Chapter 40: Younger boyfriend
Huong Tra came from a well-off family. Every month, her parents gave her a generous allowance.
But she was carefree and impulsive, never paid attention to saving, and didn't track her spending. Some months she had extra, others she ran out.
Especially after the Lunar New Year, she'd invested most of her money into a small business venture, and now, she too had joined the "broke club."
Kieu Ly wasn't in a much better position.
Though she received a scholarship and had a part-time job, she no longer took money from her parents.
Since breaking up with Hoang Anh, she had stopped setting aside money for gifts and instead invested it all.
Now, at the end of the month, her wallet was looking pretty thin.
Seeing that, Hong rummaged through her jeans pocket and stood up, handing money to Kieu Ly.
"I'll pitch in too."
Kieu Ly pushed her hand away.
"Don't worry. I can at least treat you to one meal."
But Hong insisted, stuffing the money into her hand.
"It's not just one meal. There's dinner too."
Seeing this, Huong Tra also stood up, grabbed the cash from Hong, and handed it to Kieu Ly.
"Just take it and go buy the groceries. Pride kills faster than AIDS."
With both friends ganging up on her, Kieu Ly had no choice but to give in.
She went to the market to buy food, while Huong Tra stayed behind to cook the rice.
On her way back with the groceries, Kieu Ly finally got a good look at the infamous boyfriend.
She usually avoided judging people by their looks, but she couldn't help but admit to herself: he really was unattractive.
Standing next to Mai, the contrast was jarring. And it wasn't even an age thing—Mai was short, chubby, and fair-skinned, so she actually looked younger than her age.
Even so, she still looked way younger than the guy.
He was tall and skinny, with dark skin and a messy, rural vibe.
His appearance was genuinely off-putting.
And yet, for some reason, Mai doted on him like he was some kind of prince.
Then again, maybe every girl had a "Younger boyfriend" phase—falling for someone who needed to be spoiled like a child.
Still, Kieu Ly just couldn't understand how someone could fall in love with a guy younger than herself.
It sounded like a burden—having to dote on him, constantly worry about looking older, even struggling with how to address each other.
She quietly vowed she would never be like Mai.
The man she'd fall in love with would have to be a successful adult—no exceptions.
When Kieu Ly returned with the food, Hong got up to help cook.
Between the three of them, Kieu Ly was the worst at cooking, so she handled the shopping and dishwashing instead, leaving the actual cooking to Huong Tra and Hong.
At mealtime, the three of them sat down and ate happily, even though the dishes were simple: stir-fried morning glory, fried tofu, tofu in tomato sauce, and a few pieces of meat.
Kieu Ly had a knack for measuring just the right amount when grocery shopping. Every meal was perfectly portioned—sometimes just a little bit short, enough to leave them wanting more, which made it feel extra delicious.
In no time at all, they had cleared every last bit of food off the plates.