Chapter 2 — My House is Not a Living House

After Tran Vu Dong left, it took me a full week to get the house back to the way it was. I threw away all the blankets and pillows. The floor is disinfected three times in a row. I even hired a cleaning service to clean the entire apartment. Looking at me busy from morning to night, Tran Trac Vien frowned.

"Is it necessary for me to do this?"

"You're not the enemy, why are you reacting so much?"

I let go of the rag in my hand, slowly stood up straight and looked straight into his eyes.

"Tran Trac Vien."

"I had a miscarriage."

"Do you remember?"

His expression stopped. He walked over, trying to hold my hand.

"I know."

"But that was just an accident."

"Later we..."

"Don't mention the words 'later'."

I pushed his hand away. Without turning around, go straight into the master bedroom and lock the door. From that day on... We started sleeping separately. He's in the spare bedroom. I'm in the master bedroom. Each person has a life. One day when we got home, we couldn't even say five sentences to each other. I put all my energy into my work. In just half a year, I was in charge of three major projects in succession. A hotel lobby. A private headquarters. And a set of design standards for restaurant chains nationwide. Working overtime until eleven or twelve o'clock at night has become a daily occurrence. After that, the company increased my salary. At the same time, assigned a higher position. In addition to my main job, I also take on two additional private projects. Little by little, accumulate some money for yourself. No one knows. Not because of anything too big. I just want to keep a way out for myself. I quietly rented a small apartment of about forty square meters in the north of the city. Simple repair. Put a bed in it. A desk. Same spare computer set. This... I didn't tell anyone. During that time, the only thing that made me feel like I was still truly alive... was my personal design account. Since college, I have enjoyed building 3D space models and posting them online. It's just that after going to work, I was so busy that I gradually forgot about it. At the most difficult stage after the miscarriage... I turned on the computer again and started drawing. My account name is:

"A room."

The main content is sharing ideas for renovating small apartments. Unexpectedly... The effect far exceeded expectations. In just half a year, the account has attracted eighty thousand more followers. More and more customers proactively contact me through the platform to hire their own designs. Each project costs between three and fifty thousand yuan. During peak months, I can take on two projects. All that money... I transferred it to a separate bank account. Tran Trac Vien doesn't know. Mother-in-law also doesn't know. No one knew that... Lam Niem So had another life. It is my only safe fulcrum. Ten peaceful months passed like that. In March of last year, my mother-in-law's phone call came again.

"Nien So, Vu Dong is pregnant again. This time it's a girl."

Standing in the company's tea room, my hand stirring the cup of coffee stopped.

"Mom, what happened?"

"So he wants to come to your house to stay. Last time he was with you very well, so this time..."

"No way."

The other end of the line suddenly went silent.

"What did you just say?"

"I said no. Last time I had a miscarriage because I was taking care of her while she was pregnant. I forgot what?"

The mother-in-law's voice immediately became harsh.

"Oh, it was just an accident. I'm not pregnant right now, so how about helping my brother-in-law a little?"

"Mom, I don't agree."

"Lam Niem So, you really are..."

I hung up immediately. In the evening, Tran Trac Vien returned. He stood at the kitchen door, watching me cooking.

"Mom told me already. I also know Vu Dong's situation. Phuong Cam Than doesn't come home every day. She's pregnant and has to take care of her older child, so she can't manage it alone."

I still turned my back to him.

"Nien So, please help him this time."

I turned off the stove, turned around and looked straight at him.

"Tran Trac Vien, have you really forgotten what happened that year, or are you just pretending to forget?"

"I didn't forget. But nothing will happen this time, I promise."

"Are you sure?"

I stared at him.

"Last time I made the same guarantee."

He frowned tightly.

"Don't be unreasonable anymore. Only forty-two days..."

"Don't you have anything else to say?"

He was silent for a few seconds before speaking.

"Vu Dong bought a plane ticket. Next Tuesday will come."

The patch in my hand almost fell to the floor.

"What did you just say?"

"You said the tickets were already bought. I'll clean up the room."

Having finished speaking, he turned and left. Standing alone in the kitchen, smelling the smell of burning food rising from the pot, I suddenly found the marriage that had lasted for the past few years ridiculous to the extreme. That night, I returned to my room and started packing my luggage. Tran Trac Vien pushed the door and walked in.

"What are you doing?"

"If she comes, I won't stay."

"Are you crazy?"

I put the suitcase up and zipped it.

"I'm not crazy."

"You can let her stay at my house, use my kitchen, sleep in my bed."

"But I won't be there."

"Lam Niem So!"

He rushed forward and grabbed my arm. I immediately pushed his hand away.

"Tran Trac Vien, the promises you made to me on our wedding day... which one have you finally fulfilled?"

He stood frozen in place. The mouth opened slightly, but not a word could be uttered. That night, I pulled my suitcase and left the house. Take a car to a small apartment in the north of the city. Alone in the empty room, I quietly looked at the streetlight shining through the window. For the first time in so many years... I feel like I can finally breathe.