Chapter 4 — After All, We All Learn How to Be Better People

“Director Diep is not old, his voice is not small.”

"Whether the mood is big or not depends on the results."

I pushed the contract over.

"You can think more. But before 3 o'clock this afternoon I need an answer, because tomorrow morning I fly to Shenzhen, there is still a project waiting there."

But it's not mandatory to go. Mr. Ma raised his eyebrows and picked up his pen.

“Hope your product is worth this price.”

“Don't worry.”

After seeing Mr. Ma off, it was almost 12 o'clock. Tieu Ha stopped by.

"Sister Diep, are you really flying to Shenzhen? I don't see the schedule."

“No flying.”

I took a sip of water.

“But it won't hurt to let him think I'm very busy.”

Tieu Ha was stunned for a second, then suddenly understood.

“Really talented.”

I just smiled and said nothing. As soon as I entered the room, the phone vibrated again. I answered the phone.

“Tieu Thanh…”

His voice was both tired and deep.

"Grandpa just called and wanted to organize a family gathering to congratulate Minh Huy on receiving the inheritance. Planning to stay at the old house this Saturday night."

I held the phone and said nothing.

"Tieu Thanh, I know you're upset. But... after all, he's your grandfather and he's old. Please respect me, can you come just once?"

My voice is very light.

“Grandpa said those words yesterday, why don't you say something for me?”

The other end of the line was silent again. A long time later.

"Dad... what's the use of talking? Who can stop my grandfather? The money is his, who do he want to give it to..."

"As children and grandchildren, do you have to endure? Do you have to let people rub your head?"

My voice trembles a bit.

"Dad, I'm also your daughter. Yesterday at the dinner table, if you had just said one sentence 'Dad, that's not fair to Tieu Thanh', I would have felt a lot better. But you didn't say anything. You just sat there, head bowed, silent."

“Tieu Thanh…”

"Saturday's gathering, I won't go. Dad, if you want to go, just go. Grandpa's affairs, from now on, have nothing to do with you anymore."

"Tieu Thanh! Don't be like that..."

“Whatever he is, it no longer has anything to do with you.”

I hung up. Hands shaking a bit. Put it down on the table. Hold, let go. Hold, let go. Repeat a few times until it stabilizes. At 2 p.m., I'm looking at Thinh Hang Technology's quarterly report. The room door was knocked. The person who walked in made me pause for a second. My cousin, Diep An An. This is my last year of college, I'm interning at my studio, usually doing odd jobs.

“Miss Thanh…”

The girl's eyes were red.

"What is up?"

Diep An An walked over and gave me the phone. On the screen is the group chat "Descendants of the Diep family". The news above is from Diep Minh Huy.

"Saturday night gathering at the old house, congratulating me on receiving my grandfather's legacy. Everyone must be present. @everyone"

Below are a series of responses.

“Congratulations Huy!”

“Definitely present!”

“200,000,000 yuan, Mr. Huy!”

I scrolled down. Saw Diep An An's news.

"Is Ms. Thanh going? Yesterday I saw her looking very angry."

Diep Minh Huy replied.

"It's up to her whether she wants to come or not. Anyway, grandpa said, from now on, the Diep family won't have this person anymore."

Someone asked again.

“What's going on, Mr. Huy?”

Diep Minh Huy sent a cold laughing emoji.

"What else? Jealousy. Seeing my grandfather leave all the money for me, I mentally collapsed. Yesterday, I stood downstairs arguing loudly with my mother, without any upbringing. My parents kindly went to pick her up, but she made cold faces. Tell me, that kind of person is worthy of the surname Diep. Are not?"

Below is a series that follows.

“Too ignorant.”

"Grandpa's money can be given to whoever he wants. Why is she making a fuss?"

“I heard that the studio is about to die, it doesn't earn much in a year, and its temper is big.”

Diep An An spoke up.

"Don't say that, Ms. Thanh is not that kind of person."

Immediately rejected.

“What does An An know? Know the person who knows the face but does not know the heart.”

“She pays your salary, so of course you defend her.”

"I think An An should stop working at her place. In the future, let Mr. Huy arrange for a proper unit."

I looked at those text messages, a cold current ran up from the soles of my feet. Diep An An stood in front of me, tears falling.

"Miss Thanh, I don't argue with them... I just think they said something wrong... you treat me so well..."

I pulled out a tissue and gave it to the girl.

“Don't cry.”

The girl took it and wiped her tears.

“Miss Thanh, are you really not going to the Saturday gathering?”

“Don't go.”

“But… they said if I don't go, they really won't accept me anymore…”

I smiled softly.

“An An, do you think when I walked out of my old house yesterday, they even thought about accepting me?”

Diep An An couldn't say anything.

“Okay, don't think anymore, go to work.”

The girl nodded, went to the door and then turned back.

“Miss Thanh, I believe you. You are definitely not who they say you are.”

The door closes. I sat in the chair for a long time without moving. The sun outside is beautiful, the whole office is brightly lit. But I feel cold. The cold seeped from deep into my bones. 4pm, I left early. Drive to the riverbank. After parking, walk along the shore. The wind was so strong, my hair whipped my face. Across the river is the busiest commercial center in the city, with buildings one after another. Among them, the tallest building has four bright words "Thinh Hang Technology" on the top. Stand out in the middle of the night. That's my company. But no one knows. They only know that Diep Thanh is a person who opens a small studio and doesn't earn much in a year. They only know that Diep Minh Huy is a civil servant with a wide future. Phone vibrates. Message from Luc Thoi Hanh.

“Tieu Thanh, next month's foreign branch opening ceremony, are you really not coming? The partners all personally want to meet you.”

I replied.

“It's okay for you to represent.”

"Okay. But honestly, how long are you going to hide it? The company now has more than 16,000,000,000 yuan, the largest shareholder like you can't stay hidden forever."

“Wait until you want.”

“Okay, I'm determined. Well, tell me about this. The guy Diep Minh Huy from my house today went through several layers of relationships to find my assistant, saying he wanted to invite me to dinner, 'admired him for a long time, wanted to interact'. How do you answer?

I looked at that message for a few seconds. The river wind stings my face. But a fire burned inside.

“Accept. See you next Saturday night.”

“Next Saturday? Didn't your family have a gathering that day?"

“Don't go. Eating with Diep Minh Huy is more interesting.”

Luc Thoi Hanh sent a question mark.

“What are you going to do?”

“Do nothing. Just want to see how high 200,000,000 yuan can make a person fly.”