Chapter 4 — Emotions That Never End

Ha Tuc looked at my slightly stunned eyes, his voice serious and firm: "I always believe that the moment I decide to be with someone, whether because of compatibility or because of liking, it is a sincere choice from within." I paused. "So, never deny a girl who truly loves someone else. She is not wrong." "She... is someone who has been chosen steadfastly." I slightly turned my face away, the tip of my nose suddenly stinging. annoying, difficult to control: "You're also good at comforting others." He put his chin on his hand: "It's okay for now." I pursed my lips and was about to thank him when I saw him suddenly lean closer. I was startled and quickly pushed my hand away. "Don't move, your ex-lover is watching." In the corner of my eye, I saw Tong Nguyen standing in front of the apartment door, with an unclear expression on his face. Ha Tuc kept a safe distance from me, winked, and smiled crookedly: "The man loves but doesn't know it, it's worth teasing him." A moment later, I glanced over there and said faintly: "He's gone." Ha Tuc immediately stepped back, looked at the phone and said softly: "My car has arrived, I have to go too." I nodded slightly and smiled at him: "I wish you a safe journey." He was a bit stunned, then smiled: "I hope next time you meet someone—" Then he smiled brighter: "Okay, I wish you luck!" Not long after Ha Tuc left, my best friend also came. As soon as I saw that familiar face, my eyes immediately turned red. Obviously, when I left Tong Nguyen's house, I didn't shed a single tear. But now, I can't hold back anymore. "My knee hurts so much." I looked at her with pitiful eyes. She sighed and supported me: "I bought medicine in the car, I'll apply it to you later."10I took sick leave from the company, stayed at my best friend's house for exactly a week, my knee was almost completely healed. Tong Nguyen texted me: "You and Ha Tuc..." I replied: "We broke up." He was silent for a long time before texting back: "Man Man, you must not love someone else." I immediately blocked all contact from him. And from then on, Tong Nguyen began to regularly appear near my friend's house. Every time I see my best friend, I can't help but get angry and come back, I know for sure - it's because of meeting Tong Nguyen. "I really don't understand. It's obvious that he's still having trouble with his ex, and now he's turning around to ask if you love someone else?" "It's obvious that he let go first, and now he's acting like he can't live without you anymore?" My friend angrily took a bite of vegetables and suddenly remembered something: "By the way, who is that Ha Tuc guy?" I calmly ate and said: "A rather enthusiastic stranger." It's not necessarily a lie. From that day until now, Ha Tuc and I have never been in contact again. We were originally two unrelated parallel lines, just coincidentally intersecting at one point, then continuing to go in two different directions, no one broke that rule. My friend nodded, indicating that he understood, but the frustration was still evident on his face: "I really don't want to see that face anymore." I stopped and put down the bowl and chopsticks. Take a deep breath, raise your head to look at her, and say each word: "Then report to the police." My friend widened her eyes and looked at me in disbelief: "What did you say?" I calmly looked straight at her: "You studied law, right? Being followed and harassed, can't you report it to the police?" She opened her mouth, but was speechless. Perhaps both Tong Nguyen and I did not expect that the next time we met again after breaking up... would be at the police station. At this moment, he was bowing his head, his bangs were slightly long, covering half of his face. It seemed like he hadn't cut them in a long time, tangled down on his forehead, obscuring his eyes. His long hands were clasped together on the table, trembling slightly. "This guy Tong has been continuously appearing near my house recently, causing serious trouble." Tong Nguyen was stunned and raised his head, just in time to meet his eyes.

on me. I stopped for a moment, without dodging, continued to say: "There are security cameras and neighbors in the area can testify." The corners of Tong Nguyen's eyes turned slightly red. After finishing my report, I stood up. Looking at Tong Nguyen from beginning to end without saying a word, I coldly said: "Tong Nguyen, don't bother me anymore." Having finished speaking, I looked at my friend who was still stunned: "Let's go." When we were almost to the door, she muttered, her voice neither loud nor soft, enough for everyone in the room to hear: "Now I truly believe... that you no longer love him."11 From then on, Tong Nguyen no longer appeared around my friend's house. He proactively asked for a job transfer and worked in the office downstairs. His new colleague is a boy two years younger than me, named Truong Dang. He has a very good appearance, red lips and white teeth. Every time he sees me, he shyly greets: "Dang Man." Every time there is a meeting between departments, Tong Nguyen always quietly chooses to sit in the farthest seat from me. He bowed his head, his long, pale fingers caressing the edge of the page, silently listening to everyone's reports. Those days, we didn't say a word to each other, nor did we make any eye contact. I think he finally let go. Time passes day by day. After Tet, the company organized a group picnic on the mountain. Truong Dang and I were assigned to go shopping. On the way back, I suddenly encountered heavy rain. With no other choice, we had to temporarily stay in a hut on the mountain to wait for the rain to stop. Maybe because the rain was so heavy, the phone also lost signal. Truong Dang next to me patted my shoulder and said firmly: "Don't worry, Duong Man, the rain will probably stop soon." The rain lasted for six hours. When we returned safely, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Then someone asked me if I had met Tong Nguyen. They said that as soon as he saw it was raining, he immediately ran to find the two of us, but he still hasn't returned. I returned to the tent in bewilderment, only to discover that my phone was nowhere to be found - perhaps I had dropped it on the road. I quickly went to ask Truong Dang. He was changing his shirt, his t-shirt was pulled up to his shoulders, looking at me blankly: "Duong... Duong Man sister..." I quickly turned around: "I just wanted to ask if you've seen my phone anywhere." Truong Dang suddenly woke up and said softly: "Ah, it's in the bag on the table." I found my phone again and the signal was restored. Messages filled the screen. The most prominent was a strange number — calling me non-stop, sending me a series of messages. “Man Man, where are you?” “Man Man, don't be afraid, I'm looking for you.” “Man Man, it's all my fault. I know I shouldn't bother you anymore, but if you see this message, please don't be angry. Please, answer me.” “Man Man, they said you might be at the rest hut... but I've been looking everywhere mountain but I can't see you..."... I was about to leave when I suddenly remembered something, took out a tube of medicine from my pocket, and gave it to Truong Duong. "Just now, you helped me block a falling tree branch, my hand was scratched, apply the medicine." Truong Duong looked at me, his eyes slightly hesitant: "Sister Duong Man, actually I have something I want to-" The tent curtain was suddenly lifted. I reflexively looked out. Tong Nguyen stood soaking wet in front of the door, his shirt was torn in several places, his face and body had many scratches from being scratched or bumped. As soon as he saw me, his hand hanging beside him trembled slightly, his eyes lit up. Before I could react, I was pulled into a familiar embrace. Warm breath blew on my neck: "Man Man..." My head went blank, reflexes of resistance and discomfort arose strongly, goosebumps all over my body, coldness down my spine. In just a moment, I put all my strength into pushing him away, then slapped him hard. "Don't touch me." Tong Nguyen stepped back a few times.

