Chapter 18 — After Kicking the Medical Professor

“To prove I'm completely serious.” Tham Khinh Chu said, "You can ask someone to investigate me, I'm not afraid of investigation."

My father looked at the envelope, then looked at Tham Khinh Chu, then looked at me, his whole body seemed to have pressed the pause button. After a long while, he suddenly let out a deep sigh and leaned back on the sofa.

“This kid... has had opinions since childhood.” He pointed at me, "This love story is your own choice, I can't stop you. But uncle——"

He glared at Tham Khinh Chu, "If you dare to betray him, I don't care about your house or car, I won't leave you alone." Tham Khinh Chu smiled: "What if I betray you?"

“You broke my leg.” My father said cutting nails and cutting iron, "I fought with my own hands."

That evening, after dinner, I sent Tham Khinh Chu out the door. The autumn wind was cool, he took off his coat and put it on me, bowing his head to help me close the collar.

“Scared to death.” I told the truth, "The look in my father's eyes just now, I thought a murder was about to happen."

“He agreed.”

“Where did you hear that?”

"He said 'can't stop it', which means he agreed." Tham Khinh Chu finished adjusting my collar, put his hand on the back of my neck, gently caressed, "Your father has a snake and a Buddha's heart, just like you."

I tilted my head up to look at him, the streetlights cast long shadows of us, just like the first time he took me home.

“Tham Khinh Chu.”

“Yes.”

"We're officially dating now, right?"

“That's it.”

“So from now on, don't call me To Van Le anymore.”

He raised his eyebrows: "What is it called?" I deliberately thought for a moment, then smiled: "Call me baby (bao bao)." He was stunned, his ears started to turn red, then he leaned down and kissed my forehead, his voice warm and filled with laughter.

“Baby.”

I put my arms around his waist, burying my face in his coat. The smell of antiseptic mixed with the scent of cinnamon flowers is the most pleasant scent of this fall. My phone vibrated in my pocket, I took it out to see, it was a status Tham Khinh Chu had just posted on social networks. A photo. Bowl of tomato beef noodles at the noodle shop tonight, next to two pairs of chopsticks. The caption has only three words: "Can wait." I looked up at him, he was smiling down at me, his eyes curved.

“When did you take the picture?”

“While I was eating noodles.”

"Why do you keep taking pictures when I'm not paying attention?"

“Because when you are there, I only see you in my eyes.”

I stuffed the phone back into my pocket, buried my face back in his chest, my voice sad.

“Tham Khinh Chu.”

“Yes.”

“Don't run anymore from now on.”

His arms tightened, embracing my whole body.

“There's no use running,” He said, “I'll catch up.”

The leaves of the field corn fall all over the ground, the yellow street lights are warm, the wind is very cold but the hug is extremely warm. I stood on tiptoe and kissed him, right at the corner of his mouth, exactly the same place he kissed me that day. Then I heard him laugh lowly, lean closer and say——

“Baby, let's go home.”