Chapter 4 — In This Life, I Must Keep My Distance from My Ex-Husband

Phu Nguyen Thanh was truly, exceptionally good to Trieu So So. In those days, a gold necklace was a symbol of luxury; there was no woman who did not dream of owning one. Trieu So So, currently unemployed and pregnant, stayed home to nurse her health. Seeing others wearing gold jewelry, she turned to Phu Nguyen Thanh with hopeful eyes.

"Nguyen Thanh, tell me, do I look beautiful wearing this?"

Phu Nguyen Thanh nodded tenderly. "You look beautiful in everything you wear."

Trieu So So blushed, overcome with shyness. The shop was crowded, and Phu Nguyen Thanh protectively drew her into his arms. The two of them stood there, alternating between trying on necklaces and exchanging longing, lovestruck glances. A person waiting behind them complained impatiently: "Hey, are you going to buy it or not? If not, move aside! Many of us are waiting!"

Phu Nguyen Thanh quickly replied, "Yes! Buying! We are buying!"

Trieu So So tugged at his sleeve, hesitating, "But... it is so expensive..."

Phu Nguyen Thanh’s eyes were filled with adoration as they drifted to her stomach; he smiled indulgently. "You are about to become a mother; nothing is too expensive for you. Besides, this can be passed down to our child in the future."

In my previous life, I had also seen that shimmering gold necklace on Trieu So So’s neck. At that time, she was living in my home, pregnant and demanding. Phu Nguyen Thanh had even forced me to tend to her throughout her entire pregnancy and postpartum period. But when I became pregnant and gave birth, she turned to him and said, "If we want a bigger place, move her out."

Having lost me as her free maid, she made Phu Nguyen Thanh hire a servant for her. From then on, she grew increasingly arrogant. Despite having no job, she paraded around in expensive gold necklaces and the finest clothes, flaunting it all right in front of me. I grew so frustrated that I would lash out at Phu Nguyen Thanh, but he only calmed me with soft words: "Just give in to her a little. She has nothing left, but you still have me."

Because of that single sentence, I endured humiliation countless times, right up until I was lying on my deathbed with terminal stomach cancer. Trieu So So leaned close to my ear, her voice dripping with mockery: "All your life, it looked like the husband was yours, the house was yours, and the children were yours. But in truth, everything belonged to me. And you... you were nothing but a joke."

But now... none of that mattered anymore. I was going to have a better life. As he finished paying and looked up, he saw me standing outside the shop, silently watching. I turned to leave immediately. He hurried after me, grabbing my wrist. "Nhu An, don't overthink things. Today is So So’s birthday, I only bought her a gift; it won’t happen again. Can you stop being angry?"

I looked up at him. His face still wore a look of panic, but he wasn’t afraid of hurting me; he was afraid that I would make a scene in the middle of the street like yesterday, which would reflect poorly on Trieu So So. I shrugged off his hand and said calmly, "Fine." He looked at me, bewildered. "Are you really not angry?" I did not answer. As I turned away, he tried to follow, but Trieu So So pulled him back.

I had been extremely busy the past two days. I had no energy to waste on Trieu So So or Phu Nguyen Thanh. Whatever they did—shopping or going to the hospital—I could not care less. While they were out, I mailed all the heavy, inconvenient items to my eldest aunt’s house via the nearby post office. I was so occupied that it was evening by the time I finished. I calculated the time; I could leave tomorrow morning. But just then, something happened. Neighboring Uncle Truong knocked frantically on my door, saying that Phu Nguyen Thanh was in trouble. I threw on my coat and ran to the police station. On the way, Uncle Truong cautiously asked about the relationship between Phu Nguyen Thanh and Trieu So So.

"They are classmates. Brother Nguyen Thanh asked me to let Miss So So rent the room," I replied.

"Oh, really just classmates? He treats her very well, don't you think?"

