A 70-year-old man married an 18-year-old girl as his second wife to have a child to continue the family line. At the climax of their wedding night, an accident happened…

Mr. Tam, a 70-year-old man, has gray hair, but his appearance still exudes the demeanor of a seasoned man. As the owner of the largest wood workshop in the area, Mr. Tam does not lack money, fame, or respect from the villagers. But there is a lingering pain that no one knows about: he has no children to continue the family line. His first wife, Mrs. Lan, despite living with him for more than twenty years, could not give him a child. Although Mrs. Lan is kind and devoted, the desire to have a child to continue the family line made Mr. Tam decide to do what the whole village was talking about: marry an 18-year-old girl, Huong, as his second wife.

Huong was the youngest daughter of a poor family in a neighboring village. With her outstanding beauty – smooth white skin, big round eyes, and sweet smile – she became the center of attention of many young men. But her family’s circumstances forced Huong to accept Mr. Tam’s proposal, even though her heart had never been moved. The wedding was a grand affair, the whole village came to congratulate, but behind the congratulations were curious glances and whispers about the age difference.

On the wedding night, the room was lavishly decorated with red silk curtains and flickering candlelight. Mr. Tam, in his silk pajamas, could not hide his excitement. For him, this was not only his wedding night, but also a turning point in his dream of having children. Huong, in her thin ao dai, sat in the corner of the bed, her trembling hands clasped tightly together. Her forced smile could not hide the anxiety in her eyes.

Mr. Tam gently approached, his voice warm: “Huong, from now on you are my family. I will give you everything, just give me a child.” Huong bowed her head, nodded slightly, but her heart felt like it was tightening. She was not ready, but the pressure from her family and the promise to her mother made her unable to back down.

The room gradually heated up with intimacy. Mr. Tam, with the experience of a seasoned man, gently led. Huong, though shy, tried to respond. The atmosphere became tense, full of desire and also forced. Right at the climax, when Mr. Tam felt his dream was right before his eyes, a loud noise rang out from the window. The glass shattered, shards of glass flew everywhere, and a dark shadow rushed into the room like the wind.

Huong screamed and quickly pulled the blanket over herself. Mr. Tam, startled, jumped up, but before he could react, a dark figure rushed forward and pinned him down on the bed. In the dim candlelight, Mr. Tam recognized a tall young man with a face full of anger. “You dare to steal Huong from me!” the man roared, his hands tightening around Mr. Tam’s neck.

That young man was Nam, Huong’s childhood friend. Nam and Huong grew up together, sharing their childhood days beside the rice fields and the river. They had sworn to love each other forever, but Nam’s poor family background made Huong’s parents reject the idea of ​​the two of them being together. When Nam learned that Huong was being forced to marry Mr. Tam, he went crazy. He had secretly watched the entire wedding, and tonight, unable to hold back any longer, he decided to act.

Huong, panicked, rushed to stop him: “Nam, stop! You’re only hurting us both!” But Nam didn’t listen. He turned to Huong, his eyes filled with pain: “Huong, do you really want to live with this old man? Have you forgotten everything we promised each other?”

Mr. Tam, despite being restrained, remained calm. He growled, “You brat, what do you think you can do? Huong is now my wife, legally! You are destroying things, only bringing disaster upon yourself.” But Mr. Tam’s words only added fuel to the fire. In a fit of rage, Nam pulled a small knife from his belt, the blade glinting in the moonlight.

At that moment, a scream rang out from the door. Mrs. Lan, Mr. Tam’s first wife, stood there, her face pale. No one knew that she had been secretly watching everything from the beginning. “Stop, everyone stop!” she shouted, her voice trembling but full of authority. Everyone was stunned, turning towards her.

Mrs. Lan walked in, her eyes cold as she looked at Mr. Tam. “Tam, do you think you can do whatever you want? You married Huong, forcing this girl into the path you want, but have you thought about anyone else’s feelings?” Then she turned to Nam, her voice softer: “Young man, put down the knife. Fighting won’t solve anything.”

In that tense moment, Mrs. Lan revealed a secret that silenced the room. “Tam, you always blame me for not being able to have children, but have you ever wondered why? I went to the doctor, and he said the problem wasn’t me, it was you. You can’t have children, Tam. Huong, even if she were with you, couldn’t give you what you wanted.”

Mr. Tam collapsed, his face pale. He did not want to believe it, but Mrs. Lan’s determined gaze made it impossible for him to refute. Huong, stunned, burst into tears. She realized that she had been pushed into a meaningless marriage, just to serve a man’s impossible dream.

Nam, still angry, put down the knife. He grabbed Huong’s hand and dragged her out of the room, ignoring Mr. Tam’s calls. Under the moonlight, the two fled, leaving behind a house full of secrets and pain.

News of the wedding night spread throughout the village. Mr. Tam, once a respected man, became the subject of gossip. Mrs. Lan, with tolerance, left home to find a new life for herself. Huong and Nam, despite facing many difficulties, were determined to build a future together.

Mr. Tam’s story is a warning. Personal ambitions, no matter how great, cannot be built on the pain of others. Love and family cannot be forced, and the truth, no matter how painful, always finds a way to come to light.