Chapter 1 — I'm Busy All My Life, And You're Lonely

MY WIFE AND I SLEEP SEPARATELY FOR 18 YEARS. IT WAS UNTIL I Suffered a Cardiac Infarction and had to be hospitalized, that I understood why the day she had breast cancer surgery... she chose to endure it alone!

"Next Monday I have to go to the hospital for a checkup. I'll take a day off from work and come to the hospital to take care of you."

Luc Kien Quan stuffed the last piece of egg into his mouth. His eyes were still glued to the construction progress table on his phone. Tong Tuyet quietly cleared the dishes. The hand movements never stopped.

"I can't ask for time off these days. Final exams are coming up, and my teaching schedule is full."

Her voice was calm. Calmly as if saying today the weather is getting cold. Luc Kien Quan raised his head. His eyebrows immediately furrowed.

"What's wrong with not being able to ask for time off?"

"You're showing signs of a pre-myocardial infarction! The doctor said you need to go to the hospital for a check-up right away. In severe cases, you might need a stent!"

He threw the chopsticks hard on the table. The sound of dishes colliding with each other rang out. Tong Tuyet still carried the stack of bowls to the sink. Open the faucet. The sound of rushing water immediately drowned out all the words behind him.

"Tong Tuyet! I'm talking to you!"

Luc Kien Quan unconsciously raised his voice. She turned off the faucet. Slowly dry your hands before turning around.

“I heard.”

"But the school has made all the arrangements. I'm the homeroom teacher and also teach the senior class. I really can't leave at this stage."

During speaking. Her eyes were still directed out the window. Never looked at him.

“Is there anything more important than your husband's life?”

Luc Kien Quan stepped closer. At this moment, Tong Tuyet raised her head. Her eyes were so pale that it made people feel empty.

“Two years ago…”

“When I had breast cancer surgery.”

“Where were you at that time?”

Luc Kien Quan paused.

“I... was on a business trip outside the province at the time, looking at the project.”

“See the project?”

The corner of Tong Tuyet's lips slightly raised. But not a smile.

“The photos you posted on the sea island that day... were you also looking at the project?”

Luc Kien Quan's face changed slightly.

“I just want to go out for two days!”

“Besides, my surgery went very smoothly.”

“Hasn't Mom come to take care of you?”

“Mom only stayed for three days.”

“Then he said his back hurt so he went home.”

Tong Tuyet calmly replied.

"It's my older sister who asked to take a leave of absence from work and come to the hospital to stay with me for another week."

She stopped for a few seconds.

“And you…”

“I don't even ask for a day off.”

Luc Kien Quan began to lose patience. He waved his hand.

"It's been a long time, why bring it up again?"

“Now you're talking about your hospitalization!”

“Your story... is always the most important thing.”

Tong Tuyet turned around and continued washing the dishes. Luc Kien Quan stood behind. Look at the woman who has been married to him for twenty-five years. But he also slept separately for eighteen years. Her back is still very straight. Just slightly hunched shoulders. That's a habit left behind after many years of bending over at a desk to grade papers.

“Tong Tuyet.”

“Can we sit down and have a nice talk?”

He proactively lowered his voice. The harder it is, the more useless it is. Tong Tuyet did not turn around.

“What are we talking about?”

“Is it about the night before your son's high school entrance exam, you drank with your colleagues until two in the morning?”

"Or about the day my mother's funeral, you said you were busy with project acceptance so you didn't come?"

“Or for the past twenty years…”

“How many times do you remember my birthday?”

The sound of water suddenly stopped. Can The kitchen was silent. The only sound left was the buzzing sound of the refrigerator running.

“Didn't you... already explain everything?”

Luc Kien Quan's voice suddenly became less confident.

“Explained.”

Tong Tuyet repeated those four words. It's like crushing every word.

“You have always been very good at explaining.”

She placed the last bowl in the sterilization cabinet. Dry your hands. Then walked out of the kitchen.

“I have to go to school.”

“Today there is morning reading class.”

“Tong Tuyet!”

Luc Kien Quan quickly chased after him. Tong Tuyet stood in front of the door changing shoes. The movements were still slow as usual.

“You can buy yourself something to eat at noon.”

"I'll be teaching extra at night, so I'll probably be late."

“So when you were hospitalized... who took care of you?”

“Call your mother.”

Tong Tuyet picked up her bag.

“Didn't you always say... she loves you the most?”

The door opened. A cold wind rushed in. Then the door closed. In the living room, only Luc Kien Quan was left alone. The space was suffocatingly quiet. He slowly sat down on the sofa. Take out a bottle of fast-acting heart support thu/0c from your pocket. Pour two tablets under the tongue. The bitter taste quickly spreads throughout the mouth. The doctor's words from yesterday rang in my ears again.

“The narrowing of the blood vessels in your heart is quite serious.”

“You must go to the hospital for a checkup as soon as possible.”

“The possibility of needing a stent is very high.”

“This disease cannot be delayed.”

“At any time something can happen.”

At any time... Something could happen. This year Luc Kien Quan is forty-eight years old. Holds the position of deputy head of the technical department of a mid-range construction company in Nanjing. I always think I'm young. Until last week. Wednesday afternoon. While inspecting the construction site. His eyes suddenly turned dark. Chest tightness. Even breathing became difficult. Project manager Tieu Ton immediately took him to the emergency room. Electrocardiogram. Blood test. After a series of tests. The doctor's expression became increasingly serious.

“Do you normally have chest tightness?”

“Do you often stay up late?”

“Do you like drinking?”

Luc Kien Quan nodded. Do construction. No communication. Don't drink. Very difficult to work with.

“Your case requires immediate hospitalization.”

“Where are the family members?”

“Call family members to do the procedure.”

Luc Kien Quan took out his phone and called Tong Tuyet. Three in a row. It was only the third time that she picked up the phone.

“I'm going to class.”

“Something to say quickly.”

“I checked and found out there was a problem with my heart.”

“Must be hospitalized.”

“I'll go to the hospital to help you.”

The other end of the line was silent for a few seconds.

“Which hospital?”

“I'll come over after class.”

She hung up. Don't ask if the illness is serious or mild. Didn't even ask if he was okay. That moment. Luc Kien Quan felt his chest tighten. But in front of doctors and subordinates. He could only swallow it all back inside. Last night. He intended to talk about hospitalization in detail. But Tong Tuyet stayed in the office grading papers until after eleven o'clock. Then return to your private room. The room where the two of them had slept separately for eighteen years. He lay alone in the master bedroom. In the end, I still fell asleep first. Woke up this morning. He also thought that Tong Tuyet would proactively ask about hospitalization. She still makes breakfast like every day. Don't mention even one sentence. That breakfast. Like the end of a twenty-five year marriage. Luc Kien Quan leaned against the sofa. Quietly picked up the phone. Browse for numbers of “Mom”, then press the call button. The phone rang for a while before anyone answered.

"Hello, Tieu Quan, why are you calling mom now?"

In the receiver was Ms. Luu Thuc Phan's voice, mixed with the sound of Hoang Mai opera singing.

“Mom, I found out I had a heart problem and had to be hospitalized.”