Chapter 17 — After All, We All Learn How to Be Better People

"An An, go to work. This matter stops here."

The girl nodded and left. I stood alone in front of the window for a long time, looking at the sky outside. The content of the letter... did not surprise me. Right from that moment at the dinner table, I knew it wasn't spontaneous. An old person can sign a notary document, handing over all his assets for life... surely there must be someone blowing the wind behind him for a long time. Tien To Phuong is not stupid. She knew what her grandfather cared about most—

“There is a future.”

“Support the family.”

She just needed to rearrange those words... then put them in his ear. Fittingly standing on the opposite side of it all.

“Not listening.”

“Make some unrealistic designs.”

“Twenty-seven years old, no lover.”

“Girls also get married.”

Grandfather chose an option. He just didn't know— The option he eliminated... was three hundred times more valuable than the remaining option. At 4 pm, Luc Thoi Hanh sent a short message.

“In Diep Minh Huy's matter, are you still planning to intervene?”

"His company Huy Dat owes a brokerage fee, the other party is demanding it."

“It has nothing to do with me.”

“He might find you.”

“Let him find it.”

Five minutes later, the phone rang. Diep Minh Huy's number. Not the old number — the new number. I answered the phone. His voice... completely different. No longer satisfied. No more pretending to be sincere. Only unconcealed panic remained.

"Please help me. I beg you. As long as you help me through this door, I accept all the blame for what happened before. I'm sorry, sister. I will apologize in front of the whole family. I will pay as much money as you want—"

"Your money? Or grandpa's money?"

“Diep Minh Huy, 200,000,000 yuan in your hand… how much is left?”

The line was silent.

"170,000,000? 150,000,000? Or less than 100,000,000?"

"I can't help you. It's not that you can't — it's that you shouldn't. From beginning to end, you walk this path yourself. When you wanted to take a step up to the sky, you didn't look for me. Now that you're about to fall, you remember me."

“But you are my younger brother—”

My voice is very calm.

"But the day you took the 200,000,000 yuan, you chose not to consider me your sister anymore. That's your choice. You have to bear it."

I hung up. Leave the house and walk along the riverbank. The wind was colder than last time. It's late fall. In the end, Diep Minh Huy could not hold the civil servant position. Three days later, the unit made a decision to handle it. Dismiss. Retain status for one year. Violating business regulations, taking advantage of position to gain benefits for related businesses. This news... was reported by my father. His voice was emotionless. It's like reading a text.

"Today, my boss came to the unit to ask for help, but it didn't work. The department head said the process had been completed, no one said it was useless."

“How is he now?”

"Stay at home. Don't leave the door. His mother scolds him every day, scolds him, then cries. Grandpa locks himself in his room and doesn't see anyone."

“Huy Dat Company?”

"It's dissolved. The deposit for the land can't be returned, it's considered a breach of contract. More than 3,000,000 yuan lost."

Three million yuan. Plus previous miscellaneous expenses. 200,000,000 yuan… probably evaporated about 50,000,000 yuan. Less than two months.

“Tieu Thanh.”

Dad's voice suddenly lowered.

“Grandpa asked Dad to pass on the message.”

“He said — ‘tell him to come back.’”

I think a bit.

"This Saturday. Just a few people in the house. No outsiders."

“What about Tien To Phuong?”

“She… probably still does.”

"Just that."

“Little Bar!"

“With her, nothing good will happen. I don't want to hear the words 'ungrateful', 'ignorant', 'having money but not helping the family' again."

“My uncle-in-law is no longer in the mood to talk. She's a mess."

I was silent for a while.

“I will think.”

I hung up the phone and leaned back in my chair. On the ceiling there was a small, zigzag crack extending from the corner of the wall. In the evening, I called Luc Thoi Hanh.

“Is there another mission?”

"Are not. This time it's a private matter.”

"OH? Do you also have personal matters?”

“Grandpa told me to come home for dinner.”

“Are you really going back?”

“Not yet decided.”

The other side was silent for a few seconds.

“So why call me?”

"…Don't know."

“I want to go home.”

“I want to, but I can't bring myself down.”

I don't say.

“Diep Thanh, go home. Even my grandfather's WeChat hasn't been deleted yet."

“…How do you know?”

“The other day I showed you my phone to look for files, and I glanced at it. The group 'The Diep family' — notifications turned off, but it's still there."

I was silent for a long time.

“Okay, go work. I'm just asking aimlessly."

“If you ask aimlessly, then call for fifteen minutes?”

“Go home, Diep Thanh.”

I hung up. Compose a message for dad.

“Saturday night, I'll be home.”