Chapter 2 — Mistakes Cannot Be Compensated

"Then you need to confirm his attitude first. Divorce by mutual consent is the fastest, but filing a lawsuit takes time."

I looked at the wedding photo on the wall. In the photo, Luc Hoai Xuyen rarely smiles gently, holding my shoulder with one hand. At that time my father was still there. He stood behind the photographer, trying his best to remind me to lift my chin a bit, complimenting my daughter on how beautiful she took the photo.

“I'll have him sign.”

I said.

“Within 7 days.”

2 The next afternoon, I brought my father's medical records to the hospital. That year, after getting sick, my father was taken to Hospital No. 2 of the previous city. The doctor in the Cardiovascular Surgery Department there did not dare to accept it, and suggested immediately transferring him to the affiliated hospital - where Luc Hoai Xuyen worked. I want to investigate clearly what the out-of-hospital surgery regulations of the two hospitals were that year. The records office staff finished comparing my documents and gave me a stack of copied documents.

“It's been a while, there are a few scans of the consultation forms that aren't very clear.”

“Thank you.”

I held the documents and walked out of the file room. When I passed the staff cafeteria, I saw Luc Hoai Xuyen. He was sitting at a four-person table next to the window, white blouse draped over the back of the chair, shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Wen Thu Nha sat opposite him. On the table were three dishes, a soup, and a plate of sweet lotus root flavored with cinnamon flowers, which is very difficult to buy around the hospital. That's what I like to eat. On Thu Nha was talking in a whisper. Luc Hoai Xuyen lowered his eyes and listened, occasionally saying yes. She didn't know what to say, the corner of Luc Hoai Xuyen's mouth slightly raised. I stood outside the glass door and suddenly remembered the first two years of our marriage. Luc Hoai Xuyen rarely speaks after work. I told him interesting stories at the studio, he mostly just replied "Yes". I asked him if he was tired. He said he had several surgeries a day and was not in the mood to discuss these trivial matters. It turns out that people who have undergone surgery can still listen to trivial stories. Just see who is speaking.

“Miss Gia Hoa?”

On Thu Nha saw me first. She immediately stood up and waved to me. There were quite a few people in the restaurant who knew me, and their eyes also turned to this direction. I couldn't turn away, so I had to walk in. On Thu Nha pulled out a chair for me.

"You came at the right time, Director Luc just reminded you."

I glanced at the two sets of bowls and chopsticks on the table.

“Remind me of what?”

“He said you like to eat sweet lotus root, so he told me to order an extra portion and bring it back to you after eating.”

She pushed that plate of lotus roots in front of me.

“I also told you to invite me to eat with you, but Director Luc was afraid that you would say the hospital was far away, so he didn't have the heart to make you come.”

Luc Hoai Xuyen looked up at me.

“Are you here to look up dad's medical records?”

“Yes.”

“It's been so many years, what's the point in going back and forth?”

He placed a pair of unwrapped chopsticks in front of me.

“Let's eat first.”

I didn't sit down. Wen Thu Nha gently advised: "Mrs. Gia Hoa, Director Luc hardly slept last night, just taking care of my mother. This morning, I had two surgeries in a row, and this lunch I also tried to drag him out to eat."

"Originally, he was planning to come home with me to make up for the celebration."

She smiled slightly.

"Headmaster Luc Binh usually doesn't talk much, but in his heart he always remembers her. We have been married for many years, and our love is so precious. jealous."

I looked at her.

“Does he remember me or not, why do you always have to let me tell him?”

The smile on On Thu Nha's face stiffened. The whispers from the surrounding tables gradually faded. She instinctively looked towards Luc Hoai Xuyen. Luc Hoai Xuyen frowned.

“Gia Hoa.”

I didn't pay attention to him.

“Chief nurse Wen, your mother was admitted to the hospital, he helped arrange the bed, perform surgery for her, and after the surgery he personally came to see the situation every day, I know all about these things.”