Chapter 15 — After Seeing Through It, I No Longer Love You

"You've been brainwashed by someone, Ninh Ninh. Think about it. We've had so many memories for three years together. Just because of this small thing, you're turning away. Don't you think it's a pity?"

“Small matter?” I laughed, "I think it's a small thing... because it's my money."

"So what else, everyone wants to live better, your father is not poor, it's normal to take out a little to help our small family. You don't have to marry into a rich family, right?"

The way she spoke so lightly... made me suddenly feel tired to the bone.

“Auntie, I don't want to fight anymore.” I said softly, "This call is just to clarify my decision. You can tell Tu Ngang what happens next."

“No, give him the phone, I have to talk to him.”

“He's not here.” I replied, "I've already moved out."

The other side was silent for two seconds.

“Lin Ninh, don't take risks, where are you?”

“At my house.”

"Your house? Your parents' side?"

“Tien Duong Cong Quan.”

The other end of the line inhaled sharply, as if it was being strangled.

"You moved there alone? You plan to live alone in that house? So what do you think about Tieu Ngang?"

“He is your son.” I said calmly, "His future life is his own responsibility."

"What about you? When you say you turn over, you mean you turn over?" Her voice rose, "You promised before, you said you would stay with him for the rest of your life, now some things have gone away, don't you feel sorry for my family?"

“I'm sorry… to my previous self.” I said softly, "I'm hanging up, aunty."

I didn't give her a chance to say more and directly ended the call. Fingertips numb. I leaned my back against the ground-level glass door, closed my eyes, the sunlight shining in was a bit dazzling. The phone screen still stops at the call ending interface. A few seconds later, the phone vibrated again. It's Tu Ngang. I don't listen. The call came over and over again, like each beat tapping on a nerve. Dozens of missed calls passed, eventually turning into text messages.

“Ninh Ninh, what are you doing, why aren't you answering the phone?”

“Your mother said I talk very nervously?”

“Don't let her make you uncomfortable, she's just a bit blunt, she actually cares about you a lot.”

“Are you at Tien Duong Cong Quan?”

“You moved there yourself?”

“Can we talk?”

Message after message, the screen barely had time to stop. I looked at those words... my heart felt strangely calm. Compared to last night, I no longer fluctuate violently. Perhaps… this is the so-called “sober stage”. When the initial sharp pain passed, what remained... was a cold and clear numbness. I open the input box. Type each letter.

“Tu Ngang, let's break up.”

The other party immediately responded with a series of question marks.

“What are you doing?”

“Just because of one more name, do you need to go so far?”

“Are three years of love just a joke in your eyes?”

“Did you hear Han Tinh say something random again?”

I didn't answer right away, but directly pressed call back. This time, he picked up the phone immediately.

“What do you want to do anyway?” His voice was tight, full of frustration, "Early in the morning when I told your mother those words, she was so angry that she was about to get sick."

“Don't be so quick to blame me.” I said slowly, “I asked you something.”

“What?”

“Did you come home last night?”

“No, working overtime at the company, busy with projects these days.”

“So where is your phone?” I paused for a moment, “You there is an old machine, left at the apartment.”

The other side clearly paused for half a second.

“Ah, that broken machine, I forgot it when I got home from work, is there a problem?”

“My mother sent a few messages to that phone last night.” I kept my voice calm, “I saw part of it.”

The other end of the line was silent for a moment. Then there was an annoyed sigh.

“Ninh Ninh, how many times have I said that between two people who love each other, the most basic thing is trust. You still went through my phone, so what's there to say about the future?"

“You can say I'm wrong.” I nodded slightly, "But if I hadn't watched, I probably wouldn't have known for the rest of my life... in your and your mother's eyes, I'm the one who needs to be 'tightened', who needs to use the cold war to force my head down. It turns out that things like 'talking', 'returning the house', 'adding names'... were all planned behind the scenes."

“Don't listen to my mother's nonsense.” Tu Ngang quickly explained, "You're old, you talk a lot, but actually it's for the good of us."

“I even saw the chat between you and Chau Lam.”

The air on the other side seemed to freeze.

“What are you looking at again?” His voice showed a hint of guilt, “Do you understand about work? He and she are partners, going out to eat is a normal social interaction. People like her are used to receiving guests and talking jokingly, so don't think too much about it."

“I told her, just add your name to the house book… you'll be 'all right'.”

“That was a joke.”

"You say I'm just 'making trouble' right now. Give me a few more days and I'll find you myself, lower my attitude, and then talk about the terms."

"That's what my mother said. I don't care. You know that, how can I really be cold to you?"

"You said you have to slowly transfer my house money to you in the future, otherwise you'll feel bad."

“That… was just said during a chat, everyone sometimes says too much, look back at our chat, I also said I was stupid, I didn't take it to heart.”

“Tu Ngang.” I softly interrupted, "Is it true that until now... you never really considered me an independent person?"

“Are you starting to overdo it again?” He was annoyed, "My mother is like that, so you use a few chat lines as evidence? We've been together for so many years, and you just deny it all because of a few text messages? Don't you feel sorry for me?"

“So all these years… has anyone felt sorry for me?”