Chapter 2 — One month before the wedding, the doctor gave me a piece of paper

But never said a single word to me. I raised my head. Tran Due was sitting opposite him eating rice, picked up a piece of ribs and put it in my bowl.

“Eat more meat, you're skinny these days.”

I looked at the ribs in the bowl.

"Tran Due, if we get married in the future and we never have children, what will you think?"

His movements never stopped.

"Just take it slow. If it really doesn't work, then do IVF."

“What if IVF doesn't work?”

“What can't happen?”

He laughed.

“Don't think so much, we're still young.”

He implicitly included the responsibility in the word "we". More precisely, it implicitly pushed it towards me. If you can't get pregnant after getting married, everyone will assume that the problem lies with the woman. His parents will push. My parents will be impatient. Outsiders will talk. And he can continue to play the role of a good husband, taking his wife everywhere for treatment every day. Then what? Wait until I've been tormented enough, when everyone believes I can't have children, will he "reluctantly" suggest a divorce? Or just find a surrogacy plan, and only he knows about using donated sperm? I put down my chopsticks.

“I'm full.”

“Just ate a little?”

“Not hungry.”

I returned to the bedroom, closed the door, leaned my back against the door and slowly slid down to sit on the floor. I gave three years of my youth to a liar. The phone rang again. Diep Tieu Duong sent another message.

“To Niem, there's one more thing... I don't know if I should tell you or not.”

"The person who helped me look up the records said that in the contact person section when Tran Due was admitted to the hospital, the people listed were not his parents."

“A woman named Chu Vy Vy.”

“The relationship is listed as... 'wife'.”

I stared at the text on the screen. March 2021. We've been together for exactly six months. While he was in the hospital, there was a woman named "wife" by his side to take care of him. That name was like a knife stabbing straight into three years of love. I don't cry. I got up from the floor, washed my face, then opened the bedroom door and walked out. Tran Due is sitting in the living room watching TV.

“Are you better?”

I went over and sat down next to him.

“Tran Due, who is Chu Vy Vy?”

A humorous entertainment program was playing on TV, and the audience's laughter rang out continuously. But I still heard his breathing pause for a moment.

“Chu Vy Vy.”

"Unfamiliar."

His eyes were still staring at the screen.

“Where did you hear that name?”

"When I was in the hospital, the contact list listed her name. The relationship was listed as wife."

This time he turned his head to look at me. A flash of panic flashed in his eyes. But he was quickly forced down.

“To Niem, will you investigate me?”

His tone changed. Not the kind of shaking because of guilt. It's questioning me in return.

"Are you going to look up my hospital records? Do you know that's an invasion of privacy?"

“You hid the fact that you were infertile, tricked me into getting married for three years, and now you talk to me about privacy?”

The living room suddenly became quiet. The laughter on TV continued, making everything even more ridiculous. Tran Due slowly stood up.

“Who told you? know?"

"Not important."

“Is that a premarital doctor?”

His face immediately darkened.

“On what basis does she meddle in other people's affairs? I will file a complaint against her.”

“At this point, what you're most concerned about is complaining to the doctor?”

He opened his mouth and then closed it again. Silence for a few seconds. Then change to another face. Hurt. Pitiful.

“To Niem, I... I didn't mean to hide it from you. I'm just afraid that if I tell you, you'll leave me."

“So you plan to hide it for the rest of your life? After getting married, I think I can't have children?

“I thought I would wait until I was cured before telling you…”

“Azoospermia is not caused by obstruction, do you think it can be cured?”

He was stunned.

“I really investigated carefully.”

“Who is Chu Vy Vy?”

He didn't answer.

“Is that your ex-wife?”

"...Correct. I was married before.”

For the past three years. He always said I was his first love.

“In 2019 I got married, in 2021 I divorced.”

“Because of that illness?”

“She can't accept it.”

“So you learn from experience. When you enter your next relationship, do you decide to hide it?

He closed his eyes, looking extremely miserable. But I no longer believe in that drama.

“Tran Due, cancel the marriage.”

He grabbed my wrist.

“I can't do that! Invitations have been sent out! How should I talk to my relatives and friends?

“You lied to me for three years, and now you talk to me about talking?”

“We can do insemination with donated sperm…”

“I don't want to have a baby with a cheater.”

His fingers tightened.

“To Niem, please calm down. You should also think carefully. You're twenty-nine years old, in this small city, if you break up with me, do you think you'll find someone with better conditions?"

I looked straight into his eyes. It turns out he had it all planned out from the beginning. Twenty-nine years old. Live in a small city. Normal appearance. Normal work. He thought I had no better options. That's why it can be so blatant. I slowly removed his fingers one by one.

“Tran Due, first, I don't have only you to choose from.”

“Second, even if I really can't find someone better, I'd rather live alone than marry a scammer.”

I picked up the car keys on the table and walked towards the door.

“Where are you going?”

“This house is mine. I packed up my things and moved out.”

I slammed the door. The hallway was eerily quiet. It wasn't until I got downstairs that I realized my hands were shaking. The phone suddenly rang.