Chapter 1 — Try Loving Me

My name is To Niem Niem, 25 years old this year, my personality has a fatal flaw: extremely clingy. When I was a kid, I stuck with my parents, went to school with my roommate, went to college with my roommate, and after graduating, I put all my natural talent for sticking to people on my best friend Lam Noan Noan. Until he gets married.

“To Niem Niem!”

“Why are you here again?!”

Chu Ngon stood at the door, wearing an apron, holding a spoon to stir-fry vegetables, looking at me with eyes like looking at a piece of dog plaster that won't go away. I carried a cup of milk tea and pushed my way past him.

“Where is Noan Noan?”

“Putting on a mask in the bedroom.”

Chu Ngon gritted his teeth: “Can you—”

“Noan Noan!”

“I'm here!”

“Today Mrs. Truong cursed me again!”

I rushed into the bedroom and jumped straight into Lam Noan Noan's arms. His mask was completely messed up by me.

“Recite…”

“This is the 5th time this week.”

"I'll come again tomorrow Saturday."

Outside the living room came the sound of Chu Ngon throwing a ladle to stir-fry vegetables. Lam Noan Noan helplessly patted my head: "You should also find a boyfriend, right?"

"How can a boyfriend be as good as you?"

I hugged her tightly: "Your boyfriend will betray, will have an affair, will change, but you won't."

“My wife will change her mind.”

Chu Ngon appeared at the bedroom door, folded his arms and looked at me: "Now I just want her to change her mind and stay away from you a little." I stuck my tongue out at him. Chu Ngon took three deep breaths.

“To Niem Niem, let me introduce someone to you.”

“Don't bother.”

“My brothers, the conditions are very good.”

“Don't bother.”

“Go make love for me!”

“Stop disrupting my husband and I!”

I raised my head to look at Lam Noan Noan. Yet he nodded. Traitor.

“Which brother?”

I reluctantly asked. A proud smile flashed across Chu Ngon's face: "Luc Tu."

“Tomorrow afternoon at 3 o'clock, at the old coffee shop.”

“How's your face?”

“What do you do?”

“You'll know when you get there.”

I looked at Lam Noan Noan, she smiled, re-glued the mask: "Let's try Niem, maybe it fits."

"If it's not suitable, I'll come back and find you."

Chu Ngon's face turned white. At 2:55 p.m. the next afternoon, I sat at the window seat in the coffee shop, holding my phone and texting Lam Noan Noan.

“Are you there yet?”

“Noan Noan, I'm shaking so much.”

“If it's bad, I'll go home right away.”

"If it's boring, I'll just go home."

“Noan Noan, do you think I look good in this outfit?”

“Noan Nuan?”

“Noan Noan why don't you reply to me?!”

Viewed but did not reply. I angrily slammed the phone on the table.

“There are people here.”

I raised my head. Standing in front of me was a man, five feet tall, wearing a black shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, one hand in his pocket. His facial features were very cold, his jawline was extremely sharp, and his eyes looked at me with a bit of scrutiny. Handsome. Really handsome.

“Are you Luc Tu?”

He pulled out the chair opposite me and sat down. Without answering my question, he let out a sentence: "Chu Ngon said you are very clingy." Just opened the bowl and it was already labeled. I smiled: “So you came here to do a mission?”

“Same size.”

He ordered an Americano: "He said you come to his house every day, it's unbearable."

“So he pulled me out as cannon fodder.”

“You can understand that.”

This person is also too frank. I crawled to the table and looked at him: "Aren't you scared?"

“What are you afraid of?”

“I'm afraid you'll get involved Older brother."

He raised his coffee cup and took a sip, his voice calm: "Try it." I sat up straight.

“Are you provoking me?”

He didn't say anything, the corners of his lips curled up a bit. That night, I became a WeChat friend with him, immediately sent 8 messages, 3 selfies, and 2 stickers. He answered with exactly one word.

“Yes.”

The next morning at 6:30 a.m.

“Good morning!”

“What did you have for breakfast today?”

“I eat a pork and onion dumpling, how about you?”

At 10 hours he replied: "Just saw the message." At 11 o'clock I sent 5 more messages. At noon he replied: "In a meeting." In the afternoon I sent 9 messages. Late at night he replied: "Aren't you going to work?" I happily sent back a 60-second voice message. He didn't answer. On the third day, Chu Ngon called.

“To Niem Niem are you crazy?!”

“What's wrong?”

"Luc Tu called to ask me if you are like that with everyone."

I said proudly: "Look, I've started to cling to him, can you rest assured?" Chu Ngon was silent for three seconds: "He said he was considering withdrawing."

“It's only been 3 days?”

“Didn't you say you should try it?”

