Chapter 19 — Check for Twenty Million and Trillion Billion

That evening— He appeared for the last time in front of my bookstore. I don't open the door. Just stand inside, looking through the glass. The man used to be the youngest son of the Diep family— Now his hair is more than half gray. Sunken eye bags. The collar is wrinkled.

“Tieu Thu…” his voice was hoarse, “you won.”

I said nothing.

"In the past, your father... chose you, not uncle... was right."

“You still have a chance to fix it.”

He smiled slightly.

"Fix what? Start over?" He shook his head. “This year I'm fifty-three.”

"Fifty-three is not late. I have financial experience. If I can let go of my attachment—"

“Acceptance?” He looked up at me. “120 billion yuan… you call that obsession?”

“You call it yours?” I looked straight. "It was never yours. Grandpa gave it to me... not because of favoritism. But because you did too many things that disappointed him."

His lips moved slightly. But didn't say another word. Turn around. The back slowly sinks into the night. Khuong Tieu Ngu gently touched my hand.

“Are you okay?”

“You're crying.”

I wiped my eyes with my hand.

“The wind is too strong.”

“There is no wind here.”

She didn't speak anymore. Just stand next to me. Like an anchor. Half a year later. Hai Van Loan project completed. Handover rate 98%. Luc Thi's annual report— Profit increased by 67%. 15% of Thu Thach's shares— From 5 billion yuan... Increased to 8,300 million yuan. Chu Ngan wrote a sentence in the summary report:

“Probably the best investment in the last nine years.”

Luc Dien Chu finished reading and glanced at me.

“I feel like an investment asset.”

"Of course."

I tilted my head and smiled.

“You are my most profitable investment.”

“Just kidding.” I took a sip of tea, my voice light. “You are my boyfriend, not an investment.”

“So when will you marry me?”

My hand stopped.

“What did you say?”

He pulled out a small box from his pocket. A diamond… not big.

“It's not something expensive.” He smiled, a bit embarrassed. “I saved up the money to buy it myself.”

I looked at that stone. The light is not bright. But... very real.

"We've known each other for three and a half years, but you've hidden it from me for three years." He looked at me. “After half a lifetime… don't hide it anymore.”

“Can I get it?”

“…Let me think.”

“Still thinking?” He laughed. "You don't even hesitate for 120 billion yuan, why do you need to think about marrying someone?"

“Investing and life… are two different things.”

He stuffed the ring box into my hand.

"Give me three days. Three days later I'll come get the answer."

He turned away.

“Luc Dien Chu.”

“It doesn't take three days.”

He turned back. I opened the box. Put the ring on your ring finger yourself.

“This diamond is small…” I chuckled softly, “…but it is worth more than your mother's empty 20 million yuan check that year.”

He froze for a second. Then burst out laughing. Come quickly. Pick me up. The wind chimes on the door jingle. Sunlight fell, covering rows of old books. Three years ago— I walked into your life with empty hands. Three years later— He entered my world… carrying only a small diamond. But that's enough. One year later. During our wedding— Phuong Cam Hoa cried three times. The first time—when he saw me wearing a wedding dress. The second time—when I offered tea. The third time—after drinking three glasses of wine, she pulled Khuong Tieu Ngu back, her voice choked:

“That year… the 20 million yuan check… was the stupidest thing in my life.”

Khuong Tieu Ngu nodded extremely seriously.

“You're telling the truth… the balance isn't enough… until now I still think it's funny."

Phuong Cam Hoa's face was as red as a lantern. Luc Tu Lam stood next to him, holding a glass of wine, coldly saying one sentence:

“Mom, accept it. The girl my mother once wanted to kick out of the house... is now the person my whole family doesn't dare to offend the most."

Phuong Cam Hoa... cried for the fourth time. At the wedding— There was no Tong Thanh Man. Three months ago, she went to New York. Heard he worked at a hedge fund on Wall Street. Before leaving, she sent me a text message:

“You're right. Putting your mind to yourself... is still worth more than putting your mind to others.”

I don't answer. But in my heart— I wish her well. Tham Truong Ha also came. Stand in the corner. Drink three glasses of whiskey. I go.

