Chapter 1 — The Second Life of the Italian Examiner

AFTER BEING DRUNK/DRUNK, HUSBAND SAID IF THEY DON'T HAVE A GIRL, THEN HE WOULDN'T REMEMBER ME. 3 MONTHS LATER SEEING ME ON THE COVER OF THE MAGAZINE, HIS EYES ARE RED. Khuong Ngan was already drunk. While he was still dreaming, I suddenly asked a question:

“If there is an afterlife, would you still want to marry me?”

He leaned back in his dining chair, tie tilted to one side, glass of wine shaking gently in his hand.

“I won't get married.”

I smiled.

“So who will you marry?”

“Not marrying anyone.”

He yawned.

“You can live well alone.”

"Because I can still take care of myself by myself. I know how to order food and how to use the washing machine."

I looked at him.

“So can you pick up Tieu Niem after school?”

Khuong Ngan was silent for two seconds. Then he said something that I have never forgotten until now.

“The only thing that makes me still attached to you is that you gave me a daughter.”

“Tieu Niem is the last connection between the two of us.”

“If it weren't for her, I might not even remember what your last name is.”

The yellow light in the living room is still as gentle as ever. The sound of the refrigerator running steadily in the quiet space. The plate of mangoes I had just peeled and placed on the tea table was discolored because it had been left for too long. I sat still in my seat. Look at the mango plate for a long time. Then stand up. Take it to the kitchen. Dump it all into the trash. The next morning. Khuong Ngan walked out of the bedroom, rubbed her forehead and asked:

“Did you say anything random last night?”

I'm braiding Tieu Niem's hair.

"Do not have."

“That's good.”

He smiled softly, took the car keys and went to work. The door just closed. The hair tie in my hand also broke. I bowed my head and looked. Turns out it was tied too tight. Since that night, I haven't repeated anything to him. Still cooking rice. Still picking up Tieu Niem. Still remind him to drink less alcohol. Just a few things silently changed. Before, if he worked overtime until eleven o'clock at night, I would text him and ask if he would come home for dinner. Not now. Before, when I saw his socks under the sofa, I would complain a few words. Now that I see it, I just conveniently put it in the washing machine. Khuong Ngan seemed to realize something. But it's like I never realized it. One night was nearly twelve hours. He opened the door and entered the house. The living room light is still on. Tieu Niem has been sleeping for a long time. I sat in front of the dining table, staring intently at the laptop screen.

“Why aren't you sleeping yet?”

“Working on design.”

“What design?”

“A friend introduced me to a small project and asked me to come up with a space layout plan.”

He only replied once: Then go take a shower. As he walked out of the bathroom, he passed by the dining table. His eyes accidentally glanced at the computer screen. Just in time for the transfer notification to appear. His steps stopped.

“Are you really taking a job outside?”

“Two thousand three hundred yuan, how long will it take?”

He wiped his hair and said:

“Is that necessary?”

“Our family doesn't lack that little bit of money from you.”

I'm still looking at the screen. Don't raise your head.

"I haven't worked for a long time. I'm afraid my skills will be lost."

Khuong Ngan did not say more. Turn around and go away. Week two. I received a new order. By week three. A boutique hotel business customer came to visit. They wanted me to be in charge of all the soft interior design. Quote 12,000 yuan. From then on. After taking Tieu Niem to school every morning, I never went home again. I bring my laptop. Go to a familiar coffee shop. Little by little picked up Back to the career that I had neglected all these years. I sat there from morning to night. Khuong Ngan was completely unaware. In his mind, I am still a woman who only hangs around the house. Waiting for food to be delivered. Then wait for your husband to return from work. One month later. I switched to a new graphics laptop. Khuong Ngan accidentally saw it.

“When did you buy it?”

"Last week."

"How much?"

“More than 9,000 yuan.”

He frowned.

“Where did you get so much money?”

“Find it yourself.”

Khuong Ngan did not continue asking. But that look told me. He doesn't believe it. Or to be more precise... He felt it wasn't worth believing. Entering the second month. I signed up for an advanced course in architectural spatial design. Classes are held on weekends. At seven thirty in the morning, I left the house. Only returned at seven o'clock in the evening. Tieu Niem was left in Khuong Ngan's care. The first Saturday, my phone received four calls from him in a row.

“Tieu Niem wants to eat salmon.”

“She absolutely refused to take a nap.”

“Tieu Niem spilled the milk, where did you put the towel?”

“When will you come back?”

On Saturday of the second week. He only made one call.

“What time will you be home?”

“About seven o'clock.”

After speaking, he hung up the phone. By the end of the third week. Khuong Ngan stopped calling. When I opened the door and entered the house, Tieu Niem was holding the tablet watching cartoons. Khuong Ngan leaned on the sofa, scrolling through her phone. On the table are three boxes of food for delivery. He raised his head to look at me.

“Are you going out every weekend these days?”

“Space design.”

Khuong Ngan put down the phone.

“Didn't you study that subject in college?”

“Are you still spending money to go back to school now?”

I changed my slippers and walked inside.

“The things you learned the other day are just the foundation.”

“Now the software and tools in the industry have changed several generations.”

He was silent. A moment later, he spoke up:

“I don't think it's necessary.”

I sat down next to Tieu Niem and gently wiped the cream off her hand.

“But I feel the need.”

Khuong Ngan looked at me for a long time. And I never turned back. Entering the third month. The main instructor of the course is Lam Chinh Tac. A famous senior in the design world. Before retiring, he held the position of General Engineer of the Provincial Architectural Design Research Institute. Twice received the National Design Excellence Award. After class that day, he took my project and looked at it for a long time. Finally he raised his head and asked:

“Have you worked on a real project before?”

“Used to do it.”

“The first two years after graduation.”

“What happens after that?”

“Then I got married.”

He did not ask further. But the next day, during break time, he actively looked for me again.

“Exam Tri Y.”

“Hello teacher.”

“I showed your plan for organizing the flow of movement in the hotel to a few friends in the industry.”

I was a bit stunned.

“What did they say?”

He looked at me.

“They all think that.”

“With your ability to sense space, the most unfortunate thing is staying at home for too long.”

I gently squeezed the paper cup in my hand.