Chapter 2 — Half a Life of Rain and Wind Because of You

So I immediately picked up the phone. Call mom.

“Mom, I'm almost home!”

3

Mom received my phone call. She was really happy. On the phone, she kept asking me when I would return. He also said he would ask my brother-in-law to come to the high-speed train station to pick me up. My heart is filled with warmth. So after hanging up the phone, I even cried. But I only cried for a moment. Then I turned around and went to the bathroom to check my makeup. Seeing that my makeup wasn't smudged, I cleaned it up and left the house. Go to the restaurant I already booked. Before receiving the bouquet of flowers, the wrong name was written. The ritual I set at the restaurant was that at 9:09:99 p.m., Tran Tieu and I would blow out the candles on the cake together. It means that Tran Tieu and I will last forever. Now I have made up my mind to divorce. I don't plan to change this ritual either. Anyway, Tran Tieu probably doesn't love me anymore, but I still want to give our seven-year marriage a perfect end. But that night, I waited until the restaurant closed. The man who firmly told me he wouldn't be late still didn't show up. So this divorce ceremony, in the end, is still the same as countless previous wedding anniversaries. It became a normal lonely meal, not even having time to light the candles before cutting the cake directly. That night after leaving the restaurant, I wandered outside for two hours before returning home. As soon as he got home, Tran Tieu also returned. He gasped. Seeing me removing my makeup, his face was filled with guilt and he said:

"Sorry, wife, I... just got stuck in traffic on the way home. By the time I got to the restaurant, the restaurant was already closed."

Tran Tieu's voice just ended. The Chinese clock in the house rang twice. Looking at the clock, which showed exactly twelve o'clock, I just smiled gently. Just like Tran Tieu treated me countless times before, I said as if I was dealing with a problem:

"It's okay. It's just a meal. You went hiking today, you must be tired. Take a shower and go to bed early."

After saying that, I didn't look at Tran Tieu again and turned around to return to the room. Anyway, it only takes twenty minutes to get home from the restaurant. That means Tran Tieu only ran to the restaurant at 11:40 a.m. Leaving so late, he probably didn't intend to go to the restaurant in the first place. That trip was most likely just like the explanation he gave me, wanting to give me an answer. How sad. Even the final farewell party became a handover to ask me not to cause trouble. So the divorce agreement was originally intended to be given to you tonight, because I was so tired, I wasn't even in the mood to talk about divorce anymore. That night, although I didn't say anything to Tran Tieu. But I still cried all night. Tran Tieu also did not find out. Because he didn't go back to bed last night. After I returned to the room, he went to the balcony and called for an hour. This is the habit of Tran Tieu and Ta Nghien. No matter how long the two of you spend together during the day. But come home at night. You two still have to call. Actually, the two of them didn't say anything special. These are all everyday conversations. For example, what to eat. What to drink? What are you doing? Like tonight. Tran Tieu gently asked Ta Nghien:

“After climbing the mountain today, my legs hurt Are not?"

I couldn't hear the answer on the other end of the line. But it can still be roughly guessed. Ta Nghien will probably say softly:

“It doesn't hurt, as long as you can always be with me.”

But it's everyday conversations like that that make me most jealous of Ta Nghien. Anyway, even when the relationship between me and Tran Tieu is the best. He has never treated me so meticulously before. I don't want to continue to wallow in self-pity anymore.