Chapter 4 — Marriage Is A Trap

That news made me stop right in front of the elevator door.

“When did it happen?”

"Just signed the contract this afternoon. Tomorrow it will be officially announced. The purchase price is 80,000,000 yuan."

《Emotional City》 is just a second-rate magazine, with monthly sales of less than 50,000 copies. It's not worth 80,000,000 yuan. That man didn't buy a magazine. It's all the records, manuscripts, and editorial traces I left behind in that place.

“Miss To, are you still listening?”

“Do you want to rethink meeting Co Dien?”

"No need. If he wants to see me... there will be a chance soon."

“What do you mean?”

“Isn't the book signing scheduled for next week?”

“That's right, next Saturday, bookstore in the west of the city.”

“In the plan there is an item called ‘mystery guest connecting online’, right?”

"That's right. Originally, the plan was for you to use a voice changer to participate remotely..."

“Change of plans.”

I looked at the flow of traffic going up and down outside the elevator window.

“This time, I will appear in person.”

The other end of the line was silent for two seconds.

"Miss To... are you sure? You have always insisted on hiding your identity. If you reveal your face..."

I smiled softly.

“There are some things that are hidden for too long… they become a burden.”

“But right now, I need to turn it into a weapon.”

After hanging up the phone, Tan Loc stood next to him and heard the entire conversation.

“Are you going to reveal your identity?”

“It has to be like this before and after.”

“Why choose now?”

“Because I'm divorced.”

Tan Loc did not ask further. She understood what I meant. Before, I didn't make it public because I didn't want Luc Canh Tham to know. Don't want that "field survey"-style marriage to have more variables. But now… No need anymore. Returning to Tan Loc's house, I turned on the computer. Editing comments from the editor of the new book have been sent. There are six chapters that need editing. I read each chapter, marked it as edited, then sent it back. One o'clock in the morning. The phone vibrated again. It's Phuong Dao's WeChat message.

"To Niem, sister, I know you hate me. But there are some things you don't know. Before I married you, Canh Tham was with you. He pursued you first. Your marriage was a mistake from the beginning. The person he loved was always you."

There is also a photo attached at the back. It's a plane ticket. Two names next to each other: Luc Canh Tham. Phuong Dao. Destination is Maldives. Flight date is the fifteenth day of next month. And Luc Canh Tham and I's marriage anniversary... is the fourteenth. I stared at that photo for ten seconds. Then I replied to a message.

"Thank you. I kept this photo. Use it in court."

The other side did not respond further. The next morning, I went to a coffee shop near the magazine's old headquarters. Not for nostalgia. It's to meet someone. My old editor at the magazine, Zhou Yun. She is twelve years older than me, she is the one who led me into the profession, and is also the only person besides Tan Loc who knows that I am Nam Son. She was already sitting by the window, with two cups of coffee on the table.

“You've gotten thinner.”

She looked at me and said.

“I haven't been sleeping well lately.”

“Because of the divorce?”

“You know too?”

"Mrs. Luu Phuong Anh, my mother-in-law, called me this morning."

I stopped.

“Why does she have your number?”

"Three years ago when we got married, I invited you to be the wedding witness. At that time, I saved my contact number."

“She said What?"

Chu Van gently stirred the cup of coffee.

“She said I had brain damage, and while I was still on the mend, she asked for a divorce. Tell me to advise you. As for Canh Tham, he was just confused for a moment. As a man, everyone makes mistakes."

“What do you answer?”

"I said that To Niem is an adult, every decision he makes has his own reason."

I nodded slightly.

“There's one more thing.”

Chu Van put down his coffee cup.

"The documents I left behind in the previous magazine, editorial manuscripts, reader letters, original columns... two days ago someone came to buy them all."

"I know?"

“Guess.”

“Tieu Niem, what is this person looking for you for?”

“He said he wanted to see Nam Son.”

“Is it that simple?”

“A person with assets of more than 10 billion yuan spent 80,000,000 yuan to buy a magazine just to drink a cup of coffee…”

I smiled faintly.

“Do you find that simple?”

Chu Van was silent for a moment.

“Before retiring, she worked in the publishing world for twenty years. I've heard a few stories about Co Dien."

“What?”