Chapter 12 — After All, We All Learn How to Be Better People

I neither nodded nor shook. Just look at him. His hand holding onto the back of the chair let go. The gift bag fell to the ground. His voice suddenly turned sharp.

"Based on what? You only do design, on what basis do you have 6,300,000,000 yuan?!"

I lifted the cup of tea and took a sip. The tea is just warm.

“Based on what?”

I put the cup down.

“Based on when you were in the group of relatives who said I had a 'small vision', I was reviewing the company's quarterly report.

Based on the time you boasted at the dinner table that you had a 'business talent', I am negotiating profit sharing with partners from three countries. Based on when you took 200,000,000 yuan and went around bragging about it, my quarterly dividend alone... was double that entire amount.” There are only three people in this room. Luc Thoi Hanh. And one was just crushed by the truth. His legs softened. I see clearly.

“There's one more thing.”

I stood up.

"Your industrial park plan - that land is warehouse land, not industrial land. You used it to deceive Thinh Hang... if we really invest, do you know what to call it?"

I said every word.

“Commercial fraud.”

Diep Minh Huy's face no longer had any color left. He sat down on the chair. Lips trembling, speechless.

“I… I intentionally… from beginning to end I was…”

“What did I do from beginning to end?”

I bent down to look at him.

“You approached Mr. Luc… told him to eat with me… told me to make a plan… everything was arranged by you… you're kidding me…”

“I'm not kidding you.”

My voice is very calm.

“From beginning to end I only did one thing — not stop you.

You want to quit your job, I won't stop you. You want to build an industrial park, I won't stop you. You want to defraud a listed company, I won't stop you. Every step is your choice, Diep Minh Huy.”

"You did it on purpose! You wanted revenge! Because grandpa gave me money and didn't give it to you—"

“Diep Minh Huy.”

I interrupted.

“Do you really think I care about that 200,000,000 yuan?”

The space was silent.

“You think I left my old house that night… because of that money?”

"Not."

“It's because at the dinner table that day — from you, your mother, your father, even your grandfather — no one considered me worthy of respect.”

"It's only 200,000,000 yuan. I don't care."

"What I pay attention to... is the way my grandfather looked at me. His eyes were like 'you are useless'.

And all of you… see that look is right.” His lips trembled. Can't say anything. Luc Thoi Hanh quietly stepped aside. I picked up my bag.

"I'll pay the bill today. Thinh Hang won't invest in your project. Huy Dat's registration documents have been saved by my legal team. If you're still alert enough—"

I went out the door. Don't turn around.

“—then go back and do your job as a civil servant well.

Don't burn that 200,000,000 yuan. Deposit it in the bank and live your whole life, it's enough." I opened the door.

“Don't sit at the table without understanding the rules—”

Step out.

“—bet.”

The door closed behind. The hallway was coldly quiet. The heel of my shoe clicked on the stone floor, step by step, the sound echoed clearly. There was no sound of footsteps behind us. Arriving in the lobby, I took out my phone. Luc Thoi Hanh sent a message.

“He's crying.”

I don't answer. Pushing open the restaurant door, the night wind hit my face. The September wind brings a bit of cold. But my hand is hot. The news spread throughout the Diep family in just forty-eight hours. I don't know what Diep Minh Huy told his family How is the family? But from the screenshot Diep An An sent, his version is—

"I have a sister who secretly set up a listed company, worth more than a hundred billion, hiding it from everyone. She deliberately approached my partner and sabotaged my project. She was jealous because I inherited it, so she secretly played dirty."

Below is divided into two streams. A stream of doubt.

"More than a hundred billion? Are you kidding?"

"Tieu Thanh? The one who opened the design studio?"

"Impossible, she doesn't have that kind of bravery."

A stream of information about him.

"If it's true, it's too deep! Family members playing with family members?"

"No wonder we didn't compete for the inheritance that day. It turns out it was already planned!"

“This kind of mentality is really scary.”

Third aunt Diep Tu Cam sent a voice clip.

"Real or fake, Tieu Thanh's way of doing things is wrong! Having money is so terrible? If you have money, are you allowed to harm your cousin?"

I placed the phone face down on the table. Ten minutes later, I turned it over and added thirty-two messages. The latest news is from Tien To Phuong. A voice clip longer than three minutes. I don't listen. Diep An An recounted.