Chapter 26 — From Grandmother to Capitalist Queen

Opening the door, Co Dinh Xuyen was sitting on the sofa. After six months of not seeing him, he had lost a lot of weight. The suit on his body seemed empty, his cheekbones were higher than before, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes were also deeper. He looked like a tree that had been uprooted and planted somewhere else. The roots were not yet firmly attached and the branches and leaves had begun to wither.

“Tri Y.” Seeing her, he stood up.

“The late general.” She sat down in the chair opposite, keeping an arm's length away, "Is there anything you need me for?"

Co Dinh Xuyen was silent for a moment.

“Funding round B has been completed.”

“I know. Congratulations.”

“Dinh Huy finally invested capital, but the valuation was 20% lower than expectations.” His voice was somewhat hoarse, "During the appraisal, they discovered a problem with the internal control system - the bad debt provision that you mentioned in the Board of Directors meeting. They used that as an excuse to force prices."

Lam Tri Y did not speak.

"You're right. If those issues had been handled earlier, investors wouldn't have been used as bargaining chips." He paused, “I should have listened to you.”

“You don't need to apologize to me.” Lam Tri Y replied, "You should have listened to the opinions of experts on those issues. Not because I said it, but because it was right."

“You're right.” Co Dinh Xuyen bowed his head, looked at his hands, "There are many things, I always realize it too late."

The room fell silent for a moment.

“One more thing.” Co Dinh Xuyen raised her head, her eyes were complicated, "To Van Tinh gave birth. A baby girl."

Lam Tri Y's face didn't change at all: "Is she okay?"

"Good. Her parents are helping take care of the child. She made a birth certificate for the child to join her household, taking the surname To."

“That's good.”

"I... send alimony money there every month. But she doesn't let me see the child." His voice trembled imperceptibly, "She said, when the baby grows up, she will let him decide for himself whether he wants to see you or not."

Lam Tri Y was silent for a long time.

“She made the right decision.” Finally she spoke up.

Co Dinh Xuyen looked at her, wanting to say it again.

“Tri Y, I want to ask you something.”

“What?”

“Do you regret? Regret marrying me?”

Lam Tri Y looked into his eyes. The eyes that once made her tremble, now only remain tired and blurred.

“No regrets.” She replied, "The seven years I was married to you were a part of my life. Those experiences — good or bad — all shaped me into who I am today. Without those seven years, there would be no me today."

“What do you look like now?”

“The current me is…” She pondered, “A person who knows clearly what he wants. A person who does not need to rely on anyone to live brilliantly. A person — complete.”

She stood up.

"Co Dinh Xuyen, the story between us has turned the page. I don't hate you, nor thank you. You're just a person who appeared in my life. That's all."

She walked towards the door.

“Tri Y.” He called her back from behind.

She stopped walking, but did not turn around.

“Sorry.”

Hearing these three words, she was silent for three seconds. Then she pushed the door open and walked out. Outside in the hallway, sunlight from the ground-level window poured down like a waterfall, brightly illuminating the entire hallway. She walked in that light, the hem of her emerald skirt swaying gently to the rhythm step, like a person who has just stepped out from the depths of the sea, his whole body sparkling with light. The phone rang. It's a message Duong Duong sent. *[Duong Duong: Sister, where is the celebration party tonight? Eat Haidilao hot pot or French food?]* Lam Tri Y burst out laughing. *[Lam Tri Y: Haidilao go. I crave spicy food.]* *[Duong Duong: Oh ke la! I booked the table. Oh, Mr. Chu said he was coming too, and brought a bottle of red wine to collect.]* *[Lam Tri Y: Eat Haidilao and drink red wine? Uncle Chu also knows how to enjoy himself.]*