Chapter 13 — Check for Twenty Million and Trillion Billion

"At least... you should tell me when I'm the most difficult. Don't let me stumble everywhere and then suddenly you appear like a savior."

“I'm afraid if I say it too soon… you'll feel like you're not enough.”

He stopped.

"Dien Chu, you are much better than I thought. You don't need my money to prove yourself. But if you knew I had those things, you would definitely think—what you are doing... is not enough."

He looked at me.

“You're underestimating me.”

He pulled me closer.

“Diep Tri Thu.”

"I need time to digest. But I won't leave."

I closed my eyes. He hugged me for a moment, then let go.

“From tomorrow… let's get acquainted again from the beginning.”

"What do you mean?"

"I want to get acquainted again with Diep Tri Thu who owns 120 billion yuan. See if she is any different from the person I know."

“No different.”

“Is the tea still that bad?”

“…Go away.”

He finally laughed. That night he didn't come home. Sleep again on the sofa. I lay in my room, listening to his steady breathing in the living room, tossing and turning all night. He said he wouldn't leave. I choose to believe. The next morning— Everything turned around. At four o'clock in the morning, Tham Truong Ha sent an email to Tong Anh Kiet, officially withdrawing from cooperation. The reason for writing so “lightly”—

"After careful assessment, the complexity of this subject exceeded expectations. From the perspective of controlling professional risks, I decided to withdraw."

To put it bluntly— The opponent is too strong, I won't play. Tong Anh Kiet was angry. At eight o'clock in the morning at the family meeting, he banged the table.

"Shen Truong Ha is really useless! Accepted 30 million yuan in consulting fees and then turned away!"

Tong Anh Tai sat next to him, his voice cold:

"It's not that he's useless. It's that your opponent is too strong."

“Are you talking in favor of outsiders?”

"I'm telling the truth. Tong Anh Kiet, you still don't understand how deep Thu Thach Capital is. You thought it was just a normal investment fund? They have three funds in Southeast Asia, a family office in Singapore, the largest shareholder of Hung Hoa Bank is also their person. What are you fighting for?"

“So what do you mean admit defeat?”

"I mean cut losses. Stop the supplier issue, restore the relationship with Luc Thi. When Thu Thach Capital hasn't really fought yet... then withdraw."

“On what basis should I listen to you?”

"Because if they increase the holding rate of Tong Dat to 10%... we might lose the whole company."

Chu Ngan sent me that recording. After listening, I left a message.

“Increase Tong Dat holding rate to 8%.”

That afternoon— New announcement from the trading floor: Thu Thach Capital holds 8.02% of Tong Dat shares. There is less than 2%... left to reach the next threshold. The message is so clear. Tong Anh Kiet immediately rushed out of the office, it was said that he didn't even have time to turn off the computer. He went to find Tong Anh Tai. The two brothers closed the door and talked for four hours. Tong Anh Kiet agreed to stop all actions targeting Luc Thi. Three suppliers re-signed the contract. In return, Thu Thach Capital committed not to continue increasing its stake in Tong Dat.

"Stop here." Tong Anh Tai sent a message through an intermediary. "The two families returned to normal cooperation. The old story was erased."

In the office, Luc Dien Chu called me.

“Tri Thu… is it over?”

“The Song family's side is done.”

“So what's left unfinished?”

“Tong Thanh Man.”

“What is she doing?”

“She went looking for your sister this morning.”

"Looking for Tu Lam? What for?"

“Probing the Luc family's attitude towards the larger branch of the family Tong. She hasn't given up yet.”

“Haven't left anything yet?”

“I haven't left you yet.”

On the other end of the line, Luc Dien Chu took a deep breath.

“There is nothing between you and her.”

"I know. But she doesn't think so.”

“I will handle it.”

"No need. Let me.”

“You? What are you going to do?”

“Dien Chu, now you know who I am. Do you think… in front of me, what else can she flip?”

He was silent for two seconds.

“…Okay. But don't overdo it.”

“I never overdo it?”

“You yourself are the definition of ‘too much’.”

I hung up the phone and laughed. At three o'clock in the afternoon, I made an appointment with Tong Thanh Man. Still a coffee shop in the East of the city. She arrived on time. Wine-red painted nails tapped gently on the table.

“Miss Diep asked me out… to turn over the cards?”

“It can be considered so.”

“Then please.”

I put a business card on the table. There is no logo on it, no title. There is only one name and one line of text— Diep Tri Thu. Thu Thach Capital. Tong Thanh Man picked it up. Look for three seconds. Fingers tremble slightly.

“Are you… a member of Thu Thach Capital?”

“Not just Thu Thach's people.”

“What do you mean?”

“I am the founder of Thu Thach Capital. In the world... they call me 'Mr. Thu'. Even though it's called the wrong gender.”

She put down her business card and stared at me.

“Are you kidding?”

“Your uncle just signed a truce with your father this afternoon. The reason is that Thu Thach Capital has increased its holding rate of Tong Dat to 8%, he is afraid. That rate increase order... I signed at 9:47 this morning. You can go check it out yourself.”

Her face turned pale.

“You… you fooled everyone.”

“I didn't cheat. I just don't say it.”

She squeezed her coffee cup.