Chapter 2 — Tham Linh

"The first time I discovered that he and Chau Dao were dating was when they were sitting there. They both just hugged and kissed without paying attention to anything around them. The movements were so intense that the box of popcorn in his hand spilled all over the heads of the audience sitting in the front row. He blatantly took out 200 yuan and threw it to them, then people cursed him for being crazy. After that, he even laughed and joked with Chau Dao, as if nothing had happened."Giang Tri looked stunned and awkward. I withdrew my gaze, turned to the screen, and calmly continued to eat popcorn one bite at a time. "That day, my best friend happened to see the two of you and called me. When I got to the theater, the movie had already started showing. I sneaked into the last row of seats, and saw him hugging and kissing Chau Dao passionately. My heart ached like it was being strangled, the pain spread throughout my body." "I really wanted to rush in to separate the two of you, but I was afraid of facing the pain. It was so cruel after everything was revealed. In the end, I decided not to let Giang Tri find out. I just sat there, like a self-tortured person, crying and watching him and Chau Dao cuddle until the end of the movie. "That night, I planned to pretend like nothing happened, take a shower and go to sleep. But I kept tossing and turning and couldn't sleep Tri and Chau Dao's entanglement appeared in my mind, clearly and painfully. "I sat up straight in the living room, staring intently at the clock hanging on the wall, waiting. It wasn't until late at night that the door was opened. Giang Tri secretly entered the house, turned around and gently closed the door. I turned on the table lamp next to me, the sudden light startled him, his body trembled slightly. "Why aren't you sleeping yet?" Giang Tri spoke, his voice clearly showing discomfort, as if he didn't want to face him. But when he passed by me and saw my tearful face, he panicked and quickly walked over and sat down at my feet: "Wife, why are you crying?" He raised his hand to wipe my tears with his thumb, but I moved aside. Giang Tri was panicked, even a little embarrassed, looking exactly like the image when he pursued me before, wanting to give me water but afraid of being rejected. "Wife, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come home this late. I promise next time I'll try to come home early to be with you." At that moment, the questions were stuck in my throat. Images of our good memories over the years appeared like flash movies. I didn't have enough courage to break his cover, couldn't face the truth. From that day on, we seemed to understand each other implicitly and no longer touched each other. The two's relationship plummeted. In the movie theater, Giang Tri pretended to attentively eat popcorn, but his hand secretly held my hand and refused to let go. I glanced, signaling him to release his hand. He made a pitiful and sly face again: "Wife, I really don't remember what you said. If it was true, it was only when I was possessed by demons. Don't mind, I really love you, love you very much. I promise from now on I will never be like that again." I firmly pulled my hand out of his hand, to the point that my fingers were red from friction. I didn't answer him, just focused on looking at the movie screen in front of me. "Jiang Tri, you weren't just once 'possessed by the devil'. Your promise wasn't even worth a penny." When the movie ended, I drove Giang Tri to the beach. On the way, I asked: "Giang Tri, do you remember when we promised to go watch the sunrise at the sea together?" Giang Tri's normally lifeless eyes suddenly lit up, as if seeing a ray of hope: "Of course I remember." "So I still remember every time you mention this, he replied

How are you?" Giang Tri was silent for a moment, then replied. It seemed he really remembered. Every time I reminded him, he said "Next time for sure", but he always used the excuse of work to avoid me. This man who always tried to avoid me, went with another woman to watch the sunrise at the beach more than once. When I got to my destination, I got out of the car myself, Giang Tri quickly followed, holding my hand: "Wife, I'm sorry. You are wrong. We'll wait here today, I'll watch the sunrise with you tomorrow." I pushed his hand away, ignoring his hopeful eyes. When we got to a place far enough away, I pointed to the rocks along the shore and said: "I used to sit there with Chau Dao and watch the sunrise. He even sent me photos via WeChat. "I remember the day I received that photo, I was in a very good mood. At that time, I had just been lucky enough to buy two tickets for the concert of singer 500 that both Giang Chi and I loved - one of the rare artists we admired together. This concert was something he had promised a long time ago, but for many reasons, he never had time to go with me. But then when I saw that photo, I felt my chest tighten. like being strangled. I was once a fool, hoping that a man who had betrayed me would wake up and return to his family. But I forgot that even when he came back, his heart was no longer pure. He just wanted to keep both relationships. After a while, Giang Tri asked softly: "Wife, what do you mean by bringing me here today?" I laughed lightly: "Giang Tri, brother." It's just memory loss." "It's not like you've lost your will, Giang Tri." I said in a cold voice: "I've seen the divorce certificate. It clearly proves we are no longer husband and wife. Just because you lost your memory doesn't mean I have to pretend like nothing ever happened.” “You lost your memory, but I didn't. I remember all the suffering he brought me clearly. I don't want to start over with you." The wet and cold sea breeze made me even more alert. Giang Tri was silent, squatting on the sand, his eyes turned to the waves in the distance, his breathing gradually became heavier. When I was about to leave, he said he wanted to stay alone for a while. In the car, the space was suffocatingly silent. I turned on the music. The man's singing echoed, warm and full of emotion: "I will dry my tears." I will accidentally fall and pretend like nothing happened. I will destroy the love between you and me. Then I will throw it all out of my hurting heart. "My hands clenched the steering wheel, my fingers clenched unconsciously. The blue veins appeared clearly, reflecting the anger, the repressed hatred that wanted to break the skin. That was my hatred for Giang Tri. I grew up in a single-parent family, lacking love and not believing in love. I have never believed in love. I thought I would get married. In my childhood memories, there are still images of my parents arguing and blushing over small things, and the breakup full of betrayal. Giang Tri had good looks and excellent academic achievements. In the eyes of others, I had nothing worthy of him. So, when I graduated, I planned to break up and return to my hometown He got drunk and called me, begging me not to leave him. He took me to the amusement park, then at the highest point of the ferris wheel... Giang Tri proposed to me the day we sat on the ferris wheel together. He wished that our love would last, and when he proposed to me, he

cried. He hugged me, spun around three times in excitement, then firmly told his brothers: "If the person marrying me is not her, you must come and ruin that wedding." I was lost in his strong love, like rushing ocean waves. I started to believe that, if that person was Giang Tri, maybe we could really hold hands until the end of our lives. But I didn't expect that the illusion he created would be quickly broken by him. At first, it was just a strong perfume smell, a pale lipstick stain. Then gradually, strange little jewelry belonging to a woman regularly appeared in the house. Giang Tri gently dismissed all doubts, but I am not a fool. I know someone is intentionally challenging me. I hate to get involved in the rivalry of two women over one man. I'm also not good at playing these mind games. I believe Giang Tri clearly understands the difference between temporary fun and going beyond limits. But inside I was always worried and uneasy. Therefore, I gently reminded him: