The drive back was silent.
Ho Cheng Chau sat in the driver’s seat.
His hands were firmly holding the steering wheel.
Several times, he seemed to want to speak.
But every time he opened his mouth, he stopped.
For three years of marriage, this was the first time I saw him afraid to face me.
Not afraid of enemies.
Not afraid of danger.
But afraid of his own wife.
When we arrived at the house, I didn’t go inside immediately.
I stood at the entrance and looked at the place where I had lived for three years.
The flowers I planted.
The curtains I chose.
The medicine cabinet I organized.
Everything still looked the same.
But somehow…
It no longer felt like home.
Ho Cheng Chau opened the door.
—Tri Du…
I interrupted him.
—Where is the transfer document?
He froze.
—What?
—The document proving that Chu Jun can use this house.
His expression changed slightly.
—It’s only temporary.
I smiled.
—Temporary?
I walked inside.
—Then why did you forge my signature?
The room became silent.
He lowered his eyes.
For the first time, he didn’t deny it.
That was enough.
I nodded slowly.
—So you admit it.
—Tri Du, listen to me.
—No.
I looked at him.
—You listen to me this time.
He stopped.
I placed the photocopy on the table.
—When we married, you promised me something.
—You said once you agreed to marry me, you would not let me suffer humiliation.
His fingers tightened.
—But three years later, the first person you protected was not your wife.
—It was another woman.
—The first house you fought for was not for our family.
—It was for another woman.
His face became pale.
—Chu Jun and I only have comradeship.
I laughed softly.
—Maybe.
—Maybe you really don’t love her.
—But Ho Cheng Chau…
I looked directly at him.
—A man who truly respects his wife would never make such a decision behind her back.
He had no answer.
The next morning, I submitted my resignation from the military hospital.
Everyone was shocked.
Especially Lin Xiaotao.
She stood outside my office with red eyes.
—Sister Tri Du, are you really leaving?
I packed the last medical books into a box.
—Yes.
—But you’ve worked there for eight years.
I smiled.
—A place can hold memories.
—But it cannot hold someone who has already lost their position in another person’s heart.
Lin Xiaotao bit her lip.
—What about Chief of Staff Ho?
I stopped for a moment.
Then continued packing.
—He can keep the house.
—He can keep the memories.
—But he cannot keep me.
That afternoon, Ho Cheng Chau came home earlier than usual.
On the table was the divorce agreement.
His footsteps stopped.
For several seconds, he didn’t move.
Then he looked at me.
—Divorce?
I nodded.
—Yes.
His expression finally changed.
Not anger.
Not disappointment.
Fear.
—Tri Du, don’t joke about this.
—I’m not joking.
I placed the pen beside the document.
—You once said marriage was a responsibility.
—Then today, I am releasing you from that responsibility.
He stared at me.
—Because of the house?
I looked at him.
And suddenly felt tired.
Not angry.
Just tired.
—No.
—Because of what the house showed me.
His breathing became heavier.
—You think I don’t care about you?
I was silent.
He stepped closer.
—For three years, I waited outside your medicine room every night.
—I remembered every medicine you couldn’t take.
—I knew when your stomach hurt.
—I knew what you liked.
His voice became lower.
—Was all of that meaningless?
I looked at him.
—No.
—It was real.
He seemed relieved for a second.
But my next words froze him.
—That’s why it hurts more.
—Because I believed you were different.
That night, Chu Jun called him.
I didn’t know what she said.
I only saw Ho Cheng Chau standing by the window.
After a long silence, he answered:
—No.
A pause.
Then:
—The house is not yours.
Another pause.
His voice became cold.
—It belongs to my wife.
I looked up.
For the first time in days, he finally said the right words.
But they came too late.
The next morning, the military headquarters released a notice.
The housing transfer was canceled.
The reason:
“Unauthorized use of spouse information and signature.”
The entire residential area was shocked.
Chu Jun came to find me.
She no longer had the calm smile from before.
—Tri Du.
I looked at her.
—What?
She lowered her voice.
—Are you really going to destroy Cheng Chau’s reputation because of me?
I smiled.
—No.
—I am only protecting my own.
She froze.
I continued:
—You think this is about a house.
—But it isn’t.
—A house can be rebuilt.
—A reputation can be restored.
—But trust…
I looked at her.
—Once broken, it never returns to the way it was.
Three days later, Ho Cheng Chau came to my door.
He was still wearing his military uniform.
But he looked exhausted.
He handed me a folder.
Inside was the official cancellation document.
And a handwritten letter.
His handwriting was neat.
The same handwriting that once wrote prescriptions for me when I was sick.
I opened it.
Only one sentence was written:
“Tri Du, I didn’t know losing you would be the consequence of protecting someone else.”
I closed the letter.
Because for the first time…
I realized he finally understood.
But understanding something after losing it…
Was not the same as knowing how to protect it.
I looked at him.
—Ho Cheng Chau.
He raised his head.
—From today, don’t worry about me anymore.
His eyes turned red.
—Tri Du…
I smiled faintly.
—You once gave a house to someone else.
—Now I’m giving you back your freedom.
Then I closed the door.
And this time…
He was the one standing outside.
