Chapter 13 — After Notarizing 5 Houses, I Just Got Married

The lending platform, after viewing credit fluctuations and the court's public ruling, requested early repayment. 380,000 yuan, valid for one month. He couldn't pay. Trieu My Lan emptied her savings and collected eighty thousand. Tran Kien Quoc sold a piece of residential land in his hometown in exchange for sixty thousand. Tran Luong and Ton Tieu Vu didn't spend a penny—Ton Tieu Vu directly broke up with Tran Luong with the reason "your family is too complicated". The remaining shortfall is 24 lakh. Tran Hao found Chu Dinh to ask for money. Chu Dinh only said one sentence: "The money you gave me before was voluntary and had nothing to do with me. Furthermore, that 16 and a half thousand is what I deserved to receive." At this time, Tran Hao knew that Chu Dinh had colluded with me. He angrily smashed the phone. But that phone was bought in installments and hasn't been paid off yet. In addition to the fact that he falsified the contract and the court transferred the file to the police, he received a summons. Suspected of committing the crime of obstructing testimony. If convicted, the maximum could be up to 3 years in prison. After signing the report at the police station, the first thing he did when he walked out was call me.

“To Niem, are you determined to put me to death?”

"I'm not pushing you. It's because you choose your own steps."

"Can you withdraw the lawsuit? I know it's my fault—"

"Tran Hao, when you falsify evidence, you should think about the consequences. This is not my decision, but the law's."

“Couldn't you—”

“Impossible.”

"Stop looking for me. If you continue to harass me, the next thing you'll get is a no-contact order."

I hung up and blocked all of his Wechat and phone numbers. Then let out a long breath of relief. That night, I moved back to the pine dam apartment on Tan Giang street. I previously left this 160 square meter luxury apartment with a view overlooking the river empty. Now, it finally has its owner's breath. I stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling glass door for a long time. City lights spread out below. The phone alerted me to a text message, from my aunt.

“Are you done cleaning yet?”

“It's done.”

“Is there any food in the refrigerator?”

“It's empty.”

“Let me call someone to bring some things over there.”

Ten minutes later, the maid rang the doorbell, carrying three large bags of cooking ingredients.

“Miss To, President To told you to eat properly and not order outside food all the time.”

I looked at the refrigerator full of fresh vegetables and meat, my nose slightly swollen. I held back. After showering, I lay on the brand new big bed. The ceiling is very high, there is a draft outside the window. On the river there was a ship passing by, the sound of the ship's whistle echoed in the distance. This is the first night after my divorce. Peaceful and quiet. Only alone. Great. I officially joined the design department of Cam Hoa Group the third week after my divorce. She didn't arrange any special benefits—on the employee card it said “Design Director,” but below I had only two employees, the team had just been formed, everything was starting from scratch.

“Don't you dare open the back door for me.” She said on the first day I got the job, "Go take on projects yourself, make your own plans, negotiate with customers yourself. If you can't do it, change to someone else."

I know you're serious. To Nha Cam treats family members even more cruelly than outsiders. That's how she walked. The first project came very quickly. Practice Cam Hoa group has a boutique hotel in the old town that needs renovation by the end of the year. The original design plan was outsourced to a design company in Shanghai, but Party A (Cam Hoa's Cultural Tourism department) was not satisfied with the current plan and requested a new plan. She threw this opportunity to me.

"Give me two weeks, come up with a complete plan, including a presentation and 3D drawings. The General Director of Cultural Tourism is named Ha Chi Vien, it's not easy to talk to. Prepare yourself."

Two weeks, complete design for a hotel, from concept to implementation. I brought along two designers who had just graduated from college and worked overtime for 12 consecutive days. Day 13, the plan was completed. I boldly changed the design style. The old plan was the traditional New China style, safe but lackluster, leaving nothing in the mind. My plan retains the skeletal structure of the old town's architecture, but introduces a large amount of contemporary art elements in the interior space. Core concept: Not staying in a hotel, but living in a work of art. On the day of the presentation, Ha Chi Vien sat opposite me at the conference table, flipping through my PPT with an expressionless expression. After flipping, he raised his head.

“Director To, this plan—”

I was mentally prepared to be rejected.

“—much more interesting than the Shanghai company's plan.”

Then he smiled.

"Revise a few details, start construction next month. The budget given to you is less than eight million yuan (about 27 billion VND)."

When I walked out of the meeting room, my legs were weak. But his face showed nothing. Return to the office, close the door. I sat in the chair for three minutes. Then send her a message.

“It's over.”

She replied with a sticker. A cat gives a thumbs up.