Chapter 4 — The Call of Youth

At that moment, everyone's eyes looking towards Duong Vi became indescribable. A crack appeared on her face, but it was quickly hidden: "Don't look for reasons for my mistakes anymore. It's because I don't care about what you abstain from that's why I'm making you suffer like this." I smiled: "It's okay, don't blame yourself anymore." It was almost midnight when Trinh Hoai Tu bought medicine. After taking the medicine, my symptoms gradually subsided, and he felt reassured. He had a clear understanding of the situation, but now he couldn't take action to handle it. Because if Duong Vi is punished right now, the program that has been filming for more than a hundred days may go up in smoke. You can't sacrifice the efforts of hundreds of people in the group for me. We cannot let "one worm spoil the pot of soup". Finally, he held my hand tightly, his eyes red: "Hua Tri Du, everyone who has hurt you, I will not forgive." Even though I took medicine, the red itchy feeling caused by allergies still hasn't completely disappeared, making it difficult for me to sleep. Afraid of making noise to To Tieu Tieu, I decided to go outside and sit for a while. But as soon as I opened the door, I saw Hua Pham standing in front of my room. It's already past one in the morning, what else is he going to do if he's not sleeping? "Tieu Ngu, I'm about to leave. Can you come with me?" I was surprised: "Huh? Why?" He was silent for a moment: "I have to go quickly because director Tong Van is about to cast the female lead. Come audition with me, I'll make sure this role definitely belongs to you." I was momentarily speechless. Tong Van is a director I have always admired, and I also hope to have the opportunity to collaborate with him. Hua Pham continued to give conditions: "You don't need to worry about money violating the contract, I will invest in their project as compensation." My mind was so confused, I didn't know what to choose. Unexpectedly, Hua Pham took the opportunity to hold my hand, his eyes full of affection: "Hua Tri Du, after all these years, do you still not understand my heart?" I immediately withdrew my hand, intending to refuse, when I suddenly heard noises from a few containers nearby. A second later, a person stepped out from the darkness. It's — Trinh Hoai Tu. In his hand he still held the flower pot he said he would give me yesterday. He has replaced the flowers in new pots and trimmed the branches neatly. Trinh Hoai Tu's figure is hidden in the darkness, only the light shines on his face. He smiled softly: "Hua Tri Du, do you still want flowers?" I heard myself blurt out an immediate response: “I want to.” I refused Hua Pham: "I can win Director Tong's movie myself. If the female lead depends on my relationship with you, I will feel even more uneasy." “Have a safe journey, Hua Pham.” “Also, after all these years I understand your heart, but I still like him more.” “Just like him.” I ignored Hua Pham's disappointed face, turned around and followed Trinh Hoai Tu back to the yard. “It's so late, why aren't you sleeping yet?” Trinh Hoai Tu paused: "I was afraid you would be uncomfortable, so I should keep an eye on you." My heart skipped a beat: "No need, you still have work tomorrow, go to bed early. I'll go back to bed too." Having finished speaking, I turned around and was about to leave when he called me back. He moved his lips but didn't make a sound. In the end, he just smiled and uttered two words: "Good night." But I still couldn't sleep. Trying to force myself to close my eyes, I was woken up by the "ding ting" sound of the message notification. Now I'm as angry as a ghost. Open the phone — is Trinh Hoai Tu's WeChat message: "What did that Hua Pham guy say to you today?" I frowned and typed: "Nothing." He answered immediately: "Do you believe it? But I don't believe it." Having my sleep interrupted made me as impatient as a firecracker. The slightest touch would explode: "Trinh Hoai Tu, don't be too harsh." He kept typing: "Are you too much?" “No need for roses anymore, right?!” "Okay! You're too much!" “You are too much!!!” I was made fun of by him and burst out laughing. After that, I saw his cover photo, WeChat name, signature, and even his profile picture changed to "I'm too much!". Oh my. A bit cute. No, it's... too cute. I looked at my phone and laughed so much that it was hard to stop. I tried sending him a few messages, but he didn't reply. I asked again: “Do you want to know what I said to him?” He immediately replied: "Say what?" I hesitated a bit, but in the end I still typed out that sentence… “I said… I just like him.” Then I immediately turned off the phone and went to sleep. Regardless of Trinh Hoai Tu's life or death. The consequence of not sleeping was that the next morning I had to get up with huge dark circles. To Tieu Tieu asked me if I had come back