Chapter 5 — Love Can Be Wrong, Money Can't

12 That night, Ky Canh Nhien sent me many messages. I didn't say anything, just told him to prepare well for the tournament. He continuously confirmed whether I was angry because of what happened a few days ago. When he saw I said no, he felt reassured. Until a few days later, my phone suddenly received a video. In the video is a high-class restaurant, Ky Canh Nhien is sitting opposite a girl. Below was a message—that girl was the subject of a marriage that the Ky family had chosen for him. I pondered for a moment, then picked up the phone to call Ky Canh Nhien. He picked up the phone, I just asked: "Where are you?" "I..." - he hesitated for a moment, then said - "I'm at the club, something urgent happened. What's wrong?" I replied softly: "Nothing, I just found what I was looking for." I remember in the past, Chu Kinh Chieu also sat opposite a girl like that. At that time, I was so miserable that I thought I would die. But this time, with Ky Canh Nhien... his reaction made me feel relieved. It's the same—the end result is still the same. Even without Chu Kinh Chieu, as long as I knew about the Ky family, I had no intention of continuing with Ky Canh Nhien. I can't risk another five years, I can't imagine I can fight for anything again. Even though I had decided to quit, on the day Ky Canh Nhien competed, I still kept my promise and went to the racetrack very early. The club staff seemed to have been advised, and as soon as they saw me, they led me straight to a private room in the stands. It's just... I didn't expect that Chu Kinh Chieu would also be present. Fortunately, there were not only me and him in the room, but also Secretary Tran. From the moment I walked in until I sat down, Chu Kinh Chieu did not say a word, nor did he turn around. I sat behind him on the right, in front of me was only a neat head of neatly trimmed black hair. A moment later, Ky Canh Nhien ran in, sweating profusely. He looked at me a few times, his face full of certainty: "You will definitely win!" "Older brother!" - He turned to look at Chu Kinh Chieu and advised: "I know you don't like Ninh Ninh, but the racing place is crowded with people, so please help me look after her. If you win, I'll be right back." As soon as the words ended, Chu Kinh Chieu turned his face, his eyebrows furrowed, his eyes did not show any happiness, just a faint "Yes". Ky Canh Nhien whispered in my ear: "I know you don't want to see him, but for many years, he's the only one in the family willing to come watch me play..." I patted his arm and smiled: "It's okay. Try your best!" After Ky Canh Nhien left, Chu Kinh Chieu spoke up and asked again: "What do you like about it?" He seemed to have a strange attachment to this question, refusing to let go. “I saw him, like I saw myself in the past.” I replied leisurely, "Are you satisfied with this answer?" A fool of the past, pitying a fool of the present. Chu Kinh Chieu said nothing, squinted his eyes and looked out at the racetrack, where Ky Canh Nhien had started. The match lasted for two hours, during which time, Chu Kinh Chieu and I did not say another word. Ky Canh Nhien - not unexpectedly - won the championship. This match is extremely important to you, which is also the reason I still hesitate to say everything definitively. From here looking towards the award podium, Ky Canh Nhien standing in the middle, kissing the championship trophy. His eyes found me, holding the trophy high, his smile shining in the sunlight, the brilliant golden light of his hair seemed to burn the eyes. That smile, filled with sparkling anticipation. I didn't look any further and turned around to leave first. As soon as he walked out the door, Chu Kinh Chieu immediately chased after him. For some reason, the person who had been calm the whole time suddenly frowned, his face gloomy. He grabbed my hand and pulled me into a hidden corner of the hallway: "Break up with him, whatever you want, I'll give it to you." My shoulder was squeezed tightly in his hand, a bit painful. I casually let go of a condition - a request that he could never meet: "Okay, then you marry me." I'm sure you'll be like before, stunned by these words. But this time, he just pursed his lips and said in a low voice: "If that's what you want... I can try." I admitted that I had cultivated a good enough mood over the years, but hearing that I still couldn't help but frown: "Are you crazy?" He hugged me tightly, his chin buried deep in the crook of his neck: "I've never asked you... have you had a good life these past years?" Chu Kinh Chieu is not a kind person. He knows too well how to manipulate others, too well how