Chapter 3 — There Are People You Can Only Meet Once In Your Life

I also laughed. It was the first smile in the past three months that came from the bottom of my heart. Work is extremely busy. I proactively take on the most difficult projects. Working overtime until midnight has become a daily occurrence. Colleagues all think that newly arrived designer Lam is a workaholic. Only I know... I can't let myself be free. Just stop... Those images will immediately come rushing back. Pho Han Xuyen's hand pushed me down the stairs. Tham Thanh Vi nestled in his arms. The cold white light on the operating table in the hospital. Four months later. My design won the industry's Outstanding Newcomer award. The day I received the award, backstage, I met someone. Tham Thanh Vi. It's her brother. Tham Thanh Vien. He looked at me for a long time. It took so long that I thought I'd been recognized. But in the end, he just politely nodded.

“Designer Lam's work is very vibrant.”

“Next month my sister gets engaged.”

“I would like to invite you to design her wedding ring.”

My heart stopped beating for a moment.

“May I ask... who is your sister?”

“Tham Thanh Vi.”

He gave me his business card.

“Future daughter-in-law of the Pho family in Bac Thanh.”

“You must have heard it before.”

Future daughter-in-law of the Pho family. I received the business card. Fingertips are cold. But the voice was still so calm that even I was surprised.

“Of course I know.”

“Let me ask, what style does Ms. Tham like?”

“It likes unique things.”

Tham Thanh Vien looked at me meaningfully.

“Just like designer Lam.”

“I keep having the feeling... we've met somewhere before.”

“Maybe it's because I have a very normal face.”

I smiled.

"Regarding the wedding ring design, I will discuss directly with Ms. Tham."

“Please rest assured.”

“I will definitely make her satisfied.”

After Tham Thanh Vien left, I walked into the bathroom. Pour cold water on and wash your face. The person in the mirror's face was pale. But his eyes were so bright and scary. Tham Thanh Vi... is about to get engaged to Pho Han Xuyen. Just less than half a year after I "died". I pulled out a tissue to dry my hands and texted Ms. Chu.

"Sister Chu, I just received a big contract."

"Designing wedding rings for the Pho family in Bac Thanh."

Ms. Chu responded almost immediately.

"Really great!"

"Come on! If you do well in this application, you will officially stand firmly in the design world."

I sent back a smiley face. Tham Thanh Vi. Don't you like unique things? I guarantee... This wedding ring... Will become a memory that you will never forget for the rest of your life. The first video call between Tham Thanh Vi and I was scheduled for a Friday afternoon. I checked the device again early, intentionally adjusting the camera angle to only capture half of my face wearing glasses. Behind is a white wall in the office, filled with design drawings. I also deliberately chose works with a completely different style than before. When the video call was connected, Tham Thanh Vi's face appeared on the screen. Compared to half a year ago, she is even more beautiful. Or rather... More sophisticated. The contours after cosmetic intervention under the beauty filter layer have almost no defects. On him is the latest version of Chanel suit. The ring finger wears a huge diamond ring. That ring... I once saw it in Pho Han Xuyen's safe. It is a family heirloom ring from the Pho family, passed down only to the eldest daughter-in-law.

“Designer Lam, right?”

Tham Thanh Vi's voice was as soft as a pampering.

"My brother complimented you very well. But looking at you so young... can you really design a ring exactly as I want?"

“What kind of ring does Ms. Tham want?”

I adjusted my headphones. The voice has been processed by the voice changer and is a few parts deeper than the real voice.

“I wanted it to be very special, very luxurious.”

“So that anyone who looks at it will know... how much the owner of this ring is pampered.”

Her eyes were filled with pride.

"Han Xuyen said, the wedding will be held magnificently."

“Of course the wedding ring must also match it.”

I tapped on the keyboard, opening up some preliminary designs.

“The first model uses an extremely rare teardrop-shaped blue diamond, surrounded by white diamonds.”

“The meaning is purity and fidelity.”

Tham Thanh Vi pouted.

“Too normal.”

“Everywhere I go I see this kind of thing.”

I move on to the second sample.

“This pattern is inspired by roses and thorns.”

"The body of the ring is shaped like a hemp rope, the main stone is a delicately carved ruby rose."

“The implication is that love must go through hardships before it can bloom.”

Tham Thanh Vi immediately frowned.

“So unlucky.”

"The love between me and Han Xuyen goes smoothly, where are the thorns?"

I almost burst out laughing. Smooth sailing? That road is paved with my blood. Of course it's flat.

“So what about the last model?”

I opened the final design.

“This model is quite special.”

“On the outside it's just a very simple plain platinum ring.”

“But the inside is encrusted with twelve small diamonds.”

“Each tablet is engraved with a letter.”

“When put together, it becomes a complete sentence.”

“What sentence?”

“Only you in my heart.”

I slowly read each word.

“You are the only one in my heart.”

Tham Thanh Vi's eyes immediately lit up.

“This model is great!”

“I choose this!”

She leaned closer to the screen.

“But the words inside, I want to decide for myself.”

“Of course.”

“What does Ms. Tham want to engrave?”

Tham Thanh Vi smiled sweetly.

“Engrave the sentence...”

'Pho Han Xuyen will always love Tham Thanh Vi.'

“Must be engraved in Chinese.”

“Anyone who sees it can read it right away.”

I typed on the keyboard and recorded it.

“In addition, the inside of the ring can also be laser engraved with anniversaries or…”

“Engraved December 7, 2023.”

Tham Thanh Vi interrupted me.

“That day Han Xuyen officially proposed to me.”