Chapter 1 — Stepping Out From The Rubble

After my best friend who married a distant husband suffered domestic violence, my boyfriend and I drove all night, traveling more than 1,700 kilometers to get there. We cooperated extremely well, I was in charge of hitting people, he was in charge of blocking the door. My best friend was stunned for a moment then immediately joined the battle. On the way back, the three of us looked at the wounds on each other's faces and couldn't help but burst out laughing. She was laughing and crying again: "You two, absolutely don't argue. If we break up in the future, who will I go with?" Ta Chinh sat in the driver's seat and rolled his eyes: "We're doing very well, we won't break up, thank you. You should take care of yourself first." From that day, I officially welcomed my best friend to live with me, took care of her clothes and activities, and encouraged her to start a new life. Every time Ta Chinh used his finger to poke my forehead hard: "Thu Am, do you still remember that I'm your boyfriend?" Until I returned from a three-month business trip and discovered that Ta Chinh's car had a pink beaded keychain. He absolutely refused to admit whose gift it was. I coldly said goodbye and called my best friend to follow me. But I saw her turn pale and walk towards Ta Chinh. … The air seemed to be silent for a moment, in my ears there was only the howling sound of the wind. Manh Chi Dao's face was pale, as if she might shed tears at any moment. I tried to keep my voice from shaking: "What do you mean?" Ta Chinh was silent for a long time, then suddenly took a step forward, holding Manh Chi Dao's hand. "I was originally going to find a chance to tell you. That night... we were both drunk. Thu Am, keeping it from you like that is not fair to you." I looked at my hands clasped tightly together, only to feel darkness before my eyes. After a six-hour long-haul flight, I hadn't even had time to unpack my luggage. At this moment, my body wobbled and I almost fell to the ground. Ta Chinh's face changed. He instinctively stepped forward to help me, but I raised my hand to stop him. Manh Chi Dao's eye sockets turned red. She hesitated and didn't dare to move forward. She could only softly call my name: "Am Am, are you complaining that the food on the plane is difficult to eat so you refuse to eat anything? You have low blood sugar again, right?" She timidly opened her hand, in the palm of her hand was a White Rabbit milk candy. I just felt a sharp pain in my eye sockets, gritted my teeth and said: "Shut up, I don't want to lose face in a crowded place." I didn't look at them again, pulled my suitcase and turned around to walk into the crowd. The night wind is a bit cold, just blowing away the moisture in the corners of my eyes. During peak hours, it is very difficult to call a car. When I got home, Manh Chi Dao had finished packing his luggage and stood in front of the door, wanting to talk again. I looked at the same pair of slippers placed in front of the door, and the cartoon-printed pillow of two people on the sofa. Just by closing my eyes, I can seem to imagine the night they got drunk. Perhaps they were intimately entwined right on this sofa. My stomach hurt, I almost vomited. In the suitcase there are still small cookies brought back from Germany and the scarf I bought for Ta Chinh. At that time, Manh Chi Dao held the phone and made a video call to me: "Don't worry, thanks to Mr. Manh Chi Dao's tears immediately fell. Ta Chinh frowned and walked up: "It's my fault, if you're angry, just take it out on me." He lowered his head to look at Manh Chi Dao, softened his voice: "You go out and wait for me first." Manh Chi Dao dragged his luggage out, almost took a step and turned around three times. Waiting until the door closed again, Ta Chinh took the medicine bag out of his pocket

