Chapter 9 — Try Loving Me

Report at the end of the first quarter: 3 customers, 5 projects, revenue exceeded expectations by 40%. I sent a quarterly report to Luc Tu. He replied back with two words: "Very good." Then the second message: “Are you free tonight?”

“Free.”

“What's going on?”

“Take me somewhere.”

He took me to an apartment building. River view, high floor, very new. The elevator goes up to the place, opening the door is a spacious penthouse apartment. Empty, no furniture. Outside the ground-level glass door is the entire river scene and night scene of the other bank.

“What is this?”

I asked.

“Home.”

“Whose?”

“Mine.”

I turned around to look at him.

“What?”

“I exceeded my target in the first quarter.”

He leaned his back against the empty wall in the living room, his hands in his pockets,

“It's for you.”

"Luc Tu, are you crazy?"

“Not crazy.”

“I told you, it's enough for you to spend.”

“Didn't you say to follow the commercial process?”

“What does this mean?”

“This is not commerce.”

He looked at me,

“This is what I want to give you.”

I stood in the middle of the empty living room, under my feet was the cold floor, and before my eyes was a brilliant night sky.

“I can't accept it.”

“Why?”

“Too expensive.”

“You deserve it.”

“It's not a matter of worthiness—”

“To Niem Niem.”

He walked over and stood in front of me: "Since I was little, I've always relied on others. Now I can finally stand on my own two feet."

“This house isn't about me raising you — it's about me wanting to tell you that you can do it.”

I looked into his eyes. Very close. The light shined clearly outlining every line on his face.

“This is your starting point, not your destination.”

He said,

“From now on, every penny I earn, every item I buy, will be mine.”

“This house represents only one thing.”

“What?”

“I'm proud of you.”

My eye sockets are hot.

“Why didn't you say these words sooner?”

“If you talk too much, it will lose its value.”

I rushed to hug him. He paused for a second, wrapped his arms around me, and squeezed me tightly. The river breeze blew in from a not-closed window, cool. But inside he was very warm. Celebrating 1 year of love. The first year my company achieved revenue of over 8 figures, or tens of millions of yuan. It's not thanks to Luc Tu's resources - what he gives is just connections at the starting stage, all future customers and projects are brought in by me personally. Ms. Phuong later became my advisor, supporting and guiding my management every quarter. Tieu Lam quit her job to join my team, and is currently working as my project manager. Lam Noan Noan goes out to eat with me once a week, and there's no need for me to stick to her anymore — because now she's starting to stick to me.

“Recite!”

“Can you get me the internal price of your customer's cosmetics company?”

“Noan Noan, do you have a purpose for asking me to dinner?”

“It's been discovered.”

Chu Ngon's attitude when meeting me is completely different now.

“Boss To.”

“Call me sister.”

“To Niem Niem, don't let yourself be like a unicorn!”

And Trieu Dinh — A few days ago I met him again at an industry forum. He was working as a dispatcher for another company. When he saw my name tag, he was stunned long.

“To…”

“To Niem Niem?”

“Yes.”

“Are you starting your own company now?”

“Yes.”

“What kind of work?”

“New consumer consulting.”

He looked at the booth behind me, at my team, at the business card I held out with three words printed on it.

“Founder”

.

“I…”

“changed so much.”

I smiled slightly.

“No.”

“I'm still very attached to people.”

It's just that the person I stuck with has changed. The way I interact with people has also changed. It's no longer the type of clinging that yearns for a sense of security. It's - two people walking forward side by side, occasionally holding hands, most of the time, everyone is busy with their own work, but as soon as you turn your head, the other person is always there. At the end of the forum, I met Bach Nhuoc He at the exit. Seeing me, her steps stopped. I also saw her. She was a little thinner, her makeup was still as sophisticated as before, but the bottom of her eyes revealed a tired look.

“Long time no see.”

She spoke first.

“Yes.”

“Long time no see.”

“You're doing great now.”

“Thank you.”

