Chapter 13 — From Noodles to Glory

"Tell me what? Tell me it's Niem Bach?" I took a sip of coffee. “Let me steal more dignifiedly?” “I don't… I don't…” His lips turned white. "At that time, I just felt that those designs were very good... I didn't know the value was so great... I thought you wouldn't do it anymore, leaving it would be a waste..." "Waste?" I turned to him, staring into his eyes. "Your work is stored in your own computer, called waste?" "So I took it away for Luong Uyen to use, let her impersonate the original creator to bid, what is that called? Using things to the fullest?" He opened his mouth, speechless. "Chu Han, I know in my heart. I don't 'feel like it's a waste'. I know those things are worth money, I can't produce works of the same level, so I stole them." "I don't dare to tell you, because I'm afraid you'll refuse. I also don't dare to tell Luong Uyen the real origin, because I'm afraid she won't cooperate." "From beginning to end, I lied. Lie to you, also lie to her." There were already people around. A few people paid attention to the movement here. A few eyes looked over, filled with curiosity. Chu Han also discovered it. He unconsciously took a step back, lowering his voice. “Can we… find a place to talk in private?” “Nothing needs to be said in private.” I put the coffee cup on the tray next to me. "I've already said what needs to be said, and I've given you the choice that needs to be made." "The divorce agreement can be signed by a lawyer at any time. Once you've thought about it, contact me." I picked up my bag and walked past him. As I passed him, he reached out to pull me. I leaned away. "Don't touch me." "To Niem..." "One more thing." I stopped walking, without turning around. "Luong Uyen's copyright infringement lawsuit opens next Monday. She needs to hire her own lawyer. Whether you want to help her or not, it's up to you." "But I advise you to think clearly..." "Helping her means admitting your participation. If you don't help her, she may bite you back." I walked towards the elevator. Behind him came the sound of him punching the wall hard. A dull sound. I don't turn around. Second, Luong Uyen's copyright infringement case opened in the district court. I'm not coming. A team of lawyers representing all rights. Dao Vi stood outside the court waiting for news. At eleven o'clock in the afternoon, Dao Vi called. "It's over." "How?" "At first Luong Uyen tried to argue that it was an 'independent creation', but our lawyer immediately took out the original file and watermark assessment report to compare it. The judge asked her if she could explain why her 'original work' had a third party's digital signature." "She couldn't say." "What then?" "Her lawyer asked for an out-of-court settlement. The amount of compensation is determined by the court." "The amount?" "The preliminary settlement plan is four hundred and seventy thousand. Calculated according to the market price of the nine photos she stole." Four hundred and seventy thousand. For Luong Uyen, it's probably not a small number. "What was her reaction?" "Crying right in court. Said she didn't have that much money. Then..." Dao Vi stopped. "Then she said a sentence right in court." "What sentence?" "She said: 'Those documents were not found by me, Chu Han gave them to me. He said they were free resources on the internet. I didn't know there were copyright issues.'" I relied. back of the chair. "She confessed to Chu Han." "Yes. The judge wrote it down on the spot, and said that if the investigation was true, he could add someone responsible for copyright infringement." "Does Chu Han know?" "Probably not yet. But the trial minutes are public, sooner or later he will know." I hung up the phone. Look out the window. The sun is very beautiful. At two o'clock in the afternoon, Chu Han's phone call came. I don't listen. He called five times in a row. Arrive

The sixth conversation, I heard. "Say." "To Niem, Luong Uyen in court... she said you gave me the documents... you told her to say that, right?!" "You told her?" I laugh. "Do you know her? Do you have any private contact with her?" "What did she say herself in court, what does it have to do with you?" "I..." His breathing was very heavy. "Chu Han, what she said is the truth. The documents I gave her. She did not lie." "You are harming me!" "You are harming me? I stole your things, not you who stole mine. Go to court and sue me? I don't have anything to show for it." sue me." "You... what exactly do you want! Tell me what exactly do you want so I will let you go!" His voice was almost screaming. I waited for him to finish screaming, waiting for the other end of the line to quiet down. Then I said: "Divorce agreement. Once signed, I will withdraw the prosecution against you. If you don't sign..." "Let's meet in court." The other end of the line was silent for a long time. Finally, he said one word: "Okay." The day the divorce agreement was signed was Wednesday. The location is at my lawyer's office. When Chu Han arrived, his whole body became much thinner. His eye sockets were sunken, his beard was jagged, his suit no longer fit him, hanging loosely on his body. In less than two weeks, he turned from an enthusiastic project manager into a depressed middle-aged man. He sat down, not looking at me.