Chapter 3 — In This Life, I Must Keep My Distance from My Ex-Husband

"This is the house my parents left to me, and this is my bedroom. On what grounds should I surrender it to a total stranger?"

"How could you call her a stranger? Nhu An, you really shouldn't speak like that."

Trieu So So bowed her head, her lips curling into a smile of profound sorrow. "Nguyen Thanh, perhaps... perhaps I should just move out. After all, this is your sister's room, it is quite alright. I am older than her, I should be the one to yield." She placed a hand gently over her stomach, her voice dripping with artificial fragility. "The baby and I will simply find a way to survive on our own. It is fine."

She then turned toward me, offering a melancholic, watery smile. "I truly envy my younger sister. Not only do you have your own house, but you also have such a wonderful fiance like Nguyen Thanh by your side. If I had a man like him, I think I would smile even in my sleep."

Hearing this, Pho Nguyen Thanh’s heart seemed to ache. He turned to me, his voice sharp and severe. "She is pregnant! It is only natural that we take care of her! When did you become so heartless? Apologize to your sister So immediately!"

I rolled my eyes, no longer willing to endure his posturing for even a second. "I refuse."

Seeing the mockery etched on my lips, Pho Nguyen Thanh’s expression darkened instantly. "Nhu An, you have always been such a sensible and obedient girl." He shook his head, his face filled with disappointment. "For all these years, you were never this stubborn. Why must you act so unreasonably now? In the end, you are only hurting everyone involved."

I looked at him in disbelief. "I am the one being unreasonable? I am hurting someone? Who exactly have I harmed?"

His face remained cold, his tone thick with accusation. "Nhu An, you know very well that I only care for girls who are obedient and submissive."

Obedient? Am I his pet dog? Must I be obedient? In my past life, how desperately insecure and starved for affection was I to allow a man like this to brainwash and manipulate me? Pho Nguyen Thanh was five years my senior. He knew full well that I had grown up without a father and that my mother had remarried, leaving me with a deep-seated lack of security. He exploited that, using it to control me until I willingly sacrificed everything for him. He took advantage of my trust and my dependency, turning them into tools for manipulation. Between me and Trieu So So, he juggled us with ease. Two women. Two homes. And one child by each. I despise him.

"She is pregnant, but that child is certainly not mine. Whoever did this should be responsible, so what does it have to do with me?" I challenged, my voice cutting through the air. "Furthermore, her own husband won't look after her, yet you are in such a rush to play the provider? Don't tell me this child actually has something to do with you?"

My words were sharp and jagged, but I no longer cared for civility. As expected, Pho Nguyen Thanh recoiled like a rooster stepped on, his face turning pale with rage. He paced back and forth, pointing an accusatory finger at me. "Ly Nhu An, do you even hear yourself?"

His gaze darted to Trieu So So before landing back on me, screaming, "How can you say such things about me and So? If this gets out, what will happen to her reputation? She has already gone through a divorce and suffered enough humiliation. She is pregnant and her husband has abandoned her, yet you—you are so cruel, judging her with such malice!"

Ha, so he wants to play the blame game? I sneered inwardly. After the So family went bankrupt a year ago, she married a notorious delinquent. People said he was the son of a factory foreman, but the wealth didn't last. She soon discovered he was a gambler and a womanizer who beat her whenever he lost money. When she finally caught him cheating, she divorced him and fled to Ha City. The man she sought out was the same poor student who once worshipped her as a sacred moon—Pho Nguyen Thanh.

He was the happiest man alive to find her. Knowing her plight, his heart ached with a pity that quickly turned into something else. On his birthday, she whispered something to him, and he, in a fit of misplaced chivalry and sympathy, decided he would be the one to give her a child to keep her company. And just like that, they ended up in bed.

Now, Pho Nguyen Thanh sighed, feigning helplessness. "You are still young, so So and I will let this slide for now. Apologize, then help her move her belongings into the room so she can get some rest."

