Chapter 1 — Let Go of the Past, Embrace Happiness

My childhood friend and I once promised to pass the Thanh Hoa or Bac Dai exam together. But in 12th grade, he fell in love with a poor girl in class. "Stop it, I want to go abroad with Tham Le. She needs me more than you." Looking at his steadfast eyes, I swallowed all the bitterness in my heart. Ten years later, at a class reunion, my childhood friend and I met again. He wore a neat suit, while the once poor girl now wore gorgeous jewelry, a sparkling diamond ring on her ring finger that dazzled the human eye. He looked at my empty ring finger with a surprised look on his face. “Could it be… are you still waiting for me?” I laughed. Have you ever thought, I don't wear a wedding ring... just because I'm afraid of scratching my three-year-old daughter? 1 “Miss Ta, please follow me.” The receptionist compared the list and led me to a small round table hidden in the corner of the class meeting. The location is remote, with almost no clear view of the main stage, but it suits me. I gently took a sip of champagne brought to me by the waiter, my eyes unconsciously scanning the entire hall. The 10th anniversary class reunion was held extremely lavishly, inviting almost all of the same year's classmates. My eyes finally stopped at the entrance. Giang Chinh Han wore a well-tailored black suit, his arm holding Tham Le - who was wearing a sparkling sequined evening gown, welcoming guests together. Tham Le has changed. The girl who used to bow her head and wear a faded uniform due to too much washing, now her whole body is covered in sparkling jewelry, the huge diamond ring on her ring finger glows under the light. She smiled brightly and accepted congratulations from her old friend, occasionally even exchanging sweet glances with Giang Chinh Han. "An Tam? Is it really you!" I turned my head and saw the surprised face of Hua Tieu Vu, my high school friend. "I thought you wouldn't come." She lowered her voice, her eyes shifting back and forth between me and that couple. "The school invites you. If you don't come, it would be rude." I replied calmly, taking another sip of champagne. Hua Tieu Vu seemed to have something to say, and finally leaned close to my ear and whispered: "Tam Le has been looking around to find your location for a while now, seems to be very concerned about whether you're coming or not." I smiled slightly and didn't answer. Of course she has to pay attention, because the love she has... was originally stolen from me. 2 Giang Chinh Han and I grew up together. In 11th grade, he and I secretly had an affair with an adult, and even dated to pass the Thanh Hoa or Bac Dai exam together. Giang Chinh Han treats me very well, thinks about me in everything, and protects me. I thought we would be happy like this forever, and even dreamed that after graduating from college, I would marry him. Until the first semester of 12th grade, my class transferred to a poor female student, everything began to change. Giang Chinh Han's eyes were no longer only on me, but on that resilient, independent female student - Tham Le. 3 In the winter of 12th grade, the name of another girl appeared for the first time in Giang Chinh Han's mouth. “An Tam, I think Tham Le is really pitiful.” On the way out of school, he kicked a pebble as he walked: "Her father was an alcoholic, her mother left, and only asked her grandmother to pick up scraps and bottles to feed her." At that time, I was preparing for the direct entrance exam to Thanh Hoa, without raising my head, just saying "yes". through loudspeaker. “Today I saw her hiding in the bathroom to eat lunch… there was only dry dumplings, it looked so miserable.” Giang Chinh Han continued. “So what?” I finally looked up from my practice book, "Do you want to help her?" He scratched his head and smiled a little shyly: "I invited her to eat a bowl of beef noodles, she cried so much." “You look so stupid, tell me, who would cry so miserably over a bowl of noodles?” At that time, I didn't realize how gentle his voice was when he said this. When I was young at that time, I had a vague confidence. I never thought Giang Chinh Han would have any different thoughts towards Tham Le. Even if there is, it's just pity. Until a month later, I happened to see Giang Chinh Han and Tham Le sharing an umbrella in front of the library gate. In the thick rain, Tham Le's small body was almost nestled in his arms, while Giang Chinh Han - who was supposed to be reviewing with me at this time - was holding Tham Le's exercise book in his hand. “Chinh Han?” I stood on the steps calling him. He clearly paused for a second, then pretended to calmly turn his head: "An Tam, Tham Le didn't bring an umbrella, I'll just give her a ride." From behind his shoulder, Tham Le timidly peeked out half of his face and said softly: "Friend Ta, sorry, I missed your and Giang's group study time." From that day on, Giang Chinh Han mentioned Tham Le more and more often. How pitiful she is, how hardworking, how much she needs help. It was then that I began to realize something was wrong. I tentatively asked: "Chinh Han, it seems like you really care about Tham Le, right?" Hearing me say that, Giang Chinh Han burst out laughing. He patted my head, smiled and teased: "An Tam, you're not jealous, are you?" "YES." It's true that I'm a little jealous, I won't deny it. Anyway, no girl likes a boyfriend who keeps mentioning other girls' names all the time. Seeing me nod, Giang Chinh Han smiled even more happily. He pinched my cheek and smiled arrogantly: "Don't worry, in this life Giang Chinh Han only likes Ta An Tam! The other girls, this young master doesn't even pay attention to." "As for Tham Le, I just have a little pity for her. If you don't like it, I'll stay away from her!" 4 From that day on, it was true that Giang Chinh Han began to intend to avoid Tham Le. Tham Le also proactively sought him out a few times, but he always made excuses to let him go. Sometimes I even feel guilty, feeling like I'm doing too much. At those times, Giang Chinh Han would pat my head and say: "If other girls are sad or not, it has nothing to do with me, you being happy is the most important thing." Until one time, Tham Le didn't come to class. As a neighbor, she ran to find the homeroom teacher, saying that Tham Le was locked in the house and beaten by her father. After hearing this, Giang Chinh Han's face darkened and he immediately rushed out of the classroom. The whole class turned their eyes towards me. I stood there stunned, my mind confused. I don't know if he acted out of justice or out of... some other emotion. Anyway, from that day on, Giang Chinh Han often ran back and forth between school and the hospital. During that time, the number of times he talked to me was pitiful. A vague fear arose in my heart. Sure enough, when the university entrance exam was coming up, he invited me to the gym behind the school. “An Tam, let's break up Go." In the way he looked at me, there was no longer any gentleness from before. “I want to take Tham Le abroad with me, she needs me more than you.” I stood still, feeling like my blood was freezing: "What about me?" What am I? Didn't we promise to take the entrance exam together for Thanh Hoa or Bac Dai?" "Sorry." He turned around to leave, then turned around and said one more sentence: "Tham Le said you were so excellent, you would live very well without me. But she can't.” Later I learned that Giang Chinh Han was actually afraid that Tham Le's father would find her and cause trouble, so he suggested taking her abroad. But how could Giang's parents accept their son having sex with a poor girl? They firmly objected, even threatening to cut off all finances. In the end, it was Tham Le who proposed to flee abroad together. So Giang Chinh Han used all the lucky money he had saved since childhood to take Tham Le abroad. Since the time we broke up on the gymnasium in 12th grade, I have never seen Giang Chinh Han again. Until this class reunion.