Chapter 8 — After the Rain, There's No Turning Back

On the day of the trial, the audience seats were filled with people. Diep Thanh Duong also came. She wore a black suit, very light makeup, and looked much more haggard. Her lawyer said that Thanh Duong Foundation did not know about the ownership dispute between Trung Hai Technology and me, and was only willing to accept cooperation. Ky Tram Chu asked her:

“Miss Diep, is the supplier of the first batch of equipment of the fund Bac Ngan Control Technology?”

Diep Thanh Duong said:

“Yes.”

“Is the actual controller of Beiyan Control Technology your cousin Chu Tu Bach?”

“I don't know.”

“Is the procurement contract through public bidding?”

“The public utility project is very urgent so we use designated procurement.”

“Is the quoted price three to four times higher than the average market price?”

“Deployment conditions in mountainous areas are complex and cannot be compared simply.”

Ky Tram Chu turned a page of the document.

"Ms. Diep, at the press conference, you said that Ms. Trinh Kien Vi proactively contacted you and expressed your desire to donate. May I ask when was the first time you two met in person?"

Diep Thanh Duong paused.

“March this year.”

“Location?”

“The club of Bac Ngan Group.”

“Who will be attending?”

She was silent. Ky Tram Chu answered for her:

“Chu Tu Bach, mother of Chu Tu Bach, general director of legal affairs of Bac Ngan Group and deputy general director of Trung Hai Technology.”

“The so-called private meeting does not exist at all.”

The courtroom was very quiet. Ky Tram Chu continued to ask:

"The meeting minutes show that Ms. Trinh Kien Vi clearly stated on the spot that the implementation of public benefits must meet three conditions. One, the boundaries of technology licensing must be clear. Two, the procurement price must be public. Three, the data cannot be used for commercial training. Do you remember?"

Diep Thanh Duong's face was pale.

“It's been so long, I don't remember.”

Ky Tram Chu nodded.

“Then let me help you remember.”

He presented a recording. In the recording, my voice is very clear. I said:

“‘Vu Dang’ can be used for free in the mountains, but cannot become a data collection portal for Trung Hai Technology.”

Chu Tu Bach's mother smiled coldly:

"Miss Trinh, you're still young, don't think people's hearts are so bad."

Then came Diep Thanh Duong's gentle voice:

"Sister Kien Vi, have you misunderstood Tu Bach? Tu Bach really wants to help you fulfill your father's will."

When the recording came here, I heard a soft deep breath in the audience. Father's will. 6. They really know how to choose their words. Take my pain point and package it into a sales letter. Ky Tram Chu asked:

“Miss Diep, in this recording, did Miss Trinh Kien Vi ever express her wish to donate to the Thanh Duong Foundation?”

Diep Thanh Duong's lips turned white.

“No.”

“Did she make it clear that she opposes Trung Hai Technology using 'Vu Dang' data for commercial training?"

“…Yes.”

“So at the press conference, why did you automatically let Mr. Chu Tu Bach announce the donation in her name?”

Diep Thanh Duong raised his head and looked at me. There were tears in her eyes.

“I just feel… this is a good thing.”

I looked at her. Suddenly I remembered many years ago, when my mother took me to a relative's house. An aunt advised her to remarry, saying women cannot be single I raise children. Mother did not agree. The aunt sighed and said:

“I just want the best for you.”

Later I understood, many hurts in the world like to wear the shirt "because they want to be good for you". That's the common good. Love is the same. Ky Tram Chu closed the document.

“Dear jury, our side believes that goodwill cannot replace authorization, nor can tears replace books.”

The courtroom was silent for a few seconds. I bowed my head, almost laughing. This sentence sounds like I wrote it. The trial lasted six hours. Trung Hai Technology cannot provide independent research records. The memorandum of understanding known as the cooperation agreement was determined by a judicial examiner to be a collage document. In the source code of the "Son Hoa Nhuong" system, there are still signs of error correction typical of the early "Vu Dang" model. That sign has a name: YS-0617. The sound of rain, June seventeenth. The day my father had an accident. When I installed it, I never told anyone. Because that's not a function. It's a tombstone. Chu Tu Bach sat in the defendant's seat. When he heard the expert examiner read that series of symbols, he finally bowed his head. I don't look at him. My eyes fell out the window. The French sycamore tree outside the courthouse was washed green by the rainwater. Each leaf pressed against the glass, like silent witnesses. The verdict came two months later. Trung Hai Technology must stop the infringement, publicly apologize, and compensate for economic damage and loss of honor. The "Son Hoa Nhung" system was temporarily suspended and the related incident was transferred for investigation. Thanh Duong Charity Fund must accept the audit, Diep Thanh Duong resigned as chairman of the management board. Chu Tu Bach is no longer the CEO of Trung Hai Technology. The day the verdict was sent to the lab, everyone bought a cake. The receptionist placed a chocolate sign on the cake. On it was written: Congratulations to engineer Trinh for regaining engineer Trinh. This sentence is a bit clumsy. But I like it. In the evening, I returned to Nam Xuyen alone. Father's grave is located in the middle of the mountainside. In front of the tombstone, some weeds grew. I squatted down and pulled out each plant. The air on the mountain is damp, and in the distance there is the sound of a flowing stream. I burned a copy of the verdict for my father. Paper ashes flew up, blown by the mountain wind, like a flock of small white birds.

“Father.”

I said.

“The ‘Dang Case’ was not stolen.”

"I won't sell you either."

“I brought it to where it should go.”