Chapter 33 — The Former General's Ex-Wife Was a Genius Advisor

"I have no way to face you. Because facing you —— means admitting that this marriage was not earned by myself."

I stared at him for a long time. A very long time. Then I said one sentence: "It's true that this marriage was not won by you." His breathing stopped for an inch.

“But that's not important,” I said, “What's important is —— now you know.”

The hallway was silent for a very long time. Finally he asked softly:

“So do you still have a chance?”

I did not answer.

“It's too late today,” I said, “Go home.”

Before closing the door, I looked at him one last time. He was still standing there. One hand in pocket, other hand slightly clenched into a fist. There is no longer the leisurely, careless look like before. Like a wrongdoer. A person seriously facing himself. The door closes. I leaned my back against the door, clutching the cup to my chest. The words on the bottom of the cup rubbed against my palm. 3rd place in the entire department. He remembers. He still remembers. * The following days, I did not give Co Ngon Chu any feedback. It wasn't intentionally soaking him in vinegar. It's that I need time to think clearly. At work, everything has fallen into place. Trinh Nghien officially established the Asia-Pacific regional office in Shanghai. He gave me an offer for a consulting position —— part-time, which did not affect my work at Dinh Huy. Compensation is equal to the official consultant salary plus a percentage of the project. Last month, for consulting fees alone, I received 120,000 yuan (more than 400 million VND). Combined with the salary at Dinh Huy and the year-end bonus, my income this year has far exceeded the amount of pocket money I had when I was a lady of the Co family. But that's not the point. The point is —— every day when entering the Dinh Huy building, the receptionist calls me "Analyst Lam". Not "Mrs. Lam", nor "Lady Co". It's Lam Van Tinh. * Three months later. News about To Mien Nguyet gradually thinned out. Her studio didn't collapse — I have to admit this, she really has design talent. But the scale has shrunk by more than half, from a team of more than 30 people to just a dozen people. She is no longer on hot searches. No more releasing "self-made" interviews. Co Ngon Chu's name is no longer publicly mentioned. According to Tran Niem, she is currently only drawing alone in the studio, rarely going out to socialize.

“Don't you think she's actually quite pitiful?” One day, Tran Niem suddenly asked me that.

“Pitiful?”

“She is truly talented, if from the beginning she had not pretended, had not built up the image of 'having nothing to do', but had honestly said 'I have a rich ex-boyfriend to help' - perhaps I would not have fallen into this tragedy."

I thought for a bit. "It's possible. But she chose that path herself."

“Do you regret it?”

“Regret what?”

“Regret dragging her through the mud.”

“I didn't drag her,” I replied, “I just exposed the truth. If she could stand on her own then it would be okay, if she couldn't stand —— then she shouldn't have stood in that position.”

Tran Niem looked at me for a moment.

“You really are cold-blooded.”

“In times of need, cold blood is also a kind of kindness.”

* Half a year later. At the ceremony Dinh Huy's year-end recognition, I won the "Best Analyst of the Year" award. Qi Yuanming personally presented the award to me. The applause below was resounding. My father sat in the first row, not clapping, but the curl of his mouth sold him out. The awards ceremony ended, I hugged the trophy and walked down to the stage. There was a person leaning against a pillar in the hallway. Co Ngon Chu. He wore a dark blue suit, his hair was a little longer than half a year ago, and his whole body looked much more peaceful.