Chapter 4 — Invincible Youth

When I said this, my voice was strangely calm: "My father came to find you, saying he only needed 200 yuan to buy me one night. So I tore it up in front of you." “I'm very sorry for calling you a poor student.” “But if I let him know that you have money and say those dirty words, I would rather die.” Giang Duc Bach tilted his head and looked out the window. The hand holding the steering wheel has blue veins. After a long while, he took a deep breath and took his phone back. Send a message. Then put the phone down. "I know." “Le Le, I know.” He repeated twice then suddenly covered his face with his hands. I looked at the foggy window glass and slowly took out my phone to read the comments about Giang Duc Bach. He snatched my phone and threw it into the back seat: "Don't look at that junk." I asked: "It's a big deal, isn't it?" 9 “It's no big deal.” But I know, not everyone is as patient as Giang Duc Bach. I thought for a moment and then said: "I want to go home." “Being with someone like me will only make you miserable.” Giang Duc Bach smiled contemptuously: "Ha Thanh Le, you slept with me and now you want to run away? Impossible." “Especially after you told me those things, do you think I will let you go?” I hesitated: "Your fans all like Diep Tan Tang..." "I contacted her because she said she could get information from you and also help me pursue you." His voice was cold: "Now there's no need." I seriously thought and said: "I still want to go." “I need to clean up the mess. When I'm done, I'll find you again, okay?” If Giang Duc Bach makes this public, his career will definitely be affected. I don't want one day, when arguing, he will blurt out: "I gave up everything for you." Carrying on someone else's life is so tiring. I took his phone and said: "Password." “0719.” Unexpectedly... it's my birthday. I was a bit taken aback, bowed my head, and posted a status on his Weibo page: "We are just friends." Giang Duc Bach took his phone back and saw my message. The atmosphere in the car suddenly became quiet. Outside the window came the sound of raindrops. “I forgot, I'm still unclear right now.” A look of regret flashed across his face: "But you can often bring your child here, I have enough people to look after you." Does he think I'm a single mother? “Thanks, but I don't have—” “What time is the bullet train?” Giang Duc Bach interrupted me innocently, seemingly afraid that I would refuse. “Seven thirty.” “Okay, I'll take you there.” The drizzling rain became thicker and thicker, the car drove into the train station. I took out a small umbrella from my pocket. When he got out of the car, Giang Duc Bach suddenly called back: "Le Le, in your heart, am I bad?" Looking into his deep, calm eyes, I smiled: "You are very good, so good that... I feel like I will never be worthy of you." 10 Thanks to a statement on Giang Duc Bach's personal page, the incident quickly calmed down. The comments section is back to being as peaceful as before. Fan sincerely advised: "Giang Duc Bach, you and Tan Tan living well together is better than anything." “Promise us, don't go back to that bad girl again?” I resigned from the company and prepared for graduate school. At the end of the year, I received a pretty generous year-end bonus. Get on the bus back to your hometown. Actually I don't want to go back. But There is an old album left at home by my grandmother. I want to take it home this year so that it won't come back again. On the night of Tet 30, the Tet atmosphere was very strong. The children played, chased each other, threw firecrackers on the ground... I walked under the old building and saw my belongings lying in the white snow. From upstairs came my father's angry scream: "Is your mother crazy! I'm a man! I don't sell my ass!" “Tell me, who posted my information online!” "I'll say it again, I'm not selling! Get out of your 200 yuan!" I stood down there, listened for a while, then called Giang Duc Bach. “My dad seems to be getting some strange phone calls.” Giang Duc Bach was not surprised at all: "Yeah, don't pay attention to him. Wait, are you home already?" "Yes, I'm standing downstairs. Come get your things and leave now. I won't go upstairs, don't worry." Giang Duc Bach quickly hung up. My father started calling Trieu Huyen's parents again: "If she doesn't stand up for Trieu Huyen, I won't admit she's my daughter. Don't worry, parents at home, if she dares to come back, I'll break her legs!" “From now on, Trieu Huyen will take care of his salary!” Over the years, my feelings for my father have almost dried up. I bent down, rummaged through the trash, and finally found the old album. I brushed off the mud and dirt on the photo, turned around and walked into the snowy wind. At the corner of the street, I met a man wearing a black coat. The streetlights lengthened his silhouette. Even though he wore a mask, it couldn't hide the excellent features on his face. Giang Duc Bach seemed to have walked for a long time in the snow, his shoulders and hat were covered with snow. He quickly walked over and hugged me. Panting: “Ha Thanh Le, happy new year.” … The old neighborhood doesn't have many luxury restaurants. Giang Duc Bach led me into a steaming noodle shop. He ordered me a large bowl of noodles filled with beef. “Why are you here?” I remember many years ago, Giang Duc Bach's family moved away. There probably aren't any relatives here anymore. He ordered himself a bowl of fishball soup and said softly: "I'm filming a show, just eat with you, don't ask too much." His eyes in the steaming steam seemed to contain some vague emotions, making people's faces hot. I moved my lips: "Oh, is that so?" I quietly sucked on the noodles, Giang Duc Bach looked at me. “I will be here for half a month, do you have any plans?” “Almost home.” “Is Tet coming too?” He frowned. “Yes, I have to take graduate school exams.” Giang Duc Bach aimlessly stirred fish balls in the soup pot. I wiped my mouth and said: "There are many bad memories here, I don't want to stay." "During high school, I was maliciously accused by Diep Tan Tang and wanted to clear my name, but for decades there was no evidence." “Now my father is eager to sell me for the wedding money.” “My life has hit rock bottom.” “If I don't change, maybe my whole life will be like that.” I took a big bite of the beef: "I spent three years studying in college. Then three more years to save up enough money for graduate school. In the next three years, I will enter Shenzhen University." Giang Duc Bach stirred the pot of fish balls and said: "I know, Ha Thanh Le is always herself." "Those rumors can't hurt you. You're just afraid that if you stay with me, it will affect your graduate school exams, right?" I felt a bit embarrassed: “Yes.” Giang Duc Bach smiled: "No matter what you do, I still support you." After finishing dinner, Giang Duc Bach had to go back studio. And I took a taxi to the station. He stood in the snow, wearing a scarf, smiling lazily: "Hey, Ha Thanh Le, when you get into Shenzhen University, can you stay with me?" I thought and replied: "Let's figure it out later." 10 Years later, I began traveling back and forth between the two cities, looking for the right instructor. The day I received the invitation letter to become a graduate student, I just returned home and saw someone standing at the door. It's Diep Tan Tang. Thanks to Giang Duc Bach, I also learned a few things in the entertainment world. Recently, Diep Tan Tang doesn't seem to focus on making music anymore, just focusing on creating a beautiful image. She acted in a few web dramas, all of which flopped. Even terminated the contract with Giang Duc Bach's studio. Now, she stands in front of my house, smiling: "Long time no see, Le Le." I was stunned, standing on the steps: "Why did you come here? Did I do something to you?" Diep Tan Tang did not expect that I would actively challenge him, his smile disappeared: "Are you crazy? I'm not afraid of you." I thought and said: "It seems like you can't do anything, the music doesn't work, the movie flops, it seems like you... aren't good at anything." Diep Tan Tang's mouth twitched uncontrollably. She used all her strength to force a smile: "Do you want me to tell you about your high school days again, right before social networks?" I blinked: "Okay, it's up to you." I closed the door in front of her. Right after that, on my phone I received a list of results announced for graduate students at Shenzhen University. My name is in it. The instructor over the phone seriously advised: "Don't cause conflicts with anyone recently, stay calm during the announcement." I kept those words in my heart.