to soften people's hearts. Just a short sentence, seemingly meaningless, made my eyes suddenly sting. Only now do I remember—I used to love you. Love very deeply, throughout the years of weariness and hopelessness. “It's meaningless, Zhou Jingzhao—we've come to this point, even the word 'goodbye' is no longer necessary.” “I already no longer need that pitiful little love of yours—the love that doesn't make up one percent of your life.” Chu Kinh Chieu was silent. Perhaps his life is rich enough, but has too little freedom. “Maybe the love in my life is not even one percent… but that part is all you.” I was about to continue speaking when— a cautious, slow voice rang out: "Ninh Ninh... you hugged the wrong person... that's my brother, can you let go?" Chu Kinh Chieu and I were stunned and immediately let each other go. Turning around—it was Ky Canh Nhien. He was still wearing his racing suit and had not yet taken it off, holding a bouquet of flowers in one hand and the championship trophy in the other. His eyes were red, his face pale. He had absolutely no idea how to deal with this ironic scene. The corner of Ky Canh Nhien's lips initially still had a hint of a smile, but at this moment, everything turned into a stiff emptiness. “You and he… have known each other before?” He is also very smart, his eyes are bright: "Ninh Ninh... is that girl of yours?" That speculation made him want to laugh, but he couldn't. “Why did you lie to me?” His voice became hoarse, "It turns out I always stopped you, not because of the Ky family, but because of this... because I have selfish interests!" Chu Kinh Chieu's expression did not change, and he did not intend to explain. I walked over, took the card out of my bag, and placed it on the bouquet of flowers in Ky Canh Nhien's hand: "Sorry." For everything—for going back on his word, for hiding it. When I turned around to leave, Ky Canh Nhien grabbed my wrist and, despite everything, stuffed the bouquet of flowers back into my hand. "I don't care! I don't need to know what you used to be like!" "I once promised you that as long as you win the championship, you will have a chance. I can't go back on my word!" He had no other choice—ever. Every step you took to reach today, Everything is a request, a bet. He understood better than anyone else—in Ninh Sanh's heart, he had never left many traces. She always looked melancholy, her eyes filled with a person who couldn't be named. But it didn't matter—with enough time, as long as she was willing, he believed he could erase all traces of that person. Chu Kinh Chieu still stood with his back turned, his hands in his pockets, not looking this way. I withdrew my gaze, and suddenly remembered the words Chu Kinh Chieu said a few days ago... although his way of doing things was not too clear, one thing he said was right. "Canh Nhien..." I looked at him very seriously: "We're not compatible. I'm sorry about our previous promise. At that time, I didn't know your identity. If I had known earlier, I wouldn't have started anything." I'm not the type of person who doesn't dare plant trees because of fear of falling leaves. At least, I wasn't. But now, I no longer have that courage. He looked at me helplessly, tears falling onto my hand, wet and cold: "It's because of him... you still like him, right?" “That's not fair... Ninh Sanh, to me, it's not fair at all.” In this world—there has never been such a thing as justice. After all, since Zhou Jingzhao, the person I love the most in the world... is myself. So, I don't want to take risks with Ky Canh Nhien. No matter how deeply young people love, resentment still arises in the end. Now, he has the courage to be reckless and the appearance of not caring about the world. But who can guarantee—someday in the future, he won't regret today's impulsiveness? 13 Later, Ky Canh Nhien still came to find me a few more times. He has really good endurance and recovers very quickly. When talking about Chu Kinh Chieu, the admiration in his eyes was less, replaced by gritted teeth. "You can compete fairly with him. He's just one step ahead of you, a few years older than you, but you'll live a few years longer than him!" Chu Kinh Chieu was a little moved and chased Ky Canh Nhien away, but he himself had no more free time. He was exactly like before, driving over without anyone's invitation. At first I ignored him. He stood outside the door and waited for a while. Seeing that there was nothing funny, he automatically left. But he kept coming several times in a row—a tall, slim man with a neat suit, standing between heaven and earth, always attracting others' attention. I couldn't help but notice—so he achieved his goal.