Chapter 2 — After the Day You Betrayed, I Found Myself

Bend down and gently kiss my forehead. Still in a gentle voice as always:

"Your wife is truly the best."

I just curled my lips slightly. Don't say a word. I stared at his back walking into the kitchen for a long time. That back that was so familiar... Suddenly became strangely strange. I suddenly thought, three months ago, on the day he went to register his marriage... When he returned home, what kind of expression did he have? Was there ever even a little bit of guilt? Or does he still believe in his heart that... I will never find out. After eating, Chu Minh Hien walked out to the living room. Seeing the suitcase placed on the floor, he stopped.

"Are you on a business trip?"

I casually made up an excuse.

"The company suddenly sent me to Chengdu to work with a partner. Probably about a week."

"Chengdu?"

He frowned slightly.

"Why haven't you heard me mention it before?"

"I just decided, I didn't expect it."

I stood up and stretched.

"In the next few days, you can take care of your own food and water. I have some steamed dumplings in the refrigerator. Just boil them and you can eat them."

Chu Minh Hien did not ask further. He sat down on the sofa, picked up the remote, turned on the TV, and changed one channel to another. Looking at his calm appearance... I just felt tired and exhausted. I returned to the bedroom. Leaning back against the door, standing still for a long time. I barely slept. Tossing and turning until four in the morning, I finally decided to sit up, brush my teeth and wash my face. Before leaving home, I left Chu Minh Hien a piece of paper. Same every time. There is only one sentence on it:

"The porridge is in the pot."

When I dragged my suitcase downstairs, it wasn't quite dawn yet. The street lights still cast a pale yellow light. The whole apartment complex was so quiet that only the sound of suitcase wheels rolling on the ground could be heard. I put my luggage in the trunk of the car. Sit in the driver's seat. Start the engine. Set destination on map. As the car rolled out of the residential gate, I looked in the rearview mirror. The apartment building where Chu Minh Hien and I have lived together for two years... Gradually shrinks amid the morning mist. Until the car turns a corner. Everything completely disappeared. I lowered the window. The late autumn wind immediately rushed into the car. But it also makes my mind more alert than ever. The phone vibrates. It's a message from To Dao.

"Already departed?"

Immediately after that, she sent another link to share the location.

"Please tell me you're safe every two hours. Also turn on this location sharing, so I know where you are."

I put my phone down and glanced at the screen again. Chu Minh Hien... Still hasn't sent a single message. He's probably still sleeping right now. Wait until he wakes up and sees the note I left behind... Maybe he'll just think I'm going to work again like every other day. He had absolutely no idea... The girlfriend he betrayed was currently driving on the highway towards Chengdu. The SUV sped away at a speed of 120 kmh. The glass door opened wide. My hair was blown by the wind. I conveniently threw the phone into the passenger seat. Then step hard on the accelerator. The car rushed forward. The first day, I drove for nearly ten hours. From the west of the city, take the highway, go through Mien Duong and Duc Duong, and in the evening you will arrive in Chengdu. I booked a hostel near Cam Ly ancient town. Four-bed room for women. When I arrived, two girls were there The same room has not returned yet. I put my luggage away, washed my face, then sat by the window looking at the bustling people on the street. The bedsheets in the hostel are cotton fabric that has been washed to a faded color, with a slight scent of laundry detergent. The phone screen suddenly lit up. It's Chu Minh Hien's WeChat message.

"Are you there yet? Have you eaten yet?"

I looked at the message for a few seconds before replying:

"I'm here. Just checked in, ready to go out to eat something."

He immediately texted back:

"Okay, remember to pay attention to safety. Oh right, which supplier are you working with this time? Do you need me to ask if there is someone you know in Chengdu to support you?"

"No need. It's just a small project, I can handle it myself."

After sending the message, I turned off the phone screen, leaned against the window sill, quietly lost my mind. Out on the street, there were a few people holding up their phones to take pictures. Two rows of ginkgo trees dyed the whole road yellow. Heart-wrenchingly beautiful. I suddenly remembered... Three months ago. My birthday. That day, before leaving the house, Chu Minh Hien bent down to kiss me on the cheek. He smiled and said:

"I'll come home to celebrate your birthday with you tonight."

After work, I stopped by to buy cakes, bought more food, and cooked a full table myself. By eight o'clock in the evening. He texted:

"I'm still at the construction site."

Wait until nine o'clock. He said again:

"Almost done."

It was not until eleven o'clock at night that he returned. The whole person reeked of alcohol. He hugged me and apologized. Say that the customer keeps forcing him to drink a few drinks. The cake... Still not cut in the end. The entire table of food... All cold. He hugged me and kept apologizing.

"I'll make it up to you in two days."

Now I know. That day... He wasn't busy with work. He went to register his marriage. With another woman. At that moment, the two girls in the room also returned. A person with short hair. A person with a ponytail. Both are very young. The short-haired girl proactively started the conversation:

"Are you also traveling alone?"

I nodded.

"Great! So do we. We're going to Du Giang Yen tomorrow, will you come with us?"

I smiled and shook my head.

"I'm going west, up Xuyen Tay."

"Wow! You drive yourself? That's so cool!"

Chat with the two girls for a few words. My mood also lightened up a bit. Early the next morning, I checked out. Continue driving towards Khang Dinh. Leaving the inner city of Chengdu, just getting on the Nha An - Khang Dinh highway... The scenery on both sides of the road began to change. The mountains are getting higher and higher. Tunnel after tunnel. My ears occasionally ring because of the pressure change.