A tear rolled down her cheek, carrying with it a whole rainy season of memories.
In that moment, she felt as if she had vanished from the world, leaving only her silent heart and hands trembling from emptiness.
As always, Ngoc Vy lay exhausted, clutching her phone, her eyes staring into the distance, waiting for something she could hardly define. She would light up the screen, then turn it off again, not knowing how many times she had repeated this ritual.
Waiting for what? Waiting for Lam Tuan to reach out to her as he used to... But could that really happen?
Her phone suddenly vibrated. She hurriedly opened the message, only to feel disappointed almost immediately.
"Is your leg okay?"
Her hands instinctively moved to her knee, touching the neatly wrapped bandage. A faint warmth spread through her heart. At least she knew someone still cared, even if it was just a stranger, someone not really connected to her life.
"It's okay, just a small wound. Sorry for bothering you." – she forced a smile at herself, sending a polite, distant reply.
This small wound couldn't even compare to the pain she carried inside her.
True to his usual indifferent style, the reply came:
"Good, as long as it's fine. You should rest."
At that moment, his account suddenly online, but this time, he didn't message her.
Her fingers, betraying her will, tapped on Lam Tuan's profile. She stared at the screen, waiting.
He was online, yet he didn't text her.
Had he really grown tired of her?
Her chest tightened as she looked at the glowing screen. Their love now felt so fragile, as if a single touch could break it.
Over the past few months, she had truly felt how much he had changed, no longer the gentle, patient, and understanding boy she used to know. Now, he was easily irritated, distant, and cold.
It wasn't that she wanted to make things hard for him... but he should have known how much she had tried, how hard she'd fought to stay strong. How many times she had swallowed her loneliness while watching couples walk hand in hand, whispering to herself that she just needed to endure a little longer...
And finally, what she had been waiting for arrived. Warm tears streamed down her face, tracing her cheeks in silent relief.
The feeling was indescribable, not happiness, not sadness, just a faint comfort, like a gentle hand soothing her tired heart.
"I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't have said those things that hurt you. But believe me, I'm not having an easy time here either. There's so much I have to worry about, so many things to handle. I know you're upset because I've changed, because I get mature now, and I don't always think about your feelings. But I love you, that's one thing that's never changed."
Ngoc Vy pressed her lips together, tears streaming down her face. She truly didn't know what to do, how to accept any of this.
All she could see in her mind now was the old him, the gentle boy who once cared for her with all his warmth and sincerity. But that boy no longer existed. The Lam Tuan standing before her now felt distant, unfamiliar, and frighteningly cold.
In this relationship, she knew well that what she couldn't let go of wasn't him now, but him from before, the boy who laughed and cried with her through countless memories. That was the version she loved, and that was the one her heart still clung to.
Where could she possibly find that kind of love again?
If he said he had changed and could never go back to how he once was, could she truly accept that?
Where would their love drift to from here?
"Can you forgive me?" – His message appeared, fragile yet heavy.
She bit her lip, trying to steady her hands as her emotions surged uncontrollably. Slowly, she typed out each word.
"I accept your apology... but right now, I'm really tired, Tuan. I don't know what to do or how to convince myself anymore."
There was a short pause before his reply came.
"I'm sorry. But if waiting for me has become too tiring for you, then I won't hold you back anymore."
He didn't want to hold on.
Even now, when everything was falling apart, he didn't even want to fight for her.
Was he truly this cold... this heartless?
Minutes passed with no new message. She clenched her teeth and finally made her decision.
"I think we both need some time, some space to calm down and figure out what we really need, and whether we should keep going or not."
She typed each word carefully, feeling like she was pushing him further away. Tears splashed onto the keyboard, but she still pressed send.
As soon as she finished typing, she buried her face in her pillow and cried uncontrollably. She truly couldn't bear it, she wasn't willing. She wasn't ready to let go of the happy years they had shared.
Now, it was just her and the quiet loneliness, the sobs shaking her chest. Yet she knew that some relationships, if you don't have the courage to let go, will inevitably lead to a dead end in life.
