Despite her rejection, he still walked over, held her scooter’s handle-bar and led it into the house, then conveniently locked the gate. She turned around in surprise and asked him, “Why don't you water the plants in the yard?”

“Ah see, I said last minute and it escaped me.” His old face looked a bit distraught.

All the trees said in unison, “It's best you forget. Watering any more will kill us.”

He went to pick up the faucet that he had just thrown on the ground and opened the valve, starting to water the plants for second time. She also walked next to him.

“Let me do it for you. You go rest. You have to go for work early tomorrow.” Her voice was gentle and caring.

"It's okay. Let me water it.”

And he sprayed water on the trees again. She stood nearby catching worms and plucking yellow leaves for the persimmon tree in the front yard. The atmosphere between the two seemed harmonious, the corners of his lips naturally curved. One takes care of the leaves, while the other waters freely on the plants. After a while, she heard the phone ring in his pocket.

“It seems like your phone rang just now.” Thinking he didn’t hear, she had to  speak up to remind him.

Honestly, he heard but didn't want to answer the phone, for fear that Thanh's incoming call would ruin this harmonious atmosphere. Now she realized that if he kept ignoring, it would be strange, so he had to take the phone out of his pocket and silently warned himself, next time he will always set the phone to silent mode.

Holding the phone in his hand, his mind was a bit depressed. But this time, he’s blessed, the person calling is another. Seeing the screen displaying the daughter's name, he smiled happily and tapped on the green signal immediately:

“Sweetie, have you just woken up?” His voice is loving.

Van also happily replied on the phone, "Yes! I called Mom but she didn't answer. Mom returned home from teaching yet, Dad?"

He turned to look at Lam, then answered the daughter, "She just came back. Maybe you called while she’s riding, that’s why she couldn’t answer."

“Are you tired from work today?” The little girl's voice was concerned.

“I'm not tired, my princess. Are you ready to go to school?”

"Yes! I miss Dad and Mom, I want to talk a little before I go to school. Dad, switch to the video call. I wanna see both of you." Van whined.

“Okay sweetie!” His voice was also excited.

He turned to Lam again, his face looked happy, "Van called you just now."

"I must have been riding. I haven't checked my phone yet." She also smiled.

Her face showed an eagerness to talk to her daughter immediately. There was also a happy smile on his face, like a man with plenty of happiness.

“Now the daughter wants to see us.”

He said as if both of them were still a couple. She was so excited to talk to the daughter that she didn't notice. She followed him and sat next to him on the sofa. When the call was connected, the little girl on the other side seemed to be a bit  taller and cuter in her parents' eyes.

He looked at the beautiful daughter with satisfaction. Though, she was only thirteen-years old, she seemed taller than her peers. Perhaps thanks to her mother taking good care of her since childhood and following a nutritious diet, her physical development was extremely perfect.

“Are you okay, Van? Do you remember me?” He looked at the daughter affectionately through the phone screen.

“I miss Dad the most, I miss Mom too. Where is Mom, Dad?” The little girl's voice was lively.

“Mom here.” He turned and adjusted the phone close to her face, "Daughter asked you."

She quickly moved closer to him to look at the phone screen. Only the daughter in her eyes, she didn't realize that she was almost leaning close to him, seemingly wanting to take over his place. Recognizing her carelessness, he couldn't help but smile.

This woman is like that, when she sees her daughter, she can no longer think. He dares to bet that when she says goodbye to her daughter and then finds out that she is almost leaning on him, she will definitely jump away. Now she's still catching his phone, sitting close to him to look at the phone screen and talk to the daughter non-stop. She asks the little girl all kinds of things about life there.

“Are you a good girl, Van?” Her voice is loving.

"Of course, I’m very good, if you don't believe me, please ask Aunt Linh." The little girl's voice is extremely confident.

“I believe my Van. Do cousins Bi and Bin talk to you a lot?

“Yes, a lot, Mom. Besides, I got to know my new friends at school.” The daughter's voice sounded happily, "Mom, Dad, I’m a very good student. The other day, the teacher praised me for being the best at math in class.”

“So you are like your Dad. Dad is also good at math.” She complimented him unconsciously, making his lips curl more.

“Mom is also good. Thanks to Mom to teach me English. I’m not afraid of talking to classmates at all.”

“My Van is the best, prettiest, cutest.” This mother did not hesitate to praise her beloved daughter.

Hearing that, the little girl smiled with her eyes narrowed and said, "I’m beautiful because I have a handsome father, Quan, and a beautiful mother, Lam. Is that right, Dad?”

“What my daughter said is quite correct. Thank you for being like your mother to be a pretty girl. If just being like your father, you will become a boy."

Suddenly being complimented by him made her embarrassed, her face suddenly turned red. The little girl saw that and teased, "Dad, Mom is blushing."

“So don't tease her anymore, She’s always shy.” His words were defensive, but he was clearly following his daughter to tease her.

Van pretended to be angry, "Dad defends Mom, so you love her more than me."

"Your jealousy is very bad." He teased the daughter, but did not object to what she said.

Lam sat there even more embarrassed.

“Mom, you’re shy so you don't want to talk to me anymore?” The daughter does not leave her mother alone.

