No sooner had the call ended than Thinh Thinh found herself frozen in place, her cheerful expression fading into sudden gloom.
She didn't even notice when To To and Ni Ni had quietly moved to stand right in front of her, eyes curious and probing.
To To nudged her shoulder with a mischievous grin.
"Who was that? Some handsome guy calling, huh? No wonder you look all zoned out."
Ni Ni, equally curious, patted her shoulder in mock sympathy.
"Why do you look so serious, little sis?"
Thinh Thinh blinked, snapped herself out of it, and quickly tried to change the subject.
"What? Nothing... To To, why do you always think about guys? Can you think about something useful for once?" – She scrunched up her face and pursed her lips in mock disdain.
To To laughed flirtatiously.
"LOL, just teasing! So... who called you?"
"You wouldn't know." – Thinh Thinh said curtly, then turned to Ni Ni. – "Hey, Ni Ni, do you remember Mai Huong from our high school days?"
Ni Ni tilted her head, scratching her scalp in thought.
"Mai Huong... hmm... oh! Yeah, I remember now. She still remembers us? How does she even know your number?"
"I have no idea." – Thinh Thinh admitted. – "Anyway, Ni Ni, Mai Huong said there's going to be a class reunion next Monday. What do you think?"
After a moment of eavesdropping on the situation, To To's face fell, and she let out a long sigh.
"So it really has nothing to do with me, huh?"
With that, she quietly climbed back onto her bed and resumed reading the unfinished novel she'd been engrossed in.
In truth, To To was Thinh Thinh's childhood friend. She came from the prestigious Lam family and was considered a high-ranking young lady. Because of her family's dark connections, no one dared to get close to her as a child.
But Thinh Thinh was different. Despite being a highborn lady, To To wasn't arrogant. On the contrary, she was intelligent, lively, and friendly toward everyone. Her family life, however, was far from the warm, prosperous image people imagined.
Think about it, how could she be happy when her father was a powerful tycoon in the underworld, constantly busy with work, leaving almost no time to meet with his family?
To make matters worse, he had two families. As a dutiful daughter, To To couldn't help but feel both pity and helplessness toward her mother, a hardworking woman who had been neglected and coldly treated by her husband.
In such a situation, Thinh Thinh naturally empathized deeply with To To and always showed her care.
Yet To To always appeared strong, a typical fiery Aries: stubborn, independent, and determined. She kept her sadness buried deep, carrying her burdens alone. Her father was domineering and prideful, and from a young age, every privilege, every opportunity, even her path in education, had been meticulously arranged by him.
Attending this university was no exception.
Thinh Thinh clearly remembered those childhood days, back when the two of them were inseparable childhood friends.
One bright morning, the neighborhood was buzzing with excitement. To To and her mother had moved into a small villa near Thinh Thinh's home. Her mother had taken her away after discovering that her father had brought a mistress home.
During that time, Thinh Thinh often spotted To To sitting quietly in the yard, her eyes tinged with sadness, staring off into the distance.
"Hey, To To! Why are you always sitting alone? Come out and play with me!" – Thinh Thinh ran over, grabbing her hand.
To To shook her head shyly.
"No... I don't want to."
"Don't want to what? You look as gloomy as a bowl of crab soup! Come on, let's jump rope, play shuttlecock, just a little!" – Thinh Thinh pleaded, her eyes sparkling.
(The sentence compares the boy's sad face to a bowl of crab soup, to create a humorous image. Thinh Thinh is trying to cheer him up, pleading with him to play, while her sparkling eyes show her lively and caring personality.)
To To still shook her head, pretending not to want to join. Seeing this, Thinh Thinh teased her:
"Or maybe you're just bad at it and too scared to try."
Hearing that, To To's pride flared. After a little back-and-forth, she finally agreed.
"Okay... fine. Let's see who's really worse at it."
And so the two of them ran across the yard, jumping rope and kicking shuttlecocks, their clear, carefree laughter echoing through the space. Those moments, the rhythm of their steps and their unburdened laughter, became the bridge that connected the two girls, easing some of To To's loneliness.
As for Ni Ni, she had been Thinh Thinh's close friend since high school. They shared similar family backgrounds and aspirations, which naturally drew them together. Though petite in stature, Ni Ni was endlessly funny and warm-hearted.
On Thinh Thinh's first day at high school, she felt lost in a sea of unfamiliar faces. As she searched for a place to sit, her eyes landed on a small girl with a bright smile, busy arranging her books.
"Hey, you're new, right? Come sit here with me, this desk is free!" – Ni Ni waved energetically, her voice ringing like a cheerful bell announcing the start of a new friendship.
Thinh Thinh approached, still a little shy, but returned a genuine, friendly smile.
"Hi, I'm Lieu Tam Thinh. Can I sit here with you?"
From that day on, the two girls became desk mates in tenth grade. They shared stories about their families, school life, and their dreams for the future.
Ni Ni never failed to make Thinh Thinh laugh with her playful antics and humor.
By the time they reached university, the three of them, Thinh Thinh, To To, and Ni Ni were lucky enough to attend the same school. Naturally, they formed what everyone came to know as the "the happy, single trio."
In the unusually quiet atmosphere, only Ni Ni seemed cheerful and excited.
"Let's go, let's go! It's been ages since we last saw them. You're coming too, right? Your exams are over tomorrow, so let's go together for fun!" – she said, winking mischievously and leaning in playfully. – "Come with me, okay?"
"..."
To To, who had been silently reading her novel, finally spoke up.
"I'd guess she doesn't want to see... that Ha... Ha... Phong guy."
Her words struck Thinh Thinh like a dagger to the heart, and she couldn't help but glare at To To, eyes full of silent reproach.
To To, you're so annoying! Why bring up that name? Didn't you see I already have enough to deal with?
She paused, then coldly corrected To To's words.
"Ha Vi Phong... my dear sis."
Ni Ni beside her froze, stammering.
"W-what... you're not telling me... You still haven't moved on from him?"
Thinh Thinh, however, feigned calmness, replying evenly:
"It's over... now we are just a friend."
The moment she finished speaking, a sudden, sharp stillness settled over her.
Even though she had said "just a friend," her heart still throbbed strangely, a quiet ache she couldn't ignore.
Was it true?
Was he really only a friend now?
If that were the case, then why did she feel like this?
To To sighed and scolded her seriously:
"You lack friends? Why are you friends with your ex? Are you sure he's just a friend? Stop daydreaming. That guy has hurt you plenty. You remember that, right? So don't get involved with him again."
"You're at it again. I'm not daydreaming about him." – Thinh Thinh said, flitting over to hug To To in mock affection, teasingly clingy. – "Right now, my mind only has room for you two."
To To shivered at the sudden embrace and squealed, flailing her arms.
"Hey, stop it! That's enough... enough... let go!"
"I'm done joking. I'm going to take a shower!" – Thinh Thinh said.
Without another word, Thinh Thinh hurried toward the bathroom. The door closed softly behind her, steam gradually filling the small space.
She stood in front of the mirror, cold water running over her fingers from the tap, sending a subtle, biting tingle up her hand that was almost impossible to describe.
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