Chapter 10 — My Arch-Nemesis Cried at My Wedding

The photos were incredibly sharp. The two of them were laughing and chatting happily, with Chu Vien even carrying the bags for Chuong Diem. I laughed so hard I nearly dropped my phone. Shortly after, he messaged again: *They are living together now.* I replied: *Oh.* He shot back: *Oh???* Then: *Truong Niem Niem, your husband is living with your best friend!!* He continued: *Look at it carefully!!* *I sent you the proof, see it for yourself!!* I typed: *I saw it.* He asked: *And then what?* I replied: *What do you mean, ‘and then what’?*

He stayed silent for exactly three minutes before calling me.

"Truong Niem, have you lost your mind?"

"I am perfectly sane."

"Your husband is cheating on you, and you just say ‘oh’?"

"So what?"

"So what???"

His voice hit a pitch eight octaves higher.

"Your husband is having an affair! With your best friend!! You are wearing horns, woman!!! Are you not even a little bit angry???"

I tried hard to suppress my laughter.

"They seem happy together, so I wish them well. It is better that the water stays within our own field."

The line went dead silent. A long, heavy pause followed. When he finally spoke again, his voice was extremely tentative and cautious.

"Truong Niem Niem, have you suffered too great a shock?"

"No."

"Do not hide it from me."

"I am truly not hiding anything."

He went quiet again, then shifted to an incredibly tender tone.

"Truong Niem, if you are sad, just tell me."

"I am not sad."

"Don’t bottle it up."

"I am not bottling anything up."

"If you need to cry, my shoulder is here for you."

"I am not going to cry."

"Truong Niem Niem!"

His volume spiked suddenly.

"Pull yourself together!! That man is cheating on you!! He doesn't want you anymore!! He is not worthy of you!!"

"Are you so heartbroken that you can't even speak properly..."

I held the phone a bit further from my ear, waiting for him to finish his rant before slowly bringing it back.

"Luc Nghien Tham, are you finished?"

"...I am finished."

"Good, then let me say two things."

"Go ahead."

"The two of them truly look great together. I am genuinely happy for them."

A dull *thud* echoed from the other end of the line, as if someone had just face-planted into a sofa.

"You are happy?"

"Yes, I am happy."

"What on earth are you happy about?"

"I’m happy that they are satisfied and content. It only proves that my decision was the right one."

"..."

His voice trembled.

"Truong Niem Niem, do you love him that much? Enough to accept your husband’s infidelity?"

"That is not it."

"Then tell me why..."

"Because I feel like it."

"Truong Niem!!!"

He was practically roaring now.

"Wake up, will you!!! Can you not be so utterly devoid of boundaries!!!"

My face felt stiff from holding back my laughter.

"Luc Nghien Tham, tell me, what is my type?"

He hesitated.

"Strong, cold, and rational. That is what you said in that press interview."

"Just like him."

"And what kind of person are you?"

"The kind of person you like."

"Yeah, something like that."

His voice turned deep and somber.

"But Truong Niem, I think I was wrong."

"When you are in front of the person you love, you have no standards at all."

"You know full well Chu Vien is cheating, yet you say as long as they are happy, it is fine. You have no bottom line for him, but for me..."

His voice choked up.

"For me, you are nothing but walls and boundaries."

I suddenly didn't feel like laughing anymore.

"Luc Nghien Tham, actually..."

"Don’t say it."

He cut me off.

"I am taking you somewhere."

"Where?"

"To a hotel."

"???"

"I am going to make you see with your own eyes what your 'good' husband is really like when he is out."

Driven by some strange impulse, I actually followed him to "catch them in the act." He had already investigated which hotel Chu Vien and Chuong Diem were staying at. At seven in the evening, he pulled me behind a pillar in the hotel lobby.

"Luc Nghien Tham, this is ridiculous."

"Shh, they are coming out."

Chu Vien and Chuong Diem emerged from the elevator with their arms linked, laughing and chatting as they walked toward the restaurant. Luc Nghien Tham grabbed my hand and followed them.

"Do you see it now?"

He pointed toward them.