“Mr. Tham, thank you for coming.”

He raised his glass.

“Miss Diep—no, Mrs. Luc. Congratulations."

“After that, you won't accept work from the Song family anymore, will you?”

"Are not." He laughed self-deprecatingly. “You scared me away.”

“I'm not threatening you.”

“You yourself… are already a kind of pressure.” He looked at me, his eyes a bit deep. “26 years old. 120 billion yuan. Live in the old area. Open a bookstore. The whole city A... couldn't find the second person."

“You talk too much.”

“There's something I've always wanted to ask.”

“What?”

“That year… after your grandfather beat my master… did he say anything?”

I looked at the glass of wine in his hand. Gently replied.

“My grandfather said—”

I stopped for a beat. The voice was low, like wind passing through the pages of an old book.

“Winning or losing is not important.”

“The important thing is… after winning, are you still yourself?”

“My grandfather said—” I looked straight at him, my voice very soft but every word clear,

“Tell your students… winning or losing is not important. The important thing is that after losing, don't admit defeat."

Tham Truong Ha was stunned for a long time. Then he drank the glass of wine.

“Your grandfather… is truly an admirable person.”

"I know."

I returned to the party center. Luc Dien Chu was standing there waiting for me. He held out his hand. I placed my hand in his palm.

“Lady Luc.”

“Mr. Luc.”

“You are so beautiful today.”

“I am not beautiful every day.”

"YES. Every day is beautiful.” He smiled softly. “But today… is especially beautiful.”

“Because I'm not wearing flat shoes today.”

He laughed. Pull me into the middle of the dance floor. Music rang out. Warm light shone down. He leaned close to my ear and whispered:

“Diep Tri Thu… you are not 120 billion yuan.”

“You are my whole world.”

Outside the glass window— The city glows brightly. We rotate slowly between the lights. It's like everything finally finds its end. Five years later. Thu Thach Capital manages more than 300 billion yuan. Luc Thi completed nationwide expansion, revenue exceeded 100 billion yuan per year. Hung Hoa Bank is among the top 15 commercial banks nationwide. I… am thirty-one years old. The bookstore is still there. It's just that it has moved from the old neighborhood... to Hai Van Loan commercial street. Three times as wide. I visit twice a week. Going to work in Thu Thach. Occasionally, Luc Dien Chu will come to find me. Bring along your one and a half year old daughter. My name is Luc Tri An. The girl sat on the floor, flipping through a comic book that had three pages torn off, drool dripping down the cover.

“My daughter broke the book again.” he said.

“It's reading.”

“He's not even literate yet.”

“Does not affect the perception of knowledge.”

He picked up the child and wiped away the drool.

“Diep Tri Thu.”

“When I opened that bookstore…—”

“Not ‘the’ store.”

"Alright." He changed his tone, trying to be serious. “The exquisite bookstore, yes gu, the profit is less than 20,000 yuan a year… at that time did you think you would make it to today?”

I looked outside. Hai Van Loan Street is crowded. People pass by like flowing water. The wind chimes gently resonate with the sea breeze.

“So what did you think?”

“Just thinking… living simply.” I smiled softly. “Read books, bask in the sun. No need to prove anything to anyone.”

“What now?”

“Still the same.” I tilted my head. “Just… two more people to take care of.”

He bent down to look at his daughter. She is very attentive... chewing on his tie.

“You two?”

“You and it.”

He laughed. Place your child in a small chair. Then came behind me and hugged me. Chin resting on top of my head.

“Diep Tri Thu.”

“That 20 million yuan check—”

“Do you still mention it?”

“Your mother mentioned it again last week.” He laughed. “Saying it was the biggest stain in her life.”

“That's right.”

"She also asked me... if I could sign a confidentiality agreement, from now on, don't mention it every Tet holiday."

"Impossible." I'm calm. “It's one of the few weapons I can use against her.”

He laughed loudly. Jingle wind chimes. Sunlight through the new glass window— No longer the old window. Falling down rows of books. Or 300 billion yuan. Or just a small bookstore. It's all just numbers. What I really have— It's not money. It's this afternoon. It's the sound of wind chimes... softly ringing.