She stood there for a moment and then smiled — this time not a condescending smile, but a smile of relief.

“To Niem Niem.”

“What's wrong?”

“He was right to choose you.”

After saying that, she left. I stood still, watching her back blend into the crowd and then disappear. There was a moment when I wanted to say something, but in the end I didn't. Not needed anymore. When I got home that night — that's right, that penthouse — Luc Tu was already home. He is cooking porridge in the kitchen. Apron tied around waist, sleeves rolled up, diligently chopping Bac Thao eggs. This image makes me laugh every time I see it. An investment fund manager with a scale of several billions stood in my kitchen chopping Bac Thao eggs.

“How was today?”

He asked.

“Meet Trieu Dinh.”

“Yes.”

"And met Bach Nhuoc He."

His hands were still crossed: "What did she say?"

“She said you were right in choosing me.”

He turned off the stove, ladled the porridge into a bowl, and brought it to the dining table.

“That's obvious.”

I sat at the dining table looking at him, looking at the person who told me from the beginning

“Try it”

, look at the person who never says a word but does everything to the fullest.

“Luc Tu.”

“Yes.”

“Why did you agree to attend Chu Ngon's blind date back then?”

He put the spoon in the bowl and thought for a moment.

“Because he said I was annoying.”

“…”

“So you came to see the fun?”

“I came to verify.”

“Verify what?”

“What does a person who can pressure Chu Ngon to the point of calling for help look like?”

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

“So what?”

“What are the results of the verification?”

“More interesting than what he said.”

“That's all?”

“More.”

He picked up the bowl of porridge and took a sip.

“The first time we met, you told me I was cannon fodder, I saw that this person spoke frankly.”

“Not fake.”

“I'm not fake either.”

"That's why it's suitable."

I used a spoon to stir the bowl of porridge, feeling very full.

“Luc Tu.”

“What again?”

“In the future, you will still be very attached to me.”

“I know.”

“Don't you mind?”

“If it bothered you, I would have unfriended you on the first day.”

“So why don't you unfriend me?”

He looked at me, put down the bowl of porridge, and said something very serious:

“Because you deserve to be embraced by others.”

My nose was stinging, I quickly bowed my head and drank porridge to hide it Go. The porridge is very hot, so hot that it numbs the tip of the tongue. But I swallowed with choked joy. Outside the window is the sparkling river surface, the light reflecting on the water surface breaks into pieces. I sat in my own house, eating a bowl of porridge cooked by my boyfriend, remembering myself a year ago sitting alone in a convenience store. Back then, I thought I couldn't live without others. Now I understand — I still live very well alone. But having someone by your side will make life better. Celebrating 2 years of love. The company's annual revenue exceeded 20 million yuan. The team expanded from 3 people to 15 people. Having signed an annual framework contract with two leading brands, people in the industry are starting to know the name

“To Niem Niem”

. At an industry conference, Ms. Phuong introduced me to a big boss who asked me: "How old is Boss To?"

“27.”

“To be able to do something on this scale at 27 years old is really good.”

“It's just luck.”

“Luck is also a part of strength.”

I smiled and received the business card. After returning to the company for a meeting with Tieu Lam, she suddenly asked me: "Miss Niem, when are you and boss Luc getting married?"

“Who said marriage?”

“You two have known each other for 2 years.”

“Is 2 years very long?”

“For me, in the past, I couldn't stand not seeing Ms. Lam for a day, but now I love boss Luc and haven't been married for 2 years, which proves that I've really matured.”

I threw the pillow straight at her. She laughed and ran away. But to be honest, I never really thought about getting married. It's not that I don't want to marry Luc Tu — it's that I think it's very good like this now. Each person has their own career, their own pace of life. When needed, they are there for each other. When not needed, they shine brightly in their own world. Until that evening. Luc Tu came to pick me up after work - that's right, he still comes to pick me up after 2 years, it's just that the frequency has decreased from every day to 2 or 3 times a week, because I no longer need someone to pick me up every day.