She had to deflect, "Are you ready to go to school? Hurry or you'll be late."

“Yes, it's almost time. Aunt Linh will take three of us to school at 8 o'clock."

“You have to get ready. Have breakfast before going to school. Don't skip it, my sweetie." She advised lovely.

“Yes, I know, Mom. Now I have to go downstairs to have breakfast with aunt and uncle-in-law and cousins. Tomorrow, I will call Mom and Dad again if I have free time. Good night Mom and Dad!”

About to hang up the phone, but thinking about something, she added, "Dad, give Mom a kiss on behalf of me."

Hearing that, she panicked, "Van, you must not talk nonsense. Turn off the phone and go to school."

"No. Dad, please give her a kiss for me." The little girl was stubborn.

She wanted to avoid it, but he acted like he was accidentally forced, so he pulled her back and kissed her lightly on the cheek. Her face couldn't be redder.

He looked at the screen and said naturally, "I gave her a kiss. Is it okay to go to school now, my princess?"

“Thank you, Dad! I love both of you the most. Goodbye, Mom and Dad!”

“Goodbye, sweetie!”

After hanging up the phone, knowing she was still embarrassed, he couldn't bear to see it. Even though he kissed her, he was indeed a bit emotional.

“Sorry I embarrassed you! Van's so naughty."

“No problem!”

“She always thought that nothing was going on between us, so I was very afraid that if she knew the parents were going to divorce, I was afraid she would be shocked. That's why I didn’t want to sign the divorce papers yet. I hope you will also think again for our daughter’s sake. Let's try a little longer, okay Lam?"

He persuaded her impartially, but in fact he was a bit distraught. He didn't understand why he was stubborn and didn't want to separate from her.

"Yes! So let's try best for our daughter a little longer."

Got her agreement, he felt like a burden had been lifted from his heart. Once upstairs, he still couldn't stop the happy smile on his lips. Suddenly he wanted to be with her more. He really doesn't understand himself. All he knows is that for the time being, he doesn't want to sign the divorce petition. Maybe wait more time to understand what he needs clearly.

Now, he feels satisfied with his current life. He feels happy that she and him are still husband and wife, even though only on paper. He still wants to maintain such a relationship with her, mainly he feels secured. But that temporary peace of mind’s going to be destroyed by his mistress a few days later.

***

After work, Thanh wanted him to take her to dinner. But lately, he’s been able to eat some of her cooking, so now he doesn’t like eating out anymore. He then made up an excuse not to go with Thanh.

“My daughter will call tonight, so I have to go home. I'm afraid she'll get suspicious if she doesn't see me at home." He pretended to speak as carefree as possible.

“I really don't understand.” Thanh’s voice was less happy. "You’ve sacrificed for her for many years, now that she's grown up, she should understand. Why haven't you told her clearly yet?"

“We will talk to her at the appropriate time. Because she just arrived, I’m afraid she would be shocked, so I didn't say anything yet."

"I do not think so." Thanh was frustrated, "I feel like you're starting to get bored with me. Lately, you have no longer cared about me earnestly. In our intercourse, you no longer have any feelings."

"Why did you say? Unreasonable doubts." He objected haphazardly, not even sure of anything.

“You say I'm wrongly suspicious, it's ridiculous! You really want to return to your wife and daughter?

Perhaps recently he was in an unstable mood without reasons, now hearing Thanh question, he angrily raised his voice, “Don't make trouble anymore. It's nothing but you’re suspicious. I really don't understand you. You just want everything complicating."

"Really? Am I so suspicious?" Thanh sarcastically said. "Isn’t it that you went your home five or six days a week, how many days were you with me?"

“How can you say so? How many nights I'm on duty at the hospital you know well."

He still doesn't admit that he really has problems recently. He likes going back to his home without understanding the reason.

“Okay you’re on duty, how about the rest nights? What time is it for me?” Thanh growled.

“I've already explained it to you, now is the sensitive time. At night when I’m not on duty, my daughter often calls, that’s why I go back. I told you to wait a little longer, but you make a fuss." He was starting to get impatient.

Thanh also did not give up, "Am I wrongly suspecting you? Funny! Do you think I'm stupid? Can't I sense you're starting to think about your wife more often? You men are so rude. Now you’re starting to get bored with me and want to have a peaceful life with your wife and daughter. Do you think I haven't noticed how reluctant you've been around me lately? I was stupid enough to wait for you all these years.”

She kept blaming, causing him to lose patience, "You're really good at imagining things.  I will go with you tonight, okay?”

"I don't need it." Thanh shouted. “Go back to her. I doesn't need you to grant a favour."

“Don't talk rudely like that. I don't like it.” He was loudly annoyed.

“That's who I am. I'm not as gentle as her. Go home and see your wife who always talks softly over there."

“You prefer making everything messy, right? Now I ask for the last time, are you going to dinner?"

Neither of them has patience anymore, no more gentle words. They raised their voices and lost their temper. The craziest person is now Thanh. Her nature is actually not gentle at all, she never lets herself suffer disadvantages, and there will always be a violent reaction if she is not pleased.

“I'm not going. Go back to her for me.” Thanh didn’t care.

“Up to you.” He was so tired that he wanted to give up.