Chapter 31 — I'm Busy All My Life, And You're Lonely

That night, he worked overtime until two in the morning before finding his way home, pushing open the bedroom door, the bed was empty. Pillows and blankets are folded neatly and flat. He thought Tong Tuyet would sulk and leave to return to her grandmother's house. The next morning, he saw the office door ajar and Tong Tuyet walked out from inside, her hair disheveled and her eyes tired and exhausted. He blurted out a question.

“Did you sleep here last night?”

Tong Tuyet said yes. Then went straight to the kitchen to make breakfast. The morning sunlight that day was probably the same as today. But at that time he didn't care, nor did he think deeply. I keep thinking about where I'm sleeping, but I'm not sleeping. It wasn't until many years later that he realized that that fateful night was the turning point of this marriage. Unfortunately, he didn't hold on at that time. The living room curtains were half-drawn, and the house smelled stuffy because the windows hadn't been opened for a long time. As soon as Luc's mother entered the house, she quickly rolled up her sleeves and cleaned up.

“Mom, go open the window, then change the bed sheets.”

“Let me do it.” Tong Tuyet put her bag away and walked towards the bedroom.

“I have to go to school again.” Luc's mother stopped her, "Let me take care of this side."

“I just did it conveniently.” Tong Tuyet said, "I've been planning to change the bed sheets in his room for a long time, but I keep regretting the pattern."

“It was something I bought when you two got married.” Luc's mother grumbled, "Can't I keep it as a souvenir?"

Tong Tuyet did not answer, just skillfully peeled off the old bed sheet, folded it neatly to the side, and replaced it with a new set of light gray washed sheets. The moment the sheet is smoothed, the whole bedroom looks neater and brighter. Luc Kien Quan stood outside the door, quietly watching this scene. The sunlight from outside the window poured in obliquely, landing on the bed that no longer belonged to him. He suddenly felt a bit panicked and shocked.

“Just lie down and rest for a while.” Tong Tuyet turned around and said, "Don't stand there forever."

"Okay." Luc Kien Quan walked over and slowly lay down.

On the bed sheets there is a crisp smell of sunlight, with a faint scent of laundry detergent. He half-closed his eyes, then opened them again.

“Tong Tuyet.” He called her name.

“Are you sure you will come home tonight?” He asked hesitantly.

Tong Tuyet was stunned.

“I said I would come back, I would come back.” She was firm.

Luc Kien Quan nodded.

“Then I'll wait for you.”

Tong Tuyet didn't say anything more, turned on her heel and walked out. The door was ajar, outside the sound of Luc's mother and Luc Tu Ngang talking.

“Mom, don't spoil dad too much.”

“That's your father.”

“I know it's my dad, but there are some things…”

The voice gradually faded, then stopped completely. Luc Kien Quan lies on the bed, sleepiness surrounds him. He rarely sleeps during the day. Before, I always complained about lack of time. Now, he suddenly realized that he had so much free time that he was panicking. He fell asleep in a dream. In his dream, he returned twenty years ago. That summer, they had just gotten married. Tong Tuyet is wearing a light blue dress, her hair tied in a high ponytail, and is drying clothes on the balcony. The wind blew fiercely, the skirts of her skirt fluttered. He stood in the house admiring her for a while, then walked over and hugged her from behind.

“What are you doing?” Tong Tuyet laughed and struggled, "People can see it now."

“Afraid of what?” He rested his chin on her shoulder, "You are my wife."

The sunlight shined on her face, white dazzling.

“Then you won't be able to bully me from now on.” Tong Tuyet warned, "Don't come home late, don't be easily irritable, don't..."

She clearly spelled out each clause, and he kept grinning and nodding repeatedly.

“Okay, okay, I hear you all.”

The dream suddenly interrupted here. Luc Kien Quan was startled awake by his rapid breathing. The room was starting to get dark.