Chapter 22 — Women Don't Need To Be Chosen

“Nien Niem, have you thought about how you will go next?”

“Spirit Capital continues to expand, five-year goal is valuation of 200,000,000,000 yuan.”

She shook her head and put down her chopsticks.

“It's not the company, it's me.”

I understand what you mean.

“Mom, what happened to Tham Mac—”

“It's not about him.”

Her eyes looked at me very deeply, without forcing, without urging, just a very light question.

“It's you, To Niem, after everything you've been through... do you want to live for yourself?”

“For the past twenty-six years, I've grown up on my own, built my own career, endured a failed marriage... I've never stopped to ask what I really want.”

“Everything I want, I can get it myself.”

“Materials can be acquired by themselves, but people do not live only by money.”

I was silent.

"Nien Niem, I'm not forcing you to get married. I just want to say... you have the right to allow others to treat you well."

A sentence as light as the wind, but touches the most painful spot. After three years of marriage, I devoted myself to Luc Canh Tham, but no one was there for me. Seven years into my career, I am devoted to my customers, partners, and team, but people who are truly kind to me... are very few. Except for one person. The person who quietly brought me into the industry at the age of nineteen. The person behind the investment of five hundred thousand in the seed round. The only person who, when everyone turned their backs, still said one sentence to me—

“You deserve it.”

“I understand, mother.”

To Cam Hoa smiled, her eyes softening like a late afternoon. That night, on the way home, I texted Tham Mac.

“The investment you mentioned… still counts?”

He answered immediately.

"Still. When will the contract be signed?"

“Weekend. But don't sign at the office.”

“It's up to you to choose.”

He sent an address. A small cafe on the mountain, overlooking the whole city.

"When I found this place, you were still at the Luc family. At that time I thought... when you were free, I would take you here to sit."

I looked at the screen for a long time. In the end, just answer with one word. Five years later. Tinh Than Capital surpassed the valuation mark of 300,000,000,000 yuan, far surpassing the previous target. The medical AI project became a national model, the East of the city became the most valuable technology core, where every building carries the breath of the future. To Thi and Tinh Than cooperate extensively but do not merge. To Cam Hoa said, everyone must have their own sky, no need to live under anyone else's shadow. I live in a villa designed by myself, with floor-to-ceiling glass doors that open up to a panoramic view of the technology park. Every morning I wake up and see what I built—it feels like watching myself grow up. Dinh Huy moved its headquarters to Giang Thanh, right next to the technology park. He said it was because of “work”. No one believes it. The second year we were together, he proposed right at the mountain cafe that day. No rings, no flowers, no kneeling. It was just a cup of coffee being pushed towards me, at the bottom of the cup was a mat, on which was written a sentence—

“From the analysis when I was nineteen years old… to today, and all the days after.”

I answered with one word. Luc Canh Tham brought Luc Thi to the floor. On the day the bell rang, he posted a status line:

“Thank you to everyone who helped me. Especially the person who taught me how to stand up for myself.”

I dropped a like. No comments. Bach Nhuoc Tinh built the brand "So Tuyet", and in the third year, she reached the ring B, valuation 500,000,000 yuan. In an interview, she said:

“My turning point was when a former 'love rival' told me—stop living like a chess piece.”

My grandmother is eighty-two, every morning she goes to the park to play Tai Chi, her laughter echoes like the morning wind. To Cam Hoa retired, moved to Giang Thanh, living right next to me.

“Looking for you for twenty-six years, for the rest of my life… I won't go anywhere else.”

Tien Ngoc Hoa lived alone in an old house in the south of the city for five years. It was said that after that she became seriously ill and had to be hospitalized. Luc Canh Tham visits every week. And she... never mentioned me again. It was as if all the past events had been buried in a period of life that could not be returned. And also good. There are people... we should leave them in the past. One sunset, Tham Mac and I sat at a cafe on the mountain, watching the whole city below gradually light up.

“Have you ever thought that if you hadn't signed the divorce agreement that day…”

“There are no ifs.”

“Because the moment I signed, I had already decided.”

“What decision?”

"Reclaim everything that belongs to me. Then move on, don't look back."

He looked at me, his eyes dark as night water.

“I did it.”

I raised my cup of coffee. Outside the glass window, the city glowed like a chess game that lasted a long time, each piece finally returning to its correct position. That evening, on the way home, I received a letter. Real paper, handwritten. Sender: Tien Ngoc Hoa. I opened it right in the car. The content is very short. I won't apologize to you. Because apologizing can't change what happened. But there's something I want to tell you. That day, during a family meal, when I forced her to sign the divorce papers, under the table, Canh Tham held her hand once. You can't feel it, but I see it. It never paid attention to her. He's just like his father, there are words he never dares to say. She chose someone stronger than him. That's right. Tien Ngoc Hoa" I folded the letter and put it in the trunk of the car. When I got home, Tham Mac stood waiting at the door.

“Who sent it?”

“An old person.”

“Is it important?”

“It doesn't matter anymore.”

I entered the house. On the living room table is a bouquet of white daisies, identical to the bouquet he gave me five years ago. Next to it is a set of documents. I picked it up to see. Latest valuation report of Tinh Than Capital. Three hundred and twelve billion. On the cover was his handwriting—

“My five hundred thousand, now it's more than three hundred billion. Is your investment look… still okay?”

I laughed. Put the documents down, walk to the window. The city night is quiet but profound. The medical technology park in the distance is still lit, thousands of people are working, they don't know how many confrontations, how many silent games of chess this place was built from. They are just living their lives. Just like twenty-six years ago, a child was left at the gate of an orphanage, not knowing that far away there was a mother who was building an empire for him. Just like seven years ago, a nineteen-year-old girl wrote an analysis, not knowing that there was a person who decided to stand behind her all her life. There are things that, while happening, you don't even know about. When I look back, I understand - not a single step was meaningless. I stood by the window. Behind is the warm light of a roof. Ahead is the bright light of the whole city. The wind crept through the door, bringing with it the warmth of late spring. I stretch.

“Tham Mac.”

“Tomorrow morning, take me out for coffee.”

“The restaurant on the mountain?”