Chapter 2 — Late Regret

The tissue quickly became red with blood. Ha Van Tham seemed not to see, just turned his head to instruct the staff. “Move your place to the back a little.” “It's not very appropriate for them to sit at the main table now.” My mother's face turned pale. But my father nodded first. “Okay, okay.” “We can sit anywhere.” The staff came over holding the seating chart. My parents were placed in the furthest corner. Next to it are spare seats and audio cables. Guests passing by frowned and avoided them. As if they weren't parents attending their daughter's wedding. But it's just a burden temporarily shoved into a corner. I looked at that seating chart, my voice very quiet. “Why change?” Ha Van Tham frowned. "My parents' clothes turned out like that, sitting at the main table would easily turn right." “The media is also present today.” “I'm thinking about everyone.” Thinking for everyone. The only thing I don't think about is my parents. My father quickly pulled me back. “Girl, sitting in the corner is good.” "Quiet." My mother also forced a smile and said: "That's right." “Don't turn right, it will make you lose face.” My chest felt like it was being squeezed by something. Obviously she didn't do anything wrong. Yet she had learned to hide herself first. This reminds me of last winter. My mother was admitted to the hospital for minor surgery. I called Ha Van Tham and asked if he could accompany me to the hospital. That day he said the company had a meeting and couldn't go. I ran up and down alone, paid money, took prescriptions, and signed. When I got home that night, the soles of my feet were swollen with two blood blisters. But the next day, I saw a photo on Kieu Minh Yen's personal page. In the hospital hallway, Ha Van Tham sat next to her. In hand, hold a cup of hot soy milk. The status line reads: "Some people are afraid that my tooth extraction will hurt, so they are determined to stay by my side until the end." I'll go ask you. He just nonchalantly explained: "Tieu Yen lives in this city alone, has no relatives." “My mother has me to take care of her.” Then I was silent for a long time. In the end, I still convinced myself. He's just too soft-hearted. But now I understand. You don't have to be soft-hearted. He only considers Kieu Minh Yen's tears more important than me and my family. The host held the process board and went to find Ha Van Tham to confirm. My father saw his name, as if he suddenly remembered something, and quickly took out a piece of paper from his vest pocket. That piece of paper was folded very flat. But the corner of the paper had been soaked by the wine just now. “Dad prepared a speech.” He said a bit confused. “If you still need it, I can say a few simple sentences.” His voice became lower and lower. As if he himself knew, he was no longer suitable to stand in front of the stage. Kieu Minh Yen suddenly reached out and picked up that piece of paper. “Are you still preparing?” She smiled widely, and as soon as she read the first sentence, she couldn't help but laugh out loud. “Today, I entrust my most precious daughter to Van Tham…” She raised her head to look at Ha Van Tham. “This is so old.” “Who else says things like that at a wedding now?” The surrounding staff also laughed. My father's face immediately turned red. He reached out to get that piece of paper back. “My Mandarin is not good.” “Writing is not good either.” “Then stop talking.” But Kieu Minh Yen seemed not to see his awkwardness and turned a few more pages. She read the part my father marked the phonetic transcription and suddenly burst out laughing. “Are you still afraid that you read it wrong?” “Actually, there's no need to be so tense, no one really wants to hear these things.” The surrounding staff laughed along. My father's face turned red. Ha Van Tham finally opened his mouth. But not to relieve my father. Instead, he said: "What Minh Yen said makes sense." “This part really doesn't suit today's wedding style.” “Uncle, please cancel the speech for now.” My father held that piece of paper tightly, his lips moving slightly. Finally just said: "Okay, listen to everyone's arrangements." I watched him fold up the speech and stuff it into his wrinkled vest pocket. Movement is very slow. It was as if he also hid his last bit of dignity

there. He prepared that speech for half a month. One time I came home and saw him sitting in the living room, practicing speaking into the recorder phone. If he said a wrong sentence, he erased it and wrote it down again. He said: “Daughter, I have no education.” “But when you get married, dad also has to show off a bit.” "We can't let people feel like our mother's family has no one's back." At that time, I still laughed at him nervously. I said, “Dad, just standing there is enough.” But today. He didn't even have the chance to stand up there. Kieu Minh Yen gave the process sheet back to the host. “Let me go up on stage and talk later.” “I know Van Tham and am also familiar with the scene procedures.” She smiled at my parents. "It's not convenient for you and your aunt to speak, I'm speaking for you both, it's the same thing." My mother bowed her head. My father also did not object. Maybe they're already used to it. As long as it's for my own good, they can endure everything.