Chapter 1 — The Six Year Lie

That afternoon, Thinh Tri Ha was off duty so she went to the cardiology department to get test results for Tri An. The hallway is empty. Just as she turned the corner, she heard voices coming from To Cam Xuyen's office. Ha Giao Giao's voice came from inside, carrying a smile: "Cam Xuyen, your father has already said that this time he is considered for this position, he can help you win a position. I am the main treating doctor, although you are only a nurse, but at least you work right in front of my eyes every day. Ms. Tri Ha is a nurse in the pediatrics department, and is not in the same department as me. I keep looking for her, what will your father think?" To Cam Xuyen was silent for a moment and then said: "I know." "You still went looking for her, knowing that? Last week you two were eating together in the cafeteria and were seen by your father's people." Ha Giao Giao's voice lowered. "In the end, do you want the title or do you want her?" Thinh Tri Ha stood in the hallway, her whole body cold. To Cam Xuyen said something but she couldn't hear clearly. She only heard Ha Giao Giao's sweet laugh. She remembered last week, To Cam Xuyen hugged her from behind, his chin resting on the hollow of her shoulder, his voice deep: "Tri Ha, you've been around the cardiology department a lot lately, pay attention to the impact." Then she turned around and hugged his neck, gently kissing the corner of his lips: "I just came to compare the report, nothing else?" Thinh Tri Ha squeezed the test results in her hand, the paper was squeezed until it was wrinkled. She remembered four years ago, when the two were just together, they used to walk by the river. Thinh Tri Ha asked To Cam Xuyen: "What if one day I trick you?" He lifted her face: "Then go to a place I can't find, so I'll regret it for the rest of my life." At that time, she thought it was a word of love. The phone in my pocket vibrated. That is the nursing department's announcement about the list of people who will be sent to the cardiovascular center of a hospital in Singapore for training. Thinh Tri Ha opened it to see. Her name is on the first line, she will depart in half a month. Thinh Tri Ha turned and left. She didn't go to To Cam Xuyen's office but went straight to the administrative building. "Director Luu, I will go to Singapore to study, but please don't publicize my name on the list." Director Luu looked at her, didn't ask the reason, but just nodded. Leaving the administrative building, Thinh Tri Ha stood at the end of the hallway, took the phone to call someone. "Lawyer Chu, it's me. I need your help drafting a divorce agreement." The other end of the line paused: "Miss Thinh? Are you sure?" "I'm sure." "Okay, wait a few minutes." Thinh Tri Ha hung up the phone, stood by the window, sunlight shining on her face. That year she was moved first. To Cam Xuyen is famous for being cold, arrogant and unapproachable, everyone in the academy thinks she cannot pursue him. But she determined not to give up. Bringing him water, saving his seat, bringing him an umbrella, chasing him for an entire semester just to hold his hand. After getting married, he treated her very well. He remembered her menstruation, leaving a nightlight on when she worked overtime. So good that she gradually forgot that in this love affair, the person who was always reserved and careful was her. It wasn't until she heard the conversation between him and Ha Giao Giao that she remembered that in the past four years, she had never really said the word "no". The phone rang. Lawyer Chu has sent the documents. She opened it and read it from beginning to end. She printed it out on the hospital's self-service printer and put it in her file bag. Leaving the administrative building, Thinh Tri Ha went to the cardiology department. To Cam Xuyen's office door is closed. She raised her hand and knocked twice. Without waiting for the person inside to respond, she pushed the door open and walked in. To Cam Xuyen sits behind the desk. Open white blouse, slightly collared shirt

bung, pen in hand, head down to read documents, eyebrows slightly furrowed. Thinh Tri Ha was just about to speak when he heard a noise under the table. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of a shoe toe exposed under the table, then quickly retracted it. Ha Giao Giao slowly raised his head. She placed one hand on his knee, the other reached down to the bottom hem of his blouse, gently unbuttoning it. To Cam Xuyen is still neatly dressed and still holds a pen in his hand. Ha Giao Giao saw Thinh Tri Ha but the hand unbuttoning the button still did not stop. Her lips moved, but no sound came out. Thinh Tri Ha read that lip: "Just look." To Cam Xuyen raised his head to see her, put down his pen and smiled. He stood up, pushed his chair back to cover under the table, then walked towards her, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair falling from her forehead behind her ear. "Why didn't you give me a warning? I just finished a meeting." Thinh Tri Ha quietly looked at him. Just now, Ha Giao Giao was kneeling under the table, unbuttoning his shirt, but now he gently pulled back her hair. "I came to get Tri An's test results." "On the table." To Cam Xuyen leaned over and covered the bottom of the desk. Thinh Tri Ha went over to get the results. As she passed him, she took out the divorce agreement from her bag and placed it on top. "There's one more copy, just sign it." To Cam Xuyen flipped to the last page, lowered the tip of the pen and signed. "Your face doesn't look very good." He reached out to touch her forehead. Thinh Tri Ha tilted her head to avoid it. His hand stopped in midair for a moment and then retracted. "My eyes are also red, what's wrong?" Thinh Tri Ha looked at him: "It's okay, I didn't sleep well last night." To Cam Xuyen reached out and pulled her into his arms, hugging her. His chin rested on the top of her head, his hand gently patted her back: "Don't worry about Tri An's matter, I've already arranged it. You don't need to care about anything, just stay with Tri An." Thinh Tri Ha was held in his arms, her face pressed against his white blouse. Her gaze went over his shoulder and fell under the desk. Ha Giao Giao slowly raised her head, placed one hand on his knee and gently bit To Cam Xuyen. To Cam Xuyen's body stiffened in the blink of an eye. Thinh Tri Ha lowered her eyes and retreated from his arms: "I'll go home first. Tri An is alone, I don't feel secure." To Cam Xuyen held her hand and squeezed it gently: "Okay, I'll bring you porridge home tonight. Don't think too much, I'm here." Thinh Tri Ha put the signed agreement in his file bag, turned around and closed the door. After walking a few steps, she stopped and took out the document to look at it. The phone vibrates. That's an email from Singapore. PART 2 She stood by the hallway window, just about to open her email, when the door behind her heard a sound. Ha Giao Giao cried out and the chair was pushed out. To Cam Xuyen was comforting her, her breathing was somewhat heavy. Ha Giao Giao's voice was soft: "You and her... who is a little better?" To Cam Xuyen's voice was low and hoarse: "You." Ha Giao Giao burst out laughing and snorted softly. Thinh Tri Ha tightened his grip on the phone, his hands began to tremble. She remembered the wind on the riverbank four years ago. To Cam Xuyen hugged her from behind and said: "If one day I trick you, go to a place I can't find." Behind him, Ha Giao Giao's voice became strange and broken. The sound of fabric being pulled apart made To Cam Xuyen gasp violently. Thinh Tri Ha stuffed the phone into his pocket, without turning back, walked straight towards the elevator. The elevator door closed. She leaned against the wall, tears welling up in her eyes, blurring her vision. Elevator to first floor. Thinh Tri Ha wiped her tears and walked towards the pediatrics building. Tri An is still waiting for her. Thinh Tri Ha stayed in the hospital room with Tri An for two hours. Tomorrow Tri An has to have a pre-surgery check-up. The boy was a bit nervous, held her hand and asked several times: "Sister, does the injection hurt?" Miss

