

"Heir to the Maritime Clan: Khuong Niem's Declaration of Independence."

I did not accept the interview. The photo on the cover... Is because they secretly took pictures. That day I was standing at the port supervising the packing of containers. Wear a helmet on your head. People wearing reflective clothing. Behind is a container crane arm more than thirty meters high. Very authentic. Co Tram Chu's visitation rights are still implemented according to the agreement. He flew to Tinh City twice. Each stay is two days. An An and Lac Lac are now one and a half years old. Know how to call "mom". An An called her first "mom" when she was only eleven months old. Lac Lac first called "daddy" at one year and two months old. Co Tram Chu was sitting feeding Lac Lac with mashed apples. Lac Lac opened his mouth to eat a spoonful. Then she raised her head and looked at him. Obviously called twice. The spoon in Co Tram Chu's hand fell to the floor. I pretended not to see. Quietly go to the kitchen to get a towel. Until you come back. He bent down to pick up the spoon. I looked at him.

"I called you."

His voice was noticeably hoarse. Since that day. Every time I see Co Tram Chu. Lac Lac all trotted over. While running, he called: Only An An did not call. She always calls Co Tram Chu... I don't know who she learned from. Every time I hear that name. Co Tram Chu kept a calm expression. But the tip of the ear... turned red again. I can see it. He really tried his best. Every time comes. Bring the toys and picture books most suitable for the ages of the two children. I remember An An doesn't like stuffed animals. I just like doing puzzles. He remembers Lac Lac being very afraid of bathing. Every time you take a bath, you must let the yellow duck swim exactly three times in the basin first before it will enter the water. He also remembers An An always having to hug an old towel when going to bed. That was the towel Aunt Chu used to wrap her baby in from the moment he was born. Has been washed countless times. So soft... Almost transparent. I remember everything. But every time he left, An An would stand by the window and watch his car disappear, then turn around and ask me:

"Mom, who is that uncle?"

"That's three children."

"What is dad?"

I squatted down and looked straight into my child's eyes. His eyes look exactly like Co Tram Chu.

"Dad is... the person who really wants to see you, but can't be with you forever."

An An tilted her head to think for a moment.

"Like the delivery guy, mom?"

I laughed.

"Almost the same."

On the occasion of the third anniversary of the establishment of Niem An Logistics, I organized a small-scale partner appreciation party at the Tinh City Port Authority building. The party was not too solemn, with only about fifty guests, all of whom were former cooperating customers, port managers and colleagues in the logistics industry. That day I wore a champagne-colored vest dress. That was the first time since leaving the Co family's house that I wore a formal outfit. Three years ago, a woman holding her child sat eating a boxed lunch in a warehouse. Three years later, it was still the same woman, standing in front of the presentation screen, calmly reporting the company's performance results.