Chapter 88: Farewell to London
Summer arrived before she knew it, and Kieu Ly had completed her program in London. Before returning to Vietnam, she invited Thuy Linh and Dang Bang Anh out for a farewell meal. Raising her beer glass, Kieu Ly said:
"Today's the last time I get to sit here with the two of you. Let's raise a glass to celebrate and say goodbye."
All three of them lifted their glasses and drank in one go. Thuy Linh put her glass down and replied:
"Not the last time. I'll be going back to Vietnam after university too. We'll meet again in Hanoi."
After drinking, Dang Bang Anh also placed his glass on the table and calmly spoke with his usual steady voice:
"I'll return home eventually too. I hope by then, I'll still get the chance to sit with you again."
Both Thuy Linh and Kieu Ly were surprised. Dang Bang Anh was considered a talent, and London had intended to keep him. Being offered permanent residency in the UK was no easy feat — few people turned it down. Yet here he was, choosing to go back without hesitation. Thuy Linh asked, puzzled:
"Wait, I thought London wanted to keep you, even offered citizenship. But you still want to go home?"
Dang Bang Anh answered seriously:
"I left in order to return. I never intended to stay in London. There's no place like home. I'll definitely go back and contribute to my hometown."
Both Kieu Ly and Thuy Linh quietly admired this sincere, dependable man. He was clearly someone deeply rooted in family and homeland values. But Thuy Linh was modern and open-minded — there was no way she'd want to settle down in a rural area. Curious, Kieu Ly turned to her:
"You weren't offered to stay, but if you wanted to, there are still ways. You could find a local guy to marry."
Thuy Linh brushed off the suggestion with a light shake of the head:
"Nah, I don't want to get married."
"Why not? Have you been heartbroken before?"
"No. I just don't have a father."
"I'm sorry." Kieu Ly felt she had touched the wrong subject.
"No need to apologize. My dad left my mom when I was little. She raised me on her own. She's strong and capable. So I want to be like her — no need for a man."
Dang Bang Anh, who had been quietly listening, now interjected:
"Why so pessimistic? Not all men are the same. My dad may not be able to help my mom with much now, but she's never regretted marrying him."
"Maybe... if I meet a man who's truly good, I might change my mind."
"And what qualifies as 'truly good'?"
"Someone like you."
"Like me?"
"Yes. If it were you, I might actually want to get married."
"That's not a very funny joke."
"I wasn't joking."
Kieu Ly sat there watching, feeling a little awkward. When did Thuy Linh learn to flirt like Huong Tra?
Maybe it was the beer, or maybe it was the sudden compliment, but Dang Bang Anh's ears turned visibly red. Looking closely, they were quite the contrast: a "fridge" — always quiet and reserved — and a "sewing machine" — always chatting nonstop. Their opposite traits strangely complemented each other. It seemed that, during her time in London, Kieu Ly had unintentionally helped spark a new romance.
Smiling, Kieu Ly poured another round for her two dear friends:
"Then let's meet again in Hanoi. Life is long, and if fate allows, we'll cross paths once more."