“People didn't expect you to…”

Chu Ngon struggled to find the words: “…so dense.” I snorted: "I haven't used my full strength yet." On the other end of the line, Lam Noan Noan's laughter rang out. I hung up the phone and texted Luc Tu: "I heard you plan to withdraw?" A minute later he replied: "Who said?"

“Chu Ngon.”

“He has a foul mouth.”

“So you don't withdraw?”

“Haven't said yet.”

“That means no withdrawal.”

“…”

"I'll take it as your default."

“To Niem Niem.”

“Present!”

“Can you say the whole sentence at once, don't separate each sentence into a message.”

I counted again, it was exactly one sentence and I divided it into 6 messages to actually send.

“Impossible.”

I don't reply anymore. But don't unfriend me either. I think you agree. A week later, Chu Ngon invited guests, saying he was celebrating the completion of some project, and invited everyone to have a small party. Lam Noan Noan sat next to me, opposite were Chu Ngon and Luc Tu, and two people I didn't know. One male and one female. The woman's name was Bach Nhuoc He, with long hair and red lips, sitting next to Luc Tu, smiling and clinking her glass at him.

"Mr. Tu, long time no see."

Mr. Tu? I looked at Lam Noan Noan, she secretly patted my hand under the table.

“I used to be Chu Ngon's colleague and have known Luc Tu for a long time.”

How long is it? Bach Nhuoc He spoke again: "What is Mr. Tu busy with these days?"

“I don't see any gatherings.”

Luc Tu's voice was bland: "Busy."

"What are you busy with? Do you have a new project?"

“Let me come with you.”

She reached for the bottle of wine in front of Luc Tu, the back of her hand

“accidentally”
\touch my finger. My chopsticks stopped. Lam Noan Noan pressed my knee.

“Don't.”

“I wasn't planning on doing anything.”

“It's clearly written on your face what you want to do.”

I bowed my head and ate the food, saying no more. Bach Nhuoc He is still chirping: "Where is Mr. Tu now?"

“Last time you moved house and didn't call me to help.”

Luc Tu said: "I don't want to bother others."

“If we still say annoying words between us.”

I put down my chopsticks.

"Luc Tu, let's go shopping tomorrow weekend."

The whole table was silent for a second. Bach Nhuoc He looked at me, his eyes glancing from my ponytail to my canvas shoes.

“Who is this?”

Chu Ngon cleared his throat: “My wife's close friend, To Niem Recite.” Bach Nhuoc He smiled, a very measured smile but with a bit of condescension.

“Oh, sister-in-law's friend.”

She turned to Luc Tu: "Mr. Tu, didn't you tell me to go see the car this weekend?" Luc Tu glanced at me. I also looked at him.

“Don't go anymore.”

He said. Bach Nhuoc He's smile stiffened for a split second.

“What time tomorrow?”

You asked me. A firework bloomed in my heart.

“At 10 o'clock, I'll come find you.”

Bach Nhuoc He put down the wine glass, his hand was a bit strong. At the end of the party, I met her in the bathroom. She was reapplying her lipstick in front of the mirror, when she saw me coming out of the bathroom, she immediately smiled.

“To Niem Niem, right?”

“Yes.”

“What is your relationship with Mr. Tu?”

“Currently the target of a blind date introduced by Chu Ngon.”

Her lipstick hand stopped and she turned around to look at me.

“See your eyes?”

“Yes.”

She evaluated me for a few seconds, then put the lipstick in her pocket.

"Mr. Tu, his personality is something that not everyone can reach."

“Do you know what his family background is like?”

“Don't know.”

"But you still dare to go on a blind date?"

“What does it have to do with you?”

She was stunned for a moment, not expecting me to say it so directly.

“I just want the best for you.”

She smiled kindly: "Don't let yourself be humiliated in the end." I dried my hands, walked to the door and turned around.

“Thanks for your concern, but I'm pretty good at humiliating myself.”

When we went out, Luc Tu was leaning against the hallway wall, waiting. Seeing me, he asked: "What did she say?"

“What you say is very powerful, I advise you to retreat if it's difficult.”

“So what?”

“I said I wouldn't back out.”

He looked at me, didn't answer, walked forward. Take two steps and stop.

“Tomorrow at 10 o'clock, I'll come pick you up.”

I stood rooted to the spot, suddenly a little unsure of what this person was thinking. The weekend shopping trip went more smoothly than I expected. He doesn't like to talk, but he listens to whatever I say. I took him to walk around 3 shopping centers, tried on 11 sets of clothes, and took pictures of each outfit to send to Lam Noan Noan. He didn't say anything the whole time

“Hurry up”,

“Let's go”,

“Have you bought enough?”