I said nothing, keeping my head down and acting pitiful, as if I were harboring great grievances. "Brother Nguyen Thanh said he must take extra care of Miss So So. Since she is pregnant, it doesn't matter if I have to suffer a little."

Hearing this, Uncle Truong sighed with sympathy. "Hurry and go see what happened!"

When I arrived, I learned that Phu Nguyen Thanh had gotten into a fight with a group of local thugs. He had recklessly charged at three or four men alone... and ended up being brutally beaten. The police said that if they had been found any later, he might have been crippled. When I arrived, he was covered in bandages, his face bruised and swollen, looking truly pathetic. Beside him, Trieu So So was crying hysterically. "Nguyen Thanh, does it hurt? Are you okay? As long as you are safe... it is all my fault, I couldn't protect you."

"No, you were very brave," he wheezed. "When you stood in front of me, you were like a hero."

It sent a chill down my spine. The police explained that Trieu So So had been cornered by the thugs who were harassing her, and Phu Nguyen Thanh had jumped in to save her, leading to a brawl. After a stern warning from the police, I signed the papers and took them home. On the way, Phu Nguyen Thanh turned to me with a hint of remorse. "An An, I’m sorry for the trouble today. Miss So So is very simple and sensitive, and she is pregnant. You know she needs someone to care for her. I’ve been busy with her lately and neglected you, but rest assured, in a few days, I will file our marriage registration papers. Once we are married, I will take good care of you."

"Fine," I replied flatly, not wanting to hear him continue his lies.

"Why does our house look so empty?" he asked.

I had already shipped away the important things, given away the trivial ones, and sold the valuables. Of course, the house was empty. My room was even emptier, but I couldn't let him know, lest I be unable to leave tomorrow. "I thought since there are more people in the house now, it was too cramped, so I cleared some things out."

"That is good. When we marry, I will buy new furniture."

In my previous life, after we married, I never saw any new furniture. The refrigerator, the television—everything was given to Trieu So So. He had said, "You know So So is used to a comfortable life, we must yield to her." I truly could not fathom how I had endured that in my past life. Now, I did not want to endure a single second more. I wore a smile. "Fine."

Seeing me smile, Phu Nguyen Thanh was visibly relieved. "An An, you rarely smile at me lately. You should smile more; you are going to be a bride soon." He seemed to think of something, a flicker of guilt crossing his eyes, but he quickly hid it. "An An, after we marry, I will definitely treat you well."

"Fine, I believe you."

Believe him? If this scumbag stayed away from me, that would be for the best. That night, I went to my room, locked the door tight, and waited for the morning to leave. Counting down the final night—a peaceful sleep.

July 15th, I woke up early. I packed my remaining luggage, waiting for Trieu So So and Phu Nguyen Thanh to leave for the hospital to change bandages, so I could make my escape. Suddenly, there was a frantic knocking at the door. I opened it to find several school officials from Phu Nguyen Thanh’s workplace, along with a regional party secretary and a police officer. They walked in and asked directly, "Nhu An, is Teacher Phu at home?"

I nodded. "He is in the bathroom."

"There is a woman named Trieu So So staying in your house, right? And she is pregnant?"

I nodded firmly. The school official sighed. Phu Nguyen Thanh emerged from the bathroom, wiping his hands. "An An, who is here?"

He froze upon seeing the group. Trieu So So’s door opened slightly before being slammed shut. A female teacher stepped forward. "Nhu An, do you know the relationship between those two?"

I pretended to be stressed, shaking my head blankly. "Brother Nguyen Thanh said... they are university classmates."

"Enough, take them away!" The school official sighed, looking at him with utter disappointment before turning to leave. Phu Nguyen Thanh stood there with disheveled hair, not yet realizing what was happening. The police officer stepped forward sternly. "Comrade Phu Nguyen Thanh, you have been reported for an illicit affair. Furthermore, the fight yesterday is not yet resolved. One of the thugs was hospitalized this morning. You and Miss Trieu will need to come with us."

