Artist Xuan Huong: The fading glory and the lonely days of the late afternoon

Once a familiar face on the theater and television stage, artist Xuan Huong now lives alone in a spacious house in the center of Ho Chi Minh City. HCM. At the age of 60, she still retains a gentle smile and calm demeanor, but in her eyes there is a hint of sadness that is difficult to hide.

The golden age of talented women

Xuan Huong was born in a family with artistic traditions. Her father is the late artist Bich Lam, former Principal of the School of Theater Arts II, who has contributed to the training of many generations of actors in the South. Soon exposed to the spotlight, Xuan Huong had a passion for art since childhood, with the dream of standing on stage and contributing with her abilities.

As an adult, she studied abroad in the Soviet Union to hone her expertise. Here, she met and bonded with her future partner, who is also a famous comedian. Returning to Vietnam, the two became a good couple in classic skits such as "People who like to joke". They are loved by the audience and called "the golden couple of the Southern comedy stage", both talented and happy.

But behind that shimmering image is a torn relationship, when married life gradually falls into a dead end.

A marriage full of tears and belated deliverance

When her career was flourishing, Xuan Huong chose to withdraw from the limelight, retreating to be a rear guard for her husband and children. But those years were not as peaceful as people thought. The female artist once admitted that her marriage was nothing more than "mental hell". She has to endure loneliness right under her own roof, where there is no more sharing, no common voice.

At times, she fell into a crisis, had to take medication to stay calm and get through the dark days. She said that she tried very hard to preserve, but when people no longer wanted to listen, all efforts became meaningless.

After more than 20 years of marriage, she decided to divorce. That decision shocked the public, because the pair of artists were once a symbol of happiness in Vietnamese showbiz. She chose to leave, bringing with her pain but also liberation for herself.

"I used to think, let's just endure, for the sake of my child, for my family. But if you live forever in hurt, you can't be happy," she once shared in an interview.

Broken motherhood – the pain that cannot be called

After the divorce, Xuan Huong received custody of her only son. The boy at that time chose to stay with his mother, which was her greatest comfort. She takes care of her child every meal, sleeps, and pours out all her love to make up for it. But then, when he grew up, his son suddenly changed.

One day, she realized that she was no longer talking to her, no longer calling, no longer texting. It all stopped quietly, without explanation. "You left me from that day, without a word of goodbye," she said, her voice choking.

It is even more painful when the mother and daughter still live in the same city. Once, she said, she still stopped by the house to get things when she was not at home, still nearby, but absolutely did not want to meet or chat.

At first, Xuan Huong tried to find a way to contact, send messages, call, and then wonder where she went wrong. But the more you try, the greater the gap. She gradually accepted that silence as part of her fate: "You have the right to choose how you live. I just hope that, even if he doesn't talk, he'll be safe."

The mother who has experienced a lot of pain now has to suffer more mental trauma from the very child she loves the most.

Living alone in the middle of Saigon: Lonely or peaceful?

Today, Artist Xuan Huong lives alone in a large house in the center of Ho Chi Minh City. HCM. The house is large, with many rooms, but there is only one calm woman, who takes care of herself every meal and morning coffee every day.

She admits that she is not afraid of loneliness. What she fears the most is living with someone who is not respected and loved. "I'd rather live alone than feel alone," she once said.

At the age of 60, Xuan Huong still keeps the habit of cooking, cleaning, and planting trees with her own hands. She opened an online food sale, considering it a small pleasure to be busier and also a way to connect with the life around her. Occasionally, she meets up with friends, but most of the time is quiet days, reading or listening to music.

She said, "Living alone doesn't mean being unhappy. I felt relieved, because I didn't have to suffer or please anyone. Every day I wake up, be free, do what I like, that's also happiness."

Obsession with marriage and free choice

After the breakdowns, Xuan Huong no longer wants to take another step. Many people have offered it, but she has refused. She was afraid that, once she had been hurt, it would not be easy to open up again.

"After the divorce, many good people came to me, but I was afraid of losing my freedom, afraid of having to live for others and forget myself," she once confided.

To date, she considers independence to be the most precious gift. No longer bound by the titles "wife", "mother" or "someone's person", she was just herself. For her, happiness does not come from having someone by our side, but when we know how to love ourselves, accept the past and live peacefully with the present.

The desire to return to the stage – where the heart still belongs

Although she rarely appears, Xuan Huong still has a burning love for art in her heart. She once confessed her desire to return to the stage, even once, to live in the applause of the audience, to hear the familiar sound of the lights and the backdrop.

"The stage is my breath. If I still have the strength, I would still like to stand on it once, even if it's just a small role," she said.

Many colleagues commented that, despite her advanced age, Xuan Huong is still a person who keeps her passion for the profession. In her, there is the resilience of an artist who has experienced all losses, but still constantly believes in the value of true artistic labor.

A life for art, a life for myself

Looking back on the past journey, Xuan Huong may have lost a lot: fame, love, and attachment of relatives. But in return, she found something else, peace of mind.

In a quiet house in the heart of the city, every morning she opens the door to the sun, makes her own cup of coffee and smiles. She has gone through all the traumas of being a woman, a mother, an artist and now, living for herself is the most precious choice.

"Even though there are many losses in life, I am still thankful to be alive, to breathe and to do what I like," she once said softly, as a conclusion to the stormy years.

To the audience, Xuan Huong will always be a talented, resilient and respectable artist. As for herself, perhaps happiness is simply being at peace in a small house in the heart of Saigon, where she learns to love herself after seasons of trauma.

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