Chapter 1 — Spring Fades In The Old Alley

After five years of marriage, Tong Chieu Ninh always thought that her husband, Luc Thu Han, was just an ordinary switchboard operator. He was busy with work, so she immediately learned how to take care of everything in the house. His salary was low, so she tried to save every penny. It wasn't until she had difficulty giving birth and was admitted to the hospital that she saw Luc Thu Han next to Sam Linh, his brothers' widow, that she knew. It turns out that Luc Thu Han was never a switchboard operator at all, but a captain with high authority and position! In order to give all the benefits of the captain's wife to his childhood sweetheart Sam Linh, he hid his identity from Tong Chieu Ninh for five years! Sam Linh's child even passed away. Because he didn't want her to be heartbroken, he even forced Tong Chieu Ninh to give her his child! Tong Chieu Ninh's heart has completely died. After recovering her body in the hospital, she went alone to the cultural house to participate in a recruitment interview for a cultural troupe in another province, used the job acceptance letter and letter of introduction issued by the troupe, and applied for a forced divorce with the Department of Civil Affairs. She wants to end this marriage full of lies. Forever, leave Luc Thu Han. After having a difficult birth and losing a child, the neighbors in the ground floor said that Tong Chieu Ninh had changed. The first day, she fried three eggs for herself. It's no longer like before, saving white flour and eggs for Luc Thu Han, while I myself munched on sweet potatoes and corn cakes. On the second day, she went to the department store building to sew a floral cotton shirt. It was no longer the same as before, the cotton shirt was patched over and over again, collecting fabric scraps for half a year just to sew two more knee protectors for Luc Thu Han. On the third day, she went with her neighbor to the hospital, spent a coin and a half to buy herself a month of postpartum medicine, but was suddenly stopped by a deputy in the hospital lobby. "Sister-in-law! Team leader Luc was injured on duty, keep calling my name! Hurry up and visit him!" Tong Chieu Ninh looked at her quietly, without a trace of worry between his eyebrows. "Are you sure the person he called is Ninh Ninh, no? Is that Linh Linh?" She understood and smiled: "Go find Sam Linh, the only person your team leader Luc wants to see is her. She lives in the westernmost private house in the team's family compound, very easy to find." Having finished speaking, she pulled her neighbor and tried to leave. Behind her, a weak but calm voice called her back: "Ninh Ninh." The deputy took a deep breath: "Captain Luc, why did you come out on your own?!" Luc Thu Han turned a blind eye and walked straight in front of Tong Chieu Ninh. His face was pale, but he still gently forced a smile, reaching out to caress Tong Chieu Ninh's cheek. "The person I want to see is you, Ninh Ninh. What husband is injured and doesn't see his wife, but goes to see another woman? If you say so, are you still angry about the day you gave birth?" Tong Chieu Ninh avoided his hand and said softly: "I'm not angry." "Sam Linh is my brothers' widow, I'm the captain, taking care of her is It's your responsibility. What's more, she's still pregnant, and you're my family, so you should understand and tolerate everything, I know." Looking at her disappointed palms and cold eyes, a trace of insecurity arose in Luc Thu Han's heart. Before, Tong Chieu Ninh would have been heartbroken over every wound on his body, would have cherished every second of being with him... Absolutely not like now, cold as a stranger. He still wanted to say something more, Tong Chieu Ninh pulled his neighbor and walked straight out of the hospital. The neighbor girl witnessed everything and lowered her voice, her voice full of surprise. "Miss Chieu Ninh, I didn't see wrong, right? Isn't Mr. Thu Han a phone operator in the team, how did he become the team leader? Congratulations, you're finally miserable."

