Chapter 1 — After my engagement was canceled, I went to Shenzhen and lived the most brilliant version

The night before the marriage registration, Tran Duy said he had a crush on someone else. At that time, I was trying on the red dress I was about to wear tomorrow, one hand still on the side zipper. He didn't look at me.

“The company's new administrative head, Lam Duyet.”

I zipped up my dress. The dress fits very well. The person in the mirror still looks the same as usual.

“How long has it been?”

“Three months.”

I quietly calculated the opposite in my head. Three months ago, we were still choosing a wedding dress together. At that time, Tran Duy also criticized the white color as being too monotonous, telling me I should choose the one with a little champagne sparkle. I took off my dress, folded it and put it in a paper bag. Tran Duy raised his head and looked at me, as if waiting for some violent reaction. Cry bitterly, or go crazy and destroy things. But I didn't do anything.

“Then cancel tomorrow's registration.” I said.

He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he just nodded slightly. That night, Tran Duy slept in the living room, and I slept in the bedroom. I lay looking at the ceiling until four in the morning, then sat up and pulled out my suitcase, putting in two suitcases of clothes, three books and a laptop. The next morning, I sent an email to the company to resign, then bought a high-speed train ticket to Shenzhen. More than fourteen hundred days. Just like that it ended. When I pulled my suitcase out to the apartment gate, Tran Duy chased after me.

“To Niem, you don't have to go to this extent.”

“How?”

I didn't turn back.

"I mean... you can hate me, scold me, but you don't have to..."

“Tran Duy.”

I stopped walking and turned to look at him.

“You're not that important.”

He was stunned. The taxi just arrived. I got in the car and read the station address. Through the rearview mirror, Tran Duy was still standing in place, not moving at all. When I arrived in Shenzhen it was five o'clock in the afternoon. The summer sun still shines white in the sky. Heat rose from the road surface, suitcase wheels rolled across the hot asphalt. I rented a one-bedroom, one-living room apartment in a village in the middle of the city, the monthly rent was one thousand eight hundred yuan. No elevator, on the sixth floor. The room faces North, so the lights must be turned on during the day. This is my new life. During the first month, I almost didn't step out of the house. I live on my savings, sitting in front of the computer every day and drawing. No one knows that the illustration IP called "Niem Bach" was created by me. Since my third year of university, I have used this pseudonym to post paintings online. After four years, the account had accumulated three hundred thousand followers. Each year, brand royalties plus copyright income are about five to six hundred thousand yuan. Not too much, but enough to live on. Tran Duy never knew about this. He always thought I was just a graphic designer with a salary of 8,000 yuan a month, working overtime every day until ten o'clock at night. I also never explained. For four years, he often said:

“When I get promoted to director, you won't have to work so hard anymore.”

Looking back now, I just find it funny. By the second month, I started looking for a job. Not because of lack of money, but because I need a fixed rhythm of life. If I continue to live carelessly like this, sooner or later my whole body will collapse. I interviewed at three design companies, finally choosing a place called “Quan "The scale is not large, just over twenty employees, mainly designing brand images and product packaging. The staff asked me why I moved from the North to Shenzhen.

“Want to change living environment.”

She didn't ask further. On the first day of work, I was assigned to the packaging design group, the seat was in the corner. Next to me is a girl who talks a lot, named Chu Vi.

“Are you from Beijing?”

“Heartbroken, right?”

I turned to look at her. Chu Vi laughed.

“People can give up their Beijing household registration and move to rent a room in a village in the middle of Shenzhen. If they don't fall in love, they will probably cause trouble. You don't look like the type to cause trouble."

I couldn't help it, burst out laughing.

“Okay, okay, no more talking.”

She pushed a glass of milk tea towards me.

“This afternoon, I took you downstairs to eat beef noodles. Extremely delicious.”

Zhou Wei became my first friend in Shenzhen. The work is not difficult, even somewhat too simple. But I don't care. What I need is that simplicity. Working for the company during the day, returning home at night to paint my own paintings. Two parallel lives, without affecting each other. Until the third month, the company received a large customer. Skin care cosmetics brand "Thanh Tu" wants to upgrade its entire product packaging. When the director threw down the project request, the whole team immediately fell into a headache.

“This customer has a high budget, but the requirements are also extremely difficult to satisfy. They have changed three companies before and are still not satisfied.”

Chu Vi leaned closer and spoke to me in a low voice. I looked over the design request. To be honest, I can draw this style even with my eyes closed. Among the brands that have copyrighted cooperation with "Niem Bach", up to half are cosmetics. But I didn't speak up. The group leader asked each person to make a plan. I conveniently drew a copy. Standard, not too outstanding, no mistakes. After submitting the design, the creative director took a look and then pointed to my work.

“My version has the best foundation, but it's too safe. Be a little stronger.”

"I get it."