Chapter 21 — After All, We All Learn How to Be Better People

But in the end, he still kept a straight face.

“Don't talk nonsense.”

“No mess.”

“Eat noodles.”

I bowed my head and continued eating. Noodles cooked by mother, with eggs and green vegetables. Tastes exactly like when I was a child. In the last week of the year, Diep Minh Huy finally appeared. He came to find me. Not in a studio, not in an apartment. It's in the old house. That day, I had just finished giving my grandfather medicine when the door opened. Diep Minh Huy walked in. Lost a lot of weight. The youthful civil servant temperament of the past... disappeared completely. There was something very quiet in his eyes. No longer satisfied. No more resentment. Just… the silence of someone who had been crushed. He stood at the door. He walked to the sofa, but did not sit. Just stood there looking at me.

"I came to apologize. Not two words on WeChat. It's a direct apology."

He bowed. Ninety degrees.

“Sister, sorry.”

His voice trembled a bit.

"The things before - speaking ill of you in front of your relatives, using money to show off, speaking ill of you behind your back, pretending to act in front of Mr. Luc... were all stupid. I admit it."

He stood up straight.

"You have more than 60,000,000,000 yuan, but you don't say a word. You helped your grandfather so much, but you don't even count the credit. You're misunderstood by the whole family, and you still don't explain."

I looked at him. The person in front of me... is no longer the same person as he was a few months ago.

“What do you plan to do later?”

"Took the teaching certification exam. A friend is a teacher in the district and said there was a shortage of people there. My qualifications are enough, I tried."

“Being a teacher?”

"Yes. I'm no longer a civil servant. I can't do business either. Teaching... at least I can do something useful."

His voice was very calm. Don't laugh at yourself.

“There are still two hundred million yuan left, do you still think about it?”

He smiled bitterly.

"It's a lie to say you don't think so. But grandpa kept it. It's good... I can't keep it."

He stopped for a moment.

"If I have a chance in the future... I'd like to invite you to a meal. With the money I earn myself. The teacher's salary is about four thousand a month... I'll probably have to save for a few months."

I spoke very quietly. He nodded, turned away. Go to the door, stop again.

"Sister... thank you for not submitting Huy Dat's case for disciplinary action that day."

I didn't reply.

"I looked it up. If you wanted, just uploading those documents would be enough. But you didn't do it."

"Those documents are the limits of Thinh Hang's protection. They are not weapons to beat you with."

"I know. But you could use... but you don't."

He looked at me.

“That's enough.”

The door closes. In the room, grandfather called:

“Minh Huy.”

“What did it come for?”

“Come and apologize.”

He was silent for a moment.

“Is he crying?”

“That's fine.”

I laughed.

“Sir, the ten shares of Thinh Hang increased by four percent today.”

“How much?”

“The profit is about 127 yuan.”

He snorted.

“127… enough to buy two pounds of ribs.”

"Yes. Tomorrow will still increase."

“Talk nonsense again.”

He didn't speak anymore. But from inside the room… I heard a sound— A laugh. Three years later. Sheng Hang's market value exceeds 30,000,000,000 yuan. My stake is still 38%. During the annual shareholders' meeting, Luc Thoi Hanh officially introduced me to all investors. No more hiding. No more anonymity. On the big screen appeared my name and photo.

“Gentlemen, this is one of the founders of Thinh Hang, who is also our largest individual shareholder—Diep Thanh.”

The applause lasted for a long time. I stand on stage. Wear an ivory white suit. Hair tied low. Naked. Very makeup light. More than a thousand eyes below... all looked at me. And this time— I'm not standing behind anymore. The flash light flashed continuously. I grabbed the microphone.

"Thank you everyone. I won't say long, just one sentence—doing work is more important than being famous. I'm stepping out today, because it's time. Thank you."

There was another round of applause from below. I walked down the stage. Phone vibrates. It's a message from Diep An An.

"Mr. Diep! You're on TV! Central Financial Channel! Our whole office is watching!"

I smiled and sent back an OK icon. Next news.

"Daughter, your father stood in front of the TV and cried. Me too."

From Diep Minh Huy. Right now he is actually teaching at a district middle school. Teaching eighth grade math. Monthly salary four and a half thousand.

"Sister, today forty-two students in my class watched your debut on the projector. I said you were sisters, but they didn't believe it."

Accompanied by a half-laughing and crying icon.

"Next time you come to school, let's have a talk. Let me show off in front of the students a little."

I replied.

“Okay. But the appearance fee is calculated according to the market price.”

“…you're still so mean.”

Final news. Not WeChat. It's an SMS message. The number sent was my grandfather's brick phone. The content was only six words—

“My grandmother saw it.”

I looked at those six words. Then turn off the phone. Outside the window, the buildings in the city sparkled in the sunlight. At the top of the tallest building, the four words "Thinh Hang Khoa Ky" gently swayed in the wind. That's my name. No one can take it away. That year's Tet, I returned to my old house. The whole family sat tightly around the round table. On the table are still familiar dishes—tofu cabbage soup, sweet and sour ribs, and stir-fried shrimp with garlic. Add a plate of braised meat. Grandfather sat in the master position. He is much older than three years ago, and his ears are also worse. When talking, you have to lean close to listen. But the spirit is still fine. In front of him was a small book, which Diep An An taught him to use to view stocks. On the outside cover, four words were written crookedly:

“Thinh Hang Khoa Technique.”

Next to it is also recorded the stock price that day. His ten shares are now worth 3,425 yuan. Three years ago, the purchase was 3,170. Profit 255 yuan. He was very pleased. Before dinner, he called me into his office. Take out a yellow envelope from the drawer. Inside is a new will. Taking a quick look— He redistributed all remaining assets. Leave five hundred thousand yuan to Diep Minh Huy, note: "to be used for teacher training, not to be used for other purposes, supervised by Diep Thanh." Give your family a house in the old neighborhood. The rest— is all left to me. I looked at that number. Not much. Compared to my assets, it's not even a very small corner. But I saw a small line in the notes, written by his own hand:

"This is Diep Thua An's compensation for Diep Thanh's niece. Not because she has money, but because she deserves it."

The text is crooked. There are two words that were crossed out and corrected. But each stroke is very strong.

“Grandpa, I don't need these.”

"It's not whether you need it or not. It's that I want to give it to you."

He tapped lightly on the table.

"Last time you were confused. This time you're awake."

He looked at me. In those cloudy eyes, there was something I hadn't seen for a long time.

“That year, my grandmother told me to secretly give me twenty thousand yuan, and she said one thing.”

“What question?”

“She said—‘This girl will be better than everyone in the future. Remember.’”

He stopped.

“She said correct."

“You just understood late.”

I put the envelope back on the table. Go in front of him. Sit down. At eye level.

“Happy New Year.”

He held out his hand. Hands are rough and full of old age spots. Gently rub my head. Just like when I was little.

“Happy New Year.”

Outside the window, fireworks suddenly exploded. Colorful light shines through the curtains and onto the wall. I stood up and walked to the window. The whole city exploded with light. The sky was full of fireworks. Loud sound. The cinnamon tree in the yard stood silently in the dark. Have to wait until fall to bloom again. In the distance, the tallest building. The four words "Thinh Hang Khoa Ky" sparkled in the fireworks light. I leaned against the door frame. Look at those four words. The corners of the lips curl slightly.