Chapter 1 — After the Fire Ends, I Return

Three days before the wedding, my fiance canceled the wedding we spent three years preparing. His brothers were in an uproar.

"Are you crazy? Just because Lam Vi wanted to celebrate her birthday at the beach, you gave up the entire hotel wedding hall? Does Hua Duong know? On the wedding day, where did you tell her to have the party?"

"That's right, from the menu to the fresh flowers in the lobby, everything was prepared by Hua Duong, it's all her passion!"

Luc Canh Xuyen took a sip of wine, looking careless:

"She loved me so much. In the past, she almost lost half of her life because of saving the fire for me. Why did she pay any attention to the wedding party?"

"Besides, hasn't she always said that as long as she gets married to me, she can get married anywhere? It's just the right time to see if she's sincere."

I carried a box of hangover soup, stood outside the bedroom door, quietly turned around and left. On the day of the wedding procession, Luc Canh Xuyen's phone kept calling as if asking for his life.

"Hua Duong, where did you run off to? The whole family, big and small, is waiting for you!"

I looked at the familiar street scene outside the window.

“I completed the marriage registration a long time ago, and am at home.”

* That wedding, from choosing the color for the first tablecloth, took me three full years of dedication. However, just because of one sentence "I want to celebrate my birthday at Van Lan Hall" from Lam Vi, Luc Canh Xuyen canceled it, turning the place I prepared to marry him into her birthday party. I stood outside the door, the handle of the thermos box deeply dug into my palm. Tuong Hao - Luc Canh Xuyen's friend couldn't help but ask:

"Mr. Xuyen, you have to at least tell Ms. Duong about this, right? Canceling the wedding party is not canceling the food order. It's strange that when she comes back she feels like she's lost her place, so she doesn't risk her life with you."

Luc Canh Xuyen lost patience and slammed the wine glass on the table:

"Can you stop? If you open your mouth, it's Hua Duong, can I still let her suffer? At best, let's change to a smaller hall."

"But it's two people's wedding, how can it be the same? You're doing this a bit to hurt people."

Luc Canh Xuyen rotated the lighter in his hand twice:

“If she knew, she would cry and complain, asking one thing after another, where would I have the time to comfort her?”

"Anyway, she loves me to the core, can she break up with me because of this? Don't forget, the burn scar on her back is because of me. Giving up a hall is nothing."

The people next to me began to wink and tease:

"We understand Mr. Xuyen's thoughts. Isn't it all for Lam Vi's sister? The beauty opens her mouth, who can resist."

“Haha, in the past we bet Mr. Xuyen would eventually marry Lam Vi, childhood sweethearts, a match made in heaven.”

Luc Canh Xuyen slammed his wine glass on the table.

"Shut your mouths, Hua Duong can't hear this. If she makes a fuss, I won't forgive you."

Everyone laughed even louder.

"Okay, okay, no more talking. Mr. Xuyen is so awesome, he holds Hua Duong in the palm of his hand."

Luc Canh Xuyen's phone rang, the word "Vi Vi" appeared on the screen. The surroundings immediately fell silent, eyes focused on the phone.

“The master is here.”

Luc Canh Xuyen did not refute, his soft voice seemed to turn into another person. Wire head On the other side, Lam Vi's voice was gentle and pampering.

"Canh Xuyen, did you really book the Van Lan hall for me? I heard that there's not even a spot in line for that place for half a year."

"Yes, it's booked. On my birthday, that whole floor is mine."

"Does that bother Hua Duong too much? After all, it's your wedding hall."

"She doesn't care about these things. It's fine if you like it."

Lam Vi burst out laughing.

"You treat me so well. That day I will wear that silver dress and be the first to dance for you."

Luc Canh Xuyen smiled: "Okay, I'll wait." As soon as the phone hung up, my friends immediately gathered around.

"Covering the entire Van Lan hall, Mr. Xuyen is too cruel! Are you planning to let Lam Vi be the hostess before your wedding?"

Luc Canh Xuyen conveniently picked up the bottle of wine.

"Hua Duong and I are an old couple, she doesn't care about these things. Lam Vi is different, since she was a child she has been pampered by her family, and just returned home, we must give her some sense of belonging here."

Standing outside the door, my stomach felt like it had swallowed a handful of crushed ice. I had to taste the wedding menu seventeen times before finalizing it. That time, I said I wanted to change the cake table to the handmade candy counter, Luc Canh Xuyen's face immediately darkened:

"A candy stall for eight thousand yuan? Do you think money is blowing in the wind? Customers come to eat, not to see you show off."

After that, he chose the cheapest cupcake, and when he paid, he even said it was expensive. Turns out, it wasn't that he couldn't bear to spend money. It's just that his generosity will never be my turn. I carried the box of hangover soup and went downstairs. The lobby manager saw me and immediately stood up straight.

"Miss Hua, why are you back? Mr. Luc is still there."

I handed the thermos box to her: "Please bring it in for me." She took it and hesitantly asked: "Are fresh flowers for the wedding still delivered according to the old plan? The hotel received notice that Van Lan lobby has been changed to Ms. Lam's birthday party." I looked at the name tag on her chest.

“Manager Phuong, does your hotel need to sign the owner's signature to cancel the location?”

“Normally there must be confirmation from both sides.”

“So who confirmed it?”

Manager Phuong opened the history and his face changed.

"Mr. Luc said she agreed, and also asked his assistant to give her electronic confirmation."

I smiled: “I did not confirm.” Manager Phuong retracted the notebook a bit: "Miss Hua, this may be a misunderstanding."

“It's okay.”

I pulled out an old business card from my pocket and placed it on the reception desk.

"Don't worry about this for now. At nine o'clock tomorrow morning, I want to see all the records."

Manager Phuong clearly saw the seal on the business card, his hands shook, he almost dropped the thermos box.

“You are…”

I raised my eyes to look at her: "Don't ask." She immediately swallowed the words she was about to say. I walked out of the hotel, my phone popped up with a text message. Lam Vi just posted a circle of friends. A photo of the lights of Van Lan lobby. The status line reads: *It turns out that being biased can really be without restraint.* Luc Canh Xuyen was the first person to click like. I placed the phone on my knee, the driver looked at me in the rearview mirror.

"Miss, how about going to Hua's house?"

“No.”

“So where are you going?”

I read the address of a small apartment near the Civil Affairs Department. The driver was silent for a few seconds, then said softly: "The old lady mentioned you today. said that if you don't come back, she will personally come to the wedding party to welcome you."

“Tell grandma, no need to pick you up.”

I watched each streetlight recede behind the car window.

“I will go home on my own.”

* When I got back to the apartment, the living room light was still on. My best friend Khuong Van sat on the sofa, hugging my wedding dress, her face even more unsightly than mine.

“Where are you going? I made six phone calls already.”

I put my bag down at the door.

“Go give Luc Canh Xuyen hangover soup.”

Khuong Van threw the wedding dress straight onto the sofa.