squatting next to the bed, patiently told him that it didn't hurt, just like being bitten by a mosquito. Tri An believed her, hugged her arm and fell asleep. Thinh Tri Ha looked at his younger brother's face, reaching out to brush the bangs on his forehead aside. Her fingertips stopped for a long time on his cheek. Tri An is only seven years old, the age when he should be running around the schoolyard, but he rarely even comes out of the hospital room door. She retracted her hand, pulled the blanket neatly for Tri An, turned off the small bedside lamp, and lightly left the hospital room. By the time she walked out the door of the boarding house, it was pouring rain. Without an umbrella, she rushed into the rain and ran to the side of the road to catch a car. When she got in the car, her whole body was soaked, her hair stuck to her face, and she was shivering from the cold. By the time she got back to the apartment, her head was heavy and her throat was sore. She opened the door but didn't turn on the light, went into the bedroom, pulled the suitcase out from under the bed and started packing things. The doorbell rang. Thinh Tri Ha's hand stopped. Reflexively, she pushed the suitcase under the bed, but before she could push it in completely, To Cam Xuyen entered the bedroom. To Cam Xuyen looked at the half-open suitcase, her eyes stopped: "What are you doing?" Thinh Tri Ha squatted on the ground, raised her head, her voice was hoarse: "The season has changed, I should clean up my clothes." To Cam Xuyen said nothing, the corners of his lips curled slightly. The phone rang. He picked up the phone, lowered his voice very low: "Don't cry anymore." He turned around, his back facing Thinh Tri Ha: "Yes, I know, wait for me over there." Hanging up the phone, he turned back to look at Thinh Tri Ha's face and placed a box of medicine on the nightstand. His hand slid from her cheek to her chin, gently lifting it up: "If you have a fever, you still show up to work." Thinh Tri Ha did not move. He lowered his head to look at her, his thumb gently brushing the corner of her lips: "Tri Ha, there is an emergency, a patient's condition is not very good. Remember to take your medicine." Having finished speaking, To Cam Xuyen left. Thinh Tri Ha continues to pack her luggage. After finishing packing, she lay on the bed. My whole body was hot but I was so cold that I was shivering. Even though I was wrapped tightly in a blanket, I still couldn't stop shivering. She picked up the phone to call To Cam Xuyen. On the other end of the phone, Ha Giao Giao's voice was soft and soft: "Miss Tri Ha, Cam Xuyen is taking a bath. He just sweated a lot, can you call back later?" To Cam Xuyen's lazy voice came: "Who is that?" Thinh Tri Ha held the phone tightly, her whole body trembling. She stared at the ceiling, gritting her teeth. Stomach churning, severe nausea. Her fingers randomly swiped across the screen, haphazardly dialing a phone number. "Hello?" A man's low voice rang out on the other end of the line. Thinh Tri Ha opened her mouth, her voice was so hoarse it was almost inaudible: "Take me to the hospital..." "Thinh Tri Ha?" She didn't recognize who that person was: "...Please." The other end of the line was silent for a moment, then a series of urgent noises rang out.——When she opened her eyes again, what she saw was the ceiling of the emergency room. Thinh Tri Ha lies on the hospital bed, the back of her hand has an IV needle inserted, her fever still hasn't subsided. A doctor walked in, put a stack of papers on the nightstand, bowed his head and flipped through two pages: "You're dead, you know?" Thinh Tri Ha was stunned, his voice trembled: "What did you say?" The doctor raised his head to look at her: "You're pregnant, about four weeks. You have a fever so you have to pay attention. Go to the obstetrics department for a check-up tomorrow." Having finished speaking, the doctor turned and left. Thinh Tri Ha lay there, staring at the ceiling, not moving. She slowly placed her hand on her stomach. The lower abdomen is still flat, nothing is palpable, but there is a child inside. Stomach rolls again. She propped herself up, bent over the edge of the bed and vomited but couldn't vomit anything. The room door was pushed open. She raised her head and saw a strange man standing at the door. Squeezed vest

on his arm, shirt sleeves rolled up to his forearm, in hand carrying a bag of medicine.