Chapter 6 — Forty Billion And People Only Ask For A Kitchen

Minh Khang started working the night shift.

The hotel lacked a maintenance person, so he took on additional tasks of checking generators, repairing pipes, and troubleshooting problems on weekends. Every time he comes home, the shoulders of his shirt still smell of motor oil. He said that if you just try for a few months, your savings will increase.

I want to say that my money is enough for you to take the day off tomorrow. But I know you wouldn't be happy if you were turned into a live-in.

One evening, he sat repairing an old fan on the table.

“When I was young, my father cooked rice and sold it at the market,” he said. "My father passed away and my mother didn't let me learn how to cook because I was scared. I still want to have my own kitchen."

“Is the kitchen big?”

"No need. Just clean, have windows, enough to cook sour soup and braised fish for people to eat."

I asked how much money he needed. He calculated on his fingers: a kitchen, a few sets of tables and chairs, an industrial kitchen, six months' rent. A total of about 250 million.

To me, 250 million is less than one percent of the winning amount. For him, it was a dream that had to be saved for many years.

Her mother-in-law called again, saying Ngoc Han had been sued by the supplier. She blamed me for not going to work, leaving Minh Khang to bear the burden of the whole family.

“I'm working,” I replied.

“What do you do without a salary?”

“I can't say it yet.”

She hung up. That night, Minh Khang asked me if my mother said anything. I shook my head.

“Mom just worries about you.”

“Mom is more worried about Han.”

He sat quietly, then said something that surprised me:

"If one day you have money, don't use it to solve all my family's problems. I want to bear my own share."

I looked at him. He didn't know he had just touched the biggest secret in the house.

“Why do you say that?”

“Because I don't want you to be the one the whole family calls when you need money.”

I don't answer. Perhaps from the beginning, the person I should protect is not your list of relatives, but the man who is trying to keep us from being dragged down by them.

That night, I opened the Moc Bep kitchen plan. I added a new line: after sales are stable, I will open a small kitchen for Minh Khang, but let him operate it himself and decide the menu.

I don't want to buy your dream. I want to give you the opportunity to make it your own business.