Chapter 16 — After All, We All Learn How to Be Better People

Do not mention Diep Minh Huy's name. But every word... is talking about him.

“Has he been called up to work?” I asked.

"No. But his broker has already been called up. According to this progress, it will be Diep Minh Huy's turn sooner or later."

I put down the phone. Go to the glass door. In the opposite building, the four words "Thinh Hang Technology" are still bright. A foundation of 17,000,000,000 yuan stood there, as solid as if it had never shaken. Diep Minh Huy's 200,000,000 yuan, along with his civil servant status... are in free fall. That evening, my mother called again. This time she didn't cry. But there was a deep fatigue in his voice.

“Tieu Thanh, there's something going on at our house.”

“I know.”

“You… you know?”

“It was published in the newspaper.”

"Minh Huy... won't it be very troublesome?"

"Grandpa was at home today breaking things and scolding him for a long time. My uncle-in-law hugged his leg and cried, begging him to think of a way. He said - 'What else can I do? I've already given him all the money!'"

“It's over, there's really no other way.”

“Tieu Thanh…”

My mother's voice lowered.

"Can... can you help Minh Huy? Not with his project. Just... think of a way to keep him from losing his job. He's only twenty-four..."

“Mom, do you think… should I help?”

The other side was silent.

“That night at the dinner table, he didn't say a word for me.

After taking the inheritance, he told them all that he had 'low vision', 'the studio was about to collapse', 'he was rejected when he borrowed money'. He stepped on the child in the mud. Now he falls down on his own — tell me, what reason do I have to pull him up?”

“But… you have the ability…”

“Having ability does not mean having obligation.”

My mother didn't speak anymore.

"I won't hurt him. But I won't save him either. His way, let him walk on his own. If he falls... get up on his own."

"Mom and Dad, don't get involved. You two know nothing, participate in nothing — that's safest."

I open my calendar. Tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock, midterm report to Hong Vien. 2 p.m., new client presentation. 7pm, Thinh Hang's quarterly strategy meeting. Life must continue. No matter how chaotic the Diep family is. Diep Minh Huy was officially called to work on Friday morning, three days later. Diep An An was the first to report the news.

"Miss Thanh, Mr. Huy has been called by the internal disciplinary team. I heard that in the land transaction, there was a place where his name was written. His mother was at home crying, his father called everywhere to find a lawyer."

“Grandpa is…”

"You haven't left your room all day. Third aunt said you didn't eat anything this morning."

I said nothing. Diep An An continued.

"Miss Thanh, there's one more thing. I don't know if I should say it..."

"The other day I cleaned Huy's room, there was a letter in the desk drawer."

"It was my uncle-in-law who wrote to my grandfather. The time was late last year, nearly half a year before he announced his will."

My hand stopped.

“What is written in the letter?”

Diep An An took out her phone and opened the photo.

"I took a picture. Please see."

I took it. A handwritten letter. Tien To Phuong's letters are large, skewed, but every stroke is bold. Just one page. Main content—

"Dad, although Minh Huy is not the smartest grandchild, he is the most filial. Tieu Thanh has been stubborn since he was little, and as he grew up, he became even more stubborn, and his father didn't listen to him. He only had his career in mind, and never thought about his family. Minh Huy is different. He took the civil service exam to make his family famous. In recent years, Tieu Thanh has spent money, but only to show off to outsiders, no. Be honest with your father. The person who really loves his father is Minh Huy, his son..."

Advise grandfather to leave the entire inheritance to Diep Minh Huy.

“Only sons can support the family.”

"If a girl gets married, the money for her is for outsiders."

I finished looking at it and returned the phone.

“Don't tell anyone about this letter.”

“Because it doesn't change anything.

The letter was written by Tien To Phuong, but the decision was his. She only pushed with one hand. The one who really chooses… is you, with your own prejudices.” Diep An An bit her lip.

“But that's not fair…”

I looked out the window.

“Fairness… doesn't exist from the beginning.”

I stood up and walked to the glass door.