The midterm exams had finally passed, and she finally had a little time for herself.
Since their fight, she and Lam Tuan hadn't contacted each other. Before, whenever she felt down, she would bury herself in books. But now, with exams over, she didn't know what to do.
She picked up her phone and called My Le.
"Hello, My Le, are you free?"
"What's up, darling? Missing him?" – My Le lowered her voice teasingly.
"Let's go shopping. I just finished my exams."
Hearing the word "shopping," My Le instantly perked up.
"Oh my friend, you just get me! Meet in half an hour at our usual spot!" – My Le replied, her voice full of excitement.
"Okay, hurry up then."
She hung up, feeling a lightness in her chest. Luckily, she still had her best friend. Even though they didn't meet every day to chat, whenever she called out in moments of sadness, My Le was always there, never once refusing.
The two of them went shopping together, snacking around the city, talking about love, school, and everything under the sun...
After a while, My Le grew pensive, her voice laced with worry.
"Are you really willing to let go of this relationship?"
Ngoc Vy froze for a moment, as if those words had struck deep into her heart.
It was the very question that had lingered in her mind all this time.
Could she really let go of everything from the past just because he had changed?
But if she didn't let go, could she truly accept the way things were now?
How long could the two of them continue walking this path together?
She looked at My Le, unable to speak. Ngoc Vy didn't know how to explain the feelings swirling inside her.
After all these days, she realized it wasn't that she no longer loved him, but that now there was a vast distance between them. He had changed, becoming a stranger, she had never expected.
Lam Tuan had once asked her: "I don't know if you could wait for me for a full four years."
"Time isn't the problem if this love is worth it, and the person I've been waiting for is the Lam Tuan from before." – Ngoc Vy replied.
"I'm sorry. To return to who I was before is impossible in the world we live in now. So if you love me, you have to accept that."
In that moment, she felt immense pain, crying her heart out, yet nothing could change the truth.
The person she loved was no longer the same! Once that path was taken, there was no turning back.
Some dreams, the more beautiful and immersive they are, the more they hurt us a hundred times over when we wake up.
She knew moving forward would be difficult but letting go was painfully hard.
Her eyes were red and swollen; the ache felt like a sharp knife tearing at her tiny heart every day, every second, every minute whenever she thought of him.
My Le could only pat her shoulder comfortingly, and the two of them sat in silence, words failing them.
Tonight again, she waited by her laptop, watching his online status light up, then turning it off.
It seemed her presence no longer mattered to him.
Perhaps now, to him, she was just a passing stranger.
Ngoc Vy scrolled through Facebook in a daze, then suddenly paused over twenty notifications all about Teacher's Day. She blinked, staring at the calendar on the wall.
Right, tomorrow was Teacher's Day!
Images of Phan Thanh Luong suddenly appeared in her mind.
After all, he was still a teacher, and he had been so dedicated and enthusiastic in helping her. It would be ungrateful not to send him a proper greeting.
She glanced at the messages of well-wishes from others on his profile.
Some wished him to always stay handsome and stylish.
Others wished him continued success in his career...
Her lips curved into a small smile, her eyes sparkling with curiosity and mischief.
Why would someone wish for him to escape the FA life?
Could it be that someone so attractive still didn't have a partner?
Or maybe he had different tastes?
Handsome men like him were rare these days...
Sigh.
A mischievous thought stirred in her, and she smiled slyly.
So, would Phan Thanh Luong be the top or the BOT?
Someone like him had to be the TOP! LOL.
The quiet room suddenly felt filled with her soft, giddy laughter. She shook her head, cutting off her naughty thoughts, trying to seriously think about what kind of message would be appropriate.
If she didn't wish him properly, wouldn't it be too ordinary?
Suddenly, she wanted to do something a little more unique.
After a while, after racking her brain for ideas, Ngoc Vy finally had a spark of inspiration.
What if she drew a picture and added her greeting to it?
Speaking of drawing, she wouldn't dare call herself great, but at least she had represented her school in city-level drawing competitions. So, creating a drawing for Professor Luong was nothing too difficult for her.
With that in mind, she got to work, digging through his social media for the most handsome, stylish photo of Professor Luong. She carefully and meticulously traced every line, refining her thoughts to craft the most beautiful, elegant words of blessing.
While she was delicately coloring in the lines of the drawing, Ngoc Vy suddenly froze. A blurry image from the past came rushing back like a slow-motion film, the first time she had ever drawn a picture for Lam Tuan. Back then, she had been so naive, spending the entire time just trying to get his eyes right, and then staring at the finished work until her face turned red.
She let out a soft laugh, but her heart felt a little heavy. Not out of lingering affection, but because she realized that some things that were once everything eventually get tucked away quietly in the corner of the heart.
Now, it was still her, still the same hands creating the lines, but no longer fueled by the innocent excitement of first love. Instead, it was a gesture of thanks, a bit of fondness, a sense of gratitude for someone who had quietly stayed by her side when her heart was most troubled.
Perhaps what she was feeling now was no longer a replacement for old feelings, but a sign that her heart was slowly growing.
So absorbed in her work, she barely noticed that it was already eleven o'clock at night.
If she sent it now, Professor Luong wouldn't see it. Better to wait until exactly midnight and create a bigger surprise.
Staring quietly at her laptop screen, Lam Tuan's status was still online, and her mind wandered back to him.
What was he doing right now?
Did he think of her at all?
Finally, the clock struck twelve. She quickly sent the picture to Professor Luong, along with a message:
"A small Teachers' Day gift, simple in form but big in spirit. Thank you for helping me over the past time."
After sending the message, she hastily closed the laptop and buried herself in her pillow, drifting into sleep.
In her dream, she found herself lost in a strange, snowy land, where freezing winds whipped around her. In a fleeting moment, she saw Lam Tuan. The boy she had always missed, standing before her. The familiar eyes she once knew now seemed distant. He turned away coldly, saying nothing.
Her legs trembled and froze from the cold as she struggled to run after him, only to collapse helplessly onto the ground. Ngoc Vy called his name desperately, but he didn't even look back.
Her heart ached, frozen in place, each breath heavy and painful. She could barely breathe... it hurt too much...
Tears began to fall uncontrollably, swirling amid memories of their beautiful moments together.
She remembered the first time he confessed to her.
"Vuong Ngoc Vy."
She startled and turned to face him.
"What is it?"
Suddenly, her hand was held tightly, and she met the burning sincerity in his gaze.
"I like you. I know I'm not your only choice, but I will try to be the best choice." – He gripped her hand firmly, his voice resolute.
Angrily, she pulled her hand away and avoided him.
"You're joking a bit too much!"
"I'm not joking!" – He looked straight into her eyes. – "I don't believe that all this time you haven't noticed that I've always been silently protecting and caring for you."
Ngoc Vy remained silent, flustered.
"I... I'm sorry."
If only she had stood firm in her decision back then... if only he hadn't always treated her so kindly... if only she hadn't been made that decision... then perhaps she wouldn't have thrown herself blindly into love and wouldn't be in such heartbreak now.
Suddenly, darkness enveloped the space, leaving her alone in silence.
Before her eyes, a halo slowly appeared, warm light seeping into her heart, piecing together the shattered fragments.
That figure, that presence, that angel... could it really be Professor Luong?
© 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.