Chapter 1 — Five Years of Pursuing Love

In my fifth year with Luc Hac Minh, he found a young girl who had just graduated right in front of me. He roughly squeezed my chin, forced me to look in the mirror and said: "Hua Duc, look into your eyes, full of lust. Not only are you getting old, but your heart is also getting old." I didn't cry, I didn't make a scene, I just quietly accepted the compensation he called me. My friends were angry because I didn't fight, didn't hold on, and urged me to lower my ego and ask to come back, like I had done all these years. But I didn't care, took that money and started a new life. I accidentally logged into the wrong account and left a comment on an article by a 28-year-old sister sharing advice for her younger sister: 【Sisters! Don't look for older men! An older man with money may not let you spend it, but a young brother will definitely make you happy!】 This comment received more than eighty thousand likes. That night, Luc Hac Minh's angry voice rang out over the phone: "Hua Duc, tell me clearly, which younger brother, what did he do to make you happy?" 1The fifth year with Luc Hac Minh. My mother scolded me: "Hua Duc, if your boyfriend wanted to marry you, he would have done it a long time ago." "You have to be smarter yourself, don't let people take advantage of you, in the end it's just an empty match..." I couldn't clearly hear the words that followed. No longer in the mood to listen. I still remember when I first started dating Luc Hac Minh. She also did not agree. She asked me: "Hua Duc, are you two in a relationship or does he take care of the children?" I remember at that time I was very angry, feeling she insulted me. We had a big argument, then broke up unhappily. Is Luc Hac Minh planning to marry me? I don't have a definite answer either. One night before I left for business. After the clouds stopped and the rain stopped, I lay in his arms. I asked him what our next step was. The air is still humid and hot. But he just quietly smoked. Doesn't answer my question. It seems to me that he has always been so confident. I pretended not to see his attitude. Turn over and lean on the pillow to play on the phone. Then, when I saw my best friend's wedding photo, I showed it to him: "Hac Minh, they take great photos! Look!" "I also saved a few stores..." Before he could finish his sentence, he interrupted: "Hmm! That's pretty good." He said and looked at my phone screen. I was stunned. The indifference between us made our relationship more and more gloomy. Because at that time, my phone's interface was no longer a wedding photo. Which is one of the stores I saved. What I shared and my wishes with him seemed like just trouble. 2 Actually my business trip was only two days, but I lied and said it was a week. He didn't hide that girl well. I posted on TikTok an old photo of me and Luc Hac Minh. Just a moment later, there were thousands of views. That video was only for that girl to see. In that short period of time, she watched it more than a thousand times. I went to her personal page, and in every video I could see the silhouette of Luc Hac Minh. Even though she didn't film his face directly. There's a tie and a vest I bought for him. There were curtains in the house we lived in, and also furniture in the house. Even the dishes she shows off. Most of them are dishes I have made for Luc Hac Minh. What I tried to do to care for and please a person, is now clearly visible in her video. Along with that, my self-esteem, which had been lowered to the point where it had no place to rest, was also exposed. During the five years we were together, I gradually lost myself.3After finishing work, I gave myself a few days off. I went to Phuket, where I

always wanted to come. Luc Hac Minh always said there was no time, always said it was troublesome. But actually it was just a flight to Thailand and then another plane transfer. I played there for three days, but then I couldn't stay anymore. Because Luc Hac Minh also came. But not to be with me. That girl and I are peeking at each other on social networks. The very next day when I posted the video to TikTok, they came. I'm no longer in the mood to have fun. I don't even have the courage to face them. I returned home in a gloomy mood. I seemed to be waiting, waiting for Luc Hac Minh to proactively talk to me. Or perhaps, I've been mired in this swamp for so long that I barely have the strength to climb out. On the third day in our small house, Luc Hac Minh returned tired. I calmly listened to his indifferent lies. "A client has an emergency, I also have to go on a business trip for a few days." I did not expose him, nor did I interrupt. No matter what he said, I just responded. It's just that this weekend is my best friend Duong Duong's wedding, and we agreed to be bridesmaids and groomsmen. Luc Hac Minh suddenly refused. I cannot control my anger. After all, he was not a person who broke his word before. Such a sudden announcement is really rude. When asked why, he just answered a few impatient questions, saying it was troublesome. I soon knew the answer. That girl's TikTok video. "Maybe I'm selfish, I'm stubborn, I'm stingy. Thinking about him and her being bridesmaids and groomsmen, I feel like they're getting married." I looked at Luc Hac Minh reading documents on the sofa, then looked at the words on the phone. Trying to stay calm, I blocked her. I don't want to peek anymore. Luc Hac Minh poked his head over and asked inexplicably: "What are you watching?" "Nothing!" I stood up, took the blanket from the bedroom and went into the living room. He asked mechanically: "What's going on?" "Nothing, it's just that I haven't slept well lately and want to sleep alone."