"What? Comrade, what do you mean?"

I widened my eyes, staring at Phu Nguyen Thanh in shock, my eyes instantly brimming with tears. My voice trembled as if I were devastated. "Brother Nguyen Thanh... how could you betray me? How could you hide this from me?" I burst into tears, ran into my room, and slammed the door.

"An An, it’s a misunderstanding! Wait for me, I will explain!" He called my name repeatedly, but it was useless.

Soon after, they were taken away for investigation. I walked out of the room and calmly finished tidying up. Several neighbor friends came to console me; I said my goodbyes to them one by one. I gave the remaining items to the neighbors. I grabbed my luggage and took the bus to the train station. At 8:30 AM, I was on the train heading to Guangzhou.

After arriving in Guangzhou, I rented a new house near the World Trade Center—a location that would become the city's most bustling hub in a few years. Not only that, I rented a stall to start my own business. Slowly, the work fell into a rhythm. Unable to handle it alone, I began hiring staff. September 1st, the school year began. By day, I studied business theory; by night, I ran my trade. Ten years later, I had a firm footing in Guangzhou, owning a home, a car, and my own company. By anticipating the trends, I had purchased a building for my headquarters. Three years ago, I married a junior from my university—a young, energetic man over six feet tall. Now, we have a lovely daughter. Returning home in the evening, I watched my husband and daughter playing together. I sat on the sofa, gazing at the glittering city lights outside the window, thinking—this is truly the best era.

By day, I called my old teacher to inquire about Phu Nguyen Thanh. It was hard not to feel a sense of irony. That year, after he was reported for his affair, he lost his job. He ended up managing a tiny roadside stand, doing odd jobs just to survive. When he returned home after the investigation, he found I had long gone. Two months later, the house was sold to someone else. He was kicked out and had to rent a place, struggling to earn a living with his stall—the very things I had done in my past life. But Phu Nguyen Thanh, inherently arrogant, could never lower himself to the street life as I had. He didn't make much money. Eventually, Trieu So So gave birth, and they married. In my past life, Trieu So So had wanted a job at the school, and Phu Nguyen Thanh had used his connections to get her my spot. This time, he couldn't even keep his own job, let alone care for her. They lived on the meager earnings from his stall.

My teacher told me the person who reported him had been Luc Luong, Trieu So So’s ex-husband. The thugs who had harassed them were also hired by him. After marrying, the two fought constantly. Sooner or later, Trieu So So began mocking him for being useless and unable to provide, eventually cheating on him with Luc Luong. One day, Phu Nguyen Thanh caught them together. The two men fought, but Luc Luong was cold-blooded and ruthless. In the end, Phu Nguyen Thanh had his leg broken. Trieu So So took their daughter and divorced him, refusing to live with a man who was both poor and crippled. He became a man without a future, completely broken. Now, Phu Nguyen Thanh lives in a haze of alcohol, jobless. Whenever he is drunk, he collapses on the ground, mumbling my name. "An An... An An, come back... I was wrong..." He would weep, telling passersby, "The girl back then, with her neat braids, standing in the kitchen cooking, waiting for me to come home... I lost her forever."

Thinking of this, I shuddered. Setting those memories aside, I picked up a book on commerce. I looked up just as my six-foot-tall husband stepped into the room, wearing a towel, revealing his toned abdominal muscles as he dried his hair. I kept a calm expression, looking down to continue reading. I have always believed that one should never stop learning at any age. Even as a successful businesswoman, I must keep up with the times. My husband always supported me and never disturbed me. But today... it was a bit strange. Without a word, he suddenly dropped to the floor next to my bed and started doing push-ups... then lifted weights. Seeing the defined muscles, his healthy skin, and his rigid frame... I swallowed, my throat dry. Ah... the sight of a handsome man is truly a distraction. It seems... my studies will have to wait until tomorrow.