Chapter 2 — Snow Covered Jade Boi

I faced the empty room, facing that hot piece of jade, and softly said:

"It's you who's dead, Pho Trinh."

“Died in the winter ten years ago.”

In the abbey. Pho Trinh is peeling grapes to feed Nhuy Nhi. The butler returned to report:

“General, your wife has already signed, very decisively, no chaos.”

Pho Trinh's hand, which was peeling grapes, suddenly stopped. There was not even half the pleasure in his heart after taking revenge. On the contrary, an inexplicable irritation arose. He threw the grape back onto the plate and snorted coldly:

“Looks like she knows things.”

2

The closet of the heavenly monastery is empty. I don't have many valuable belongings. I've never touched a single thing of the gold, silver, jade, and ivory that Pho Trinh gave me over the years. Just take an old, worn piece of wrapping cloth, inside put a few simple clothes to change into. That's because my mother sewed it for me before she passed away, each stitch was meticulous and careful. I flipped through the bottom of the cabinet and found a small wooden box with peeling red paint. Open up. Inside quietly lies a wooden brooch. The brooch head is carved with two lotus flowers. The knife's edge is not delicate, even rough, but the edges are smooth and rounded. That was ten years ago, in order to save up a bride price for me, Pho Trinh went to the harbor to carry bags during the day, and at night borrowed the moonlight to carve this brooch. His hands were clumsy, he cut his fingertips countless times, it took three months to complete. The day he gave it to me, Pho Trinh's hand was full of injuries, but his smile was extremely bright:

"Ha Ha, when I have money, I will definitely exchange you a gold brooch."

I picked up the wooden brooch, my fingertips gently caressing those lines. Outside the door, the sound of jade pendants jingling was heard. Nhi Nhi was surrounded by two maids and slowly walked in. On her bun, she wore a large Dong Chau hairpin, sparkling brightly as she walked. It was a tribute offered by Tay Vuc. There were only two trees in total, which Pho Trinh gave to her. Nhi Nhi saw the wooden brooch in my hand, covered her mouth and smiled slightly, her eyes full of sarcasm:

“Do you still have this tattered thing?”

She stepped forward, bowed her head and looked at me:

“The general has long taken this thing as an insult, saying it is a foolish joke from his youth, just looking at it makes his eyes dirty.”

Nhui Nhi caressed her slightly protruding lower belly, deliberately puffing out her chest:

“The general said that he had had enough of the poor and miserable days of the past.”

“Only the child in my belly is worthy of the glory and wealth of the Pho family today.”

I stared at her belly, my eyes paused for a moment. Suddenly, the image of that black bowl of medicine flashed in my mind. It was poisoned wine sent by Pho Trinh's political enemies, originally intended for him. I drank for him instead. The doctor said that if cold poison enters the body, it will be difficult to get pregnant in this life. At that time, Pho Trinh hugged me and cried until my heart and soul were torn apart, swearing up and down that he would not betray me. But now, he gets another woman pregnant, and then makes fun of my helplessness. A trace of sadness appeared in my eyes, but I did not respond. Just turned around, gathered all the wooden brooches and letters that had passed back and forth over the past ten years, and threw them into the brazier in front of him. The fire "whooshed" and rose high. The yellowed letter rolled up, burned black, and turned into ash. The wooden brooch in the fire made a small explosion sound tiny. The teenager in the jade pendant suddenly shouted loudly:

"Ha Ha! Why is it so hot? What are you burning?"

"Where is the wooden brooch? Didn't you say you would wear it for the rest of your life? Did you keep it safe?"

The teenager's voice was extremely impatient, as if the burning thing was not the hairpin, but his heart. I looked at my pale face reflected in the firelight and replied faintly:

“It's burned.”

“It's useless to keep it, it's just trash.”

The young man Pho Trinh was silent for a long time. It took so long that the fire in the furnace gradually faded away, leaving only a few pink spots flickering like falling stars. He spoke hoarsely, with a heavy nasal tone:

“Sorry… Ha Ha.”

"If I can't keep it, I can't keep her either."

At that moment, Pho Trinh passed by the door of the heavenly monastery. He saw me burning something in front of the brazier, so he frowned deeply:

"What are you burning during the day?! Are you doing something evil and cursing Nhuy Nhi?"

“Shen Ha Ha, you are truly cruel to the core.”

I don't pay attention to him, I don't even bother to raise my head. At night, I carried that simple cloth bundle and slung it over my shoulder. Taking advantage of the dark night, I turned around and looked back at the general's palace - the place that had imprisoned me for ten years. The high-walled door locks away youth and also locks up sincerity. Now the door is open. I walked through the door step, not looking back even once.