Chapter 1 — Eight Years Is Not Equal to One Betrayal

One day before the engagement party, the fiance, holding his household registration book, and To Tri Yeu walked into the Civil Affairs Department before me. On the phone, his close friends urgently advised him:

“What about Lam Van Tinh?”

“We've been together early and late for eight years, now you're turning around and marrying someone else?”

Luc Nghien Tu was silent for a long time, then spoke in a bland tone:

“Van Tinh will sympathize with me.

Tri Yeu's mother doesn't have much longer to live, just having a fake wedding. Once the old lady leaves, we will immediately divorce. The other brother was still full of insecurity: "But she has been waiting for you for eight years." Luc Nghien Tu smirked, his voice firm:

“Because she has been with me for eight years, she will absolutely not leave me because of a few short dozen days.”

I stood behind the pillar on the corner of the street, my palms clutching the bag of banh hoi that I intended to share. In the end, I did not step up to confront him, nor did I break down in tears. Just quietly canceled the marriage registration appointment, turned around and left. He has never understood one thing: Marriage engagements can be postponed, favors can be withdrawn. But I absolutely do not want to entrust the rest of my life to someone who always believes that I will always stand still in one place waiting for him. … At the appointment cancellation window, the staff repeated to confirm:

“Do you really want to cancel? Today's registration is very difficult to get.”

I nodded slightly. The phone vibrated and Luc Nghien Tu sent a text message. 【The company has an unexpected project, the marriage registration is postponed for a few days, don't be angry, I will tell you clearly when I get home tonight.】 I stared at the screen dumbfounded for a long time, stuffed the bag of wedding cakes into a cloth bag and walked out of the lobby of the Civil Affairs Department. There was still class in the afternoon, I was a third grade Literature teacher, and had to rush back to school. In class, while teaching the lesson "Camel Tam Bao Ky", a little girl raised her hand and asked:

"Teacher Lam, the camel's path is so difficult, why does it still have to move forward?"

I held the chalk, paused for half a second before answering:

“Because in the end you still have to move on.”

The child tilted his head: "Isn't he afraid of being alone?" The corner of my mouth curled up, but the smile was bitter:

“If you're afraid, you can only move forward alone.”

After class, some colleagues in the office gathered around and joked.

"Aren't you going to receive your certificate today? Isn't engineer Luc coming to pick you up?"

“Hurry up and share the wedding cake, why hide it?”

I pulled out the bag of banh hi from my bag and distributed it to everyone in turn. The sticky cake is warmed to the point of softening by body temperature, the layer of powdered sugar sticks tightly to the wrapper. My colleagues just thought I was shy and shy, talking and laughing non-stop. I also laughed along, but the bottom of my heart was as cold as ice. At night, Luc Nghien Tu called.

“Van Tinh, have you had dinner yet?”

The hospital's announcement came through the phone very clearly, mixed with the suppressed sobs of a woman. I did not expose his lies.

“Not yet.”

"I'm really sorry today, something big happened to Tri Yeu's family, her mother was seriously ill and hospitalized, her consciousness was vague, she was always mumbling about her daughter having no one to rely on."

I sat alone in an empty classroom, watching the rows of street lights outside the stadium light up one by one.

“So I went to post Have you signed a marriage contract with her?

The other end of the line suddenly went silent. After a long while, Luc Nghien Tu lowered his voice: "You saw everything?"

“Yes.”

On the contrary, he breathed a sigh of relief, his tone carrying a bit of clarity:

“Van Tinh, this is just going through the motions. Ms. To sponsored him to finish college in the past. Without her, he would not have been able to get to where he is today. Now the old man's only wish is that, he cannot turn a blind eye."

“So you took our eight-year engagement to repay this favor?”

“Don't say such harsh words.”

Luc Nghien Tu's voice suddenly became urgent: "The person I really keep in my heart is you, you understand that well. Tri Yeu and I don't have half a relationship, when Ms. To passes away, I will immediately file for divorce, at most thirty days, we will go register right away." Thirty days at most. He spoke lightly, as if I had just gotten in the wrong line, changed to another window and everything would be fine again. I asked softly: "Tell me first, is it that difficult?"

"I'm afraid you'll think too much and be sad."

"I've finished everything, but I'm still afraid you'll think too much?"

Luc Nghien Tu rubbed his forehead tiredly, his voice hoarse:

“Van Tinh, I'm already busy today, Ms. To is still in the emergency room, Tri Yeu can't handle everything alone. I know you're feeling sorry for yourself, once everything is over, I'll compensate you double, okay?"

Let's wait until later. In the eight years we've been together, he always has these three words hanging on his lips. Later, I will take you on a trip to the beach; The latter will make up for it with a grand proposal; Later, I will renovate the balcony of the wedding room into a flower arrangement corner that you like; Later, later. But now, my whole life plan was arbitrarily put aside by him, and he just considered it as simple as postponing it for a few days. I hung up the phone directly. Ten minutes later, To Tri Yeu's status appeared on To Tri Yeu's friend circle on WeChat. The photo was taken next to the hospital bed, her slender hand placed on the back of Luc Nghien Tu's hand, a corner of the red marriage registration book entered the frame. Status line: 【So lucky to have you, so my mother can feel at ease.】 Friends compete with each other to leave comments below.

“Congratulations, is this a public marriage?”

“Tri Yeu now has someone to take care of her.”

"Mr. Luc values his love and kindness, Ms. To has not wasted her efforts in nurturing him."

Luc Nghien Tu personally liked that status. In his eyes, this was just an act to comfort the orphaned daughter of his mentor. I stared at that photo, my eyes filled with pain and tears. 2 Late at night, I went to the wedding room alone. This house was bought last year, the deposit was all my savings from working part-time in college until I started teaching. During the entire repair process, Luc Nghien Tu ran up and down the construction site, while I went back to the material markets every day after work to choose furniture. But the moment I pushed the door open and walked in, To Tri Yeu was wearing my cotton slippers, curled up on the sofa. Her eyes were red, and when she saw me, she stood up frantically.

“Miss Van Tinh, don't misunderstand. My mother moved to the hospital recently. Nghien Tu was afraid that I would be exhausted from walking, so she let me rest here for a while. I absolutely would not Don't touch your personal belongings haphazardly."

In her hand, she was holding the ceramic cup that I had custom-made, which was something the couple planned to use with Luc Nghien Tu after registering their marriage. Luc Nghien Tu walked out of the kitchen wearing an apron, holding a cooking ladle in her hand.

“Why did you suddenly come here?”

I looked at him calmly: "You pay the deposit for this house, can't you go home?" Luc Nghien Tu's face stiffened: "I didn't mean that. Today, Tri Yeu struggled all day, the hospital bed was cramped, it was inconvenient for her as a girl to stay there."