Chapter 26 — Contract of the Heart

The day to celebrate Mrs. Xuân's seventieth birthday finally arrived, a clear morning in late June, bright yellow sunshine spread across the small street where Thảo Nguyên's family lived. Since early morning, the whole family had been busy preparing. Although the scale had been significantly reduced compared to the original plan, a bustling, cozy atmosphere still pervades the small house.

Thảo Nguyên got up at five in the morning, helped Aunt Hạnh and the banquet service team set up tables and chairs in the yard, hung colorful confetti strips along the fence, while Tuan was in charge of checking the sound for the speech later. Ms. Xuân, even though she promised not to do heavy work, still couldn't sit still, kept walking back and forth supervising, occasionally giving suggestions to correct a few small details that only her sharp eyes could notice.

"Grandma, please sit down and rest, let us take care of everything," Thảo Nguyên said, pulling her to sit on a rattan chair under the shade of a tree, pressing a glass of cool lemonade into her hand.

"How can you sit still?" Mrs. Xuân laughed, although she still obediently sat down. "Today is your big day, you have to personally see if everything is okay."

Bích Vân arrived early to help, bringing a camera to capture memorable moments on this important day. While working, she did not forget to tease Thảo Nguyên about the obvious tension on her best friend's face. "What are you worried about that makes your face so tense?" Van asked, adjusting the camera lens. "Everything is fine now."

"I just want everything to go perfectly," Thảo Nguyên replied, constantly rearranging the chairs neatly, even though it was still early and sweat was already beading on her forehead. "This is her most important day, I don't want any mistakes."

"Just relax," Van reassured. "Look at your grandmother, she's so happy that she can't be happier anymore."

At nine o'clock in the morning, guests began to arrive. Aunt Hạnh and Uncle Tuan arrived first with their small family, followed by other close relatives, each bringing a small gift and sincere congratulations for her. The atmosphere became increasingly bustling, bustling laughter echoed throughout the yard.

Diệu Anh also attended, bringing a pot of Phalaenopsis orchids as a gift, along with several other members of the Robotics club who had become close to Việt Anh and indirectly to Thảo Nguyên over many months of back and forth. She greeted everyone with a natural, cheerful attitude, without any awkwardness from previous days, and even proactively started conversations and helped set up the banquet table with Thảo Nguyên like a true close friend.

"Thank you for coming," Thảo Nguyên said as the two of them rearranged the pile of plates on the table.

"Why don't you come?" Diệu Anh smiled brightly. "Uncle Xuân treats me very well every time I visit. Besides, I also want to witness with my own eyes the happy ending of the strangest love story I've ever heard."

They both laughed, the comfortable, sincere atmosphere completely erasing all traces of the awkwardness that had existed between them in the past.

Mr. Minh's family arrived at ten o'clock, right as scheduled. Việt Anh appeared in a rarely seen elegant suit, carrying a large bouquet of flowers and a carefully wrapped gift box. Next to him was Mr. Minh, looking as solemn and somewhat nervous as before, and Việt Anh's grandmother - a gentle older woman whom Thảo Nguyên met for the first time, attended with curiosity and even a little emotion when knowing the special story that was waiting ahead.

"Wishing you good health and a long life to be a hundred years old," Việt Anh said, bowing to Mrs. Xuân with a solemn attitude, handing the bouquet of flowers to her.

"Thank you," Mrs. Xuân replied, receiving the flowers with a bright smile, her eyes could not hide her emotions when she saw Việt Anh's entire family present. "I'm glad you guys came."

Việt Anh's grandmother stepped closer and held Mrs. Xuân's hand. The two older women looked at each other for a long time, their eyes containing a special understanding that only those who had gone through many ups and downs in life could fully feel.

"I'm Hoa, Mr. Bảo Tín's wife," she said, her voice gentle, her white hair neatly tied at the back of her head, her small figure but exuding a calm, kind look, without any jealousy or discomfort in it. "Listening to my son tell the story, I was truly moved. He had a beautiful memory that I always respected and never felt threatened by."

"Thank you for understanding," Ms. Xuân said, squeezing Ms. Hoa's hand, her voice equally choked. "I'm also happy because he has a good wife and a happy life with her for so many years."

The two women hugged each other, not in competition or jealousy, but in a rare deep sympathy, making those around them who witnessed the scene unable to help but be moved. A few elderly guests standing nearby quietly wiped the corners of their eyes at this rare touching scene.

Thảo Nguyên stood next to Việt Anh, observing that moment, suddenly holding his hand tighter. "I never thought things could turn out so beautifully," she whispered.

"Me too," Việt Anh replied, squeezing her hand again. "Perhaps this is the clearest proof that sometimes, the truth, no matter how difficult it is to tell, ultimately leads to much better results than continuing to live in lies, no matter how harmless."

Mr. Tuan also took the opportunity to tease Việt Anh a few words in front of everyone, making the whole party burst into laughter. "So this is our future groom," he said, patting Việt Anh's shoulder intimately. "I heard you're going to study abroad, so are you planning to bring my baby along?"

"Mr. Tuan!" Thảo Nguyên blushed and exclaimed, while Việt Anh just smiled, not flustered like before.

"I will try my best not to be away from Thảo Nguyên for too long," Việt Anh replied, her tactful but sincere answer made Mrs. Xuân sitting nearby nod with satisfaction.

The party continued in a warm atmosphere, everyone gathered to chat, enjoy the dishes Mrs. Xuân and Aunt Hạnh had prepared, laughter mixed with gentle music emanating from a small speaker placed in the corner of the yard. In the middle of the meeting, when everyone had settled down around the round tables filled with food, Mr. Tuan stood up, held the microphone, and prepared for the main ritual of the party - congratulations and speeches for the person celebrating his life.

"Dear everyone," Mr. Tuan began, his voice solemn but still warm and friendly. "Today, we gather here to celebrate the seventieth birthday of my mother, Mrs. Ngô Thị Xuân, a woman who has devoted her whole life to loving and caring for her family, not only her children but also her grandchildren."

He continued to recount a few memories of his childhood, about the nights his mother stayed up late sewing to earn extra income to support her children's education, about the diligence and silent sacrifices that were rarely spoken out loud. Everyone listened attentively, sometimes with tears in their eyes at those simple but emotional stories.

The sound of applause echoed throughout the yard. Mrs. Xuân sat in the center, her face radiant with happiness, her eyes sparkling with emotion as she looked around at the beloved faces surrounding her on this important day.

Thảo Nguyên sat next to Việt Anh at a corner of the table, holding his hand tightly under the table, listening together to warm wishes for her. She looked around the yard, saw Diệu Anh happily chatting with members of the Robotics club, saw Mrs. Hoa and Mrs. Xuân still sitting next to each other, occasionally whispering something that made them both smile, saw Bích Vân running back and forth taking pictures non-stop. All the seemingly disparate pieces of her life had now gathered into a complete picture, warmer than anything she ever dared to dream of when she blurted out that fateful lie nearly four months ago.

"What are you thinking?" Việt Anh asked softly, noticing her distant eyes.

"I was thinking," Thảo Nguyên replied, turning to look at him with a warm smile, "that sometimes, the best things in life come from the places we least expect."

Việt Anh squeezed her hand tighter, did not say anything more, just let his eyes and smile did the talking, amidst the bustling music and warm atmosphere covering the small yard that memorable morning.