Chapter 1 — Husband Says First Love Doesn't Feel Safe, I Always Change the Locks

My husband said my first love didn't feel safe, so I immediately changed the locks. In the middle of the night, her husband's first love called him.

“I'm home alone, I don't feel safe.”

He immediately wanted to go there with her. I don't stop. It's just that after he stepped out of the door, I called a technician to come and change the lock. At three o'clock in the morning, he returned but could not open the door. Standing outside typing for half an hour. I sat in the house and asked out loud:

“Do you feel safe now?”

There was silence outside for two seconds. Chu Nghien tried to suppress his anger:

“Tham Tri Y, open the door.”

I sat on the sofa, holding Tieu Vu, whose fever had just subsided.

“Can't open it.”

“Why can't it open?”

“Because the locksmith said, the old key doesn't fit the new door.”

He got angry immediately.

"Are you sick? Why are you changing the lock in the middle of the night?"

I glanced at the clock on the wall. Three hours and seventeen minutes. Tieu Vu was awakened by the sound of knocking on the door and curled up in my arms. Her forehead was still a little hot. I gently patted my child's back, then said to the person outside the door:

“Do you also know that midnight is not appropriate?”

Chu Nghien paused for a few seconds. When he opened his mouth again, his tone had softened a bit.

“Tri Y, I didn't mean to not respond to your message just now.”

"There was a broken water pipe next to Lam Nguyet's place. She was alone so she was scared. Let's go check it out."

I laughed.

“So are you done watching?”

"Done."

“Is it fixed yet?”

"Done."

“Then go back there.”

He was stunned.

“Back to where?”

“It's her house.”

I calmly said:

"Isn't she lacking a sense of security? You stand guard in front of her door all night, I'm sure she will sleep very well."

Chu Nghien finally couldn't bear it anymore.

“Tham Tri Y, can you stop talking so sarcastically?”

I carried Tieu Vu back to the bedroom and carefully covered him with a blanket. Then return to the front door. I asked him:

“Chu Nghien, when you left the house, did you know Tieu Vu had a fever?”

Outside immediately fell silent. I continue to ask:

"I called you three times and sent you six text messages. Did you see that?"

He didn't answer. I picked up my phone and opened the chat history. Eleven twenty minutes at night.

"Tieu Vu has a fever of 38.9 degrees, can you come home?"

Eleven hours forty-six minutes.

"The baby vomited. I'm afraid something will happen on the way. Can you come home with me and take the baby to the hospital?"

Twelve hours and five minutes.

“Chu Nghien, where are you?”

Twelve thirty minutes. He answered me exactly one question.

"Lam Nguyet's water pipe broke. She's very scared. I'll be home a little late."

I stared at that sentence all night. Watch until your daughter's fever subsides. Look until it's almost dawn. Looking outside the door, a man finally remembered that he still had a family. Chu Nghien stood outside and said:

"I didn't know Tieu Vu was so serious."

“Of course I don't know.”

“She doesn't have the last name Lam.”

Outside the door was completely quiet. I turned around and went back to the bedroom. At that moment, the phone rang again. It's Chu Nghien's call. I didn't pick up the phone. He started texting constantly.

“Wife, I know I was wrong.”

“Can I go in first?”

“It's cold outside.”

I bowed my head and looked at the screen. Then answer:

“If it's cold, go find Lam Nguyet.”

“She is the one who needs to feel safe the most.”

After sending the message, I switched my phone to silent mode. By morning, there was no more movement outside the door. I turned on the surveillance camera to watch again. Chu Nghien stood in front of the house for two hours. Finally, Lam Nguyet came to pick me up. She was wearing a white nightgown and his shirt over it. Standing at the elevator door, she said in a low voice:

“A Nghien, why don't you come over to my place and rest for a while.”

Chu Nghien turned his head to look towards my door. Those eyes seemed to be waiting for me to rush out and hold on. I never came out. He and Lam Nguyet went into the elevator. The moment the elevator door closed, I saved the surveillance video to my phone. Not for crying. It's for accounting purposes. At seven o'clock in the morning, Tieu Vu woke up. The baby's fever stopped, she opened her eyes and looked at me and asked:

“Mom, is dad home yet?”

I patted my child's head.

“Dad is home.”

“So where is dad?”

I poured my child a cup of warm water.

“Dad, going makes others feel safe.”

Tieu Vu is too young to understand. She just held the glass of water and said softly:

“But I was scared last night too.”

My heart felt like it was lightly stabbed by something. It's not pain. It's about being alert. Before, I always thought that as long as this family still exists, a little patience is okay. Chu Nghien is busy, I do a little more. His mother scrutinized him, so I said a few less words. His sister caused trouble, I could avoid it. After Lam Nguyet returned home, he was busy running out every three days. I also told myself time and time again... It's just my first love. Just someone who belongs to the past. As long as he still remembers the way home, don't make things too unsightly. But last night, when I held a feverish Tieu Vu and stood in the hospital hallway, I looked at the other children whose fathers were busy running ahead and behind. I suddenly understood. There are men who don't know where home is. He just knows that no matter how far he goes, there will always be someone at the door waiting for him. That's why he dared to leave again and again in the middle of the night. I dare to consider other people's tears as more important than my daughter's body temperature. At nine o'clock in the morning, Chu Nghien returned. This time he didn't knock on the door. He called me. I picked up the phone. The first thing he said was:

“Open the door, I need to change clothes for work.”

“Where is the key?”

“The old key won't open.”

“Then don't open it anymore.”

Chu Nghien took a deep breath.

“Tham Tri Y, I went into the water last night, can you stop doing too much?”

I opened the door.