The train trudged along.

(Baonghean) - During the years of building the Truong Son Road, in the makeshift sleeping huts, sometimes with beds made of reeds, the nights were aching all over. Sinh only wished for a bamboo-slat bed and longed for the embrace of a man. One night, waking up with a burning fever, she hugged Ly tightly, clinging to her, biting her cheek and neck. Ly cried out in pain, and the two sisters hugged each other, weeping bitterly. Fortunately, the war ended, and the sisters went their separate ways...

Illustration: Nam Phong

Besides her salary, she also received gifts and leftovers, a little bit of everything. Within a few years, she became wealthy. Living alone far from her hometown, she didn't buy anything extravagant, only gold. At that time, having more than ten taels of gold in hand was something no one dared to dream of.

Next to the warehouse was Mrs. Hau's house. On moonlit nights, after eating, she would often close the door and go over to chat, sometimes bringing a piece of black fiberglass for making trousers, sometimes a bar of soap, sometimes a bottle of kerosene as a gift, saying that she didn't use all of her ration and wanted to give it to Mrs. Hau. Gradually, they became close friends. Mrs. Hau cherished her like a daughter.

Mrs. Hau only had Hien, who hadn't left home after finishing 10th grade. Hien was three years younger than her sister. Whenever there was freshly cooked sticky rice or fish soup at home, Mrs. Hau would send Hien over to her sister. Sometimes her sister would slip a box of toothpaste into Hien's hand, sometimes a bar of lemon soap, sometimes a piece of cloth. The two became close, and Hien would occasionally visit her sister to confide in her. That night, the moon was bright. After showering, her sister was only wearing a thin winter/spring shirt and dozing on the bed. Hien pushed the door open. She knew but didn't get up, pretending to be asleep. Hien stood beside the bed, stunned by her strong body. He was about to turn away to let her sleep, but she quickly reached out and pulled Hien back, causing him to fall onto the bed. She pressed Hien's head tightly against her chest, her body burning with intense heat...

And so they became husband and wife. She bought bricks and tiles to build a three-room house to replace their dilapidated one. For months, she lived in blissful ecstasy. At 27, weathered by hardship, her body was like barren land suddenly receiving rain, the soil churning and becoming fertile. Her cheeks regained their rosy color, her breasts became full and alluring. She was delighted by this transformation. She suddenly worried every evening when her husband returned home from work to prepare dinner, trudging along with the plow on his shoulder and leading the buffalo, his clothes covered in mud. He would only have time to throw the plow onto the straw pile, quickly wash a few buckets of water, hastily eat a few spoonfuls of rice, and then fall asleep in bed. She would pull him into her arms. The burnt smell from his hair made her heartbroken. She couldn't let this continue; she had to free him, to preserve their family's happiness.

After a month of lobbying and pleading, she secured a place at a local agricultural university for training. On the day he left, she prepared everything she needed: undershirts and underwear made of fine cotton, Chinese khaki pants, a four-pin American Marine watch, American sunglasses... All rare items, she told her husband.

- Okay, you just have to bear with being away from me for a few years, focus on your studies and become successful. I'll make sure you come back here for work, and then we can be together again. Besides, it's not that far; you can come home for a few days during holidays or festivals!

A year passed, and he came home for a month during the summer. She almost didn't recognize him; he was fairer-skinned, much younger, no longer the Hiền of the muddy fields. A strange feeling, a mixture of joy and worry, tormented her, a woman's intuition telling her that he was drifting further away from her embrace. The following summer, he would only be home for a week, then use the excuse of needing to go on fieldwork. A month later, she took leave from work and arrived at school on a Sunday. She introduced herself as Hiền's older sister, visiting him, and his classmates happily chatted with her...

- That's great! This time, I'll go and meet my cousin Hien's prospective daughter-in-law.

- I also received a letter from her saying she had something urgent to attend to, it must be about this?

"Oh! That's wonderful, sister! Mr. Hien and Ms. Dao went to Hanoi for a visit yesterday evening, they'll probably be back by this afternoon." She tried to hold back her tears, her voice choked and trembling as if she were about to burst into tears.

- Oh dear, I'm too busy with work at home. I'll leave some gifts for her, and please tell Hien to come home next week for some business. If it's convenient, please ask Ms. Dao to come along too, it would be great to introduce her to the relatives.

A month later, Hien returned, begging for forgiveness. He said Dao knew he was married and had left him. She had no choice but to swallow her bitterness. She gritted her teeth and endured, knowing she had over a year left to win him back. She knew Mr. Sinh, the deputy chairman of the district, was a distant relative of Hien. She subtly befriended Sinh's wife, sometimes with a piece of floral fabric, sometimes with a can of oil, and gradually they became close. Several times she visited during meals, bringing some cooked food and a bottle of lemon wine, asking to eat with them. Gradually, Sinh treated her like family. Through conversation, she revealed her worries about wanting to get Hien transferred to the district.

- You're worrying too much. When he graduates, I'll take care of that. The agricultural department is short of qualified staff.

After graduating, Hien returned to the district and everything went smoothly. Within a few years, she rose to head of department, then became director of a forestry farm. Her career path was like a kite soaring in the wind, and she was the one pulling the strings. She retired. Everything was quiet, and the years passed peacefully! Her two children had grown up, and money flowed into the house like water.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, some migrant workers lost their jobs. Without any leads, some came to her, asking her to help them get jobs at her husband's office. They brought valuable gifts, and out of respect, she pressured him to accept them. Little did she know that Luyen, a woman past her prime, with curly hair, red lips, and wearing short and long dresses, had become a secretary and stolen her husband. After Hien hadn't returned for several days, she suspected something was wrong. At midday, she cycled up the hill to the office. The door was slightly ajar. Silently, she pushed it open and found them entwined. She rushed back into the room, consumed by rage. She smashed the television and radio, and overturned the refrigerator, sending water splashing everywhere. She collapsed onto the floor, writhing in agony. It was over! Hien returned, cautiously opening the door. He found his wife almost naked in the middle of the room. He softly called out, "Nua! Nua!" Seeing her husband, her blood boiled again. Deep within her, she felt a terrible breakdown!

The evening train rumbled and puffed as it pulled into the station. The platform was deserted, except for one woman, dressed in worn, tattered clothes, carrying a patched bundle. That woman was Ms. Sinh. Over a billion dong from selling her house and dozens of gold bars, the savings of her entire life, were stuffed into her bundle as she returned to her hometown, to the small village at the foot of the mountain, a place she had been away from for decades, where her poor loved ones lived. With her money, she would do something for her homeland, to forget a lifetime of mistakes...

The train left the station, with not a soul in sight. It silently sped through the night, heading north. The sky was full of peaceful stars, and a gentle breeze carried the scent of the countryside! Her heart felt light and serene. The image of Nưa village flickered in her mind. The train swayed steadily, as if drifting in the vast expanse of sky and earth...

Short stories byXuan Chuan

(Quynh Luu)