Magnolia

Sometimes Thuy felt a little embarrassed when the other employees in the office praised their boss for being so hardworking. But Thuy knew they were secretly whispering to each other that she didn't have to worry about children or housework.

The moment Thuy pressed the power button to turn off her computer, she realized she was the last person in the room to leave.

It's the same every day.

Sometimes Thuy felt a little embarrassed when the other employees in the office praised their boss for being so hardworking. But Thuy knew they were secretly whispering to each other that she didn't have to worry about children or housework.

On her way home, Thuy stopped at a vegetarian restaurant to quickly buy a box of rice. She didn't specify, but the owner gave her extra vegetables and tofu. Being a regular customer, the owner knew her preferences well.

Thuy ate lunch alone in the kitchen. On the oval wooden table, in the center sat a pot of three-branched dracaena. Vinh's favorite plant. Next to it were a glass vase and two dark brown glasses. Fifteen minutes for lunch. Once she finished her meal, she would return to her room.

Usually, Thuy would throw open the windows when Vinh was home. This was simply because he liked to leave everything wide open, letting in both the sunshine and the breeze, and enjoying the green of the trees in the small yard in front of the house. Especially the row of magnolia trees with their long, lush green leaves planted diagonally to the east of the house. Vinh said it suited Thuy's Wood element.

...

But Vinh was away all the time.

Watering the plants in the yard and inside the house was all up to Thuy. Sometimes she would grumble, but he would just smile and shrug it off. He'd say, "Well, you're so capable, that's why I'm able to fulfill my manly duty of taking on such important tasks."

What his big project is, Thuy doesn't know the details.

Vinh's business trips were unscheduled. No matter how late at night, if he received an order, he'd rush to his unit. Sometimes he'd be gone for a whole week. Thuy couldn't contact him. When he returned home, he was often scruffy, his face haggard, and his clothes smelling musty. When asked why, he'd just smile. "I completed my mission brilliantly, didn't I? At least my boss let me stay home with you for a few days. A relaxing time to take care of my wife. Are you satisfied?"

But whenever Vinh was home, Thuy was always in a state of anxiety. Especially when Vinh's phone rang, he would change his clothes and rush out in an instant. At those times, Thuy would remember Vinh's mother shaking her head when he brought her home to introduce her: "Think carefully, Vinh's job keeps him away all the time. He's very busy. And he also works in dangerous places. If you fall in love with him and marry him, you'll have a hard time. Can you handle it?"

- Yes. I can handle it.

- Really?

Yes. Really.

Back then, Thuy, a girl in her twenties, was very confused and shy, but she nodded decisively. Because she loved him. Because Vinh seemed more mature, steady, and sensible than other guys his age. Every time Vinh held Thuy's hand, every time his hand, calloused from martial arts training, gently squeezed her soft hand, Thuy felt an unusual sense of security.

Even after all these years, Thuy still vividly remembers how she felt at that moment: after answering his mother, she looked up and met her boyfriend's radiant gaze. She was indescribably happy.

Illustration: Tran Thanh Long

Less than a year later, the girl working at the District Committee Office married a young man from the Mobile Police Force.

After her lavish wedding, Thuy's clothes were all shades of green. From light green to moss green to dark green. Her friends and colleagues teased her, saying she was so in love with her husband that she even loved the uniform of his profession.

***

Have you had lunch yet, wife?

The message was flashing on the screen.

Thuy read her husband's message but didn't reply.

Suddenly, a feeling of hurt mixed with resentment welled up inside me. I felt bitter.

For three days, Vinh's phone had been silent; when she called him, the phone only showed that the signal was out of coverage. This was the first message he had sent her.

- Please cook dinner for your husband tonight. After finishing his work at the office, he'll try to come over for dinner.

Another message arrived on Vinh's Zalo page. A flashing smiley face icon. The status showed "seen," but Thùy absolutely refused to reply. Still work. It felt like Thùy had never existed in his life.

Strangely, the feeling of resentment that had just welled up vanished instantly. It was the hundredth time she'd experienced that feeling since they started dating, then got married. The resentment never went away. His job was very unique. He'd told her everything he could. But she had to remember to trust her husband. Yes. But at times like today, Thuy felt a strange, unsettling feeling in her heart that was hard to name.

***

When I got home, the door was still closed.

Vinh is probably still in a meeting.

As she pondered, Thuy fumbled with the gate lock. The lock clicked, and at that moment, she noticed a woman's figure standing hesitantly on the other side of the road, gazing over.

Who are you looking for?

- I've come to see Mr. Vinh. Is this Mr. Vinh's house, miss?

Suddenly, Thuy's heart ached. She nodded. Silently, she opened the gate and invited the strange woman into the house. At that very moment, Thuy remembered the Korean dramas she watched every night. They depicted how, one day, the arrival of a strange woman would turn everything upside down in the peaceful home of a young couple.

Thinking about that, she trembled as she looked at the woman in front of her. The woman, meanwhile, patiently waited for Thuy to close the gate.

Thuy went inside and brought out a glass of water. Her voice was soft:

Would you like to sit outside in the yard?

It's more airy and cool in here than inside the house. I also want to take the opportunity to water the plants because I don't have time to take care of them all day at work.

Yes, sure. Your garden is so spacious.

While watering the plants, Thuy glanced at the woman. She was probably one or two years younger than her.

She's charming and quite pretty. What does she want with her husband? Could Vinh's sudden business trip be related to her?

Thùy's heart was in turmoil. The strange woman, however, was completely at ease. She rose from the bench and walked slowly towards the row of trees, then whispered softly:

Your garden smells so good.

They were very close. As if they had known each other for a long time.

Yes, magnolia. The fragrance of this flower is also very distinctive.

Thuy's voice became slightly sharper. In the twilight, it was difficult for the person opposite to see the slight frown on her forehead. But perhaps instinct told her otherwise, the woman, who had been engrossed in parting the leaves to find a newly bloomed flower, suddenly turned back to the stone bench.

- I've been waiting all afternoon hoping to meet Vinh.

- He has work to do, he might come home sometimes. Or he might stay at the unit. I'm not sure.

Thuy's voice trailed off, slightly broken. She tried to restrain herself from asking, "Why are you looking for him?" or "What do you need?"

- Madam, I just wanted to meet Vinh to express my gratitude and apologize. Yesterday, while Vinh was struggling to restrain my abusive ex-husband, he was injured. Luckily...

- Star?

Thùy was startled. Her ears were ringing. She dialed his number. The phone rang repeatedly.

- He's on his way home. Are you anxiously waiting for your husband?

Vinh's voice was clear and bright. Thuy pursed her lips, trying to prevent her own voice from becoming hoarse.

- Yeah. I just got home and was surprised to see the magnolia flowers in full bloom, smelling wonderful. Come home quickly and admire them.

- Of course. I planted those flowers specifically for you. Let's admire them together. And please cook dinner. I'm really hungry.

Vinh's clear, bright laughter on the phone made Thùy want to burst into tears.

The feeling of welcoming my husband home from a business trip is a strange kind of happiness. Does it resemble the feeling of suddenly noticing the magnolia blossoms unexpectedly bursting into a sea of ​​white, fragrant bloom on our porch right now?

Short stories by Niê Thanh Mai

Source: https://baodaklak.vn/van-hoa-du-lich-van-hoc-nghe-thuat/van-hoc-nghe-thuat/202602/thiet-moc-lan-thom-ngat-1a7374a/