Chapter 3 — The Tofu Seller Who Wouldn't Wait for Him

During the day he sells tofu, at night he sleeps in a deserted temple. Save enough money, then go to the border. I tossed and turned, thinking dreamily, and finally fell asleep.

4

These little beggars are also doing their job. Early the next morning, a thin black boy named Nhi Cau led several children and went around the capital to find out news for me.

“There is a tofu shop in the east of the city that I want to move to. The location is a bit remote but cheap.”

"Beans are cheap in the south. We'll help you negotiate and give you a loan."

"There's another place to buy vegetables, we're familiar."

I heard them chattering, filled with doubt. These kids steal chickens and catch dogs all day long, what can they possibly wear? But three days later, the store was truly restored. The landlord was an old man who sold groceries. When he saw Nhi Cau leading me there, he nodded without saying a word. The money was owed first and paid at the end of the year. Buying beans is the same, as soon as you open your mouth, you give a debt, you don't even need a debt note. I asked Nhi Cau: "What did you tell them?" Nhi Cau grinned: "Just say you are our ancestor." I was speechless. On opening day, we woke up very early. The shop is not big, there is only one room in the front, and in the back there is a small yard that can be lived in. I cleaned the kitchen ten times, wrote the names of tofu dishes on the wooden board: salted tofu, braised tofu, tofu paste, fried tofu... you can eat it on the spot or take it away. The sun gradually rose, people walked back and forth on the crowded street, but no one entered. No one from Nhi Cau came. I glanced toward the street corner several times, but there was not even a sign of anyone. Deeply understanding, they are afraid of being laughed at by others, affecting our business. While in a daze, the chair suddenly creaked and someone sat down.

“A plate of tofu.”

I raised my head, stunned. The person in front of him was wearing an old blue shirt, his hair tied arbitrarily, and his expression languid. It was the idiot who stole half of my bowl of tofu that night.

“What are you doing?” he tapped on the table, "I'm hungry."

I went back to the kitchen, scooped out a plate of fried tofu and brought it out. He took a bite and his eyes lit up. Eat another bite, and when you reach the third bite, you look up at me: "Your tofu is really different from other places." I don't pay attention to him. He wasn't angry, just talking while eating: "Where is your lady? Why did you come to the capital alone? Is this shop just opened? How is the tofu made?" I have never met someone who talks so much. Moc Bac Than always has the appearance of a gentleman, even in private, he doesn't say much. If there's something to do, I talk, if there's nothing to do, I'm silent. I never dared to ask too many questions. Three years ago, I didn't even know you were a sub-priest. But this person, when he opens his mouth, doesn't stop.

“Miss, why don't you say anything?”

“What's your name, lady?”

“Miss…”

“Did you finally eat?”

He choked, then laughed, bowed his head and stuffed the last piece of tofu into his mouth. From someone else's mouth, I learned that he was the young prince of the Marquis Palace, Do Than Chi. His reputation in the capital is not very good, he likes to hang out with all kinds of people, everyone can chat a few words. No wonder you have such a thick skin. In the evening, we packed up the goods and carried the remaining tofu to the abandoned temple. Nhi Cau and the others were huddled in the corner of the wall. Seeing me coming, everyone's eyes lit up.

“Auntie!”

I told them not to call me that, call me Aunt Kieu. But when the tofu arrived, they were only worried about eating it, not knowing if they would hear or not. While eating, the temple door was pushed open again. Do Than Chi swayed in, plopped down next to Nhi Cau, took a piece of tofu from his bowl and stuffed it into his mouth.

“What are you following me for?”

"Take a walk." He chewed tofu and said incomprehensibly, "Go ahead."

I'm too lazy to pay attention to him. But when I left, I discovered that there were a few more scrap silver bars in the corner of the wall. It seems that last time, he also left money behind. Early that morning, I went to the suburbs to buy beans. When returning, I always felt footsteps behind me. Turning around, Do Than Chi leisurely followed. When he saw me coming back, he waved his hand.

“Don't follow me.”

“I won't follow you, I'll go this way too.”

I speed up, he also speeds up. I stopped, he stopped too. Feeling frustrated, a figure suddenly jumped out from the corner of the alley and hugged me. The beans in my hand scattered all over the ground.

“Mong Vi!”

That voice, even if we close our eyes, we recognize it. Moc Bac Than. He hugged me so tightly, as if he wanted to melt into my bones and blood. But right after that, he pushed me away again. Both hands clasped my shoulders, eyes were red, voice trembled:

"Why did you leave? Why did you abandon me?"

I was stunned, looking at his face. Thin, emaciated, eyes full of blood. But there was only one sentence in my mind— I abandoned you? 5 I looked at him and didn't say anything for a long time. His clothes were also wrinkled, as if they hadn't been washed for several days or nights. Those eyes, which were always gentle and calm, were now filled with blood, the gaze staring at me was extremely complicated—there was resentment, there was frustration, there was also something that couldn't be clearly stated.

“Mong Vi, say something.” He took a step forward, lowered his voice, "I just went back to the capital to ask for a favor on behalf of the queen. She has followed the emperor for many years, and now he has just entered the palace, heartbroken, just hoping for a promise to never abandon the queen. The emperor refuses to see me, it's been a few days, what else can I do?"

He stopped, as if trying to suppress his anger.

"The work wasn't finished yet. I was worried that you would have a hard time running the shop alone, so I returned all night. What about you?"

He looked at me, his chest heaving.

"The shop was closed, and no one was found. I searched all over the town, asked everyone, but no one knew where she went. I lost my soul and searched all along the way, then found the capital—what was the result?"

He tilted his head and looked toward the beginning of the alley. Do Than Chi was still standing there, arms crossed, looking to this side.

"As a result, I saw her flirting with other men."

Speaking of this, his voice carried some blame.

"Mong Vi, you are too hot-tempered. It's just about a meal, is it worth making such a fuss? The Queen is a noble lady, she has eaten well and dressed well since childhood, at that tofu table she is not used to eating, so what if she said a few words of self-pity? She ran away from home because of that, leaving me everywhere to look for her?"

He took a deep breath, as if trying to be patient.

"I am the former servant, for you I still have to humble myself, coax and yield. In this world, can you still find a second person with a good temper like mine?"

I've heard it all. Every sentence, every word, heard clearly. Then I laugh.

“Are you done talking?”

He frowned.

“Having said that—”