In the days that followed, the two of them really didn't speak to each other.
She threw herself into her books, studying for her remaining exams. Sometimes, seeing his online status still active, she couldn't help but click on it—but she didn't send a word.
Ngoc Vy hugged her stack of notebooks, murmuring quietly to herself to soothe her heart.
"As long as I pass this last exam, the days ahead will be heavenly."
Beep beep.
Her computer screen suddenly lit up with a message.
Ngoc Vy sighed, quickly folding her books and silently blaming herself for not turning off her laptop, she hadn't been able to study at all.
"The exam has been graded."
She stared at the screen in disbelief, thinking to herself, "Graded already... so what?" She typed a message, her tone tinged with pessimism, though curiosity gnawed at her.
"Yes, I know my paper was a complete disaster."
"What's your name?"
Her mind went completely blank, nearly fainting. A student she saw every day, and he didn't even know her name? This wasn't the first time Phan Thanh Luong had messaged her.
Of course, he's Phan Thanh Luong, an outstanding professor, famous for his cold demeanor. How could he possibly care about someone as insignificant as her?
Her thoughts spun in contradictions, each one more confusing than the last. A professor so cold and refined... how could he be messaging a student just to report something so trivial? It was truly bizarre!
"I'm Vuong Ngoc Vy."
After a long pause, he finally replied.
"Got it. Guess how many points it will be?"
Her heart skipped violently, anxiety fluttering wildly.
"One point." – He answered himself.
The message struck her like a lightning bolt, fireworks exploding in her mind all at once.
Oh yeah! Bang! Bang! Bang!
She knew she hadn't done well, but surely it couldn't be that terrible.
"I thought at least I'd get the question with your name right. But you said you blessed it?"
"Yes... that correct. Hence, one point."
Before she could even scold him, Professor Luong delivered another shocking blow.
"Just kidding, you don't actually have a grade yet. I was just trying to scare you!"
Oh my god!
This time she was completely stunned. How could he tease a girl like that?
Professor Luong! Scaring someone like this is dangerous!
Her anger hadn't even settled when her cheeks flushed pink, and her mind started wandering.
If her initial guess was correct, this wasn't just about reporting a grade. He messaged her just to scare her. If that's the case...
"He must be really bored and have too much free time."
From another perspective... could this be a disguised way of asking for her name?
Ngoc Vy shivered, the image of Phan Thanh Luong in her mind flashing, elegant, refined, wearing a white shirt, exuding a cold and calm aura.
After a moment, she shook her head, trying to cut off her silly thoughts.
Impossible! Absolutely impossible!
Could someone as dignified as Professor Luong really be like she imagined? That would be outrageous. But if it wasn't like that, then his actions... weren't they just as strange, even a little perverse?
Flipping through the pages of her book, she couldn't focus at all; her mind drifted off to some distant place. Her hand moved almost unconsciously, and she typed out a message.
"Tomorrow, I have the midterm for macroeconomics, but you totally scared me out of my wits. I'm holding you responsible, professor!"
"Macroeconomics, huh?"
"Yes." – She replied quickly.
"Do you want to ask anything?"
"Of course!" – Instantly, her spirits lifted.
All her sadness seemed to vanish. She felt like she had just found a magic key that could unlock everything.
Riding this wave of excitement, she fired off a stream of questions, making Phan Thanh Luong explain the lessons she hadn't understood, and even had him play a "find the mistakes" game with her exercises. Only after completely exhausting both of them did she finally relent.
A bright smile spread across her face, a thrill coursing through her as if she had just discovered an all-purpose treasure.
Ngoc Vy glanced at her solved exercises, secretly full of admiration.
She couldn't believe this young professor was not only an expert in his own field but could also have such deep knowledge across other subjects.
Truly remarkable!
© Note: My Professor, My Husband – Copyright belongs to Zieny. Any copying, editing, or reuploading in any form without permission is strictly prohibited. Violators will be prosecuted according to the law.