Chapter 4: Roommate
Kieu Ly slung her backpack over her shoulder, hopped on her bicycle, and pedaled back toward the city center.
It was autumn, so the streets were relatively quiet at night. As she rode through the dimly lit roads, a sense of loneliness crept in.
On the way home, she stopped by a street vendor selling grilled spring rolls and French fries and bought two bags to take back.
When she got to the rental house, she parked her bike, set the food on the table, and called out to her roommate:
"Green Tea, take a break and come eat these rolls!"
Huong Tra was in the middle of studying. Hearing her friend, she closed her book with a thud, rushed over to the table, pulled out a chair, and grinned:
"Landed yourself a cushy tutoring gig, huh? Living the high life already!"
Every time Tra smiled, her adorable dimples showed up.
And when she talked, the little mole above her lip would move up and down—it was strangely fun to watch.
People often joked that her mole was a "lucky foodie mole." Less kindly, some called it a "big-eater mole" or even a "lying mole."
Kieu Ly unwrapped the food and plated it, smiling:
"Well, I'm not sure if it's that 'cushy'. Feels more like I've met a little demon. This one's hard to teach."
Huong Tra poked at the fries with a spoon, dipped one in chili sauce, and casually took a bite:
"So it's a tough gig, huh?"
After a pause, Tra added:
"And why'd you bike all the way to Vinhomes Riverside to tutor? Why didn't you just take my scooter? Why suffer like that?"
Kieu Ly happily munched away while politely declining:
"Riding the bike helps me enjoy the fresh air. It's actually nice, really."
Huong Tra was her high school friend. Her nickname, affectionately, was "Green Tea" because of her quirky motto: "Flirt for fun, then gracefully vanish."
Her family was well-off, so when she started college, they bought her a sleek motor scooter.
Though they'd only been decently close in high school, when Kieu Ly enrolled in Foreign Trade University and Huong Tra in Diplomatic Academy, they decided to live together to keep each other company.
Every time they went home for the holidays, Tra would always give Kieu Ly a ride—never once making a fuss about it.
Kieu Ly admired that about her: gallant, generous, and never counting favors.
Just as they were eating, someone appeared at the door.
"What are you two eating? Mind if I join?"
Quang Huy strolled in without waiting for an invitation, kicked off his sandals, and stepped inside.
He was carrying a bag of fruit, which he casually dropped onto the table.
Huong Tra beamed, grabbed the fruit to wash it, and said cheerfully:
"We've been waiting for you!"
Kieu Ly stood up and got an extra plate, offering it to Quang Huy so he could eat with them.
Their neighborhood was a student housing area, but a few working adults still lived there—including Quang Huy.
He was smart, charming, and had landed a job at a foreign company right after graduating.
Kieu Ly had no idea how much he earned—just that it was a lot.
But instead of moving to a fancy apartment closer to work, he stayed here, in a cramped, old room far from his office.