Chapter 2 — The Light Is Out

Every night returning to Duong Nguyet's side, sleeping in another woman's bed, of course I'm used to it. And the fool is me, every night after eleven o'clock facing an empty room alone, comforting myself that "he doesn't want that either". Ridiculous to the extreme. At dusk, Doan Gia Hua appeared downstairs at my house. I saw his car parked there through the window, but didn't go downstairs. The phone rang, it was an unfamiliar number. He changed the calling number. I don't listen. The bell rang more than ten times and finally stopped. Then I received a message:

"Nghien Hoa, go up there. Let's talk. You can't make such a unilateral decision."

I answer in two words:

“Maybe.”

Then turn off the device. Twenty minutes later, there was a knock on the door outside.

“Jiang Nghien Hoa, open the door.”

I sat on the sofa, flipping through a magazine, not moving.

“I know you're in there, your house light is on.”

The light is on. Before, that light was on because of him. Now it's just because I'm reading a book.

“Jiang Nghien Hoa!” He raised his voice, "You're very childish like that. Is there something that can't be explained in person?"

Children. It's this word again. Just like "rioting", was the label he put on me. I stood up and went to the door, the door said:

“Doan Gia Hua, if you don't leave, I'll call the police.”

It's quiet outside. A long time later, I heard footsteps leaving. I watched his back leave through my cat's eyes. The vest is smooth, the steps are steady. Didn't see any panic. Maybe he felt I was just "making a mess", after two days it was fine. Just like every time before. But this time it's not the same. This time, I really don't love anymore.

2

The next three days, I focused on handling things before leaving. Check out, pack your belongings, pay with the landlord. Every day Doan Gia Hua comes, sometimes sits downstairs, sometimes knocks on the door. I have never opened the door once. On the evening of the third day, he finally changed tactics. I received a phone call from Doan's mother.

"Nghien Hoa," Doan's mother's voice was still as polite and distant as before, "Gia Hua said the two of you had a little conflict? You're young, how can you avoid conflicts in love? I invited you to dinner, shall we talk?"

Small conflict. He told his family so.

“Auntie.” My voice was calm, "It's not a small conflict. You and Gia Hua have broken up and the wedding has been canceled."

The other end of the line paused. Then Doan's mother burst out laughing, the tolerant smile of an elder at the arbitrariness of a junior.

"Oh, what young couple can say they broke up? Little Gia Hua is just not good at expressing himself, but in his heart he has a child..."

“Auntie.” I interrupted her, "Every night he sleeps at Duong Nguyet's house. It's been five years."

The laughter on the other side immediately stopped. The silence lasted for a long time. Then Doan's mother's voice rang out again, her tone had changed. No longer polite, but cold, even a little angry.

“Nghien Hoa, young people should not talk so harshly.”

"Nguyet Nguyet and Gia Hua are siblings. She's here alone with no relatives, so it's normal for Gia Hua to take care of her a little. Don't be suspicious..."

“Care enough to sleep together every night?”

“Child!”

“Auntie, I have no intention of pursuing anything chief." I took a deep breath, "Just to inform you, the wedding is no longer taking place. We will no longer have anything to do with it. Wishing you good health.”

Hang up the phone. I looked at the phone screen and smiled bitterly. She knows. Doan's mother knew about that. Looking at her reaction, she not only knew of Duong Nguyet's existence, but even tacitly allowed it all.

“Alone here with no relatives, it's normal for Gia Hua to take care of her.”

What a dignified way of speaking.