Chapter 3 — Unforgettable Taste

“Are you sure you have never offended anyone from Niem Chi Vi?”

“Never, I swear.”

Tien Vi stared at him for a few seconds, then seemed to remember something:

“Ah yes… your ex-wife, her bakery… is also called Niem Chi Vi, right?”

Luc Chinh was stunned.

"That's true. But it's just a small bakery in an alley, just over a dozen square meters. It's completely incomparable to that chain of brands."

“Are you sure?”

"Of course. Someone like her who only earns 6,000 yuan a month, how can—"

Having said this, he suddenly fell silent. In my head, a light suddenly flashed. Niem Chi Vi. Impossible... He immediately pulled out his phone and searched for "founder of Niem Chi Vi". The results were almost identical — the founder's identity was kept completely confidential. All I know is that it was a woman, her initials being S.N., who started her business from scratch, starting from a roadside bakery of only fifteen square meters, taking five years to build into a chain of 1,200 stores nationwide. Fifteen square meters. Roadside bakery. Luc Chinh's fingers began to tremble. He opened Niem Chi Vi's official website and scrolled to the "Brand Story" section. A photo appeared — the front of an old bakery, the sign with the three words "Nien Chi Vi" handwritten. That sign. That alley. The alley where he had stood countless times waiting for To Niem. It's the same place. The phone slipped from his hand, fell to the tile floor, the screen cracked. Tien Vi stood next to him and said something, but he didn't hear it at all. There was only one sentence left in his mind, repeating it over and over again like a mantra: Isn't it... only 6,000 yuan a month? He seemed crazy, rushing to rummage through To Niem's belongings. But the house was cleaned by Tien Vi without a trace. He ran to the door, yanking open a drawer he had never opened before. Inside… there was only one thing. A white envelope. On it were written two words — “Luc Chinh”. He tore it open and pulled out the letter. Just a few short lines. But each word... cuts like a knife.

“The 800,000 yuan you owed when your startup failed in 2019, I will pay.”

“Your mother's 400,000 yuan hospital bill in 2021 is my responsibility.”

"Your 'year-end bonus', I actually transferred the money to your boss, asking him to give it back to you in the name of the bonus."

“Also, the founder of the chain of 1,200 Niem Chi Vi stores... is me.”

“Last year's brand valuation report, you can look it up yourself.”

“Peace be safe. — To Niem.”

The paper fell from his hand, fluttering to the floor. Luc Chinh stood dumbfounded at the door, as if all the bones in his body had been stripped clean. 800 million yuan. The "bakery woman" that he had despised for three years... was that valuable. The phone number he once blocked... was someone he couldn't reach in his entire life. And she - without his knowledge - silently paid his debts, took care of his mother, even used her own money... pretending to be a bonus to protect his self-esteem. Luc Chinh suddenly bent down, his hands on his knees, his stomach churning.

"Luc Chinh? What's wrong with you?" Tien Vi walked out of the bedroom.

He didn't answer. He picked up the phone, intending to call. Then suddenly I remembered. He… blocked her. He quickly unblocked and called back.

“The number you just dialed has been locked.”

Call again. Still the notification voice That's cold. He opened WeChat and looked for To Niem's number. No results. She changed her number. She had completely disappeared from his world. Luc Chinh leaned his back against the wall, slowly slid down, sitting on the floor. Tien Vi bent down and picked up the letter. Just reading it once, her expression turned from confusion to horror.

“Is this… real?”

Luc Chinh did not respond.

“No way… her appearance — apron, canvas shoes, covered in flour — how could it be possible…”

“That's enough.” Luc Chinh's voice was hoarse.

He closed his eyes. After three years of marriage, he always thought of himself as the giver. Turns out… he was the one being raised. And it was his hand... that pushed that person out of his life. At this time, To Niem was at the airport. She pulled a 20-inch suitcase, wore a simple white t-shirt and jeans, her hair tied back. Giang Van drove her there.

“Are you really not going to reconsider?” Giang Van leaned against the car door, her eyes full of regret. “Your career in the country is rising like a meteorite…”

"The company's work has been assigned to the team, I'm just going to the Hangzhou branch to stay temporarily for a while."

“You are avoiding Luc Chinh.”

“What are you avoiding?” To Niem turned his head to look at you, his eyes calm. “I just don't want to breathe the same air as him in the same city.”

Giang Van sighed softly.

“Sooner or later he will know.”

“What if you know?” To Niem pulled up the suitcase handle. "The divorce papers have been signed, assets are clearly divided. What belongs to him will be returned to him, what belongs to us will still be mine. Legally, we are no longer related."

“So you don't hate him?”

To Niem thought for a moment.

“No regrets.”

"Hating someone takes a lot of energy. I'd rather spend that time researching two new cake recipes."

She smiled very lightly, then pulled her suitcase and walked into the station. Giang Van called out from behind:

“To Niem, you deserve someone better!”

She just waved her hand, not turning back. Before boarding the plane, she posted a status on WeChat Moments. There are no words. Just a photo — the airport runway, sunlight falling on the plane's wings, so bright it was blinding. Her WeChat contacts... no longer had Luc Chinh. In this state, he will never be able to see. But she didn't care. The moment the plane took off, she took off her watch to check the time. Two fifteen minutes in the afternoon. Three years of marriage... officially ended. New days, starting from an altitude of thirty thousand meters.