Chapter 2 — The Moon is Quiet on the West River, People Haven't Returned Yet

I had a lump in my throat and was about to say goodbye, when a voice from outside rang out: "Major General! Miss Ha Vi Vi has returned home!" Before I could utter the word "divorce", I was interrupted. Ha Dinh Chau still remained calm, but his eyes lit up clearly. He let me go and quickly said: "A Le, I still have some military matters to take care of. I'll come back to find you later." After he left, the small yard fell silent again. I sat under the cinnamon tree, the scent of flowers was gentle but my heart was in turmoil. From afar, there were a few voices talking - a few guards were passing by: "I heard that Major General Ha's adopted sister had just returned home. The Major General was so happy that he carried her from the military zone gate to his house, not letting her take a single step." "That's right, I also heard that before Staff Officer To, there were rumors of a relationship between the two of you..." "But these past few years, everyone knows how good the Major General is to Staff Officer To. It's just a bad hexagram, so the two of you have never had a formal ceremony. It's hard to say, what if she really is a comet..." Their voices gradually faded away, leaving only the faint scent of cinnamon. I suddenly felt a tightness in my chest. Seven years together, Ha Dinh Chau has never stopped mentioning Ha Vi Vi。 He said she was alone abroad, he didn't feel secure; Every year on his birthday, he flies there. I used to think it was the feelings of a brother towards his sister - but unexpectedly, it was the infatuation he kept hidden. The next day, he still didn't come to find me. Early in the morning, I went out jogging. As I passed the backyard of the military area, I saw two figures struggling. Ha Vi Vi pulled a suitcase with her, intending to go out of the gate. As for Ha Dinh Chau, he chased after, his voice panicked like never before: "Vi Vi, don't go... is that okay?" She pushed his hand away, tears in her eyes: "You already have a wife, why are you calling me back?!" He almost lost control, blurting out: "That year I was determined to go abroad with that man, I was so angry that I came to To Le! Marrying her was just to force you to return - I never had a wedding with her!" Each word fell, cold and sharp as a knife, cutting into my heart. Three years of waiting, three years of humiliation, turned out to be just a bet - a show for him to hold on to someone else. Ha Vi Vi was also stunned, then choked up again: "But... we are brothers!" "Not blood!" — he almost screamed, hugging her tightly, until she was about to suffocate before letting go. "You're different, Vi Vi. You're the one I've loved since childhood, the one I keep in my heart! And she — she's just a shadow for me to fill the void!" I stood hiding behind a tree, tears flowing uncontrollably. My heart feels like it's been crushed by someone. I don't know how much time passed, an arrogant voice rang in my ear: "Adviser To, are you hiding here crying? You're crying so pitifully." Ha Vi Vi stood right in front of me, her eyes filled with complacency: "That's true, if it were me, if I suffered this shock, I probably wouldn't want to live anymore." I wiped my tears and looked straight at her: "If you don't want to live, then go and die, no one will stop you." She laughed, her voice cold: "Don't resent me, Major General." My lady was originally mine. You're just a placeholder, now give it back." "If I hadn't gone abroad that year, would you, an orphan, have caught his eye?" The two words "orphan" pierced straight into the deepest wound in my heart. In the first year at Ha Dinh Chau, my father died on duty. The day he said goodbye to his father, he held my hand tightly and swore before the coffin: "A Le, don't be afraid. From now on, I will protect you on my father's behalf." At that time, I believed in him. And now, he brings that oath out and tells it like a joke to another woman. Ha Vi Vi saw that I was silent, came closer, her eyes became even more provocative: "Today, I will let you see clearly - in his heart, who is more important!" After saying that, she suddenly pushed hard, I

lost momentum and fell into the artificial lake behind. In the next second, a shadow in a green military uniform also rushed down. "Vi Vi!" — Ha Dinh Chau's voice rang in my ears. Under the cold water, I saw him risking his life to swim towards the girl he placed deep in his heart. His eyes — didn't stop at me for a second. Not long after, Ha Vi Vi was rescued by him ashore. I know how to swim, but when I fell into the lake, my feet hit the rocks hard. The strength in my legs was almost gone, I had to struggle for a long time to be able to hold onto the shore and pull myself up. Before he could stand still, Ha Dinh Chau hugged Ha Vi Vi tightly in his arms. He looked at me and coldly said: "To Le, you're too much this time! If something happens to Vi Vi, I will never forgive you!"