from stealing. I told her to go away. She scolded me for being uneducated. I don't deny: "I have to get up early every day, and it's normal to not study a little." Who would have thought that as soon as he opened the door, he would bump into Trinh Hoai Tu standing in front of the door. To Tieu Tieu smiled sarcastically: "You two really have a business mind, overnight you have elevated yourself into a national treasure." After laughing, she left, leaving me and Trinh Hoai Tu standing opposite. “Hua Tri Du, was your text message last night a quote or did you say it yourself?” My brain is still lagging: “Huh?” His eyes slightly avoided, his voice hesitant: "I mean... do you like 'him' or do you like me?" At that moment, it seemed like a little bit of joy and excitement crept into my heart. Like a calm lake suddenly drops a stone. Ripples spread everywhere. “I…” Before the words could be finished, a distant call interrupted. Trinh Hoai Tu was called away. I looked at his back and softly whispered: "I like you." Ky Trach said the boys would return from a business trip today, so they had to go to the street to buy more vegetables and meat. Initially, he arranged for Trinh Hoai Tu and I to go shopping together. Duong Vi said that she also had something to buy and wanted to come with us. When she got in the car, she shyly leaned close to me: "Tri Du, I often get motion sickness, so can I sit in the passenger seat?" I glanced at the driver's seat where Trinh Hoai Tu was sitting, tried to force a smile, and gave up my seat. She said this, if I kept holding the passenger seat, I would really be unreasonable. So I could only sit in the back seat. The corner of my eye accidentally caught Trinh Hoai Tu's gaze. He smiled slightly: "My house is not Dong Dinh Lake, why is it Bich La Xuan?" 【Vi Tran (Trinh) is so sweet!! It's too good a match, lock it for me!!!】 【Trinh brother previously said that the passenger seat is only for girlfriends to sit in, so is that tacitly acknowledging Duong Vi's position?】 【Oh mo, what Trinh brother just said was hinting at Duong Vi, right? My ears probably didn't hear it wrong.】 Trinh Hoai Tu sighed and pulled Ky Trach who was carrying bricks nearby. Ky Trach asked bewilderedly: "What are you doing?" "My arm hurts, you should drive. I still feel a bit motion sick, so I'll go to the back seat to rest." After speaking, he turned around and sat down next to me. Ky Trach got into the driver's seat, just right was triggered, To Tieu Tieu ran out of nowhere, noisily demanding to go with him: "You two, stick together." She said as she pushed me towards Trinh Hoai Tu. Before I could react, following the thrust, my whole body fell straight into his lap. Scared to death, I immediately sat up, my face red, and moved to the next seat. The perpetrator laughed happily: "Go on, the more the merrier, I like to watch." 【One person says you should sit in the front when you're motion sick, the other says you should sit in the back, who to believe?】 【Yesterday, Trinh Hoai Tu's hand really hurt while carrying the flower pot, today it probably hurts too.】 【Don't listen, don't listen! It doesn't hurt in the morning, it doesn't hurt at night, and it hurts right at this time, brother Trinh is really an iPhone*.】 (*smart hint, knows when to strike) 【Sister Su is showing me!! In the future, let's get married and sit at the main table, I'm telling the truth!】 Living in the village for a long time, it feels like fruits and vegetables have become a luxury. When I saw the fruit stand, I didn't want to leave. Duong Vi pointed to the tray of strawberries: "Trinh Hoai Tu, do you remember when we were filming, the crew was so poor that the strawberry props only had a few real ones, the rest were all fake. After filming that scene, did we secretly share and eat them all?" Trinh Hoai Tu glanced at her, his voice indifferent: "I don't remember clearly, but I'm not that greedy, I won't touch a single fruit." She smiled, holding a box of strawberries: "I'm too greedy, so why don't you give it all to me? Buy a box today, I'll make it up to you." Trinh Hoai Tu replied calmly: "I don't eat, and fruit is not on today's list. Going to the market today all goes to public funds, if you want to eat, you can pay for it yourself." After speaking, he turned around and left, not avoiding the camera at all. Now I look at Duong Vi and feel angry. I'm no longer interested in buying even the strawberries that I crave so much. At this time, Duong Vi suddenly called out to Trinh Hoai Tu: "Trinh Hoai Tu, are you still angry with me? I didn't mean it, so don't be angry with me anymore, okay?" I looked in the direction of her voice and saw Trinh Hoai Tu - who had just left - come back again. The hand hanging next to me immediately tightened, until the fingertips dug deep into my flesh. I don't even know how to describe my feeling at that time.