Chapter 24: Inner Worth
After leaving Toan Phuong's house, Kieu Ly returned to her own life. She buried herself in her studies, because only academic success could restore her confidence—and help her forget the pain of being cheated on.
Looking back, there was no one to blame but herself. She had to accept the consequences of falling for someone she barely knew, someone she had only admired for his polished exterior: handsome, smart, and rich. A relationship built on superficial attraction, without true emotional connection, was bound to fall apart eventually.
And deep in her heart, she felt a wave of gratitude for her parents. Their advice hadn't been wrong in the slightest. After emotional heartbreak and a setback at work, she still had many things to look forward to in life. She never lost sight of her own worth or the goals she wanted to pursue.
That evening, after dinner, Kieu Ly carried the dishes to wash while Huong Tra swept the floor and tried her best to dry the wet tiles. It was the damp season, and laundry wouldn't dry on its own—they had to use a dryer. Meanwhile, the floor constantly "sweated," leaving it wet and slippery.
While wiping the floor, Huong Tra grumbled:
"Girls in spring are beautiful, but spring itself is anything but. So dirty and gross."
Still scrubbing dishes in the bathroom, Kieu Ly called out:
"Quit complaining. In spring, you say it's dirty. In summer, you say it's hot. In autumn, you say it's dry. And in winter, you say it's freezing. Is there any season you actually like? If you hate it that much, let me mop the floor after I'm done."
Huong Tra pouted:
"I'm cleaning for your guests, you know. Seriously, what's with the sudden flood of visitors these days?"
She wasn't wrong. Ever since Kieu Ly ended her relationship status with Hoang Anh, a strange number of admirers had suddenly appeared. She was getting overwhelmed with flirty messages, and lately, random guys had started showing up at her place without notice.
Kieu Ly hadn't even finished washing the dishes when she heard someone calling from outside the front door.
"Hello? Is Ni home?"
Speak of the devil. This guy was a fellow northerner from Bac Ninh—same hometown as the two girls—and he had a particularly strong regional accent. Most people had one speech quirk, but he had two: a double l–n speech impediment.
Huong Tra knew very well that Ly didn't like this guy, so she tried to subtly shoo him away.
"She's not home, bro. Ni's out with friends."
Even though Huong Tra didn't normally have an accent, she intentionally mimicked his way of speaking. Unfortunately, the guy was as shameless as they came. Oblivious and persistent, he stood there dumbly and asked again:
"But I thought I just heard Ni's voice in the house?"