Chapter 14 — After All, We All Learn How to Be Better People

No one said anything. Because the answer is so obvious.

“So you understand.”

I smiled softly.

“It's not that you don't love me.

Just don't love 'a person without money' like me." Tien Su Phuong's eyes turned red. Not out of pity.

"Diep Thanh! You're good, right? Do you dare to say these words today in front of grandpa?"

"It's okay to say it directly. Tell him to come."

Tien To Phuong pulled Diep Minh Huy hard.

"Go! Let's go! It's useless to talk to this kind of person!"

She dragged him out. Walked a few steps and turned back.

"Diep Thanh, I'll tell you - no matter how much money you have, it's useless! You're still the kind of filial descendant who doesn't care about your family at all, and has no conscience! In the future, the Diep family will clearly see your true face!"

The shrill scream echoed throughout the hallway. I stood still. Wait until the sound disappears completely. Just opened the door, go upstairs. Come home, take off your coat, sit on the sofa. The living room is very quiet. The betel pot on the balcony hung down, the leaves gently swaying in the wind. The phone vibrates continuously in my pocket. I took it out. Eight messages. Third aunt, cousin uncle, second uncle, maternal uncle... people who normally never have contact, now appear all at once. Similar content—

“Tieu Thanh, I heard you opened a big company?”

"Are you busy these days? Let's eat together when you're free."

“Honey, your cousin is looking for a job, can you arrange it?”

I don't answer. Turn off all notifications. Then open the refrigerator and get a can of beer. Leaning on the balcony railing, looking down at the city at night, drinking sips. But inside... I'm no longer choked. The fifth day after everything spread, Grandpa finally came out himself. No need to call. But to get there. That afternoon, at two o'clock, I was in a meeting at the studio. Tieu Ha pushed the door and walked in, looking awkward.

"Miss Thanh, there is an old man outside who says he is your grandfather and wants to see you."

The whole office looked at me simultaneously. I closed my laptop.

“Tell you to wait in the reception room.”

After talking to my assistant, I turned to the people sitting in the meeting.

"Please email me the color plan for this project before 6pm. Meeting ends."

Everyone went out one by one. Diep An An went last, turned her head to look at me, and wanted to say something again. I nodded slightly. The girl left. I stood in the office for two minutes. Adjust the shirt collar. Then push open the reception room door. Grandpa is sitting on the sofa. He wore a gray Trung Son shirt and his hair was much whiter than last time. Next to it is a stick. He came alone. There is no Tien To Phuong, no Diep Minh Huy, and no uncle. Seeing me enter, he raised his head. That look... completely different from that night at the dinner table. No more cold looking down from above. Which is a very complicated thing. Like a person who just realized he made a mistake... but can't lower his ego to admit it. I sat down opposite.

“Why did you come?”

“Can't come?”

His voice was still stiff. But it's not as powerful as before.

"You can call me to come down and pick you up. It's a high floor here, so your feet aren't comfortable."

“You take the elevator.”

“That's good.”

The two sat facing each other. Silence for more than ten seconds. He spoke first.

“Tieu Thanh.”

“The story of Thinh Hang… is true?”

“You kept it from me all this time?”

“You never asked.”

He was stopped by that sentence.

“Your studio… is also fake?”

“It's not fake. The studio is real, The customers are real, each order and each contract is made by me. Thinh Hang is another direction. At first, we invested in the name of the studio, but later, when we grew up, we assigned the foreign affairs part to Luc Thoi Hanh."

“What is Luc Thoi Hanh to you?”

"Elder. Partner."

His hand on the stick tightened.

“So… how much money do you have?”

“Sir, is that important?”

“If you ask, I will answer!”

His temper flashed again. But very quickly... it put itself down again.

“Do you really want to hear it?”

"Of course."

“The current market value of Thinh Hang is about 17,000,000,000 yuan. I hold 38%, equivalent to about 6,500,000,000 yuan. Not that much cash, but compared to 200,000,000 yuan — a lot more.”

He said nothing. He bowed his head and looked at his hands. Maybe almost a minute. He looked up.

“That day… at the dinner table…”

He stopped.

“That day?”

His lips moved. No sound. Finally, he stood up using his cane.

“That's all?”

He stopped at the door, his back turned to me.

“You came just to ask?”

He did not turn around. But his shoulders… sagged a bit.

“I just wanted to see… how your workplace is like.”

His voice was very low.

“Larger than you think… much.”

Having finished speaking, he opened the door and went out. Walk very slowly. The stick tapped the floor one by one. I stood at the door, watching. That back shadow... was lower than in memory. Also more curved. I don't chase. Didn't call back either. Just watch him get into the elevator. I returned to the office. Sit down. The tea cup on the table was still steaming. I picked it up and took a sip.