out, stunned, then put it back in. "In any case, it's my fault to you." "Thu Am, I will discuss with my father, keeping the position of vice president for you." I hugged my stomach that was in severe pain, laughing coldly: "What is this, compensation or alms? I don't need it." What's wrong with relying on you a little like Manh Chi Dao?" I coldly interrupted him: "Ex-boyfriend." "Also, she needs you because she herself has no ability. I don't need it because of what I want, I will get it myself." Ta Chinh looked at me with complicated eyes: "Take good care of yourself." Then, he gently closed the door. The house was empty, I was alone. At this point, I couldn't hold on any longer and collapsed onto the sofa. My stomach hurt so much that my whole body broke out in cold sweat, even the corners of my eyes were wet. I hugged my stomach, muttering to myself: "This damn stomach, it really... hurts..." 2 At twelve o'clock at night, I suddenly woke up, instinctively pushing the person next to me: "Pour me a glass of water." But my hand only touched empty space. The living room was dark, only the sound of the ticking clock remained in the house. I stood silently for a long time, until the doorbell rang. There was no one outside, only a thermal bag quietly placed in front of the door. On the bag was a piece of paper, with familiar handwriting. 【I guess you won't eat rice again. No matter what, don't abuse your health.】 I just took a cold look and turned around to close the door. I turned on the kitchen light, quietly boiled water, and cooked noodles. In the past, every time I came home from overtime, Manh Chi Dao would put on slippers, chatter while going to the stove to boil water, and cook me a bowl of hot noodles. At this time, I sat on the chair, just feeling that I was really tired. Maybe I added too much salt to the noodles. Otherwise, why is a bowl of noodles so bitter and salty at the same time? The next day, I regained my composure and went to the hospital to work. As soon as the elevator door opened, I saw Ta Chinh putting his hands in his pockets, not gently but patting Manh Chi Dao's head with a little pampering. The smiles on both people's faces stiffened at the same time. I didn't glance sideways or up and down, walking straight past them. Behind him came the chatter of a few young nurses, asking if Manh Chi Dao had conquered Dr. Ta or not. Her voice was very forced. On the contrary, Ta Chinh looked at me with complicated eyes: "You just came back, you probably haven't rested enough yet. Or should I take over the night shift?" I coldly leaned away from him: "No need." Ta Chinh was born into a family with a tradition of medicine, and since he was a child, he has been the darling of heaven. And I am the only person in the past twenty years who has ever won the top position in the major from him. That summer, Ta Chinh stood under a large eucalyptus tree in the school, smiling, revealing his white teeth: "Thu Am, right? You're very good, but I'm not bad either. In the next exam, I will regain that position." We kept competing with each other for many years, until we graduated and then went to the Ta family's hospital to work. To avoid being criticized by others, at the hospital, we were always rivals that everyone knew. No one knew that Dr. Thu and Dr. Ta, who were always fiercely competitive, were a couple who had been in love for many years and had just suddenly broken up last night. Except for Manh Chi Dao. She is a nurse. After welcoming her back, I counseled her for several months. I didn't want to see her at home complaining about her fate every day, so for the first time in many years, I opened my mouth to ask Ta Chinh for help and arranged for her to go to the hospital to work.

Unexpectedly, it created opportunities for them to regularly interact. At lunch time, Manh Chi Dao sat with Ta Chinh. As I passed by, she softly called my name. My steps only slowed slightly but did not stop completely. From the corner of my eye, I saw Manh Chi Dao bowing her head sadly, and Ta Chinh rubbed her hair, seemingly saying words of comfort. Before leaving, Manh Chi Dao gently placed a White Rabbit milk candy on the corner of my table. I raised my head and glanced, my hand holding the chopsticks couldn't help but stiffen for a moment. My childhood passed amid my parents' arguments. Being able to eat well is a luxury. The rare sweetness in my memories is the White Rabbit milk candy that Manh Chi Dao laughed at and insisted on sharing with me. Later, I had a stomach problem and was prone to hypoglycemia, so she always had a packet of candy like that in her pocket. Before getting married, she seriously advised Ta Chinh: "He only likes the original taste, you must remember." At that time, Ta Chinh's eyes looked at me gently and clearly: "Don't worry, I will take good care of her." And now, I raise my head to watch the two silhouettes leave side by side. I laughed to myself, picked up the food tray and turned to leave. The White Rabbit milk candy still lay quietly on the corner of the table, no one touched it. It's just a matter of giving up a piece of candy, nothing difficult. 3In the afternoon, Manh Chi Dao kept losing focus, constantly looking towards the doctor's office. I also don't know who she was looking at. When it was time to check the hospital room, I looked at the bag of fluid being administered to the patient, and couldn't help but frown. "Manh Chi Dao." She suddenly regained consciousness: "Uncle... Doctor Thu." I closed the door of the hospital room, my voice completely cold: "What is the dose of fluid for bed number eleven? Are you on your first day of work? If something happens, who will be responsible?" Manh Chi Dao was panicked. After the examination, her face immediately turned pale. "Doctor Thu, please... sorry..." I took a deep breath: "It's not me who is at fault, it's the patient." Then, I turned to look at the head nurse: "Don't put Manh Chi Dao on my shift in the future, thank you." Her eye sockets quickly turned red. She bit her lip, trying not to let her tears fall. Ta Chinh heard the news and ran over. After checking the correct dosage, he frowned and said: "It's just a small mistake, is there a need to be so angry?" He patted Manh Chi Dao's back to comfort him. I quietly raised my head to look at that familiar face, only feeling extremely ridiculous. "Ta Chinh." "Medical staff are not allowed to have any negligence or mistakes. Behind every mistake can be a life. Who said this?" Ta Chinh's face changed, and he was suddenly speechless. Ta Chinh is the hospital's young master. Since childhood, he has grown up surrounded and pampered by everyone. When I was in school, he always silently competed with me, but I never gave up. Until he smiled and explained to me: "My family is very strict. Don't think I'm an incompetent rich guy who only knows how to play. Thu Am, I have the same ideals and ambitions as you. I also rely on myself to get to where I am today. Don't hate me like that anymore, okay?" I really thought we were the same type of people. The light in the hallway shined down on the note, blinding white. I was full of disappointment and slowly shook my head. Ta Chinh still wanted to say something, but Manh Chi Dao covered his mouth, cried and ran out. He frowned, looked at me deeply and immediately chased after me. From the top floor terrace you can see the city's night lights. I stand here quietly, letting the night wind blow. The door was suddenly pushed open and Manh Chi Dao walked in with red eyes.