Chapter 52: Because You're at Foreign Trade University
She opened the window and looked down at the street. It had been a while, yet the rain showed no sign of stopping. She started to worry—how was she going to get home later?
As she stood there, lost in thought, Toan Phuong opened the door and walked in. The moment he saw Kieu Ly, he was momentarily stunned. He hadn't expected the dress he bought to look that beautiful on her. She stood by the window like a delicate muse. The faint outline of her black lingerie beneath the thin white fabric only made it harder for him to concentrate.
Toan Phuong swallowed hard, then walked over to the window, pulling the curtain aside to look down at the rain.
"Why don't you stay here tonight?" he said.
"Huh?" Kieu Ly turned to him, startled.
Toan Phuong repeated his words, firm this time:
"With the rain this heavy, getting home would be a real hassle. I heard some parts of the inner city are already flooding. My parents didn't come home either—they're staying at the office or a hotel for the night to avoid the traffic."
Living in Hanoi, Kieu Ly dreaded rainy days the most. Getting stuck in traffic or wading through flooded streets was a nightmare. If the rain didn't stop, she might really have no choice but to stay.
"Let's wait and see. Hopefully, it'll let up soon and I can go home," she replied.
Toan Phuong didn't argue. He just pulled out a chair and started studying.
Seeing his focus made Kieu Ly feel a bit more at ease. Her decision to brave the storm, and to stay in Hanoi during summer break for this tutoring job, suddenly felt worthwhile. More and more, she was growing fond of this student. But she wasn't sure if she was truly helping him. After all, he had once said he didn't want to study—he wanted to become an idol.
By the end of the session, Kieu Ly pulled back the curtain again. Still raining heavily. She really wouldn't be able to leave tonight.
She texted Huong Tra:
"Still pouring outside. I'm not coming back tonight. Lock the doors, okay?"
Huong Tra quickly replied:
"So you're spending the night with that demon kid?"
Kieu Ly saw the message and quickly turned away so Toan Phuong wouldn't see her phone screen. She typed a reply hastily:
"You're insane. That's so like you."
But it was too late. Toan Phuong had already caught a glimpse and turned away, quietly chuckling to himself.
Meanwhile, Huong Tra responded with a flood of laughing emojis.
Putting her phone away, Kieu Ly turned to Toan Phuong and asked:
"Didn't you say you wanted to be an idol?"
He looked slightly surprised but nodded enthusiastically:
"Yeah, I do. But I also want to get into Foreign Trade University."
"You used to say you didn't want to go there—that it was your parents who wanted that."
"Well, now I want to go."
"Why?"
"Because you go to Foreign Trade."
As he said it, he looked her straight in the eyes.
For a moment, Kieu Ly felt completely drawn in by his gaze, like her soul was being pulled out of her body. She just stood there, stunned, her brain unable to function, her mouth frozen, her limbs awkward and useless.
Suddenly, a bolt of lightning split the sky, followed by a deafening crash of thunder. The sound snapped her out of her trance.