Chapter 20 — At the end of the week when I was fired, I made the 3.9 billion contract into waste paper

He leaned against the edge of the table, his voice very calm.

"You from seven years ago, can you hear me?"

I don't object. Seven years ago, I was too arrogant. Also too stubborn. At that time, if my father just said one word "go home", I would immediately feel that he looked down on me. If my mother even asked the question "Are you tired", I would feel like she wanted to advise me to give up. So I rarely go home. Rarely call. Rarely respond to messages. I use busy as an excuse, but actually I use busy to build a wall. Tham Nghien walked next to me.

"Do you remember the first year you entered Hoa Nhac?"

"After the Mau Thanh project, I worked overtime for three consecutive nights and then fainted in the office."

I stopped. I almost forgot about that. At that time, I was new to the profession and wanted to prove myself. I accepted every job and corrected every report to the very end. The last night, I had just finished sending the final appraisal when my eyes went black. Woke up at the hospital. I remember the person who took me to the hospital was a colleague in the team. I also remember that I only stayed on intravenous fluids for a few hours and then immediately returned to the company. Tham Nghien looked at me.

"That night, dad also went to the hospital."

I raised my head.

"He drove over very quickly, but did not enter the hospital room."

I looked at him, momentarily unable to say anything. Tham Nghien continued:

"He stood in the hallway for a long time. The doctor said I was just exhausted and not in danger of my life, so he left."

"Why..."

I want to ask why you don't come in. But halfway through the question, I stopped. Actually I know the answer. If then father comes in. I would definitely think you were coming to take me home. I will raise thorns. Will say harsh words. Will stubbornly prove that I don't need him. Tham Nghien says:

"Dad sat in the car all night that day."

"Are you following?"

"What did you say?"

Tham Nghien was silent for a moment. Then he replied in a low voice:

"He said, she looks too much like me."

I clenched my fingertips.

"You also said..."

Tham Nghien looked at me.

"If you force him to return, he will hate me for the rest of his life."

The whole office suddenly became strangely quiet. I bowed my head. Haven't spoken for a long time. Before, I always thought my father didn't keep me because he was disappointed in me. There was even a very long period of time when I deliberately didn't answer his phone calls, just to see if he would get angry or not, and would come to Hoa Nhac to drag me back. But he did nothing. He just stood very far away. So far away that I thought I was truly alone. Mom stood next to me, gently wiping the corners of her eyes.

"Your father is like that."

"He hasn't known how to say pleasant words all his life."

"When I'm worried about my children, I only know how to ask someone to watch from afar."

"When I miss my children, I just tell the servants to prepare more bowls and chopsticks."

"When I'm proud of my child, I just secretly frame the photo and hang it in my office."

I looked at those photo frames. Suddenly I felt that those seven years of solitude I thought were actually not as empty as I thought. It's just that father's love is too clumsy. So clumsy that if I didn't turn around, I probably wouldn't see it for the rest of my life. At that moment, a soft cough was heard in the hallway. My father has been standing at the door ever since. He was still wearing his home clothes. Maybe he was just about to go into the office, but he didn't expect to see us all here. My eyes and his met. In that moment, neither of them knew what to say. Finally, my father looked over Tham Nghien.

"It's late and you still haven't gone to bed?"

Tham Nghien is very aware of the times.

"I'll go now."

Mom also pulled his hand.

"Let's go, let's go."

Only me and my father were left in the office. He walked in, went to the table, and seemed to want to get some documents. I stood in front of the wall of photos, looking at his back. A long time later, I called: Your movements stopped. I want to say a lot. I wanted to ask him why he didn't say anything. I want to ask you if you have been very disappointed in me these years. I want to say sorry for not being home for so long. But as the words came to my lips, in the end there was only one very light sentence:

"These photos... did you save them all?"

My father did not turn around. His voice was still as stiff as before.

"It's convenient."

I looked at the wall of photos behind him. For seven years. It's so convenient that I don't miss a single promotion. There is no shortage of projects. Without missing a whole day, I held the cardboard box and left Hoa Nhac. I bowed my head and smiled. My father opened his desk drawer and took out a file. Perhaps because I was in a hurry, some of the documents next to me were pulled apart. A gray folder fell to the ground. I bent down and picked it up instinctively. But as soon as I saw the words on the cover, my hand suddenly stopped. It is clearly written on it:

"Hua Le Capital."

Below is also a smaller text.

"Investment review records, seven years ago."

I raised my head to look at my father.

"Why is there Hoa Nhac's file in Dad's office?"