Chapter 7 — The Silence Between Two Loves

Chu Nghien Bach's voice lowered.

“I found a tow truck driver that day.”

“He said, when the car was towed away, there was a black briefcase in the trunk.”

“Tham Tri Ngam's people also specifically told—”

“That briefcase must be taken out separately and delivered directly to him.”

“What's inside?”

“No one knows.”

“But I found out something.”

“The day before the accident… your father called an old colleague.”

“Also the driver of the Tham family, the Liu family.”

“During the call, your father said—”

“He had some things in his hand... that 'sooner or later had to be given to the right person'.”

My hands started shaking.

“Where is that driver named Luu… now?”

“…Three days after the accident happened to your father, he left the country.”

“Go to Cambodia.”

“And… never returned.”

The living room is scary quiet. My mother goes to the market. Niem Niem is in the back playing puzzles. Sunlight penetrated through the curtains, drawing long streaks of light on the floor.

“Tong Van.”

Chu Nghien Bach's voice is very light.

"There's one more thing... maybe you don't want to hear it even more."

“You say it.”

“I looked up the background of the driver who caused the accident.”

“His name is Ma Cuong, twenty-three years old, unemployed.”

“A week before the accident—”

“His account received a money transfer of three hundred thousand.”

“The account transferred to is a shell company, registered in the Cayman Islands.”

“I followed it for a long time…”

“The ultimate beneficiary of that company—”

He stopped.

“Leading to… an offshore account of Tham Group.”

My mind is blank.

“But that's only indirect evidence.”

Chu Nghien Bach spoke very quickly.

"Three hundred thousand cannot directly prove anything. Ma Cuong can absolutely say it was borrowed money."

“The truly valuable thing… is the briefcase in your father's hand.”

“If we find what's inside that briefcase—everything will be clear.”

"That briefcase... is at Tham Tri Ngam's place."

“Very high possibility.”

“Then I have to go find him.”

“Tong Van—”

Chu Nghien Bach's voice suddenly became urgent.

"Don't act impulsively. If you go directly to ask Tham Tri Ngam, it will be like waking up a snake in the grass."

“If this really has something to do with him… you will be in danger.”

“Nghien Bach... that's my father.”

“I know.”

He lowered his voice.

“But you also have to think about Niem Niem.”

Those two words— Like a bucket of cold water poured straight down. I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths.

“I won't be impulsive. But I need more evidence.”

“I'm continuing to investigate. Give me time.”

I sat on the edge of the bed, looking out the window. The road in the district is strangely quiet. Some people walk their dogs. Someone dried the blanket. Life is as calm as still water. But under that layer of water— Something… was churning. My father… is not an ordinary driver. He followed the old man of the Tham family for thirty years. He knows all the secrets of the Tham family. Those secrets— So big that… they could take a person's life. As for Tham Tri Ngam— The man who has been regularly appearing in my shop for the past month, making ice cream with me, covering Niem Niem with a blanket— Does he really not know what's in that car? The fact that he approached me from beginning to end... was all because of that briefcase? My fingers tightened on the bed sheet, my joints turned white. That night— Tham Tri Ngam came again. He's carrying a box of Legos, said for Niem Niem. She was so happy that she jumped around him, pulled his hand and made him sit down and play with her. He squatted on the floor, clumsily assembling Lego. Niem Niem stood next to the commander:

“This is the roof!”

"That's not right! This is the chimney!"

“Nim Niem, did you do it right?”

"That's not true! Dad, you're so stupid!"

He... laughed again. Not a social laugh. But really laugh. The corners of the eyes have wrinkles. Warm eyes— Like a fireplace in the middle of winter. I stood behind the counter watching the scene. It felt like there were hundreds of needles sticking in my heart. If he really killed my father— Then what does he rely on… to still be able to laugh like that? If he approached me just because of the briefcase— Then what did he rely on… to treat Niem Niem so well?

“Tong Van?”

He suddenly raised his head to look at me.

"What's wrong? Your face looks so bad."

“Nothing.”

I turned away.

“Just a little tired.”

He stood up and walked closer to me. So close that I could smell the faint scent of cedar on him.

“If you're tired, rest early.”

He said.

“Let me close the shop.”

“I learned.”

He pointed to the switch on the wall.

“This is the main circuit breaker, this turns off the oven, this turns off the lights. Right?”

I looked at him. Suddenly I felt... ridiculously ridiculous. Someone who could have killed my father— Learning how to… turn off my oven.

“Tham Tri Ngam.”

I called his name.

“Why did you come?”

He stopped.

“Why… what?”

"Before, you wished I could disappear."

"And now... every other day I run four hours to the district, just to see Niem Niem."

“Don't you see... the contradiction?”

He was silent for a long time. The light in the shop was warm, covering his face, softening the cold lines.

“Because I have thought it through.”

He said.

“Tell what?”

“Understand some things... I've never thought through them before.”

He looked at me. His eyes were very serious. Not the serious type when negotiating. A deeper, more personal kind of seriousness.