Chapter 3 — One month before the wedding, the doctor gave me a piece of paper

I picked up the phone.

“Excuse me, is this Ms. To Niem?”

“It's me.”

"I'm Dr. Lam, the person in charge of your pre-marital examination yesterday."

I stopped walking.

“Doctor... what about the piece of paper?”

“Have you seen it?”

The other end of the line was silent for two seconds.

"There's one more thing, I didn't have time to write it down yesterday."

“What?”

“I did another test on your fiance's pre-marital blood sample.”

“What test?”

“Syphilis antibodies.”

“Tested positive.”

I had to hold onto the wall next to me to steady myself.

"Miss To Niem, his RPR index is not high, which indicates that he may have been infected recently or was infected in the past. But regardless of the case, during the time he knew you, it is very likely that he has had unsafe sexual behavior."

“With someone else?”

"...I cannot draw that conclusion. But from a medical perspective, I advise you to quickly get a test package for sexually transmitted diseases as soon as possible."

I hung up. Standing under a streetlight in a residential area, raising your head to look up at the fourth floor window. The light is still on. That man behind the window... I've been sleeping with him for three years. Used to be married but hid it. Positive for syphilis. I don't know how many more secrets he has. But I know one thing. Doctor Lam put that piece of paper in my hand... Really saved my life. I called Diep Tieu Duong.

“Duong Duong, let's stay at your place tonight.”

"What's wrong? Your voice isn't very good."

"I broke up with Tran Due."

“Just stand there and wait for me.”

Diep Tieu Duong did not ask why. Fifteen minutes later, she appeared at the gate of the residential area. As soon as I got in the car, Diep Tieu Duong looked at me, didn't ask anything, just handed over a bottle of water.

“Drink some water first.”

I took the water bottle, screwed the cap on and took a sip.

"He had azoospermia and hid himself for three years. Once married, his ex-wife, named Chu Vy Vy, also hid herself for three years. Pre-marital examination also found positive syphilis antibodies."

Diep Tieu Duong stepped on the brake suddenly.

“What?”

“What I just said is true.”

She turned her head to look at me. On his face was an expression that in the ten years of knowing me, I had never seen before.

“To Niem, right now I have a hundred curse words in my head.”

“Just curse.”

“You bastard!”

She stepped on the accelerator hard and the car sped forward. When I got home, Diep Tieu Duong poured me a cup of hot milk and spread the blanket for me.

“I'll go check with you tomorrow.”

“And about the wedding…”

“I'll handle it myself.”

“Hotel deposit...”

“Invitation card…”

“I will call everyone individually.”

Diep Tieu Duong looked at me.

“To Niem, you can cry.”

"I have nothing to cry about. Finding out early is already lucky."

She gave me a hug.

“Okay, then rest early.”

Having finished speaking, she closed the door. I lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling. The phone kept vibrating. Tran Due sent seventeen messages.

“To Niem, where have you gone?”

"Don't get excited, okay? Let's talk properly."

“I admit I made a mistake, but I truly love you.”

“You can't just because of an illness deny everything I've given you in the past three years.”

“If you don't come back, I will tomorrow Come to the company to find me.”

The last message is:

“To Niem, don't force me. If you dare to cancel the engagement, I will tell everyone about your past."

I stared at the last message. What happened before? I seriously thought for a moment. The work does not violate any laws or regulations. Emotion has never done anything wrong to him. He's just threatening. I blocked his phone number. The next morning, Diep Tieu Duong took me to the City Center Hospital. Wait for results. Two hours later, the results came out. Syphilis antibodies were negative. I breathed a sigh of relief.

“Thank goodness.”

Diep Tieu Duong held my hand tightly. However, the doctor still recommends another follow-up examination three months later because there is still a window period. Leaving the hospital, I started calling. The first call was to mom.

“Mom, the wedding is canceled.”

The other end of the line was silent for three seconds.

“He tricked me. I will tell you the specific story when I get home."

“To Niem, you have to think carefully. I'm twenty-nine years old..."

“Mom, he has syphilis.”

The other end of the line immediately went silent.

“…What?”

“The pre-marital examination discovered it. Furthermore, he also hid the fact that he was infertile, had been married and had an ex-wife."

My mother's voice began to tremble.

“You bastard!”

In my memory, my mother has never cursed before.

“Go home quickly, don't stay out anymore.”

“Mom, I still have to deal with the hotel issue with the wedding organizer.”

“Solve something else! Make him compensate!”

“I can take care of myself.”

After hanging up with my mother, I called the hotel.

“Hello, I booked a wedding party for June 18. Now I want to cancel.”

“Ma'am, your deposit is fifteen thousand yuan. If we cancel, we will only refund thirty percent..."

“No need to return anymore.”

Diep Tieu Duong sat next to him and listened sadly.

"To Niem, this money should have been paid by Tran Due."

“I don't want to have anything to do with him anymore. Fifteen thousand yuan is like buying a lesson.”

Next is the wedding planning company. Deposit eight thousand yuan. Non-refundable. Cancel the dress fitting appointment. More than thirty pictures have been sent. It took me an entire afternoon to call each person to notify each person.

“Hello Aunt Truong, my wedding on June 18 has been canceled.”

"Huh? What's going on? Are you two arguing? You're young..."

“It's not an argument. He just wasn't the right fit.”

“Oh my god, it's all come to this step…”

“Sorry aunt, I'm bothering you.”

The same conversations were repeated more than thirty times. Some people have regrets. Some people are curious. There are also people who have a hint of gloating in their voice that is hard to detect. After the last call, I threw the phone on the table. Diep Tieu Duong brought a bowl of noodles.

“Let's eat.”

I picked up my chopsticks and ate two bites. The doorbell rang. Diep Tieu Duong went to open the door. I heard a man's voice.

“To Niem is here, right? Let me say a few words to her.”

It's Tran Due. I put down my chopsticks and walked out the door. He stood in the hallway, his hair disheveled, his eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep, looking like he had been up all night.

“To Niem, I beg you, give me a chance to explain.”

“What do you want to explain?”

“The syphilis thing... that was before. I'm cured.”

“Since when was that?”

He paused for a moment.