Chapter 15 — After Forgetting Your Husband

She put flowers in a glass vase and looked around: "This house finally has some people." Tue Tue ran out with a plate of fruit: "Auntie Tong, eat the tangerines." Tong Chieu pinched her cheek: "Why have you gotten so fat lately?" Tue Tue immediately covered her face: "You're not fat, you're growing taller." The house was filled with laughter. When the doorbell rang, the laughter stopped for a moment. I looked through the hole, it was Tham Duat Hanh. He held a small cake and stood very neatly, not daring to get too close to the door. Today is Tue Tue's birthday. I asked Tue Tue: "Do you want to meet?" She thought for a long time, nodded: "See you soon." I opened the door, but only left him standing outside. Tham Duat Hanh brought the cake: "Happy birthday." Tue Tue took it: "Thank you, Dad." His eyes turned red: "Dad, can you come inside and cut the cake with me?" Tue Tue looked back at me. I don't answer for her. The girl hugged the cake and whispered: "Not today, Aunt Tong is here, our family is about to eat." Tham Duat Hanh's fingers curled, but he nodded.

“Okay.”

Tue Tue thought, then took out a small piece of cookie from her pocket and gave it to him.

“This is for dad.”

He picked it up, as if he was picking up something extremely precious.

“Thank you, Dad.”

Before the door closed, I saw him standing in the hallway, looking down at the cookie, tears falling onto the transparent plastic wrapper. He didn't knock on the door. Don't call me either. Just stood there for a long time, then turned and went downstairs. Tue Tue put the cake on the table and placed the candles. A small fire lit up, the girl closed her eyes and clasped her hands to make a wish. I heard her whisper: "I hope you smile every day." Standing behind my child, the corners of my eyes burned. This time, the cake doesn't have to wait until the candles burn out. We blew it out together. 【Chapter 12】 Three months later, Tham Duat Hanh completely withdrew from the position of General Director of the Tham family group. When Tong Chieu showed me the news, I was braiding Tue Tue's hair. In the news, due to public pressure and internal management problems, the Tham family changed the manager. Tham Duat Hanh was transferred to fringe projects; Ha Tuyen was exposed for falsifying medical records, taking advantage of public opinion to play the victim, and had contracts canceled by a series of partners. My mother-in-law no longer appears in the Tham family's public events. After reading, I placed the phone screen face down on the table. Tue Tue asked: "Mom, is this news about dad?" I nodded: “Yes.” The little girl bowed her head and pinched her fingers: "Is Dad very pathetic?" I'm not in a hurry to answer. The sunlight outside the window shined on the top of her head, soft strands of hair reflecting a pale light. I said: "Dad, if you do something wrong, you have to pay the price. Bad or not, it's not our turn to worry." Tue Tue nodded: "So what should we eat today?" I laughed: “Eat wontons.” Life is like that, a bowl of hot soup, compared to retribution in that far away place, is more practical and closer to the human heart. At dusk, I took Tue Tue to the supermarket. When I returned, there was a figure standing in front of the gate of the dormitory. Tham Duat Hanh was wearing a dark coat, his body was much thinner, his chin had a green beard, and he was carrying a paper bag in his hand. Seeing us, he reflexively took a step forward, then stopped again. Tue Tue grasps cut off my hand. Seeing that action, his eyes softened.

"I'm not here to steal you."

He placed the paper bag on the bench next to him: "This is the Tue Tue drawing album that I forgot at home, with a few of your books." I replied: “Thank you.” He doesn't go. The wind blew, the dry leaves rubbed against the road surface and rolled away. Tham Duat Hanh looked at me, his voice very soft.

“Tri Chi, lately I keep dreaming about the past.”

I didn't speak up.