Chapter 1 — Eight Years Change One Time Letting Go

Tham Bach Chu flew for eight years, from being a co-pilot who stayed up late and woke up early to become a captain. Han Mo Tuyet accompanied him throughout that journey. The year he was busiest, she resigned, every day adjusting the time according to his flight schedule to cook rice. One time, Han Mo Tuyet said: "Can I take you to see the sky ten thousand meters high in your eyes one day? Just once." Tham Bach Chu didn't bother stopping his chopsticks: "That's a workplace, not a play area." She replied "Yes", and from then on she never mentioned it again. Until one night when Han Mo Tuyet couldn't sleep, she accidentally saw a password-locked album on Tham Bach Chu's phone. The album contains more than 40 photos, all taken from a cockpit perspective. Sea of clouds, sunset, double rainbow after the rain, brilliant galaxy at a height of ten thousand meters. Each photo was sent to the same person, the contact name was saved with a little bear emoji. The most recent photo is from the afternoon of three days ago, half of the sun seems to be hanging above the tip of the plane's wing. The attached message sent by Tham Bach Chu is:

“Today's scene is also very beautiful, next time you come, sit in the observation chair on the right, that corner is the most beautiful.”

The other person responded with a hug symbol, along with three words: "Wait for me to take leave." Han Mo Tuyet put the phone back in place, did not change the password, and did not delete the album. It was morning, she still made coffee as usual, quietly drinking it all. After that, she opened the computer, wrote a resignation letter, and then booked a plane ticket to Dali. Eight years later, Han Mo Tuyet finally decided not to follow Tham Bach Chu's routes to wait for dinner anymore. No longer tired of keeping an empty house, guessing which direction Tham Bach Chu is flying to. His ten thousand meter high sky cannot accommodate her, so she will be rooted to the ground, watching her own sunset. ……

“What are you doing up so early today?”

Tham Bach Chu pulled the suitcase out of the bedroom, frowning slightly. Han Mo Tuyet held a porcelain cup in her hand and watched him meticulously pin the four-striped shoulder strap onto his white shirt.

"I can't sleep, so I wake up and drink a cup of coffee."

He walked to the kitchen island, conveniently picked up the glass of hot milk she had just poured and took a sip.

“Did you stay up late last night watching those useless movies?”

“No.”

“Han Mo Tuyet, lately your daily routine has become more and more erratic.”

He raised his wrist to look at his watch, his tone carrying a familiar lecture tone.

“I'll fly to Frankfurt later, it'll take 4 days to get back.”

“Yes.”

He seemed a bit surprised by her extremely calm reaction today. Normally, every time he takes a long international flight, she always prepares stomach medicine, sleeping pills and a U-shaped pillow the day before, stuffing them neatly into his suitcase. Then he told him again and again to remember to text her after landing. Today she didn't do anything, just sat on the bar stool looking at him.

“Where is your stomach medicine?” He searched the side of the suitcase.

“The second drawer under the TV shelf, take it yourself.”

His movements stopped and he turned his head to look at her.

"What's wrong with you today? Even after taking a few steps, you won't come get it for me?"

“I'm a little tired.”

He sighed, went to the TV shelf, pulled out the drawer, took out the medicine box and stuffed it in bag.

“Staying at home all day, I don't understand why you're tired.”

The phone placed on the marble table suddenly lit up. A WeChat message appears. The contact name is a small bear icon.

"Mr. Bach Chu, the temperature is dropping in Frankfurt today, remember to bring a thick jacket."

Tham Bach Chu picked up the phone, the light from the screen reflected the smile slightly curling at the corner of his lips. He used one hand to quickly type the words to answer, without even having time to zip the suitcase.

“Did a colleague send a text message?” Han Mo Tuyet looked at that little bear icon and asked.

He locked the screen and put the phone in his pocket.

"Yes, Trinh Van Chieu. She also flew this route today, sitting in the rear passenger compartment."

“Isn't she the chief domestic flight attendant?”

“The company deployed her temporarily, she came to help guide the new flight attendants.”

He answered very naturally, he didn't even have to think much about making excuses. She looked at his straight back, recalling the more than 40 photos in the encrypted album last night. Each picture, each picture is a thousand meter high sky taken by him himself. He had never shown it to her, but he did not hesitate to share it all with Trinh Van Chieu.

“Tham Bach Chu.”

“What's wrong?” He was changing his shoes at the mysterious entrance.

“Do you remember what day next Wednesday is?”

His movements of putting on shoes never stopped.

“Next Wednesday? The company has a simulated cockpit training session, what's wrong?”

“Nothing.”

Next Wednesday is the 8th anniversary of their love. On Wednesday 8 years ago, he received a call to be a co-pilot and excitedly picked her up and spun her around in the small room. He said that later, at a height of ten thousand meters, he would choose the most beautiful cloud for her. I forgot.

"I'm going, I'll text you when I land."

He pushed the door and walked out.

“Tham Bach Chu.” She called out again.

His hand was on the door handle, his expression a bit impatient.

"What's going on again? The crew car is waiting for you downstairs."

“The lock on your suitcase isn't tight yet.”

He bent down to look, then pulled it back.

“I know. You're acting strange today.”

The door closed. The house fell into dead silence. She walked to the computer desk and pressed the "Send" button on the resignation letter she had just written. Then open the ticket purchase application and reconfirm the one-way flight ticket to Dali 7 days later. 7 days, enough for her to erase all traces of the past 8 years. The phone rings, it's her best friend Hua Nam Chi calling.

“Have you applied for leave yet?”

“Submitted.”

"Once you've made a decision, you won't regret it. When do you plan to talk about Tham Bach Chu's story?"

“Wait until the day I leave.”

Nam Chi was silent for a few seconds on the other end of the line.

“Mo Tuyet, 8 years of your youth, did you just silently let it go?”

“I don't need it anymore.”

She looked at the cold glass of milk on the kitchen island.

“Nam Chi, have you ever seen him taking afternoon photos for other people?”

“What?”

“Very beautiful, even the light shining on the plane's wings is extremely gentle.”

She turned the phone screen upside down on the table.

“Unfortunately, it's not for me.”

In the afternoon, Han Mo Tuyet went to the building management center. Remove your fingerprints from this apartment's entry system. The building manager is an enthusiastic person, seeing her operate like that is very difficult understand.

"Mrs. Tham, why did you delete your fingerprints when you were in peace? It will be inconvenient for you to come in and out later."

“You won't need it anymore.” She smiled.

Coming home, she pulled two large cardboard boxes out of the storage room and began packing up her things. This house is very large, a 200 square meter luxury apartment overlooking the river, bought outright in cash by Tham Bach Chu. He once said this was to thank her for accompanying him through the most difficult days. She thought this was their home. Only now did she realize that her belongings were pitifully meager. In the dressing room, the clothes that belonged to her were only two drawers.