Chapter 22 — On the day of divorce, I applied to quit my job

Also in that month. Another thing also came to fruition. The first quarterly financial report after Co Hanh returned to Co Thi was announced. Net profit increased twenty-three percent compared to the previous quarter. The mess that Trieu Bang left behind has almost been resolved. The headlines of the news are all very exaggerated.

"Co Hanh returns, the king returns."

When I read that news. I'm sitting in the office eating a boxed lunch. Phuong Du stopped by to take a look.

"He's still really good."

"His ability has never been weak."

"It's bad in other things."

"Can we make up for it now?"

"I don't know."

"It's not something I need to worry about."

Phuong Du pouted. Say no more. Early June. A weekend afternoon. Luc Dich and I are having dinner at a Japanese restaurant. Eat half. He put down his chopsticks.

"Lin Chieu."

"I've been thinking about it for two months."

"Is there an answer yet?"

The chopsticks that were picking up my piece of salmon stopped in mid-air. It's been two months since he said he wanted to officially pursue me. During those two months. He invited me to five meals. Give me two books. Help me move my office once. One time I worked overtime until late at night. He even silently ordered food to be brought. But never pushed me once. Never asked me again.

"Luc Dich."

"I've thought about it carefully."

"What's the answer?"

"Let's try."

He was stunned for two seconds. Then smile. Not the big laugh. But the corners of the lips slowly curled up. The eyes also slightly curved.

"So you..."

"But I have conditions."

"First, you are not allowed to interfere in my work and decisions."

"Of course."

"Second, you won't be able to quickly enter a relationship. There may be times when you're very cold. It's not because you have an opinion on me, it's your inertia."

"No problem."

"Your adaptability is very good."

"Tuesday..."

"Is there a third condition?"

"Third, you can't because I'm a divorced person and always careful little by little. I don't need anyone to see me as a fragile item."

He thought for a moment.

"Lin Chieu, you are not the most fragile thing I have ever met. Don't worry."

I put down my chopsticks.

"Okay. So... let's begin."

He raised his cup of sake.

"Wishing you a new beginning."

I gently clinked my glass with him. Clear sake. The taste is slightly sweet. Summer passed very quickly. In July, Chieu Bach officially signed a three-year strategic cooperation agreement with Tinh Than Cultural Group. In August, I appeared on the cover of Local Business magazine as "Top 10 prospective brand service providers of the year", ranked third. In September, Chieu Bach's team expanded to forty-two people, and I began looking for a location for a second office. The relationship between me and Luc Dich is stable and very comfortable. He's not too clingy to me, nor am I dependent on him. They both have their own careers, when they meet they always have something to talk about, and when they're apart they don't feel insecure. Phuong Du said our relationship is like...

"Two trees growing side by side, each tree has its own root system, but the foliage can intertwine."

I really like that analogy. One day in October, While cleaning out the closet at home, I accidentally found a blue divorce certificate. It's at the bottom of the drawer. Cover with a thin layer of dust. I took it out. Open it up a bit. The date on it was March of last year. Come today. Just exactly one and a half years. One and a half years. From a woman holding a cardboard box standing in the rain. To the founder of a company with a turnover of more than thirty million yuan per year. I put the divorce certificate back in the drawer. Don't think any more. It's just a milestone. It's over. Then just let it go. In the evening, Luc Dich came to my house to cook dinner with me. He cooks better than me. And I help. While cutting vegetables, he asked me:

"Have you ever thought about what Chieu Bach will become ten years from now?"

"Becoming the leading operator of creative cultural brands in the country."

"Not a small ambition."

"Not ambition."

"It's the plan."

He smiled. Turn the shrimp over in the pan.

"What about you ten years from now?"

"Probably the same as now."

"Just a few more gray hairs."

"What about you?"

I looked at him. He turned his back to me, still stirring the food. Don't turn back. But his ears turned red.

"If you don't leave."

The sound of the shovel stirring the food in the pan stopped for a moment.

"I'm not planning on leaving."