Chapter 24 — Wedding Day Without Bride

Khuong Van continued: "At the wedding dress shop, you can leave. At the gallery, you can not sign. At the hospital, you can refuse to use my body as a chess piece. At the old gallery, you can put down the knife." The judge tapped his gavel. When the trial ended, Hua Tri Ha collapsed paralyzed on the chair. Before being led away, she suddenly turned around:

“Pho Thinh Lan, have you ever loved me?”

Deputy Thinh Lan stood in the audience row, her face pale. He didn't answer right away. Hua Tri Ha burst out laughing:

"You see, Khuong Van, he doesn't love anyone. He only loves his own great ego."

Khuong Van stood up and left. As soon as he reached the door, Pho Thinh Lan chased after him:

“Van Van.”

"After testifying, what else do you have to do, Mr. Deputy?"

He was stung by this name.

"That statement by Hua Tri Ha is not completely wrong."

Khuong Van stopped walking. Pho Thinh Lan said bitterly:

"Before, I thought taking care of you meant I loved you. Later I realized, I was just enjoying the feeling that you needed me. You recovered, and after leaving, I saw clearly how despicable I was."

Khuong Van replied: "It's good to see clearly." He asked: "Can we still meet in the future?" Khuong Van looked at the steps outside the court. The sunlight was so bright, she no longer needed to squint to adapt.

"I'll see you when you come to pay."

Deputy Thinh Lan smiled bitterly:

“What about besides paying?”

Khuong Van turned and walked down the steps:

“Then it's not necessary anymore.”

Deputy Thinh Lan stood still, the wind blew the subpoena in his hand. He didn't chase anymore. * The day Nam Thanh Fine Arts Institute officially issued a notice, Bac Thanh poured a storm of rain. Khuong Van brought "Xuan Son Vu Hau" back to Nam Thanh. Pho Nhat Ninh dragged two large suitcases behind, and Aunt Trieu stuffed the girl with a bag of boiled eggs.

“Don't be a straw hero when you get there. If anyone bullies you, call me.”

Pho Nhat Ninh hugged the egg sac, his eyes were wet:

“Aunt Trieu, you look exactly like my grandmother.”

Aunt Trieu pretended to attack:

"Are you that old?"

Aunt Lam stood next to the car and urged:

“If you don't go, you'll miss your flight now.”

Khuong Van looked back at the old house one last time. The pomegranate tree was soaked and shiny by the rain, and the portrait my mother painted was kept carefully in a moisture-proof chest. Pho Thinh Lan did not come to see him off. When the car reached the intersection, Mr. Chau called:

"Miss Khuong, Pho Tinh Lan has sold the gallery. The first payment will be in your account today."

Khuong Van said: "Just follow the contract." Lao Chau hesitated:

“He stood for a long time in front of the gallery door, and finally took down the sign himself, hugging the sign and sobbing.”

Aunt Trieu heard this and pouted:

“Crying for the sign is better than crying for the viewer.”

Khuong Van did not comment. The car drove onto the highway, Bac Thanh slowly retreated into the rain. Nam Thanh Fine Arts Institute is quieter than Khuong Van's memories. The warehouse was filled with the art books her mother had personally arranged during her lifetime, and the corners of the table still had small scratches that she accidentally left in the past. The first day Pho Nhat Ninh went to work, he was assigned to carry boxes. The girl carried it three times in a row, exhausted and sitting on the ground panting. Aunt Trieu teased through the video screen:

“Cry Not yet?"

Deputy Nhat Ninh wiped his sweat:

“No. It's just that these boxes don't know anything at all.”

Aunt Lam walked by with a serious face:

“Ten more left.”

Deputy Nhat Ninh crawled up:

“I'll do it now.”

Khuong Van sat in the appraisal room, in front of a newly arrived mountain and water painting. The person who brought the painting was a young man, wearing a clean shirt and speaking very calmly.

“Miss Khuong, my name is Ta Nghien Chu. My father has been collecting this painting for many years, and now I would like to ask you to help me see it."