Chapter 5 — Ten Years of Love, His Proposal Was Just a Bet

The loudspeaker at the airport rang out:

"Attention passengers flying to Melbourne, flight CZ343 you are planning to take is now starting check-in procedures. Please bring your hand luggage and check in at gate 3."

I picked up my luggage, turned around and walked towards the tube. The plane soared into the clouds. Outside the window are dazzling white clouds. This city under your feet is getting smaller and smaller. Those buildings, those roads, that swing, those ten years. It's all over. Above the clouds, the sun shines brightly. My father's voice echoed in my ears as he patted my head in front of the chess board:

"Chi Ha, don't be afraid of losing. As long as you're still alive, the game can start over again."

Luong Thuat sat in his office in Trung Vien, his fingers gently rubbing the velvet box containing the ring that had not yet been given away. On the table was the chess set he bought from Tong Y. Outside the window, the swing swayed gently in the wind. Pho Chi Ha will definitely return. Just like every argument before. On the third day of the Cold War, she would send a message with no beginning or end, asking where the stomach pain medicine was. On Saturday, she would carry a can of stewed soup and appear downstairs at the company, eyes downcast and saying, "I was wrong." Even the last time she moved out of Trung Vien, he was sure that in less than half a month, she would call him again in a soft voice. Moreover, this time, he also helped her clean up the dirty water that Tong Y splashed. He didn't even blame her for opening a press conference on her own. She was stubborn, so it was good to make a little noise, wait until she ran into Nam's wall and scratched her forehead, then she would automatically come back to look for him. But three days have passed, and the phone is still as silent as dead. He flipped through the contact list, stopped at the name "Pho Chi Ha", his finger hovered for a long time, and in the end he still did not press the call button. The office door was pushed open, the butler walked in carrying tea, hesitatingly looking like he wanted to say no more:

“Young master, what Miss Tong sent to me, did you accept it?”

He nonchalantly said "Just leave it there", his eyes glanced at the stack of documents that had just been neatly arranged on the corner of the table - it was a string of evidence from the Song family in the past, each page was stained with the blood of the Pho family. Initially, getting her out of that dirty mud puddle was originally the Tong family's idea: The Pho family had collapsed, Pho Chi Ha was the only survivor, keeping it would surely be used at some point. I thought I was just being convenient. After all, from childhood to adulthood, he had seen too many women, each one kneeling at his feet, with a pitiful appearance, and a voice so soft that it could be squeezed out of water. But the end result is not asking for your people, but also demanding your life. I'm too numb to these games. Do you love the flower and miss the pearl? That's the hobby of immature men. In his place, women's tears are the cheapest currency, other than being used to exchange for what they want, they have no other meaning. Except for Pho Chi Ha. He angrily loosened his tie. He clearly hates this type of personality that appears gentle and patient on the outside but is actually difficult to tame, but when faced with her, he breaks the rule over and over again. She squatted and cried in the cemetery, and he stood behind her and watched for three hours. She was afraid of the dark, so he ordered someone to change all the street lights in Trung Vien into warm light. She is afraid of thunder angry, but he gritted his teeth and refused to admit it. One time, on a stormy night, she ran barefoot from the living room next door, stood in front of his bedroom door, and said, "I just wanted to see if you were asleep." He didn't expose her, just lifted the blanket, letting her crawl in... Those actions that he thought were "convenient", but now that I think about it, he had never done that with a second person. The phone screen lit up, it was a message from the assistant: 【Boss Luong, Chairman Tong just called, inviting you to the Song family's house for dinner tonight, saying there was something important to discuss.】 Luong Thuat glanced over, not in a hurry to answer. Of course he knows what the Song family wants. Recently, Tong Thi's stock price has dropped 12%, the capital chain of several projects under construction is under stress, and the grandfather's side has just severed two cooperation agreements. The Song family needs support, and intermarriage is the best way to strengthen the relationship. He leaned back in his chair and tapped his knuckles on the table. Recalling the previous meeting, the searching eyes of Tong Vien Chau - Tong Y's father - looked at him. It was a look that was weighing goods, estimating his value, his resources, and how much benefit he could bring to the Song family. Luong Thuat does not hate this scrutiny, because he looks at others with the same eyes. Except when looking at Pho Chi Ha. He paused, and finally texted back: 【Prepare the car.】 Although the Song family is large, the decoration is flashy and colorful. When Luong Thuat walked in, Tong Vien Chau personally came to the door to welcome him, a bright smile covering his face:

“Tieu Thuat is here, come sit down quickly.”

Luong Thuat nodded as a greeting. At the dining table, Tong Vien Chau chatted a few words about business, then suddenly changed direction, his smile deepened a bit:

"Tieu Thuat, you and Tieu Y have known each other for many years. I have a close relationship with your father. I won't beat around the bush when I say something."

He picked up the teacup and blew on the foam floating on the water's surface: "When do you think it's appropriate to hold your wedding with Tong Y?" Luong Thuat raised his eyes and looked at him, saying nothing. Tong Vien Chau thought he was thinking and continued:

"Your grandfather's side has also spoken to you. Although he hasn't said anything yet, he hasn't refused. You know, Tieu Y of my family has liked you since he was little. The thing about running away from the wedding in the past was because he didn't understand the situation, and he regretted it later—"

“Uncle Tong.” Luong Thuat interrupted him. The voice was not loud, but it made Tong Vien Chau's words get stuck in his throat.

“I have a girlfriend.”

Tong Vien Chau was stunned for a moment, then immediately laughed again. That smile carries the life of someone who is used to seeing big waves and a bit of carelessness:

“Are you talking about that girl from the Pho family?”

He put down the tea cup, his tone was light: "The daughter of a bankrupt family, is it worth hanging on your mouth? Luong Thuat, you can play around, but you can't joke about marriage matters. The Pho family has collapsed a long time ago, her father's reputation is rotten, her mother is also the type of—"