Chapter 9 — The Second Life of the Italian Examiner

That evening. When I got home. Tieu Niem was picked up by Ms. Ly in advance. Also finished eating. I thank her. Then bathe Tieu Niem. Put your baby to sleep. When everything was finished, he sat down at the dining table. Open the computer. Start making PPT for the review review session. Ten o'clock at night. Khuong Ngan returned. See I'm busy working. He said nothing. Quietly go straight into the office. Eleven o'clock. I complete the last page of the content framework. Save the document. Time to stand up. I discovered that the light in the office was still on. The door was ajar. From inside came the sound of Khuong Ngan calling.

"Go sign the papers this week."

"Don't make it any longer."

He paused for a few seconds. Then continue:

"She won't fight over the house."

"She said she just needed the baby."

The other end of the line seemed to respond with something. Khuong Ngan listened silently. A moment later, he spoke up:

"Okay."

"Let's talk more later."

"Hang up now."

I stood outside in the hallway. Every word he said fell clearly into my ears. I don't know who is on the other end of the line. It's his mother. Or that woman. But that is no longer important. I turned around. Quietly return to the room. Since the day Khuong Ngan proposed a divorce, we have been sleeping separately. The next twenty days. I put all my time and energy into the project. Leave the house at seven o'clock in the morning. Returned at nine o'clock at night. From Monday to Friday, Tieu Niem stays in class until five o'clock in the afternoon. Then Ms. Ly will pick her up and help me. Come the weekend. I took my child directly to the project office. Have drawing paper and colored pens ready. The girl sat next to her and obediently drew pictures. And I sit in front of the computer, racing against each progress milestone. Khuong Ngan almost never comes home anymore. Sometimes I just stop by to pick up some clothes. One time he walked into the office. Seeing Tieu Niem holding a crayon and coloring on an A3 piece of paper. Next to it is a stack of construction drawings I just printed out.

"Did you bring your child here?"

"Can't find a sitter for the weekend."

"I can tell you."

I raised my head to look at him.

"Can you see?"

Khuong Ngan did not answer. Just bowed his head and looked at Tieu Niem.

"Nem Niem."

"Do you want to go out with dad?"

Tieu Niem raised her head. Look at him. Then turned to look at me again. After a moment, he replied in a low voice:

"I want to stay with mom."

An emotion quickly flashed across Khuong Ngan's face. He said nothing. Just turned around and left. After the door closed. Tieu Niem raised her head and asked me:

"Does Dad not need us anymore?"

I squatted down in front of her. Look straight into those clear eyes.

"Dad will always be my dad."

"It's just that mom and dad won't live together anymore."

"Why is that?"

I gently stroked my child's hair.

"Because adults have adult choices."

"But no matter what, I'm always with you."

Tieu Niem seriously thought for a moment.

"So will we move to a new house?"

I laughed.

"I will earn money to buy you a new house."

The child's eyes immediately lit up.

"I want a balcony."

"To grow flowers."

I smiled and nodded.

"A really big balcony."

Acceptance date. Fifteen months later. Nam Hang has been extremely bustling since early morning. Leader of Culture - Tourism Group. Representative of the Department of Construction. Media reporter. Many industry experts were present. Lam Chinh Tac stood at the beginning of the alley. The corner of his lips carried a rare smile. I stood next to him. White shirt. Black trousers. The hair is tied neatly at the back. Simple but professional. The acceptance team walked along the entire street. Every stop. I explain directly. From design ideas. How to choose materials. Organize traffic flow. Up to the process of distilling and restructuring indigenous cultural elements. Forty minutes later. The group went through the entire area. The head of the acceptance team stopped in front of the folding yard at the end of the alley. This is the plan that Co Yen previously especially praised. He turned around. Eyes looking at everyone.

"This is one of the best cultural and tourism renovation projects I've seen this year."

Applause immediately rang out. Lam Chinh Tac reached out and patted my shoulder. Say nothing. But I saw that the corners of his eyes were red. Successful project acceptance. Evaluation results: That afternoon. The entire project team held a party at a restaurant near the construction site. Co Yen was the first person to raise her glass.

"Dear Ms. Tham."

I also raised my glass.

"Dear everyone."

Afternoon. The phone receives a WeChat message. The sender is Khuong Ngan.

"I heard that your project was accepted successfully. Congratulations."