It's orange!" Tong Chieu Ninh's chest choked, she laughed bitterly. Luc Thu Han was never a switchboard operator. From beginning to end, he was Luc's captain with high authority. Half a month ago, Tong Chieu Ninh's water suddenly broke and was admitted to the hospital, but because of difficulty giving birth, she needed a cesarean section. She only had eight coins on her, how could she pay the thirty-five coins for the surgery? Just when she was in despair, the captain's deputy pulled her into the room. "Comrade, our team leader is willing to pay for your surgery and an additional fifty coins, but our team leader has one request: the child you give birth must be given to comrade Sam Linh to raise!" Tong Chieu Ninh's blood immediately froze. Isn't this team leader Luc in front of you your telephone operator husband?! Looking at each other, Luc Thu Han frowned: "Ninh Ninh? Why me?” He didn't panic at all, on the contrary, he breathed a sigh of relief. "If it were you, there would be no need to negotiate anymore, go and have a cesarean section!" Sam Linh and he are childhood sweethearts, the baby she brought is the orphan of the Chi Vien brothers, that is her only hope! If she woke up and found out that her child had just been born dead, she definitely wouldn't be able to bear it." Tong Chieu Ninh couldn't believe it. "Just because of this woman, you used your identity as a telephone operator to deceive me for five years! Just because her child is dead, you want to steal my child, are you still human? "Luc Thu Han's face was filled with impatience: "Stop causing trouble! Isn't it just a child? There will still be more later! Can you not be so narrow-minded, as a family member, understanding me is what you should do!” Tong Chieu Ninh was forced onto the operating table. Even because Sam Linh suddenly woke up and insisted on seeing her child, without waiting for the anesthetic to take effect, Luc Thu Han ordered the doctor to cut into her abdomen! Tong Chieu Ninh fainted in severe pain. The first thing after waking up was to get his child back. Luc Thu Han locked her in the hospital room. On the first day, with just one phone call from him, Tong Chieu Ninh's closest sister was fired from the state-owned restaurant. On the second day, he contacted the commune in his hometown, stopped his old father Tong Chieu Ninh's light job looking after the warehouse, and forced him to do the heaviest work. On the third day, just because of one sentence from his brother, Tong Chieu Ninh's chronically ill uncle could no longer buy medicine... Countless relatives and friends asked someone to send a message, begging Tong Chieu Ninh to give them a way to live. Luc Thu Han walked into the hospital room: "As long as you no longer think about stealing the child, I will forgive them." Tong Chieu Ninh's heart has completely died. She did not ask Luc Thu Han why he had deceived her all these years, nor did she cry and scream demanding compensation from Luc Thu Han. After recovering her body in the hospital, she went alone to the cultural house to participate in a recruitment interview for a cultural troupe in another province, used the job acceptance letter and letter of introduction issued by the troupe, and applied for a forced divorce with the Department of Civil Affairs. Waiting for the divorce review to end, she will sit on the train going south, ending this marriage full of lies. Forever, leave Luc Thu Han. Not long after Tong Chieu Ninh returned home, Luc Thu Han also returned. He placed the expensive imported milk powder and Western ginseng on the table, then took out three hundred dong from his pocket and stuffed it into Tong Chieu Ninh's hand. Tong Chieu Ninh calmly raised his eyes: "What is this? Compensation?” Luc Thu Han was silent for a moment: "Yes." "I'm sorry about the child. The reason I hid my identity from you is because I was afraid that if you knew that Linh Linh would not be happy if you lost the treatment of your captain's wife, but you definitely have to take care of her. After

Hey, all my salary will be given to you, I will make you the most glorious captain's wife! "Tong Chieu Ninh pulled the corner of her lips, there was only a piece of sadness in her heart. More money could not change her dead heart and her child. What's more, after being married for five years, what she wanted before was Luc Thu Han's position and money. She still remembered the blizzard five years ago, when she fainted on the ground. On the village road, Luc Thu Han put a coat on her and carried her out of a desperate situation, like a ray of light illuminating her life. During a month of disaster relief, every day she brought him hot water and gave him a scarf and gloves that she knitted herself. The girl's feelings were especially simple. She just wanted to see him a little more, so unexpectedly, when they broke up, an older man saw her thoughts and teased her about wanting to marry Luc Thu Han, are you going to the city to get married? Tong Chieu Ninh blinked: "I agree!" A burst of laughter rang out in the tent. Luc Thu Han also laughed: "I don't even know your name or what position you hold. What if you're just a small switchboard operator?" Tong Chieu Ninh blushed and bowed his head: "Then I agree." After being married for five years, she always thought that Luc Thu Han was just a switchboard operator. He was busy with work, so she immediately learned how to take care of everything in the house. His salary was low, so she tried to save every penny. Luc Thu Han would also clumsily take care of her. When she was on her period, he would prepare a hot water bag for her; On her wedding anniversary, buy her a box of lotion; On her days off at home, she filled the water jar and fixed the light bulb for her... She foolishly thought that as long as she had love, her days would definitely get better. But unexpectedly, in the end, she was the only one who was passionate. In Luc Thu Han's heart, from beginning to end, there was only Sam Linh alone. Before, he was nice to her because Sam Linh had a husband. Now that Sam Linh's husband died, he no longer pretended, nor was he too lazy to pretend. Tong Chieu Ninh did not answer, just conveniently put the money in the drawer, softly said: "Go to sleep." "Ninh Ninh!" Luc Thu Han frowned angrily. The status of the captain's wife, money, compensation, care... you gave it all, why is Tong Chieu Ninh still making a fuss! At this moment, the door was suddenly knocked, and the deputy's voice quickly came: "Captain, Ms. Sam said she wants to drink the red sugar egg soup that her sister-in-law once cooked!" Tong Chieu Ninh's heart was shocked. In the past, every time Luc Thu Han returned to the team, she would cook him a bowl of red sugar egg soup for him to bring to the team to eat. Red sugar is rare, eggs are precious, she saves and saves again, she can't bear to eat even a single piece. But she absolutely did not expect that his mind, which she considered a treasure, would be arbitrarily given to Sam Linh. Luc Thu Han hurriedly said: "Ninh Ninh, let's talk about our story later, quickly go make soup." "I will buy red sugar and eggs for you, you must hurry. Linh Linh's body is weak after giving birth, don't let her wait too long." He completely forgot, Tong Chieu Ninh and Sam Linh were born on the same day. Her body was still very weak. Tong Chieu Ninh suppressed the bitterness in her heart, turned around and walked into the kitchen. The charcoal was too slow, the sound of Luc Thu Han impatiently going back and forth was like a death spell. Tong Chieu Ninh decisively poured a little kerosene into the stove to light the fire. Unexpectedly, she just struck the match again. close, with a "bang", the fire immediately exploded! Tong Chieu Ninh was thrown away by the hot air, the back of his head hit the wall hard! Right at the moment the fire was about to swallow her, a figure rushed forward, blocking her face! "Ninh Ninh! How are you? What should I say..." He was in such a hurry that his eyes turned red and he almost screamed. Even his back was burned extensively.

he also didn't realize it at all.