Chapter 2 — Dear Wife, Do You Remember Me?

The boy was a head taller than the girl. The girl was holding on to the boy's shirt, smiling widely. It's me. It's you.

“Where did you get this photo?”

"My mother took the photo. I brought it with me when I moved house."

“Did you save it in your phone too?”

“Yes.”

“How long has it been saved?”

"Since I got a smartphone, I've saved it."

I returned the phone to him, not knowing what to say. Silence for about ten seconds.

“All these years you…” I considered my words, “Still not married?”

“Not yet.”

“Why?”

He didn't answer, just looked at me and smiled. That smile made me feel uncomfortable. I bowed my head and poked at the salad plate. Heart beats very fast. Not because of stress. But because I suddenly realized something. Nineteen years ago. You remember my name. Save my photos. Recognized me in the first second of the interview. As for me—— I've completely forgotten what your face looks like. This meal I sat as if sitting on a fire. 03 Next Monday, I go to work on time. The Administration Office is on the seventeenth floor, Chu Dien's office is on the twenty-third floor. Six floors apart, I breathed a sigh of relief. As a result, on the first day of work, he came down here three times. The first time, I used the excuse to find the Administrative Director to sign the papers. After signing, he didn't leave immediately. He stood in front of my desk for two minutes and then asked: "Is the seat comfortable?" I said comfortable. He nodded: "Good", then left. The second time, the excuse was to deliver documents. Duong Duong is the Deputy General Director of the company, and personally delivers documents to the Administration Department. Everyone in the room looked at him, then back at me. He placed the documents on my desk: "You'll handle this." I said yes. He stood again for another minute.

“Are you eating in the cafeteria or going out this afternoon?”

“Canteen.”

“Okay, I'll go down to the cafeteria too.”

The third time, four o'clock in the afternoon. He walked in carrying a cup of coffee and placed it on my table.

“You look tired in the afternoon.”

I looked at the coffee cup, then looked at the staring eyes of my surrounding colleagues.

“Mr. Chu, can you——”

“Call me brother.”

“…Can you stop wandering around our room forever?”

“Why?”

“Bad influence.”

He bent down, leaned a little closer, lowered his voice:

"What's the bad influence? Is there anything bad about visiting your wife?"

I almost threw a cup of coffee in his face.

“If you say that again, I'll really leave.”

He stood up straight, smiled and raised his hands in surrender: "Okay, okay, no more talking." Turn back and walk away. At the door, he turned back: "I'll take you home tonight."

“No need——”

“Refused to be void.”

The door closes. The colleague at the next table leaned in close.

"Miss Niem, that's Mr. Chu, right?"

“Yes.”

“Is he… paying attention to you?”

“No, we're just old neighbors.”

“Your old neighbor calls you his wife?”

“…I heard wrong.”

“I didn't hear you wrong.”

“You heard wrong.”

Seeing my unhappy face, the little girl immediately withdrew her neck. As soon as it was time to get off work, I packed my things and went straight to the elevator. The elevator door opened and Chu Dien was leaning back inside.

“What a coincidence.”

“…How long have you been standing here waiting?”

“Ten minutes.”

“Don't you need to work?”

“I'm the boss, I tell you what time to get off work, what time do you get off.”

The elevator goes down to the first floor. His car was parked right in front of the door, a black car, very big.

“Get in the car.”

“I take the subway.”

"My house is in the East area, change two trains plus a bus, it takes an hour and a half. I'll take you home in forty minutes."

“How do you know my house is in the East area?”

“It says so on my CV.”

I stood next to the car, not moving.

“To Niem.” He opened the passenger door, "Stop being stubborn."

I got in the car. All the way he didn't tease any more. Just talking about work—the company structure, the responsibilities of the Administration department, and who my direct boss is.