Chapter 6 — Married 8 days, I bought a house in my own name

I did not immediately go to question Tran Chi Vien. I finished the work first. The first draft of the new project has been completed, I sent it to the customer for confirmation. By the time I returned to the apartment, it was already half past five in the afternoon. There's still some food left in the refrigerator from yesterday. I made two simple dishes, sat on the balcony and finished eating, then called my mother.

"That time last December, when I returned home, Chi Vien said he had to stay in Beijing to work overtime because of the company's year-end party... do you remember?"

My mother said remember. At that time, I stayed at home for five days, only to return after my teenage years. I replied softly.

“I know.”

“Is something wrong?”

"Nothing."

I smiled faintly.

“I'm just asking aimlessly.”

After hanging up, I sat still for a long time. One by one, the stories between me and Tran Chi Vien over the past five years began to connect into a straight line. Those "something's not right" moments that I previously only briefly suspected and then forced myself to ignore... Now that I think about it, they all have an explanation. It's not a temporary feeling. It's a disregard that has lasted for many years. I opened Tran Chi Vien's WeChat, pulled up the chat history for the last two years, and looked for the time around that year-end party. His messages are few. These are all short sentences:

“I work overtime.”

“I'm tired, let's go to sleep.”

“The year-end party is over.”

Not a single photo. Not a single voice clip. I turned off the phone, stood up and washed the dishes. The sound of water rushing in my ears. I stood in front of the sink, remembering the last sentence Wei Han said before leaving:

“You live well for yourself… more important than anything else.”

The next day, Tran Chi Vien appeared downstairs in my apartment. I looked at him through cat eyes. He stood outside the door for three seconds. Then I opened the door. As soon as he entered, he said:

“Thieu Hoa, I came to apologize.”

“Sorry for what?”

He stopped. I let him into the house and told him to sit down. Then I sat across from him and asked directly:

“Who was the person you brought to the year-end party last year?”

His expression immediately changed.

“You… why you…”

“It doesn't matter how you know.”

I looked at him.

“You just need to tell me who that person is.”

“What is the relationship between you two?”

He lowered his head. After a long time, he slowly opened his mouth. That person's name is Giang Duyet, a colleague in the marketing department of his company. Tran Chi Vien said the relationship between the two "once exceeded the limit of normal friends". He said he was "suddenly confused". Say "it's over".

“Before we got married, we broke it off completely.”

After listening, I just nodded.

“Before getting married, we broke it off.”

I repeat that sentence.

“So you think this has nothing to do with me?”

“It's not…”

He immediately explained.

“I mean after getting married I didn't have…”

“Chi Vien.”

I interrupted him.

“We've been together for five years.”

“I had a relationship that I kept hidden from you all this time.”

“You were my girlfriend at that time, not my ex-girlfriend.”

“Do you really think that hiding something like that can be considered ‘irrelevant’?”

He raised his head. For the first time, a real feeling of guilt appeared in his eyes.

“I'm sorry for you.”

He spoke hoarsely.

“Thieu Hoa, I'm really sorry for you.”

I looked at him for a long time before quietly answering: Then I stood up and opened the door.

“You go home first.”

“Chi Vien, I need time to think about what we should do next."

After he left, I sat in the empty living room for a long time. The apartment has not yet been decorated. There is only a sofa, a desk and a few chairs. On the balcony, place two betel pots. The day my mother came to buy it, she said there should be some green in the house. I looked at those two potted plants and thought about many things. Then I took out my phone and texted Ninh Giai, my college friend:

“Are you free tomorrow? I want to talk to you.”

Ninh Giai replied almost immediately:

“Free, you choose a location.”

Ninh Giai is my best friend in college. Currently she works at a law office in the city, specializing in marriage and family matters. We met at a coffee shop near her office. Ninh Giai also brought a notebook. I recount everything from the time we registered our marriage until now in the correct chronological order. After listening, she asked me three questions. First sentence:

“Does that 880,000 yuan have a clear transfer record?”

I said yes. Full bank statement. From my parents' account to my account, then from my account to pay for the apartment, the entire cash flow is very clear. Second sentence:

“Whose name is that wedding house currently in?”

“My father-in-law.”

Ninh Giai paused.

“Not Tran Chi Vien?”

I shook my head.

“It's Hua Dai Thanh. My father-in-law's name."

She bowed her head and wrote something in the notebook. Third sentence:

“About last year's year-end party, do you have actual evidence?”

"Do not have."

“Just someone else told it.”

Ninh Giai nodded.