Chapter 9 — Marriage Is A Trap

"Perhaps everyone will find it very ironic. A person who wrote four books teaching others how to maintain marriage, did dozens of love counseling sessions, that so-called 'marriage expert'... his own marriage only lasted three years."

No one spoke up.

“But I didn't come here today to apologize.”

I looked down at the stage, my eyes scanning each face.

“I came here to tell everyone something.”

"Studying happiness does not mean possessing happiness. Understanding all the principles also does not mean being able to live this life well. But experiencing failure... will help you have a more honest understanding of happiness."

“So today's topic is…”

I gently tightened the microphone.

“100 Truths of a Divorced Woman.”

The sharing session lasted forty-five minutes. I talked about my marriage, about the principles I wrote in the book, whether I could do it or not, whether Luc Canh Tham could do it or not. Tell about the moment of discovering adultery, tell about the process of signing a divorce agreement. Not just names. No cursing. Simply stating the truth. But every truth... carries more weight than any scolding. Some people in the stands had red eyes. Go to the communication section. The first person raised his hand and asked:

“Miss Nam Son, will you remarry in the future?”

"I don't know. But I don't reject it."

The second person asked:

“Do you hate your ex-husband?”

"Don't hate. Hating is a form of consumption. I'd rather use that energy to observe and take notes."

Third person… A man stood up in the third row on the left. Dark blue shirt.

“Miss To, I have a question.”

All eyes in the hall immediately turned to him. His voice was not loud, but very clear.

“In the book, she once wrote: 'A good marriage is a work completed by two people, but a bad marriage is just a solo play by one person.’”

He raised his head to look at me.

“I want to ask… if both people try very hard, will the marriage definitely be good?”

I held the microphone and looked at him in the stands. Those eyes were very quiet. No probing. No provocation. Only seriously.

“Not sure.”

I answered slowly.

“The direction of effort… is more important than the effort itself.”

“Both people try very hard, but if they make efforts in two completely opposite directions... the results may be worse than not trying at all.”

Co Dien nodded slightly. It's like I'm really mulling that sentence over.

“So how do we know if two people are going in the same direction or not?”

“There is no need to verify.”

“Because you two are really in the same direction… won't ask that question.”

Below the stage there was a round of applause. Co Dien stood in place, looking at me for three seconds. Then he sat down. The autograph session begins. Three hundred people lined up waiting for autographs. Two hours later, the line finally dispersed. I finished signing the last book, and as soon as I looked up, I felt a pain in my wrist. There is a person standing outside the door. In his hand, he held the signed book and slowly walked in front of me.

“Miss To, thank you for sharing today.”

"Nothing."

"The way I did it before was really abrupt. Purchasing magazines, investigating your information... those things were all wrong."

He looked I'm very straightforward.

"I'm sorry."

“I heard.”

I closed the pen cap.

“What happens after that?”

Co Dien smiled softly.

“Then I want to invite you to a meal.”

“No discussion about cooperation.”

“Just as a reader.”

I looked at him. At close range, this man looks a little younger than when sitting in the stands. But at the corners of the eyes there are very light wrinkles. Like the mark of someone who has thought too much for a long time.

“Mr. Gu.”

I leaned back in the chair.

“You spent half a year looking for me… surely it wasn't just to invite me to dinner, right?”

He was silent for a moment.

“You're right.”

“It's not just about eating.”

“So what is it?”

“I have a question.”

His eyes were very calm.

“But the answer… only you can give me.”

“But not now.”

“Wait until you're ready to listen.”

He placed a business card on the table. On the front is the name and phone number. On the back is a handwritten text.

"Please contact me when it's convenient. No rush."

Having finished speaking, he turned and left. I picked up the business card and turned it over to the back.