Chapter 4 — The Silence Between Two Loves

He replied.

“There is no hotel here that suits you.”

“I looked, there is a budget hotel.”

“…Are you staying at a budget hotel?”

“Is there a problem?”

I turned around and continued cleaning the table. The sound of a coffee cup being put down was heard from behind. Then his voice— Very softly, as if talking to himself:

“This store... isn't bad.”

My hand paused for a beat. What I didn't say was— In the three years I've been at the Tham family, he's never praised anything I've done. Three days after Tham Tri Ngam left, Chu Nghien Bach arrived. He drove down from the city and said there were some legal papers he needed me to sign, related to child custody. Chu Nghien Bach and Tham Tri Ngam... are two completely different types of people. Tham Tri Ngam is like a blade. Sharp, cold. As for Chu Nghien Bach— Like a warm stone. Calm, quiet... makes people feel secure. He wore a dark blue sweater, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing strong wrists. Wear metal-rimmed glasses. When talking, he always looks straight into the other person's eyes— Making you feel that every word he says... is true.

“I have compiled your situation.”

He sat in the shop, in front of him was a stack of documents.

“If three years later Tham Tri Ngam wins custody, with his resources and team of lawyers... her chances of winning are about three times.”

“But if you can prove the following points—”

“First, she has a stable income and place to live.”

“Second, you are Niem Niem's main caregiver, changing the environment will be detrimental to the child.”

“Third, in the past two years, Tham Tri Ngam failed to carry out his responsibilities as a father—”

“Then your chances of winning… can increase to six times.”

“Six parts?”

“The remaining four… depend on the judge.”

He gently pushed the glasses frame.

“But six parts… is enough to fight.”

I poured him a glass of water:

“Lawyer Chu, thank you for coming down here personally.”

“Just call me Nghien Bach.”

He received the glass of water and took a sip.

“Besides, I didn't come today as a lawyer.”

“So what status?”

He put down the glass and looked at me. The look is very light. Like feathers falling to the surface of the water. The shop is very quiet. Only the sound of the oven fan buzzing. Niem Niem slept in the small bed behind, breathing evenly.

“Nghien Bach.”

He smiled softly. The smile was very light… but very real. Then, he took out a paper bag from his pocket and placed it on the table:

“A gift for Niem Niem.”

I opened it to see— It was a set of picture books. Hardcover, gentle drawings, tells the story of a little bear and his mother.

“How do you know Niem Niem likes picture books?”

“Last time you called, you said she recently liked flipping through books.”

"I just bought it, I don't know if she will like it."

“You will definitely like it.”

I put the books away.

“Thank you.”

“Nothing.”

He sat for a while longer and then left, saying he still had to prepare documents that evening. I walked him out the door. Before getting in the car, he turned back to look at me.

“Tong Van, you... are much better than before.”

“What do you mean?”

“When I first met you at the charity event, you were like a string stretched to its limit.”

“Now… you are relaxed.”

His car disappeared around the corner. I stood in front of the door for a while, then went back in to continue kneading the dough. That evening— I received a WeChat message from Shen Zhiyin. The first time he proactively texted me. Not through an assistant. Not through a secretary. It's him. There are only six words:

“Are you asleep yet?”

I looked at those six words for a long time. Then type two words: He continued texting:

“I'll come over tomorrow.”

I was about to answer "no need" - He sent another message:

“Buy a toy for your child. Forgot to give it last time.”

It was three days ago. When he left, Niem Niem ran inside to play. He stood outside the door waiting for a few minutes, then left. Before leaving, he took a paper bag from the car and placed it on the steps. It's a stuffed animal. A fabric rabbit. Just like the child that Niem Niem used to hold all day at the Tham family's house. Old rabbit... lost when moving house. For the first two months, she cried every night looking for "rabbit". Crying for two months... just got used to it. I don't know how Tham Tri Ngam knew about this. Maybe it was Assistant Tran who said it. Maybe— He remembered it himself. I don't dare think about the second possibility. The next afternoon— Tham Tri Ngam indeed arrived. Same Range Rover. But this time he wasn't wearing a suit. A black round neck sweater. The sleeves are rolled up to the elbow, revealing sharp wrists. Hair is also not combed neatly like before. A few strands of hair fell onto his forehead. He looks— No longer like Tam Tri Ngam. But like a normal man... Visiting his daughter. In his hand he carried a very large paper bag.

“Where is Niem Niem?”

He stood at the door, his eyes glanced past me, looking inside.

“Napping in the back.”

He paused for a moment.

“So I wait.”

Then he pulled out the folding chair... sat down. I looked at him:

“You drove four hours again?”

“Just to give the toy?”

“Convenient.”

He answered very softly. So light that— Even he couldn't believe it.

“The city is four hundred kilometers away, how convenient is your way?”

He did not answer. Just pick up half a glass of cold water on the table and take a sip.

“That cup is mine.”

He lowered his head to look at the cup— An ordinary white ceramic cup, printed with a picture of a Shiba dog. He put down his cup. The atmosphere suddenly became strange. I returned to the counter to continue working. And he sat there, quietly looking at me. Not a searching look. It's more like... observing. Like someone who had completely misunderstood things before, but now begins to look at something again.

“Tong Van.”

He suddenly called.

“Do you hate me?”

My hand stopped a bit, then continued kneading the dough.

“No hatred.”

“Because hating someone... is a waste of effort.”

I turned the dough over.

"I have to keep my strength to live. I don't have time to hate you."

He was silent for a long time. Then say one sentence, very softly:

"I hope you hate me."

I raised my head to look at him. He bowed his head, looking at the Shiba cup on the table, his face hidden in the darkness of his hanging hair, his expression unclear.

“What do you mean?”

“Nothing.”

He stood up.

“I went to see Niem Niem.”

He walked around the counter and into the small back room. Niem Niem was sleeping on a small bed, her mouth slightly open, her hand holding the corner of the blanket, her small legs exposed. Tham Tri Ngam stood at the door. Don't step in. Just standing there... looking for a long time. Then he bent down, pulled back the loose blanket, and covered the child's small legs. Very light movement. So light that… it was like touching something fragile. I leaned against the doorframe and looked at him. There was a corner in my heart— Like ice... a very small crack appeared. But very quickly— Me patch it up yourself. Tong Van, calm down a bit. He is not a good husband. Wouldn't be a good father either. Just... a momentary guilty conscience. Waiting for him to return to the city, back to his office, his meeting room, his world of fame and fortune— He would forget mother and son again. Like the past two years. But this time— It's not the same.