step, then stand rooted to the spot. He just kept looking at me with red eyes, pitiful and painful. 12 A few minutes later, I calmed down. I pulled Tong Nguyen out of the tent, looked at him, my voice was a bit cold: "Actually, you don't have to do that. When the rain stops, I will automatically return. If you do that, it will only make me feel very annoying." Tong Nguyen was stunned, his face turned a little paler. "I'm home now, everyone can rest assured. It's late, go home and rest." "What about you?" He stared at me. I clasped the tube of medicine in my hand and replied naturally: "I have to go home and help Truong Duong apply the medicine." Tong Nguyen was stunned, his eyes lost, his eyelids drooped, and the scratches on his pale face became more obvious. Seeing him just standing there without moving, I repeated: "Tong Nguyen, didn't I say it very clearly that day at the police station? If you continue to bother me, I will report it to the police again." His breath stopped, he stood still for a long time before raising his head, his voice was hoarse: "Man Man, do you hate me that much?" "Yes, I hate you." I answered calmly. Tong Nguyen's face turned even whiter. "If saying that can make you stop bothering me, then I will say: I hate you, and in this life I don't want to see you again." I looked straight into his eyes: "Tong Nguyen, we have no more options." Tong Nguyen smiled slightly at himself, his voice hoarse and dry: "So is there a possibility between you and him?" Seeing me silent, he took out his phone and showed me two messages. It was a text message sent about ten minutes ago: "Why do you think Ms. Duong Man didn't reply to your message?" "Want to guess what we did in the last six hours?" I was dumbfounded. Truong Dang's face from earlier - as if he had something to say - suddenly appeared in my mind. What is he... planning to do? "Is that true?" Tong Nguyen looked at me intently, breathing increasingly rapidly. I deliberately did not deny: "So what? Tong Nguyen, you have no right to interfere in my personal matters." His face was so white that it was scary, his lips were tightly pressed, almost bloodless. I glanced at him, turned around and was about to leave when I was called back: "Is it because of Tham Bang?" Before he could react, Tong Nguyen hastily continued: "Tham Bang's parents came to pick her up. She is still being treated with sedatives. This time the relapse was very serious, there were even signs of self-harm. They want to take her abroad for treatment." I looked at him silently. "If it weren't for her, we probably would have been married. Man Min... she won't bother us anymore..." His voice became smaller and smaller, the light that had just flashed in his eyes also disappeared. Perhaps he himself also realized how ridiculous what he said was. I smirked, not mockingly, but... extremely calmly. Because I know - between you and me, the problem has never been just about Tham Bang. I looked straight into his eyes, for the first time after breaking up, seriously asked: "Tong Nguyen, have you ever liked me?" Tong Nguyen's eyes darkened, overflowing with intense emotions as if he was tormenting something. "At first, I just felt that being with you was very comfortable. Then... I started thinking about living with you for the rest of my life." He stopped and smiled wryly: "Before, I thought, this is called suitable." "Now I know, those months... you must have suffered a lot." He swallowed his saliva, his voice was low and firm: "Man Man, I love you." I still looked at him calmly. "If you could only say it once sooner." I didn't finish speaking, but Tong Nguyen's eyes were already red. I looked at him with calm eyes, no longer complaining, just like passing clouds and wind: "But now, Tong Nguyen, I don't love you anymore." Tong Nguyen seemed to have lost all direction, his body wobbled, unable to stand. "Um...

I know.” His voice was hoarse, choked, carrying a heavy nasal sound. I watched his face fade into the darkness, looked at his slightly shaking shoulders, then said one last sentence: "The day you told Tham Bang that I was not 'temporary'... at that time, I almost - almost forgave you." Unfortunately, it was a little closer. At the end, Tong Nguyen was transferred back to the Shanghai branch, it was said that he voluntarily asked to go. Regarding those two messages, Truong Dang explained to me as follows: "That day I accidentally saw a message on your phone, thinking that number was the bastard who was harassing you that the company was making a fuss about, and you even reported it to the police. I just want to pretend to be your boyfriend just once, so that he knows what to do and let him go." Then, he looked at me and seriously confessed: "Miss Duong Man, can I be your real boyfriend?" His eyes looked at me sparkling, straightforward and sincere, without any concealment. Unfortunately... I don't like that type of person. I smiled: "You are a good person."