Chapter 18 — Trong Was Born At Eighteen Years Old: This Time I Didn't Marry Truc Ma

In the picture... The party is ready. The two old houses were filled with people. Only the girl carrying the painting box on her back walks out of the center of the painting. Ahead... No one came to pick her up. Behind... No one is chasing. But the road ahead... Afternoon of the second day of the exhibition. Chau Nghien Xuyen arrived. He stood in front of 《Facing South》 for a long time. That was the first time... He really seriously looked at my paintings. Before, every time my work was placed in front of him... What he asked was just:

"Can the color be a little lighter?"

"Can the character be drawn smaller?"

"Can it be modified to fit your model?"

He never asked me... Why did he draw like that. When I returned from the classroom... He was still standing there. Three months without seeing each other. He lost a lot of weight. In his hand, he also carried a professional easel identical to the one I sold.

"Van Kieu."

I stopped a few steps away from him.

"Is something wrong?"

His eyes stopped on my face.

"I'll come to the dorm to find you."

"But the manager wouldn't let me in."

"So you're standing here waiting?"

He held the easel toward me.

"This is for you."

"I don't need it."

"I really liked it before."

"The school's drawing room is available."

His hand stopped in mid-air. After a while... I slowly let it down.

"Duong An has submitted a new work."

"But not nominated."

"You and her..."

"We're not together either."

"She looked for you a few times after that."

"I haven't seen you at all."

I nodded.

"I know."

Chau Nghien Xuyen frowned slightly.

"Don't you have anything to say?"

"I made it clear to her."

"That's between the two of you."

"Today I come to Nam Dinh..."

"Not just to tell you that."

He took another step.

"Van Kieu."

"Can we start again?"

"The engagement ceremony..."

"It's because you weren't serious."

"The story of the work..."

"It's also your fault."

"You just continue to study at Nam Dinh."

"From now on, every vacation..."

"I will come visit you."

"Waiting for graduation..."

"If you want to stay here..."

"You can move in too."

If it were me in my previous life... I would probably cry with joy. Finally... Chau Nghien Xuyen also gave in to me. Please enter my city. Admit it... The life I want is important too. But now... Listen to those words. In my heart there is only peace.

"Why did you come?"

"You said it just now."

"Because you realized Duong An is not as good as you thought?"

"Not."

"Or is it because 《Light of the Citadel》 can't enter the graduation exhibition?"

Chau Nghien Xuyen's face immediately stiffened. In the end... That work still did not pass the review round. He found someone else to recolor and redraw the character. But everything feels like it's been patched together forcibly. The instructor can only ask him to withdraw from the exhibition that year. At the same time, I advise you to edit it into an independent work in the future and submit it to other exhibitions.

"Neither."

"So it's because of the engagement day..."

"You didn't show up?"

He was silent. I answered for him.

"It's because you left."

"Before..."

"You don't have to worry about whether you like me or not."

"Because it doesn't matter who you're with."

"Who is biased?"

"Give me your things to someone."

"Then I'm always there."

"You Now I'm not there anymore."

"I'm just starting to feel like you're important."

Chau Nghien Xuyen's eyes were red.

"I admit..."

"Before, you never appreciated what I sacrificed."

"You can change."

"Van Kieu."

"Give me one more chance."

I looked at him.

"I gave it before."

Every day of my past life... Was an opportunity. He doesn't remember. Which is okay.

"Chau Nghien Xuyen."

"Who did you cut ties with..."

"It's your life."

"Are you going to Nam Dinh or not..."

"It's also your choice."

"And you won't come back..."

"It's my choice."

"Between us..."

"There aren't any trade-offs."

His voice was hoarse.

"You really..."

"Don't like me anymore?"

I didn't answer right away. I used to like it. Eighteen years of memories... Don't just disappear because of the resurrection. All that love. They have all been eroded to the point of exhaustion by previous lives.

"Now..."

"Don't like it anymore."

Chau Nghien Xuyen stood still in place. Don't say another word. Outside the exhibition room, a classmate's voice called out to me.

"Van Kieu!"

"The teacher told us to go over and adjust the lights for the next group of paintings."

"Come now."

I replied once. Then walked past Chau Nghien Xuyen. At that moment... He called me back.

"In 《Toward the South》..."

"Why not me?"

I turned my head to look at the picture.

"Because..."

"That's my painting."

I entered the exhibition room. A classmate is standing on a ladder adjusting the searchlight. I held the foot of the ladder tightly. Raise your head and look at the rays of light slowly covering the surface of the painting. The red party in the painting is lit up. The road in the distance... Is also lit. Through the glass of the exhibition room... I can still see Chau Nghien Xuyen standing outside. It's all no longer related to me. In the evening, return to the dormitory. I took out a new sheet of drawing paper. The ring finger of the right hand is clean. The red mark that was once squeezed by the ring... Has disappeared a long time ago. I lower the first brush stroke. At the same time... The computer displayed a notification. 【Are you saving a new work?】 I type in the name of the work. Then click Confirm. Four words appeared on the screen. Saved successfully.