Chapter 5 — From Abandoned Bride to Tycoon's Nanny

“Lam Di San is here.” I said.

He did not deny it.

“What does she want?”

"Money." His tone was unwavering, “She always just asks for money.”

“Nien Niem is very afraid of her.”

"I know."

“The boy was shaking all the time today.”

Luc Canh Tham's hand tightened.

"I'll handle it. You've had a hard time today."

He turned around to leave.

“Mr. Luc.”

He stopped.

"It's not that Niem Niem doesn't know how to talk, he's just scared. What he's afraid of is not strangers, but the fear of being abandoned."

He turned his back to me, not moving. After a long time, he replied with a word. He left. But I saw when he took a step, his shoulders tensed slightly. Thursday. Everything seems to be falling into place. In the morning, Niem Niem and I drew pictures, made puzzles, and told stories. In the afternoon, I took the boy for a walk in the manor, and he began to hold my hand. At night, I tell him stories, and every time he listens, he falls asleep. The boy talks more. Still a little, but a lot more than before. The housekeeper said that Luc Canh Tham comes back much earlier these days. Before, he usually came home at midnight, but now he basically comes home before nine o'clock. The first thing when returning home is to visit Niem Niem. If Niem Niem was asleep, he would stand outside the door for a while, take a look before going up to the third floor. That day, I was in the kitchen helping to prepare a snack for Niem Niem. The phone rang. Caller: Dad. I hesitated for two seconds then picked up the phone.

“Van Van.” To Kien Quoc's voice carried a tone that I was all too familiar with - both humble and arrogant.

“What?”

"Your sister's wedding is scheduled for the full moon day of next month, will you come?"

“Not coming.”

"Why is this girl so stubborn? Uyen Thanh is my older sister, she —"

“She is the debt your wife brought, not my sister.”

The other end of the line was silent for a second.

"To Van, what are you talking like? Your mother is also because of this trait of yours—"

“So what should we do?” I laughed, "That's why you abandoned me? To Kien Quoc, my mother is in the hospital now, you have never spent a single penny, what right do you have to talk to me?"

"Dad, where did you get the money? You know my family's situation —"

"There's no money at home, so the money for To Uyen Thanh to drive a Porsche is blowing in the wind?"

“That was bought for him by Tu Hien!”

"That's even better. Using my ex-fiance's money, driving in front of me to show off, you guys are so talented."

“To Van!” His voice rose, "Are you finally coming? You're not coming, your mother's surgery money —"

"I paid for the surgery myself, no need to worry."

I hung up the phone. Fingers trembling slightly. Not out of fear. It's because of nausea. A voice spoke from behind. I turned around, Luc Canh Tham had been standing at the kitchen door for some time. He held an empty cup, perhaps coming to get water.

“Is the relationship not good?”

“No relation.” I played with words - both answering his question and implying that there was no longer any relationship between me and my father.

He looked at me for a second. Ask no more. As he passed me, he put down the empty cup. The cup is not empty. Inside there is a candy. I looked at that candy and was stunned for a few seconds. The housekeeper later recounted that Luc Canh Tham had never eaten candy before. The candy in the drawer of your study room is Prepare for Niem Niem. But Niem Niem doesn't like this brand. So that candy just stays there forever. Until today he brought it to me. I don't know if this is a consolation. But that night I ate the candy. Saturday. I officially passed the first week of probation. The housekeeper said that none of the previous nannies had survived Saturday. I'm the first. That day, Luc Canh Tham came home extremely early, arriving at six o'clock. Niem Niem ran to hold his hand.

“Dad, today Aunt Van Van taught me how to fold a rabbit!”

The boy pulled out a misshapen folded paper rabbit from his pocket and held it up in front of Luc Canh Tham. Luc Canh Tham received it and looked at it for a while.

"Good job."

Niem Niem ran in front of me again.

“Auntie, please teach me three times as much as one!”

Luc Canh Tham and I were stunned at the same time.

“Your father must be very busy —”

“I'm not busy.” he said.

Then he actually sat down and picked up a piece of paper. I taught him how to fold paper rabbits. His hands are very big, his joints are clear, and when he folds paper, he looks a bit clumsy. Tried three times without success. Niem Niem stood next to him and laughed hard. This was the first time I heard this child laugh out loud. The butler stood at a distance, secretly wiping the corners of his eyes. Luc Canh Tham finally pulled out a rabbit that was considered passable.