Chapter 7 — Change players in the final match

Giang Nghien Tu was stunned. Tham Tinh Ha smiled:

"Then it's settled, six o'clock, I'll wait."

Before running back to the field, he glanced at Giang Nghien Tu - that look was a bit of a warning. The second half begins. Giang Nghien Tu no longer looked at the field. He bowed his head, his hands clenched at his sides until they turned white.

“Do you have to be like that?” – His voice is hoarse.

“Right in front of you… agreeing to go out to eat with someone else?”

“It's not a date, it's a party.”

“What's different?” – He raised his head, eyes red –

“Lam Thu Nguyet, your father was in the ICU for three days, you had to sign the danger report twice.

Sleep less than four hours a day, but still have to smile at customers. I have tried my best until now, because there is only one thought in my mind... When everything is over, I will come find you." He choked up:

“But when I came... I saw you smiling with someone else.”

I felt my heart clench.

“Giang Nghien Tu,” – I spoke with difficulty –

“Pain is not a reason to hurt others.

You hurt, I know. But I also hurt... a lot, to the point of numbness." He shook his head:

"It's not the same... this time it's not the same..."

“Similar.” – I interrupted –

“Pain is pain, there is no high or low, no one is more pitiful than the other.”

The match ended in loud cheers. The Bach Khoa team won overwhelmingly. Tham Tinh Ha was thrown into the air by his teammates. From above, he waved at me, his bright smile blinding people. People gradually left the stands. Giang Nghien Tu still sat still, I didn't move either. It wasn't until the yard was nearly empty that he quietly said:

“The first thing my father said when he woke up was:

'Thu Nguyet... why didn't you come?'”

My tears, unable to hold back any longer, fell.

"You said we had an argument. He said: 'You rotten boy, you're bullying people again, aren't you?'"

Giang Nghien Tu laughed, even more unsightly than crying.

“Then he said… ‘That Thu Nguyet girl has a soft heart, if you take the time to apologize properly, she will forgive you.’”

He turned to look at me:

“Is what my dad said right? Will you… still forgive me?”

I did not answer. Because I don't know. I didn't go to Tham Tinh Ha's party. I returned to the dorm, turned off my phone, and lay in bed until it was completely dark. At nine o'clock in the evening, someone knocked on the door. As the dormitory manager:

"Friend Lam, someone is looking for you downstairs. I've been waiting for three hours."

I walked out the window. Under the streetlight, Giang Nghien Tu leaned against the wall, holding a bouquet of flowers in her hand - my favorite white tulip. When he saw me, he stood up straight. I went downstairs, the night wind was cold. He gave me flowers, but I didn't accept them.

“Why tulip?” – I asked.

“The flower shop said, the meaning of white tulips is…” He paused,

“‘Love was lost and found again.’”

“We don't have 'lost and found'.” – I said –

“We never had it.”

Giang Nghien Tu's hand holding the flower stiffened in mid-air.

“Twenty-two years, we feel like we're playing a game. Whoever speaks first loses.”

I looked at him.

"You're afraid of being rejected, and I'm afraid of being overlooked. We examine each other, hurt each other, thinking that time will tell us the answer."

I received the bouquet of flowers and gently placed it on the couch next to it.

“But time only proves that we are all too proud — so proud that we would rather lose it than bow down. head."

Giang Nghien Tu's tears finally fell. He squatted, holding his head, his shoulders shaking violently.

"I bowed my head... I bowed my head..."

He cried so much that his speech became confused,

“Thu Nguyet, what do you want me to do? Kneel down and beg me? Could you… really could…”

I also sat down, looking at his eye level.

“Giang Nghien Tu, what I need is not for you to kneel.”

I said softly,

“I need you to stand up straight and love me with dignity. It's not about blocking you, it's not about trying to please, it's not about making you jealous."

He raised his face wet with tears.

“Can you do it?” – I asked –

“While you still have to take care of your father, take over the company, face all the pressure... can you still love me well?”

He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. I know the answer. I can't do it. At least, it can't be done now. Love needs energy, and his energy has been exhausted. I stood up:

“Wait until your father recovers, wait until you've sorted yourself out, if you still like me then—”

“I will always like you!” – He said hastily –

“My whole life I only like you!”

“Then… when the time comes, let's talk.” – I replied –

“For now, let's take good care of ourselves first.”

I turned around to leave, but he pulled my shirt.

“One last sentence.” – His voice cracked –

“If I change… really change… will you wait for me?”

I did not answer. Because at that exact moment, the blood-red text appeared: 【If you agree now, you will enter an infinite loop.】 【Female protagonist, move on, don't turn around.】 I removed his hand, finger by finger.

“Giang Nghien Tu,” – I said –

“We should all grow up.”

4

The day Giang's father passed away, there was a heavy rain. I was looking up documents in the library when I received a text message from Tran Mac, just two words:

“It's okay.”

The heart that hung in the air for a week finally let go. I leaned back in the chair, looking at the world outside the window being washed away by the rain, and suddenly felt those mixed emotions fade a bit. The phone vibrates again. Tham Tinh Ha message:

"It's raining so hard, can I come pick you up?"

“No need, I brought an umbrella.”

“The exhibition has been rescheduled, the organizers said next week. But…”

He attached a photo — it's the window of a cafe in a museum of fine arts.

“This place is empty today, do you want to come over to avoid the rain? By the way, let's talk about your project."

In the photo, rainwater flows down the glass frame, outside are rows of wet corn. Very quiet. Very suitable for chatting. I hesitated for three seconds:

“Okay.”

When I arrived, Tham Tinh Ha was there. He sat next to the window, with several architectural magazines in front of him. When he saw me, he waved his hand.

"I'm bothering you, I have to go out." – I put the umbrella at the door.

“Don't mind.” – He pushed over a cup of hot cocoa –

“I saw you posting around your friends saying they liked this.”