Chapter 7: The Return Visits
A few days after Minh Vũ left, Thiên Lam’s life went on as usual—mornings with tea, quiet afternoons watering the garden, and evenings spent reading under the soft yellow light.
Yet sometimes, while washing a cup or sitting by the window, she would suddenly think of his bright smile and those gentle, clear eyes.
Strange, she thought. Someone she had met only once, and yet, the memory of him brought such a quiet warmth.
One early morning, while she was airing out blankets on the porch, she heard light footsteps on the narrow path. She turned—and saw Minh Vũ.
Same old backpack, a simple shirt, and that familiar bright gaze.
“Good morning,” he smiled. “I was passing by and thought… maybe you’d still be here.”
Thiên Lam smiled softly—a gentle smile, unhurried.
“I told you—I’m always here.”
From that day on, Minh Vũ began visiting more often. Sometimes he brought a bag of red apples from town, other times an old book he thought Thiên Lam might enjoy. He never stayed too long—just enough to chat, help her water the plants, fix a loose plank on the porch—then he would quietly leave.
She never asked what he did for a living, and he never questioned why she lived alone in such a faraway place.
They simply shared time in silence—brewing tea together, listening to the wind brushing through the fields.
One afternoon, while they were picking chrysanthemums in the garden, rain came suddenly. Minh Vũ grabbed her hand and pulled her under the porch roof. Both of them were soaked, laughing at how they looked like two lost cats.
When the rain stopped, he gently reached out to remove a petal stuck in her hair. His touch was soft, as if afraid to startle her.
Thiên Lam said nothing, only tilted her head slightly, letting the scent of flowers drift past her shoulders with the breeze.
Their feelings were not loud, not rushed.
Like a seed lying quietly in the soil, slowly growing in its own quiet way.
Sometimes, Thiên Lam would jot down a few lines in her journal, calling him simply “the friend who visits.”7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNYUDgqdORi
“Today, he brought a bean-filled pastry. Sweeter than usual... or maybe I was just happy.”
And Minh Vũ—each time he left—would always glance back at the little wooden house, as if to memorize every corner of it in the palm of his hand.
Love, sometimes, needs no confessions.
Just someone who keeps coming back, someone who gently becomes part of your everyday life—that’s enough.
(Chapter 7 – End)
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