"Quach Phuong, I wish you had never appeared."
"Why?"
"Your appearance has ruined Nhan Tinh's entire life. Quach Phuong, as of today, you and I no longer need to be friends."
That summer was truly unforgettable. Not because of the beautiful sunshine, or the joyful laughter, but because of the cruel words coming from Tan Duat.
Tan Duat, even if the whole world turned its back on me, it was still not as frightening as being abandoned by you.
To love someone was to allow that person to hurt you. This pain had lasted for ten years, until her life itself was broken.
How many cycles of ten years did a person have in their life?
Ever since she was acknowledged by the Ngo family, Tan Duat had stopped talking to her. One day, she saw him move his things to another classmate's desk. They were only three desks apart, yet she felt that the distance between them was as vast as the entire world.
Faced with Tan Duat's estrangement, Quach Phuong showed no unusual reaction. She studied when she needed to study, ate when she needed to eat, and slept when she needed to sleep. It was as if Tan Duat was just a passing stranger to her.
But only Quach Phuong knew that while studying, her tears would soak the paper. While eating, her eyes were silently filled with tears. At night, she would bury her face in her pillow and cry until she was utterly exhausted.
She really wanted to ask Tan Duat one question: "Was it my fault that the nurse made a mistake back then?"
In this world, no child wished to be born alone and abandoned, without any support. Tan Duat had never seen Quach Phuong being beaten until her limbs were bruised, only able to endure it in silence. He had never seen an exhausted Quach Phuong being hospitalized from working nearly twelve hours every day.
Tan Duat had never seen how much Quach Phuong loved him, to the point of breaking her own heart, with wounds upon wounds.
That was why he believed Quach Phuong had taken away Nhan Tinh's family, that Quach Phuong was greedy for the things Nhan Tinh deserved.
Nhan Tinh, Nhan Tinh. If God granted her just one day to become Nhan Tinh, would Tan Duat love her for even a day?
***
On the day of the coming-of-age ceremony, the atmosphere was filled with excitement and hope for a bright future. Yet, Quach Phuong felt empty inside.
It was also during this ceremony that Tan Duat had prepared an elaborate confession for Nhan Tĩnh.
There were balloons, fragrant flowers, and everyone's blessings.
"Nhan Tinh, I've been waiting for 18 years. I don't want to wait any longer. Will you agree to be my girlfriend, Nhan Tinh? After we finish university, I will propose to you again."
The Tan Duat of that time was the most gentle and warm-hearted version of Tan Duat. Unfortunately, Quach Phuong never experienced that side of him even once.
Nhan Tinh covered her face and burst into tears. A beautiful person crying evoked such emotion.
Amidst the enthusiastic cheers and support from everyone, Nhan Tinh nodded in agreement, holding hands with Tan Duat.
Quach Phuong was nestled into a corner, wearing a beautiful blue dress. She smiled wistfully and silently wished Tan Duat happiness from afar.
That day, there were two people deeply in love, and one person who had her heart broken.
Later, after the university entrance exams, Nhan Tĩnh, who always ranked in the top three of her grade, naturally got into a top-tier university. While Tan Duat, with slightly lower grades, managed to get into a reasonably reputable university.
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Waking Up From A Dream, The Person Beside My Pillow Was No Longer There|✔️
Romance**NOT MINE ** !FOR OFFLINE READING PURPOSES! "You're such an old-fashioned person. You still wear the same shirt you bought in the first year of college even after graduation. You liked someone from when you were sixteen, and you still like them ten...
