Chapter 23 — Between Two Worlds: A Bride Exchanged for a Dumpling

One morning in early autumn, when the weather had cooled down from the sweltering heat of summer, Thua An and Tieu Mien convened a small meeting at Hoa Thinh Duong headquarters, inviting Tieu Ha and a few of his most trusted managers to attend. The atmosphere of the meeting was somewhat unusually solemn, making Tieu Ha curious and guessing about the reason for this unexpected summons.

"Do you know why I invited you here today?" Thua An opened his mouth, his voice was serious but his eyes sparkled with affection.

Tieu Ha shook her head, a bit nervous. "I don't know, brother-in-law. Did I do something wrong?"

"Quite the opposite," Tieu Mien laughed, dispelling the tension. "We want to officially recognize what you have contributed over the past year."

Thua An took out a prepared document and spread it on the table in front of Tieu Ha. "Since the day you were saved and joined us to build this business, you have constantly proven your ability and loyalty. From a small purchasing assistant, you have built a network spread across more than ten villages, trained a team of trustworthy personnel, and contributed significantly to exposing the plots of Ma Dac Uy and Kieu The Vy. Today, Tieu Mien and I want to officially recognize I am a co-owner of Hoa Thinh Duong, no longer an employee, but a true partner, with full decision-making authority within the purchasing and logistics network of Bai Tro village."

Tieu Ha was stunned, her eyes gradually turned red with emotion. She took the document, read each line clearly stating the percentage of shares she was divided, along with the personal seal engraved with her name - symbolizing official authority in managing the purchasing side of the entire enterprise.

"I... I don't know what to say," she choked out. "I just thought I was doing what I needed to do to repay the favor of saving my life. I never thought about being recognized like this."

"You deserve it," Tieu Mien held her sister's hand, her voice full of pride. "Without you, our purchasing network could not have expanded so quickly and effectively. Without you, perhaps we would not have discovered Ma Dac Uy's plot in time. This is not a favor from me to you, but a worthy recognition for the ability and effort you have put in."

Before the meeting ended, one of Hoa Thinh Duong's oldest administrators stood up and asked permission to say a few words. "Since Ms. Tieu Ha took charge of the purchasing department, our work has become much easier. Not only is she good at negotiating, but she is also always fair, never letting anyone suffer a disadvantage. Many families in the area now see her as a trustworthy relative, not just a businessman." That sincere comment made Tieu Ha even more emotional, feeling that the effort she had put in over the past few months was truly recognized, not only by her family but also by the colleagues she worked with.

The document signing ceremony took place solemnly but warmly, witnessed by the new village chief and several village elders. Even Pham Dinh Nam, upon hearing the news via mail, also sent a warm congratulatory letter, along with a small gift specifically for Tieu Ha - a sophisticated leather-bound notebook for her to take notes on her work, along with a joking message that "a good manager like you deserves better working tools than rudimentary paper notebooks".

Since the day she was officially recognized, Tieu Ha has become even more enthusiastic about her work. She expanded the purchasing network to five more villages and set up a goods transfer station in a central location to make transportation between villages much more convenient. She also personally trained a group of young employees, passing on valuable experiences on how to recognize real and fake antiques, how to negotiate fairly and still make a profit, and how to build trust with local people.

One of her best students is a young girl who lost her parents due to famine and wandered around the villages begging for food before being accepted by Tieu Ha to work. Watching that girl gradually grow up, confidently taking on independent purchasing trips, Tieu Ha couldn't help but remember her own journey - from a girl who almost died of high fever in a dilapidated thatched hut, to a manager respected by the whole region. She understands better than anyone the value of giving others a chance, just like how she herself was given that chance from Thua An and Tieu Mien last year.

Some people in the village, seeing that Tieu Ha was talented, beautiful, and unmarried, asked her to be a matchmaker many times. She just smiled and politely refused, saying that she now wants to focus on developing her career and building a solid foundation for herself before thinking about a hundred years. Only one young man, the son of a businessman who had long cooperated with Hoa Thinh Duong, patiently pursued her with sincerity and not haste, making Tieu Ha sometimes confused, but that was a story she kept for herself, not in a hurry to share with anyone, not even her closest sister.

That boy's name is Lam Tien, he often stops by the freight station to do transactions on his father's behalf, each time bringing a small gift - sometimes a few good books, sometimes a bag of fragrant tea - without showing any zeal or pressure, just quietly showing sincere concern through simple gestures. Tieu Ha, even though she always says that she hasn't thought about love, in her heart she can't help but feel a little moved by that patience. She told herself that if fate really comes, she will not avoid it, but for now, she still wants to devote all her energy to this career that is on the rise.

Tieu Mien, even though she was busy with management work, did not forget to keep an eye on her sister. One time, when she saw Lam Tien stop by, she gently teased Tieu Ha behind his back, making her blush and wave her hand. "Don't tease me anymore, work isn't over yet and you're already thinking about that." But Tieu Ha's sparkling eyes every time she mentioned that name said it all, making Tieu Mien only chuckle, secretly hoping her sister would also find her own, complete happiness like what she had with Thua An.

One evening, when the three of them sat down to summarize the day's work as was their habit for over a year, Thua An looked at the two sisters and felt a deep sense of satisfaction. From a family connected by difficult circumstances and a dumpling, they have now become a solid team, each with a role, building together a business that not only brings wealth, but also brings positive change to a land once immersed in despair.

"We have come a long way," Tieu Mien said, looking at her two dearest people. "But I think, the journey ahead still has many good things waiting."

Tieu Ha nodded, smiling brightly. "That's right. And I'm proud to have been a part of that journey, not as a rescued person, but as a true companion."

Thua An looked at the two sisters, filled with gratitude for what fate had brought him — not only a wonderful wife, but also a complete family, bonded by love and absolute trust, ready to face whatever the future held ahead together.

That night, after Tieu Ha had returned to her room to rest, Thua An and Tieu Mien sat for a while longer, discussing plans to expand their business in the coming year - perhaps opening another transit station in the south, or setting up a fund to support farmers with interest-free loans to restore production after the famine. Every plan they discuss was not only aimed at profit, but was always associated with the common interests of the whole community, a principle that the two had built and maintained together since the first, most difficult days.

“We have created something truly meaningful,” Tieu Mien said, her voice thoughtful as she looked out into the dark yard outside. "Not just wealth, but a better future for so many people."

Thua An nodded and squeezed his wife's hand. "And it all comes down to the simplest decision — choosing to be kind, choosing to trust, even when the circumstances are the most difficult." Outside, the moonlight still quietly illuminates the sleeping Bai Tro village, as if silently witnessing a new, promising chapter about to open in the life of this small but resilient family.