Chapter 3 — Ten Years of Love, His Proposal Was Just a Bet

I stared at Luong Thuat, almost unable to believe these words came out of his mouth. Years ago, after he took me out, for a long time my mind was always in a state of limbo. He clearly understood how seeing my parents buried in flames was a huge barrier that I couldn't overcome. During that time, he didn't give me any advice, just went to the cemetery with me every day. At that time, outside rumors about my parents reaping storms were rumbling everywhere. People say my father illegally abused capital, people say my mother participated in illegal experiments. I almost collapsed, because those words not only offended my parents, but also shook the little faith left in me - If even people like my parents are considered "sowing the wind and reaping the storm", then is there anything else in this world worth trusting? Luong Thuat himself stood next to me and said:

“I once met your father, he is an excellent businessman, and your mother, is a respected researcher.”

I believed. But now, he stood facing me, telling me to spread rumors about my biological father. Tell me to say it with my own mouth that it was my father's incompetence that created all the suffering in the future, just to prepare a way for Tong Y to retreat. I woke up, even the disappointment was gone.

“If I do that, what benefits will I get?”

Regarding the fact that I could agree, Luong Thuat did not show any surprise. In his eyes, I have always received whatever I asked for, whatever I asked for.

“As compensation,” he offered as a bargaining chip, “I can pretend I never saw you say goodbye, you're still my girlfriend.”

Hesitating for a moment, as if feeling that his sincerity was not enough, he added: "It could also be the fiancee." He looked at me, seemingly waiting for my reaction. Anyway, I have longed for this title of "fiancee" for so long. I laughed softly, bringing with it a cold breath.

“What if I don't agree?”

Luong Thuat's eyes moved slightly, his tone remained unchanged, not even threatening, just faintly reporting:

“Then I can also push a fake Pho Chi Ha out.”

“As long as I say she is real, she is real.”

I closed my eyes. In the darkness, images of the past years flashed past like marching lights. The nineteen-year-old girl at the nightclub was beaten and refused to bow her head. He was like an angel descending to earth to take me away. Ten years later, his silent back when he accompanied me to the cemetery...

“Luong Thuat.” I opened my eyes. “I will clarify the things written in this letter.”

"If the Song family really did those things, I would never help them cover it up. If it wasn't related to them, I wouldn't slander anyone."

“So your request,” I looked at him, hanging on every word.

“I don't agree.”

When I saw Tong Y's proud and arrogant appearance in front of the house, I was not surprised. Because five years ago, I witnessed how great her acting skills were. Pretending to be weak and deceiving Luong Thuat was just a matter of turning the table for her. At that time, not long after she had returned home, the entire Thuong Dong area was buzzing that the eldest lady of the Song family had returned, afraid that she was about to resume her old love with the young master of the Luong family. No one cares Luong Thuat's current girlfriend is me. But I'm not worried. I'm confident that our years together are enough for us to fight off someone who ran away from our wedding five years ago. Until the Luong family's dinner party, she pulled my hand and said her earrings were loose, asking me to help her. As soon as I bent down, she rolled down the spiral staircase. From then on, I could never dance ballet again. And the words after she woke up: "Miss Pho, why did you push me?" I can't explain it with a hundred mouths. The crowd's critical gaze engulfed me. I grabbed Luong Thuat's shirt as if grasping the last straw to save my life, but he said, "Sorry Tong Y." And now, she opened her mouth and said: "Pho Chi Ha, let's make a deal. You record a correction video, I'll give you eighty million, how about that?" The two words "transaction" came out of her mouth, bringing with it a gift as a matter of course. I looked up at her:

“Five years ago, I was forced to kneel in front of the door by a bodyguard for three days without even apologizing for a crime of crawling out of the ground.”

“Five years later, on what basis do you think eighty million can buy my parents' innocence?”

Walking past each other, I heard her say: "So don't regret it." The news about the Song family was suppressed just a few days later. There was no need to guess whose handwriting was behind it. But I didn't care, because the more I investigated, the more terrified I became. Everything said in that confession letter is all true, the Tong family is the culprit that caused my family to fall apart. Before I could make any move, Huong Van called.

"Chi Ha, tonight Gia Duc is auctioning an antique chess set, it's the 'Luu Van' set that Uncle Pho used to teach you how to play chess, will you come?"

I closed my eyes, the memory suddenly became very light. Just like that spring, my father held my hand and placed a white chess piece on the wooden chess board.

“Failure is normal, so we must learn how to learn from failure.”

On the night of bankruptcy, the court's people arrived so quickly that I didn't even have time to look back at that office one last time. Over the years, I've always asked for news about old items, but I didn't expect that the first thing that got news was this chess set.

“Okay, I'll go tonight.”

Night falls, Gia Duc auction house's lights are bright. There are countless auction items, the "Luu Van" set is sandwiched in the middle, otherwise not very eye-catching. I smoothly bid, my eyes fell on a corner of the mahogany chess box. There was a small scratch there, a mark from when I bumped it as a child. When the hammer was about to strike for the third time, a female voice came from the second floor: "Wait." I followed the voice. In the halo of crystal chandelier, Tong Y is standing there, behind is Luong Thuat. I withdrew my gaze and continued to hold up the sign. After a few rounds of struggle, Luong Thuat's words "Light the lantern" completely stifled my ability to get this chess set back.

“Miss Pho,” Tong Y smiled, “As long as you ask me, I will give you this item.”

The satisfaction in her eyes was so obvious. I let go of my clenched fist, placed the auction sign on the chair, and stood up:

“If Miss Tong likes it so much, I won't take back other people's favorite things again.”

Tong Y was stunned, maybe not I never thought I would give up so decisively. When I stepped out of the auction house, the night wind blew coldly into my face. I tilted my head back, glanced at the dark night, but didn't shed any tears. That chess set carries so many memories between me and my father, each piece retains the temperature from his fingertips. I dreamed and wanted it back. But I understand more clearly that my father absolutely does not want me to be held in the palm of someone else's hand because of an inanimate object. I originally thought that the fight over the chess set that night was Tong Y's revenge. Until my mother's thesis was posted on a hot search, the title caught my eye in horror: [Famous drug researcher Co Van Chi used special medicine to cause liver and kidney failure, hid data and forced it through censorship] My father's charity fund was accused of being a network for trading money and transporting benefits. In just one night, the two of them spent ten years being cursed by the entire social network. 【Aren't you most concerned about your parents' honor? But I just like to trample it under the soles of my feet.】 Anonymous message, no need to guess, I know who it is. I flipped through the pile of investigation documents on my phone that had not yet been made public. Ten years ago, when my parents were defamed, I couldn't do anything. But this time, I will expose all the truth to light. The press conference was scheduled for the day before I left. It started at nine o'clock, but at half past eight the hall was already full of people. Plugging the USB into the computer, I took a deep breath and said:

"Thank you for being present. Regarding the recent false statements spread online regarding my parents and Pho Sinh Duoc Nghiep company, I will present evidence to prove that all of this is an organized defamation campaign..."

I clicked on the file. Empty. I was stunned. The folder containing all the evidence that I had checked and rechecked, now had no trace of the data left. The stage began to stir, the sound of cameras clicking, whispers, laughter...