Chapter 7 — Try Loving Me

Half an hour later his phone rang, he answered it, said a few words and then hung up. Then he reported back to me: “Duong Minh Vien, who previously worked as a post-investment manager at a consumer fund, likes data-based solutions, especially focusing on calculating ROI and user retention models.”

“He doesn't like big drawing concepts, he likes detailed things, specific to every detail.”

I stared at him.

“How come you've already captured someone in just half an hour?”

“I'm an investor, understanding people is a basic skill.”

I took the phone to record everything he said, then raised my head.

“Luc Tu.”

“Yes.”

“Can you sleep in my car for another 20 minutes?”

“The back seat is already down.”

I climbed into the back seat and lay down, he adjusted the air conditioning temperature accordingly, rolled up the window, all outside noise was isolated. 20 minutes later, my alarm rang. When I scrambled up, he was still leaning against the front seat reading documents.

"I'm leaving."

I said.

“Do you need any help?”

“No need, that information is enough.”

“The direction you suggest is very important.”

"Then I'll come pick you up tonight."

“There's no need to bother—”

“It's okay, I have to work overtime tonight.”

“When you're done, it's time to turn around.”

“My company is half a city away from yours.”

“Say it a second time.”

He lowered the window and looked at me,

“Half the city is not far.”

I bit my lip and smiled, turned around and ran into the company. The next two days I worked like I was injected with chicken blood. Based on the information provided by Luc Tu, I rebuilt the entire framework of the plan - focusing on data, ROI models, and detailed analysis of user retention. Right direction, performance increases 10 times. Sunday night at 10 p.m., the final version of the plan was completed. I sent the file to Ms. Phuong. 10 minutes later, Ms. Phuong texted back: "Very good."

“Much better than the previous version.”

“Did you come up with this direction yourself?”

“I looked up some more documents.”

“Tomorrow's meeting with the client will be a very easy presentation, I think I'll pass.”

Monday morning, meeting with customers. Duong Minh Vien listened from beginning to end without interrupting me. After the presentation, he flipped through the printout in his hand and asked 3 questions, all related to the data level, which I answered fluently. Finally he nodded: "This direction is fine."

“Let's finalize one more round of details, and issue an implementation plan next week.”

When I walked out of the meeting room, Ms. Phuong patted my shoulder.

“Tieu To, very good.”

It's just two words, but the words coming out of her mouth carry a lot of weight. I texted Luc Tu: "It's over."

“Yes.”

“Your information is very helpful.”

“It's not because of your information, it's because you did well yourself.”

“Can't you let me thank you for a moment?”

“If you want to thank me, come eat with me tonight.”

“Yes.”

“More.”

“Yes?”

“Don't stay up all night anymore.”

“…”

“Yes.”

The fourth month of our relationship, Luc Tu took me to meet his friends. Not friends like Chu Ngon — but people in his work circle. A private dinner, four men and me. When I sat down I was a bit nervous, because I later found out that there were 3 people at the table, one was Vice President of a listed company, one was a partner. very famous in the investment world, the other manages a certain industry investment fund. These are all names that appear on financial news. As for me, a project manager of a normal company, sitting here I don't know where to put my hands and feet to avoid embarrassment. Luc Tu seemed to realize, he gently pressed my hand under the table.

“This is my girlfriend, To Niem Niem.”

A short introduction, not a single word superfluous. The man named Han, Partner, laughed: "Luc Tu also has a girlfriend?"

“It's rare.”

“A happier fate than your single life.”

Luc Tu replied. The whole table laughed. The atmosphere of the meal was actually very comfortable, unlike the scene of toasting and discussing business matters as I imagined. More like a couple of old friends sitting around chatting with each other. But in the middle of the meal, there was one detail I always remember. When the Partner named Han clinked glasses with Luc Tu, he said one sentence: "Your new energy project has passed the council, right?"

“Congratulations.”

Luc Tu nodded: "Yes, sign next week."

“What scale?”

“Leading the series B capital round, 200 million (NDT).”

