Chapter 8
Chapter 8 — Try Loving Me
That night when I got home I couldn't sleep, I kept staring at the ceiling thinking all night. Not thinking about what Luc Tu said
“invest in me”
. I'm thinking about it - from the moment I met you until now, what kind of person I have become. To Niem Niem of the past: Being attached to people, not independent, being pushed to do work and not daring to refuse, being robbed of work and only crying, feeling of security had to depend on others. What about now? I know how to bounce back, know how to refuse, know how to keep my trump cards, know how to stand up and protest in front of the entire company, know how to spend 3 sleepless days to come up with a plan that would take others a month to complete. It's not Luc Tu that made me like that. But he let me know that I could naturally become such a person. In the 6th month of falling in love, Bach Nhuoc He appeared for the last time. Not at the banquet table — but down in the lobby of my company. That afternoon, when I went downstairs to buy coffee, she stood at the door of the shop, as if she was deliberately waiting for me.
“To Niem Niem.”
“Bach Nhuoc He.”
“What are you doing here?”
"I'm here to meet a client, and I wanted to talk to you a few words."
She was wearing a very expensive coat, holding a cup of oatmeal latte, and her aura was still the same as when they first met - unmistakable arrogance and condescension.
“What are you talking about?”
“I want to ask you something.”
“You ask.”
“Do you really understand Luc Tu as a person?”
“What do you mean?”
“Do you know his family situation?”
I looked at her.
“If you want to say something, say it directly.”
She smiled: "Luc Tu's father is Luc Dinh Chu." I've seen this name in financial news. Luc Dinh Chu, founder of Dinh Chu Capital fund, is one of the first generation PE (private investment fund) people in the country, managing investment funds with a scale of tens of billions of yuan.
“He is a wealthy second generation.”
Bach Nhuoc He looked at me,
“Do you know?”
“What if you know?”
“He never mentioned his family to you?”
I was silent for a second. Truly never. He just told me
“make an investment”
,
“enough”
,
“less than 10 numbers”
. Never mentioned who my father is.
“He didn't say anything, which doesn't mean he's hiding it from me.”
I replied. Bach Nhuoc He shook his head and smiled: "To Niem Niem, do you believe that his family will never accept you?"
“What does that have to do with you?”
“His family and I have known each other for ten years.”
“His mother loves me very much.”
“Miss, why don't you two get together?”
Finally, her face changed.
“I would be kind enough to remind you—”
“Bach Nhuoc He.”
I interrupted her,
“You reminded me three times already.”
“The first time was in the bathroom, the second time was at the year-end party, the third time is now.”
"Every time it's implicitly implied that I'm not worthy of him."
Her lips moved.
“But did you find out — every time it happens, the person he chooses is still me.”
“That's because—”
“There is no because.”
“He chose me for no reason.”
“If you want to know why, go ask him.”
“Don't come ask me.”
I turned and walked into the coffee shop. She stood behind for a while then left. I bought a latte upstairs and texted Luc Tu.
“Bach Nhuoc He came to find me.”
“Say what.”
“Say your father is Luc Dinh Chu, say My family will not accept you.”
You don't reply immediately. Probably about a minute later.
“Do you care?”
“Does your family really not accept you?”
“I never asked their opinion.”
“What if—”
“To Niem Niem.”
“Yes.”
“I've lived in this world for 30 years, and I've never had anything that required my family's approval.”
“…”
“But my father—”
“Since the age of 18, I have never taken a penny from my family.”
“The company was founded by me.”
I was stunned.
“You don't use the family's money?”
“No.”
“The first investment was in my 4th year of university, I collected it myself, took the scholarship money plus the internship salary and threw it into a seed round project, earning 10 times more.”
“You already know what happened after that.”
I don't know. I absolutely don't know.
“Why didn't you say anything before?”
“It doesn't matter.”
“Very important!”
“Okay, so now I know.”
“Are there any other problems?”
“…”
“It's over.”
“So do you still believe Bach Nhuoc He's words?”
“I don't believe it anymore.”
“Yes.”
“Luc Tu.”
“Yes.”
“You're so cool.”
“Me too.”
“I'm still very far behind.”
“If it's bad, then chase after it.”
I put down the phone and suddenly felt like a fire was burning in my chest. Not the fire of love — but a feeling of being recognized by others, of being treated as equals, of being truly considered as a fellow partner. He never stood from above looking down. He never said
"I raised you".
He said
"I invest in you".
On the condition that my plan must pass through your barrier. Fair. Respect. That moves me more than any romantic saying. 7 months into our relationship, I made a decision. Leave work. It's not impulsive - but in the past 3 months I've learned what I needed to learn, finished leading the projects I needed to lead, and got the results I needed to get. Ms. Phuong knew what was going on and immediately called me in to talk.
“Tieu To, are you sure?”
“Sure.”
“I want to work on my own.”
“What part?”
“Brand consulting for new consumer segments.”
She looked at me for a moment then nodded: "You have that ability."
“If you need resources, just find me.”
I bowed in thanks. The day I left the company, Tieu Lam waited for me at the door.
"Miss Niem, what should I do now that you're gone?"
"I'm already good at it myself, I don't need you anymore."
“But I—”
“Tieu Lam.”
I patted her shoulder,
“Whenever you need to bounce back, you have to bounce back. Whenever you have to shoulder the burden, you shoulder it yourself. No one can rely on others forever.”
The girl's eyes were red and she nodded. I suddenly found this sentence familiar. It seems like a long time ago, someone told me on the riverbank. It took 2 months to prepare. Luc Tu helped me connect 3 potential customers, 2 industry consultants, and 1 legal team. It's not for free - everything follows proper commercial processes, if you need to sign an agreement then sign it, if you need to pay a fee then pay.
“I'm not taking advantage of you.”
I tell you.
“Yes.”
When signing the papers, he didn't even lift his head: "If you make me lose money, we will only have a purely commercial relationship."
“What do you mean?”
“It means I have to earn money to pay you back.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“Just encouraging you.”
I bit the end of my pen and glared at him. He finally raised his head, the corners of his lips curled slightly.
“What are you afraid of?”
“I will evaluate your plan Already."
“Within 3 years payback is no problem.”
“What if—”
“Don't miss it.”
"It took me only 3 hours to fix Trieu Dinh's broken plan into a 10. The thing I made myself won't be bad."
I took a deep breath — no, I clenched my fists.
“Okay, then I'll start.”
“Yes.”
“Move on.”
The day I registered the company, my name appeared on the business license. Legal representative: To Niem Niem. I took a photo and sent it to Lam Noan Noan. She sent back a series of exclamation points and a voice message: "To Niem Niem, you really opened a company!!" Chu Ngon stood next to him and shouted: "Remember to give us a discount!" That day Luc Tu didn't say anything special. It's just that when I got home that night, in the car he gave me a box. Opening it was a Montblanc sign pen.
“Later used to sign contracts.”
I caressed the pen body, it was very neat, very sturdy.
“Thank you.”
“Nothing.”
“If you earn money, invite me out to eat.”
“What to eat?”
“Porridge is fine.”
I burst out laughing. From working overtime until 9 p.m., sitting alone in a convenience store, until now — I have my own company, my own customers, my own team. A year has passed. Just like a dream. But it's not a dream. That is the result of every sleepless night, every struggle, every carefully prepared trump card, every time "it needs to be turned on" in exchange. Opened 3 months ago.