Chapter 18 — Want the house to be named after your father? So You Pay The Money

He looked up at me once, then quickly moved away.

“You… left Lo Island a few years ago.”

He speaks slowly

“Go work somewhere else, then come back.”

I don't ask more. I have also heard these stories vaguely from a few old acquaintances. For example... his parents were arrested because of that case. For example... because he helped them transfer money, he was implicated. Even though the sentence was not severe in the end, he still had to stay there for half a year. For example... after going out, everything has to start again from the beginning.

“I heard you are very good now.”

He tried to laugh

“I looked up your name online and saw that you worked on many famous projects.”

“It's normal.”

“Just came across a few good opportunities.”

“Not a chance.”

He shook his head

“That day at the cafe, what you said… I thought about it many times.”

“I said… I won't marry a man without political opinions.”

His throat moved slightly

“At that time I didn't understand, later… I finally understood.”

I said nothing. There are things that other people say a hundred times and it's useless. You have to put your head in, hurt yourself... to understand.

“About my parents… you already know, right?”

he asked.

“Know a little.”

I don't deny it. Something happened to Trieu Minh Son's company that year, causing quite a stir. The books of violations are piling up, and the amount of money involved is so large that it sends chills down one's spine. At that time, I completely broke off with him. But when each familiar name was read in the news... I still stood there dumbfounded for a long time. What they once called "a lifetime's worth of sweat and tears"... turned out to have too many unclean parts. I don't know what he was thinking when he stood in court, watching his parents being read each crime... I just knew, from that moment, I completely understood... behind the old wedding house, was a huge black ice block.

“The day they were taken away, I sat in the audience.”

He bowed his head

"Your mother suddenly turned to look at you, her eyes were very panicked, her lips moved... but she couldn't say anything."

He stopped.

“At that time in my mind… there was only one sentence you said in the house sales room.”

He's slow

“I ask you… 9,300,000 yuan, is it a card swipe or a bank transfer.”

I gently squeezed the paper cup in my hand, the edge of the cup pressed against my fingertips a bit painfully.

“At that time I really hated you.”

He continued

"I hate you for saying that, I hate you for checking my company's books, I hate you for asking for a lawyer."

I looked at him. There is no turmoil in my heart, only a very slight bit of bitterness.

“But then… you started seeing every piece of evidence, hearing every testimony.”

His voice was hoarse

"I discovered... every word you said was true."

“It's none of my business.”

“It's a lot of people working together.”

“But if I hadn't been so determined to follow through at that time... maybe things wouldn't have broken out so quickly.”

He smiled faintly

“You know, even now my mother still thinks… that you hurt them.”

“That was her choice.”

“She can blame me, she can blame society... she just doesn't want to blame herself.”

“I know.”

He nodded

“So I won't defend them anymore in the future.”

He looked up, something difficult to say in his eyes.

“I just wanted to say one thing to you… thank you.”

He said every word clearly

“Thank you for not jumping into that hole that year.”

I paused a bit.

"If At that time you will really marry me... when everything breaks out, you will definitely be dragged in too.”

He smiled slightly

“With the way I poured my heart out that day, I sometimes even helped them sign all sorts of complicated papers.”

"No."

I said reflexively. He shook his head

“Yes. Because at that time… I trusted you too much.”

I was stopped and for a moment didn't know what to say.

“Now that I think about it, you were really selfish back then.”

He continued

“While enjoying my kindness, I don't dare to break with my parents. You're right, I see you as someone who can always give way."

“No need to turn it over again.”

“I want to turn it over.”

He's stubborn

“You deserve to hear me admit it.”

I was silent for a while.

“What about you now?”

“What are you going to do?”

“Do good work.”

He gently pulled the corner of his lips

"I don't rely on anyone anymore, I don't think I have any privileges."

He stopped, then looked toward the drawing on the wall.

“You know what?”

“Looking at the things you do… I'm so jealous.”

“Jealous of what?”

I'm a bit curious.

“Jealous because you actually turned that house… into what you wanted.”

He pointed to a photo of the elementary library

“If that year the wedding house was bought, it would just be one of many houses in my family's name. But now… it has become a book for many children.”

I followed the direction he pointed. In the photo, a group of children lie face down on the wooden floor, some holding books, some holding brushes, with such simple joy on their faces that it makes people feel sad. At that moment, my throat suddenly constricted very slightly.

“Actually, I came to see you today, there's one more thing.”

He took a deep breath

“I want to say sorry to you.”

I looked at him.

“It's not like 'I regret losing you'.”

He added

“It's more like... 'I finally see my side clearly', so I want to be honest for once.”

“You don't have to explain to me.”

“But you have to explain to yourself that day.”

He lowered his eyes

“Back then, I always thought you were fighting with me… fighting over the family, fighting over the house, fighting over the things I thought belonged to me. Only later did I understand... I just wanted a space that belonged to me."

The light in the hall fell from above, stretching his shadow below his feet. I suddenly remembered the man that year, at the coffee shop, holding my wrist tightly, crying like a child. At that time, he still thought... just cry a little, beg a few words, and he could bring everything back to the original point. But in human life, there has never been such a thing as "starting over again". Each choice will leave a mark on the timeline.