Chapter 12 — Eight Stolen Years

Halfway through the bowl, the phone rang. It's Tham Nguyet. I pressed listen, turned on the speaker and placed it on the table. On the other end of the line was her screams of both panic and madness:

"Chu Le! Crazy! Delete that Weibo post for me immediately! Delete it immediately!"

I picked up a vegetable and put it in my mouth, chewing slowly.

“Did you hear that!”

“I order you to delete it immediately!”

“Tham Nguyet.”

I finally opened my mouth. His voice was as calm as dead water.

“Are you scared?”

She choked. I spoke softly, as if comforting.

“This game is not over yet.”

“Let's meet for the last time tomorrow.”

“Bring all your money.”

“Who knows…”

“I will consider giving you a way to live.”

“You want money?”

Tham Nguyet's voice sounded like she had just grasped the last life-saving straw.

"That's right."

“For the past eight years I have lived so miserable…”

“At least ask for some compensation.”

“Okay! Okay!”

“I give it to you!”

“I'll give you as much as you want!”

“Tomorrow, ten o'clock in the morning.”

“The cafe ‘So Tam’, where we first met.”

“Go alone.”

Having finished speaking, I hung up the phone. She will definitely come. Bring all your hope. Also brings with it all despair. Will prepare her for the most glorious curtain call. The next morning, I went to the cafe "So Tam" very early. Still chose the correct location last time. Sunlight passed through the glass window, falling onto the table in warm streaks of light. Eight years ago. That summer. Tham Nguyet and I also sat here, imagining our future university life. Everything now feels like a lifetime ago. Ten minutes to ten. A red Porsche braked in front of the shop like crazy. Tham Nguyet jumped out of the car. She was so emaciated that it was scary. Messy hair. On that once delicate face, only madness and fear remained. She wears expensive clothes. But he was just like a gambler at the end of his rope, preparing to bet all his last capital. She rushed in front of me, slammed a bank card and car keys on the table.

“There's three million in here, that's all my cash.”

“This car is also for you.”

"And the apartment in the west of the city, I will transfer it to you this afternoon."

Her voice was hoarse. His eyes were red and full of blood.

“If it's not enough, I'll think of a way to add more.”

“Chu Le, I beg you…”

“Just destroy all those things, delete the Weibo post…”

“From now on, we won't owe anyone anything anymore.”

I looked at her. Do not touch anything on the table. Just take out your phone, open a recording and gently put it down. It was her crying confession last night.

“It's my uncle... I begged him to help change Chu Le's application status to 'voluntarily renounced candidate'..."

Tham Nguyet's face immediately turned white without any blood left. She looked at me like I saw a ghost. Then suddenly turned his head and looked around the cafe.

“Luc Xuyen…”

“Luc Xuyen sold me out?”

“He didn't sell you out.”

I looked at her and slowly said each word.

“He just chose to be on the side of justice.”

“Fucking justice!”

Tham Nguyet went completely crazy. She suddenly rushed forward and wanted to steal my phone.

"Chu Le! I'll kill you!"

I was on guard beforehand and immediately backed away. She missed. Hand sweeps a cup of coffee on the table. The brown liquid splashed all over her, incredibly struggling. The eyes of everyone in the restaurant were immediately attracted.

“Tham Nguyet.”

I stood up and looked down at her from above.

“It's come to this…”

“Do you still not know how to repent?”

“Why should I repent!”

She got up from the ground, pointed at me, and screamed with a fiercely distorted face.

“I'm not wrong!”

“It's your fault!”

“Why do you have to go back!”

“Why don't you just die outside!”

“I can destroy you once…”

“I can destroy you a second time!”

As soon as she finished speaking. The cafe door was pushed open. Two uniformed policemen entered. Behind them... Was a tall man, his face full of pain. He still comes. To see with my own eyes the woman I loved for eight years... Revealing her final ugly appearance. The moment she saw them, every sound in Tham Nguyet's throat was choked. Her whole body seemed to have been drained of strength. Softly falling down. The police stepped in front of her.

“Miss Tham Nguyet.”

“We received a complaint accusing you of theft, falsification of state agency documents and infringement of the legal rights of others.”

“This is an arrest warrant.”

“Please come with us.”

The sound of handcuffs "clicking" locked her hands that were used to play the piano, paint, and wear diamond rings. That moment... She didn't struggle. Also don't cry. Just stared at Luc Xuyen. His eyes were filled with endless resentment and hatred. She slowly turned to look at me. Those eyes seemed to be saying:

“Chu Le… you finally won.”

I don't look at her. My eyes passed her, looking out the glass window. The sunlight is just beautiful. The fog for eight years... Finally cleared at this moment. The police led Tham Nguyet out. When passing me, Luc Xuyen stopped walking. He looked at me deeply. Lips moved slightly. On his face were endless pain and guilt. He also said those three words. I looked at the man I liked all my youth. Then gently shake your head.

“You don't need to apologize to me.”

“You should apologize…”

“It's you.”

Having finished speaking, I turned around and left. Don't look at him again. My eight years… Finally ended. As for his life... Just starting to enter the days of paying the price.