Chapter 21 — Dawn After the Crack

“You can do whatever you want.”

Having finished speaking, he left. Lam Niem So looked at his unfinished cup of coffee on the table. There still seems to be some warmth left on the rim of the cup. The “Healing” collection was released ten days earlier than expected. Six works simultaneously opened for sale on both online platforms and stores on the first day. Launch day sales have exceeded ten million yuan. Three days later, that number exceeded fifty million yuan. A week later, the total revenue of the "So Kien" brand officially reached one hundred million yuan. Competitors in the jewelry industry can finally sit still no longer. Chau Dao of Minh Chau Jewelry proactively called.

"Designer Lam, I'm Chau Dao. I'm sorry about the last time I spoke offensively during the exchange. I wanted to invite you to a meal and discuss cooperation."

"Mr. Chau, I accept my apology. As for cooperation, you can just discuss directly with Cam Lan's commercial department."

“Aren't you coming?”

“What are you busy with?”

“Designing the third collection.”

Chau Dao on the other end of the line burst out laughing.

“You really don't respect anyone.”

“I just need to respect the design and that's enough.”

Phuong Di Nhien's child was also born that month. It's a boy, weighing more than three pounds. This news came from Phuong Di Nhien's WeChat message to Lam Niem So. Phuong Di Nhien: Ms. Niem So, my child has been born. Thank you for the words you said to me before. I decided to raise the child on my own. Niem So: If you need help, just say so. Phuong Di Nhien: No need. I found a job, working at a flower shop. Enough for mother and child to get through the day. Niem So: That's good. As soon as she put down the phone, Tong Dao walked in.

“Is Phuong Di Nhien born?”

“Are you still in contact with her?”

“She's not really a bad person.”

“She once stole your husband.”

“What she stole was nothing more than an empty shell.” Lam Niem So picked up the design pen and continued to draw. "Tran Canh Tham treats everyone the same way, and she doesn't get much better. Now she has thought things through, even faster than I did back then."

Tong Dao sat down next to her and watched her draw for a while.

“Does Co Tham like you?”

The pen in Lam Niem So's hand stopped.

“Don't talk nonsense.”

"I've been observing for three months now. How often he visits you, the way he talks to you, even the silver bracelet he made for So Tinh. Do you really think a normal superior would do those things?"

“He is a good person.”

"Someone being nice and liking you are two completely different things. Think carefully for yourself."

“I don't have time to think about these things right now.”

"I know you're not free. But there are things that if you don't think clearly, you'll miss them."

Lam Niem So continued drawing without responding. But the stroke of the pen as soon as I put it down turned into a curve that shouldn't have been there. She erased it and drew it again. The hand is still not as steady as before. Half a year later. The three collections of the "So Kien" brand including "Rang Dong", "Healing" and the new collection "Rebirth" achieved a total cumulative revenue exceeding the five hundred million yuan mark. The brand valuation was given by investment banks at one and a half billion yuan. The name Lam Niem So no longer needs the title "Lam Thien Thien Thi" as support. When people in the industry talk about her, they call her "home". design of crack aesthetics.” That afternoon, at the annual board meeting of Cam Lan Group, Lam Sung Son announced something.

“I'm old, it's time to retire. All matters of the group will be handed over to Tri Vien. But the 'So Kien' brand will operate independently, with Niem So in full charge."

There were no voices of protest in the meeting room. The achievements of "So Kien" were displayed before our eyes, no one could find a reason to object. After the meeting, Lam Niem So was stopped in the hallway by Tham Tinh Van.

“Lam Niem So, congratulations.”

“Thank you.”

“I want to transfer to So Kien.”

Lam Niem So looked at Tham Tinh Van.

“You're doing very well at headquarters, why do you want to transfer?”

“Because headquarters is so boring. Working with her is a battle to fight.”

Lam Niem So burst out laughing.

“Welcome.”

When she got home at night, So Tinh already knew how to turn over. The more than five-month-old girl was lying on the carpet, waving her chubby hands. When she saw her mother, she immediately grinned. Lam Niem So picked up her child and kissed him.

“Mom got promoted again today.”

So Tinh replied. Lam Tri Vien is arranging bowls and chopsticks at the dining table.

“Today our family has another person eating dinner.”

“Who is that?”

The doorbell rang. Lam Niem So opened the door. Co Tham stood outside the door, carrying a bag of fruit and a box of cakes in his hand.

“President Lam, congratulations on ‘So Kien’ operating independently.”

“Where did you get the information? The board meeting just ended.”

“I am also a board member.”

Lam Niem So then remembered that Co Tham from the Investment Department was of course also present at the meeting. The dining table seats four people. Lam Tri Vien, Lam Niem So, Co Tham and So Tinh are sitting in high chairs. While eating, So Tinh waved her hand with a spoon and tossed a piece of baby powder onto Co Tham's body. Co Tham bent down to look at the powder stains on his shirt, then burst out laughing.

“Is Sister Tinh welcoming me?”

“She's chasing me away.” Lam Niem So took a tissue and gave it to him.

Co Tham took it and wiped it away, completely ignoring it. Lam Tri Vien sat next to him, sipping soup, saying nothing, but the corners of his lips kept curling up. After eating, Co Tham helped clear the dishes. Lam Niem So washed dishes in the kitchen, he stood next to dry them.

“Lam Niem So.”

“I have something I've wanted to tell you for a long time.”

“What?”

“Not work related.”

Lam Niem So turned off the faucet and turned to look at him. Co Tham held a dish towel and stood under the light in the kitchen.

“I want to be with you. Not because she is from the Lam family, nor because of her design talent. It's because of the moment I saw you protecting your work through the surveillance camera on the thirty-second floor. At that time, she was seven months pregnant, standing on the podium, talking about her fractured aesthetics. She says that imperfect things don't need to be fixed, they are an answer in themselves. That very moment, I knew.”

Lam Niem So stood frozen in place, her hands still covered in soap bubbles.