(about nearly 700 billion VND) The chopsticks in my hand almost fell down. Two hundred million. That's what he called

“enough”

? On the way home, I sat in the passenger seat, silent without saying a word. He glanced at me.

“What's wrong?”

“You lead the investment capital of 200 million.”

“The company's money, not your personal money.”

“But you manage that money.”

“Yes.”

"How much is your assets?"

He thought for a moment: "It depends on what you think."

“Be blunt.”

“Less than 10 numbers.”

Less than 10 numbers means hundreds of millions of yuan (several trillion VND). I fell silent.

“Why didn't you ever tell me before?”

"I didn't ask."

“I asked, you said it was enough!”

“That's really enough.”

“Luc Tu!”

“Yes.”

“Do you think the distance between me and you is too big?”

He turned to look at me, his eyes extremely serious.

“Who said there is a distance?”

“My monthly salary is 10,000, about 42 million VND, and you—”

“To Niem Niem.”

You interrupted me,

"I've never seen a distance between us."

“You think too much.”

“I don't think much—”

“Today I approved the customer's plan, it only took 3 days to rebuild the entire frame from zero. What do you think you are weak at?”

I'm speechless.

“The gap is in terms of numbers, not in terms of people.”

After speaking, he pulled the car to the side of the road, turned completely to look at me: "Are you starting to think haphazardly again?"

“…”

“A little.”

“So tell me clearly.”

He looked straight into my eyes,

“What you're looking for is people, not property.”

“If I also had a few hundred million, I'm not sure you would have kept an eye on me.”

“What do you mean?”

“Rich people are so bland.”

“And you are not bland.”

I glared at him for a moment, then burst out laughing.

“Is this a compliment to you?”

“That's it.”

“So reluctant.”

“That's enough.”

“Let's go, take me home.”

I leaned back in the chair, watching the street lights drift behind one by one through the car window. There is a very solid feeling in my heart. Not because he has money. But because he has never used money to define this relationship. 5th month of falling in love. My project perfect success. It's not a small success - but the customer poured more budget for the whole year, appointed me as the person in charge of foreign affairs, and Ms. Phuong praised me twice in the department meeting. At the company's year-end evaluation, I received an award

“Best project”

. The day she received the award, her colleagues applauded loudly, Tieu Lam took a photo and posted it to the chat group. Below, someone commented: "Miss Niem is so great." Someone else said: "Didn't we say she used to be lazy and skip work?"

“This year it's like I've become a different person.”

I read it and smiled slightly. Truly transformed into a different person. That night, Luc Tu took me out to eat a very expensive French meal - this was a rare time he took the initiative to create it

“ritual”

.

“Congratulations.”

He raised his glass.

“Finally, I'm willing to spend money.”

"When do you regret spending money on me?"

"Every time I take you out to eat porridge."

“That was when I worked overtime and didn't have time to eat properly.”

“What about today?”

“Today you deserve it.”

I clink my glass with you. As the sip of wine just passed down his throat, he suddenly said: "To Niem Niem, have you ever thought about working on your own?" I stopped.

“Do what separately?”

“The plan I worked on last time - the new consumer industry, I knew better than most people in my company.”

“I've seen your ribs before.”

“Are you peeping?”

“The other day you were working in my office, I took a look.”

“…”

“Are you praising me or are you digging a corner?”

“Both.”

“I've only been working for more than 2 years, it's too early to work on my own now.”

“Don't tell me to do it now.”

He put down his glass of wine,

“I'm just telling you — when you're ready, I'll invest in you.”

I looked at him, my heart pounding.

“Are you serious?”

"You're never serious."

“You didn't invest in me because I'm your girlfriend, right?”

“If your plan is bad, even if you were my wife, I wouldn't invest.”

I was choked by you.

“So you think I can do it?”

“I saw what you made after 3 sleepless nights.”

He said,

“The methodology is correct, the sensitivity to data is accurate, the customer side has also verified it.”

“What I lack is only experience and resources.”

“Experience and resources—”

“Experience I have accumulated on my own.”

“Your resources help me connect.”

“It's not about giving you free things, it's about connecting you.”

I was silent for a long time.

“I will think.”

“Yes.”

“No rush.”