Chapter 5 — Marriage and Love Are Two Things, So Divorce Is Also My Thing

My birthday last year. He stayed with the customer until midnight. At that time, Wen Shuyao had not yet returned home. I texted him:

"Are you still coming home? The cake is about to melt."

He replied:

"Don't make such a big deal out of it. Birthdays don't happen every year."

I held the phone up to his face.

“Look.”

“Is that what you call not knowing?”

Pho Thua Nghien's face turned pale. He was just about to open his mouth to say something... The phone suddenly rang. The phone screen lights up. Wen Shuyao. The moment that name appeared, both he and I saw it. Deputy Thua Nghien immediately disconnected the call. The next second. She called again. I looked at him.

"No need."

I said calmly.

“Turn on speakerphone.”

Pho Thua Nghien tightened his grip on the phone in his hand. It didn't move for a long time. The call is automatically disconnected. Wen Shu Dieu sent a voice message. I held out my hand. Pho Thua Nghien stared at me. Finally, still press play. Wen Shu Dieu's voice rang out from the speaker, mixed with sobs.

"Mr. Thua Nghien, have you come home yet? Is Tri Hoa giving you a hard time? It's all my fault, I shouldn't have returned home, nor should I see you. But I'm alone here... I really only know you."

The office fell silent. Pho Thua Nghien's face became more and more ugly. I looked at him.

“Do you hear me clearly?”

He lowered his voice.

“She's just in a bad mood.”

I nodded.

“Then go and comfort her.”

Pho Thua Nghien suddenly raised his head.

“Lam Tri Hoa, don't say things when you're angry.”

“I don't talk when I'm angry.”

I opened the office door.

“From tonight, I will sleep in the guest room.”

"Tomorrow morning at nine o'clock, I will contact a lawyer to advise on divorce procedures."

“You may not agree to a divorce.”

“But I will start preparing.”

He stood still. Eyes still staring at me.

“Do I have to do it to this extent?”

“Pho Thua Nghien, tonight in a private room…”

“You made me understand.”

“In your heart, where do I stand?”

I stopped for a moment.

“And now…”

“I crossed your name out of that place in my heart.”

That night. Pho Thua Nghien sat outside the living room until morning. I locked the bedroom door. Leaning back against the door, quietly listening to every movement outside. The sound of the cup being lifted. Then put it down again. The sound of footsteps approached the bedroom door. Then stop. I lie on the bed. Open your eyes and look at the ceiling. Four o'clock in the morning. The phone lights up once. Deputy Thua Nghien sent me a text message.

“Tri Hoa, can we talk?”

I took a glance. Then turn the phone face down. It was just dawn. I woke up, cleaned myself and changed into a beige suit. The person in the mirror has light dark circles under his eyes. Lips are also a bit pale. I apply lipstick. Tie your hair up. Before going out the door. Pho Thua Nghien stood up from the sofa, his voice hoarse.

“Where are you going?”

I replied as I changed my shoes.

“To the law office.”

He stepped forward. Block right in front of the door.

“Lam Tri Hoa.”

“I do not agree to divorce.”

I looked up at him.

“Then…”

“Just wait for the court's announcement.”

The lawyer I appointed is Tong Di Duong, a long-time legal advisor of our company. Not friends. Nor is it a savior falling from the sky down. Last year, there was a customer who was late in paying the remaining amount. I used to organize evidence with her. At that time, she once said a sentence.

"It's the same in marriage. Don't just remember the feelings, remember the evidence."

At that time, I laughed and said it was an occupational disease. And now. I sat in the law office's reception room. Smell the smell of coffee mixed with the smell of paperwork. Then pushed the file in front of her. Tong Di Duong watched very quickly. The fingertip stopped at a few lines of the statement.

"Considering the current situation, meals, conversations or going to the airport to pick up people... can all prove that the boundaries of his relationship with the opposite sex are quite vague."

"But if you only rely on that to ask the court to divide assets in your favor when divorcing... it's still not strong enough."

I nodded.

"I know."

She raised her head to look at me.

“You are very calm.”

“Last night was too calm.”

“A bit nauseous again today.”

She gave me a glass of warm water.

“That's a normal reaction.”

I took a sip. The warm water pressed down on the sour taste stuck in my throat. Tong Di Duong continued speaking.

"If you want to sue for divorce, the focus is to prove that the couple's relationship has truly broken down."

“The first time, it is not certain that the court will approve the divorce.”

"You can live separately first, fix the evidence, and at the same time investigate to see if any shared property has been given away with a large value."

“If I have already given it, can I get it back?”

“If during the marriage period, one party arbitrarily gives common property of great value to someone of the opposite sex outside the marriage without the consent of the other person, he or she can request that the transaction be declared invalid and forced to return it.”

She circled several expenses on the statement.

"These amounts are all recorded as receiving customers, but the object of spending is unclear."

“You can ask to extract transaction records, or find clues from his phone, invoices or orders on platforms.”

“But remember to pay attention to how you collect it.”

“Don't break the law.”

I nodded.

"I get it."

Step out of the law office. The sunlight was so bright it was blinding. I stood on the side of the road. There were twelve missed calls on the phone.