Chapter 2 — Prosperity Three Jewels

My world was spinning, the only thing in my ears was "Congratulations! Tam pregnancy!" repeatedly. At that moment, my phone frantically rang. It's Tham Thinh Chau. As if clinging to a life-saving straw, I trembled and listened. On the other side of the phone, he had just finished the meeting, his voice carrying a subtle tiredness.

"Nhuyen Nhuyen, are the test results out yet? What did the doctor say?"

I opened my mouth, but couldn't utter a word. My silence made Tham Thinh Chau immediately realize that something was wrong. His voice instantly cooled down, terrifyingly calm.

“In which hospital?”

“I'll be right there.”

I looked at three clear black dots on the ultrasound sheet, my palms covered in cold sweat. Cold sweat ran down my temples. I'm done.

02

I don't know how I got out of the ultrasound room. Director Vuong and several nurses surrounded me, their faces full of joy.

"Mrs. Tham is very lucky, it's a triplets, we haven't seen any cases in our hospital for many years."

“That's right, you have to take good care of your pregnancy, it will be very difficult in the future.”

"If Mr. Tham knew, he would definitely be very happy!"

Each of their congratulations was like a needle piercing my heart. I squeezed the thin ultrasound sheet in my hand, the edges of the paper were almost crumpled. The three black dots on it were like three marks, burning hot on the palm of the hand. How should I explain to Tham Thinh Chau? How should I explain to my mother-in-law who always treats me like her own child? Tell them that I'm pregnant, but not Tham Tinh Chau's child? No, it's not possible! Since I married him, I have kept myself pure. Don't talk about intimate contact with other men. I don't even participate in dinner parties with male friends anymore. This child… where did he come from? My mind was a mess, I couldn't find any clues. I sat blankly on the hospital hallway bench, waiting for Tham Thinh Chau to arrive. That feeling is not like waiting for a lover. It's like waiting for a verdict of fate. Half an hour later, a series of quiet but hurried footsteps sounded. I raised my head and saw Tham Thinh Chau. He wore a perfectly tailored black suit, had a tall, straight figure, and profound facial features. Because he came in a hurry, his forehead was still sweaty, and his always neat hairstyle was a bit messy. But even so, he is still the one who stands out the most in the crowd. His eyes scanned the hallway and immediately stopped at me. The moment our four eyes looked at each other, I saw a flash of tension flash through his eyes. He quickly walked over, knelt down in front of me, and held my cold hand. His palm was still warm and dry as before, bringing a feeling of peace of mind.

“What's wrong?”

He looked at my pale face and frowned tightly.

“What did the doctor say? Is the result very bad?”

His voice lowered, carrying a slight tremor that he didn't even realize. I looked at his concerned eyes, the bridge of my nose was sour, and tears almost fell. I opened my mouth but my throat felt blocked. In the end, I could only give him the crumpled ultrasound sheet. Tham Thinh Chau's eyes fell on the paper. When he saw the content clearly, his body stiffened for a moment. An emotion more complex than surprise. It's shocking, it's wild, it's unbelievable to the point of being overwhelmed. He held the thin piece of paper in his hand, his fingertips turning slightly white. The air in the hallway seemed frozen. I can even hear it clearly my heart beats rapidly. I stared at his face, not daring to miss any small expression. I was afraid to see in his eyes disgust, indignation, or contempt. But no. On his face there was only bottomless silence. That silence scared me more than any intense emotion. He looked at the ultrasound sheet for nearly a minute. Then slowly raised his head, his eyes fell on my face again. His eyes were very complicated, as deep as the bottomless ocean. I do not understand.

“Muscle Nhuy.”

He spoke, his voice a bit hoarse.

“This…”

“What is it?”

My tears finally burst.

“I don't know…”

I sobbed, held his arm tightly, and kept shaking my head.

"Thin Chau, I really don't know... I've never done anything wrong to you, I haven't..."

I'm talking incoherently, I just want to cut my heart open for you to see. My crying caught the attention of the people around me. Tham Thinh Chau's eyebrows furrowed tighter. He took off his vest and put it on me, wrapping me up. His movements were very light, carrying an unquestionable protective posture.

“Don't cry here.”

His voice still didn't reveal much emotion, but it was softer than before.

“Let's go home first.”

He pulled me up from the couch, his other hand clutching the ultrasound sheet. I don't throw it away. Don't question me either. He guided me step by step out of the hospital. Getting into the car, he didn't say a word, just told the driver to drive. The air in the car was so stuffy that it was difficult to breathe. I curled up on the chair, secretly looking at him. He leaned back in the chair, closed his eyes, his long eyelashes casting a faint shadow. His profile was tense, exuding a cold and distant look. The ultrasound sheet was placed on the chair next to him. Like a silent satire. My heart sank little by little. You don't believe me. That's right, in return, any man would not believe such a myth. A man was given a "death sentence" by a doctor, and his wife became pregnant right before his eyes, with triplets. Truly the biggest joke of the century. The car drove straight to our villa on the mountainside. Tham Thinh Chau got out of the car first and came around to open the door for me. He held out his hand, a familiar polite gesture. But I hesitated. I don't dare hold his hand. I'm afraid you'll find me dirty. Seeing that I didn't move, Tham Thich Chau's eyes darkened. He didn't push, just waited patiently. Finally, I still put my hand in his palm. His hand doesn't seem as warm as before. Entering the living room, Trieu Hue Phuong was sitting on the sofa drinking afternoon tea. Seeing us return, she immediately stood up and smiled.

"Thin Chau, Nhuyen Nhuyen, are you back? How was the check-up? What did the doctor say? Are you okay, Nhuy Nhuyen?"

A series of questions full of interest. My heart jumped into my throat and I unconsciously looked at Tham Thinh Chau. He calmly let go of my hand and walked in front of Trieu Hue Phuong.

“Mom.”

He handed the wrinkled ultrasound sheet to her. Trieu Hue Phuong received it suspiciously.

“What is this? Test results…”