I crossed my arms, leaning against the doorframe, watching him coldly. Trieu So So’s eyes reddened as she gripped his sleeve. "Nguyen Thanh, forget it... I shouldn't have come here. Your sister doesn't like me; I don't want to cause any trouble."

He patted her hand, his voice overflowing with misplaced compassion. "You are pregnant; you should not be the one worrying." He looked at me, eyes filled with disappointment. "Nhu An, just give up the room for her, can you?"

I remained expressionless, answering coldly, "No."

Seeing my lack of compliance, he began to lose his temper. "It is just a room! How much longer do you plan to throw this tantrum? Why must you compete with a pregnant woman? You don't even have parents to stand up for you anymore!"

In that instant, the temperature in the room plummeted. It was so quiet I could hear a pin drop.

I understood perfectly well the implication behind his slip of the tongue. My father was dead, and my mother had no use for me. I was just a pitiful orphan, unwanted by the world, clinging to him and begging for marriage, hoping he wouldn't cast me aside. He was threatening me. In my past life, I was truly blind. There was a bitter ache in my chest, not for the person I was now, but for that lonely, bullied girl from my previous life who had no other choice.

But he was wrong. In this life, without him, I will live a hundred times better.

Pho Nguyen Thanh realized his mistake and rushed to backtrack. "An An, I didn't mean that..." He reached out to pat my head, but I dodged him. I waved my hand dismissively. "If she wants to stay, fine. Give her my room. You can look after her however you please." I looked him straight in the eye. "But it will cost five times the rent. Pay me for a month in advance, and she can stay for a month."

Perhaps it was the guilt of his slip-up, or perhaps his desire to care for Trieu So So was that strong, but he agreed without hesitation, handing me the money. Ever since she arrived in Ha City, I hadn't seen a single cent of his salary. A trash man is not worth keeping, but his money—that I could take. I needed the capital to source my goods. I commanded him coldly, "I am sleeping in your room. You can figure out where you are sleeping."

He was silent for a long moment, then let out a resigned sigh. "Fine."

Just like that, Trieu So So moved into my house. Early the next morning, I looked at the wall calendar—it was July 15th. Only three days left. I opened my notebook, scribbled a list of supplies to buy, slung my bag over my shoulder, and left the room. As I stepped out, I saw Pho Nguyen Thanh in the kitchen making breakfast. In my past life, I had never seen him step foot in the kitchen. Even when I was recovering from childbirth, he barely cooked a few meals before finding excuses to go on "business trips." For years, he never cooked for me or the children. I had to cook for the whole household even when I was burning with a fever.

Seeing me leave, he offered a sheepish smile. "Up already, An An? Wait a moment and eat breakfast with sister So."

I didn't bother answering and kept walking. He rushed after me, looking perplexed. "An An, what is wrong with you lately? You seem like a completely different person."

I didn't even glance at him as I changed my shoes and stepped outside. The summer in Ha City carried the faint scent of river water. This city, a classic Jiangnan water town, was famous for its silk and tea. In the future, once the trade markets opened fully, these textiles would become rare and highly sought after.

I headed to the Ha City fabric district, home to many small weaving workshops. I knew that while these were merely small, manual shops today, in the future, this street would house top-tier silk export companies. They would specialize in the kind of high-end, bespoke, hand-embroidered goods that large-scale factories could never replicate.

I bought a large quantity of silk scarves, pillowcases, and handkerchiefs—all authentic, hand-woven silk. Then, I selected various embroidered goods: slippers, pillowcases, and bedspreads. The summer heat in Guangzhou was sweltering, and these light, breathable items would sell like hotcakes. This time, I bought in bulk, for now, I finally had the capital in my hands.

I took the goods to the post office and sent them directly to Guangzhou. By the time I arrived two days later, the stock would be ready for me to begin selling at my aunt's stall. By the time I finished at the post office in the late afternoon, I unexpectedly ran into Pho Nguyen Thanh and Trieu So So. He was leading her through a state-run department store. A long line was snaking in front of the counter. I watched from a distance, just in time to see him reach out, take a gold necklace from the display, and hold it up for her to see. It was gold. He was planning to buy it for her.