Family

Forgotten Happiness

MINH NHAT January 19, 2025 10:10

He turned the steering wheel in a daze and made a decisive decision, for Thu, for the simple and precious happiness he almost forgot.

Hanh phuc bi lang quen

In the blink of an eye, Thu and Linh have been married for nearly twenty years, a long enough time for love to gradually give way to habits and responsibilities.

Thu is always a good wife, taking good care of her small family and both her parents, while Linh, with his small position as deputy manager, is often busy with work and entertaining guests.

Recently, Thu realized that her husband had changed a lot. He often came home late, making excuses for having to meet and socialize. Being gentle and cautious by nature, Thu did not rush to blame or nag, but quietly observed, trying to maintain a peaceful atmosphere in the house.

The last night of winter, the monsoon wind blew in, bringing with it the cold. Thu had already prepared dinner for her children, and was still busy cooking in the kitchen when Linh returned, his eyes tired and a little confused. Thu smiled, kindly:

- Are you tired? I just cooked your favorite dish. Let's eat dinner together, okay?

Linh looked at his wife, somewhat surprised by Thu's gentle attitude. Actually, Linh wanted to refuse, but could not find any excuse, so he sighed and sat down at the dining table.

- I have to meet an important partner today so I can't come home early.

Thu was silent, gently putting food in her husband's bowl. Instead of questioning, she still said softly:

- I know you're busy, it's the end of the year too. This afternoon, our youngest son came home from playing basketball with his friends and said he saw dad in a hurry...

Thu's whisper made Linh jump. When had his youngest son seen his father that he was in such a hurry?

This afternoon, Linh left work early, picked up the new young employee and took her to his room, got in his car and took her for a walk. She was from another province and lived in a rented house in the suburbs. He admired her, she admired him, they were drawn together like two magnets.

Looking through the car window, she exclaimed: “Oh, the daisies are so beautiful! But it has rained a lot this year so the flower branches look a bit skinny.” Linh immediately stopped the car by the side of the road, signaled the girl to wait for him and hurriedly crossed the road, jogging a bit further to buy a bouquet of daisies to give to the beauty. Could it be that her youngest son had seen this scene? Would he stop and watch what happened next? If so, then… Linh’s mind was filled with confusion and bewilderment.

In fact, for a long time, Linh has always appreciated Thu's dedication and warmth, and has no complaints. In addition to her daily work at the office, Thu also skillfully makes cakes, pork floss, and stewed dishes to sell to regular customers. People not only praise her delicious food but also love her kind personality and bright smile.

Thu did not mind anything, as long as her husband and children were happy, and both sets of parents were happy. But deep down, Linh was still greedy, feeling that something was “missing”. He would still follow any girl who had a good time, with the mentality of “nothing to lose”. The pretty girl who had just returned to Linh’s room was just one of the beauties Linh kept as a secret. Of course, Linh was wise and kind enough not to go beyond the limits he had set for himself.

- Ut, why didn't you call me yesterday afternoon so I could pick you up? I quickly bought a bouquet of flowers for my colleague to bring back to the office because there was an event - Linh thought for a long time before he could talk to his son early the next morning.

- What day is it, Dad? What flower? I don't understand what you're saying... - The boy asked his father, eyes wide with surprise.

At this moment, Linh's confusion was at its peak. If it wasn't his youngest son, it could only be Thu. His wife had seen with her own eyes the hurried, excited, and joyful appearance that day. Did Thu see him handing over the flowers? Did she see the girl's flirtatious, emotional eyes, as if she wanted to lean on him right away? Now Linh couldn't ask his wife, or question whether his youngest son had actually seen his father.

Thu had a few customers at Linh's office, so during her lunch break she often took advantage of the opportunity to deliver food and drinks. Looking down from the third floor balcony, Linh immediately caught sight of his wife's figure. Thu also hurriedly and excitedly crossed the street, carrying bags in her hands.

Thu greeted politely and gave the guard sticky rice. Her eyes sparkled, filled with emotion as she handed the items and instructed how to preserve them to this and that lady. “Thu! You’re like a superhero, Uncle Linh is so lucky to marry you”, “Oh! I can praise this lady all day long, to be honest, sometimes I respect Uncle Linh because of you, Thu!”… the compliments and greetings that filled the office made Linh blush.

- Is this your wife, Thu? - the female employee in the same room asked, her eyes slightly shy.

Linh nodded, changed the subject, and returned to his room. The young girl stood there, her eyes fixed on the empty space.

After work, Linh drove through a familiar street. In the past, this new street was full of rice fields. Linh and Thu went to high school. Every afternoon, Linh parked his bike on the side of the road, rolled up his pants and waded into the fields to pick flowers. In the summer, lotus flowers, in the fall, water hyacinths, in the winter, purple reeds… Linh always had a busy, excited look, but how long had it been since he had done that for his wife?

Linh's eyes suddenly became teary. Thu was still the same, warm with him, with everyone, even when her heart ached, she still tried not to hurt others. Linh absentmindedly turned the steering wheel, he had made decisive decisions, for Thu, for the simple, precious happiness that he had almost forgotten.

MINH NHAT
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