Chapter 8 — That Day of Reconciliation, the God of War Former Husband Resolved Not to Let Go

That person, that palace, has long since completely become a thing of the past in my life. Until that day. Late autumn, the sky is high and the clouds are light. I brought along a few new designs for portable heaters and winter robes, preparing to go to Van Thuong Cac to find Treasurer Sun to discuss. However, just after reaching the corner of the street not far from the store, a familiar ebony carriage with the coat of arms of the Huo palace engraved suddenly stopped right in front of me. The car curtains are raised. Hoac Quyet's clear, angular face appeared in my sight. He seemed to have lost a bit of weight, and the lines on his chin became sharper and colder. He was wearing dark black civilian clothes, less of the metallic murderous aura of the battlefield, but a little more depressed. He looked at me, his eyes were complex and difficult to distinguish, there was scrutiny, there was evaluation, there was also a hint of... darkness that I couldn't understand. “So Chieu.” He opened his mouth, his voice was low, carrying a tone he hadn't seen in a long time - the type of tone that always wanted to control the situation. “Get in the car.” I stopped walking and calmly looked at him, like I was looking at a stranger. “General Huo, is something wrong?” My tone is distant. It seems like my way of addressing and my attitude stabbed him. His eyebrows furrowed so slightly that it was hard to see: "This place is not suitable for talking. Get in the car, I have something to ask you." "No need." I gently refused. "The general and I have long since ceased to have anything to do with each other. If there's something, it's okay to say it right here. If there's nothing, I still have work to do. Please forgive me for not being able to accommodate you." Having finished speaking, I leaned forward and prepared to go around the carriage. “So Chieu!” His voice suddenly rose, carrying suppressed anger. "Do you have to be like this? You won't even talk to me properly?" I stopped walking again, turned around, and looked straight into the emotions swirling in the bottom of his eyes: "General Huo, there has been nothing more to say between you and I for a long time." "That year, the person who signed the letter of separation was you. Now why do you need to act like this? It will only make others laugh." “She!” He choked, his face turned pale, and he suddenly jumped down from the carriage. The tall body carries a strong sense of oppression pressing towards me. “Nothing more to say?” "So tell me, what are the rumors outside? Which one is 'Dieu Thu Nuong Tu' of Van Thuong Cac, which is doing business with others! So Chieu, when did you become so... so shameless and so shameless?" "Out in the open? Not shameless?" I repeated those two words, suddenly feeling extremely ridiculous. The last ripples in my heart caused by this unexpected encounter also completely subsided. I raised my head, not afraid at all to meet his eyes filled with criticism and contempt, the corner of my lips even curled up into a sarcastic curve. “General Huo, your words are truly absurd.” "You and I have separated, from here we go our separate ways." “I relied on my own hands, relied on my own skills, righteously made a living for myself, did not steal or rob, and did not rely on anyone, but yet I became 'out in the open, shameless'?” "Or in the eyes of General Hoac, leaving your general's palace, leaving your protection, I should find a nun somewhere, face the ancient Buddha's light every day and live out the rest of my life?" "Or should we cower in a corner and quietly starve without making a sound? That way we can save face for the Hoac family and be considered 'shameful'?" My voice is not loud, but every word is clear, carrying a cold question that falls to the ground with a strong resounding sound. There were many passersby around, stopping and looking curiously to this side. Probably, Hoac Quyet never thought that I would dare to openly oppose him like that in front of everyone, and moreover, every sentence stabbed straight into the heart. He was pressed by me until he was speechless, his face turned blue and white, the anger in his eyes became more intense, but he could not find a reason to refute. “She… she's such an excuse!” He choked for half a day before he could barely spit out such a sentence, which sounded extremely strong on the outside and weak on the inside.