Chapter 9 — From Noodles to Glory

Day two: Luong Uyen was suspended by the company for investigation. She collapsed and cried loudly in her seat. The news said that Chu Han came to comfort her, but the boss called her into the office to talk to her on the spot. When they came out, both of their faces were as gray as ash. Third day: last day of the deadline. At eleven o'clock in the evening, Chu Han returned. His movement of changing shoes at Huyen Pass is very slow. The tie is askew, the shirt is wrinkled, and the whole person is skinny. Not seeing each other for three days is like aging three years. I sat in the living room, with a cup of warm water on the tea table in front of me. "Are you home?" "Yes." He came over and sat down opposite me. Nothing was said for a few seconds. "Wife." He opened his mouth, his voice so hoarse that it was not normal. "Yes?" "I have something... I want to ask you." "Go ahead." He looked at me, there was something in his eyes I had never seen before. Not guilty. It's fear. "In the past... when I worked as a designer, the people I knew... those customers..." He paused, as if arranging his language. "Can you help me with something?" I picked up a glass of water and took a sip. "What?" "Tri Vien's project, the design team has been replaced, you know. Now I need to find a very good designer to take over. But in the world that can do this level, there are very few, so I contacted him several times and was rejected." Said. Coming here, he leaned forward, his hands resting on his knees. "Haven't you worked as a designer before? Do you know anyone? Whether it's a former colleague, former classmate, or former teacher... can you help me with a little wiring?" He looked into my eyes, his voice almost pleading. "Please. If this project fails, it won't just be that I can't get promoted to director. I might be fired." I put down the glass of water. "The level you want. find..." I slowly opened my mouth. "Do you know what level Tri Vien requires?" He doesn't know. Totally don't know. He stole from me for three years, used mine for three years, and relied on my work to get promoted and raise his salary, welcoming the brightest moment of his career. Now he's reached the end of his tether and turns back to ask me "if I know anyone". And that person was sitting right in front of him. I suddenly wanted to laugh. "Chu Han." I called his name. "Yes?" "Do you know that factory named Niem Bach..." "Who is the owner?" He shook his head, his face confused. "I don't know. No one in the industry has ever seen a real person, they all talk very mysteriously. What's wrong? Do you know me?"I stood up. Go to the TV cabinet, pull out the drawer, and take out a business card. That was the last batch of business cards I printed five years ago. White sandpaper, with only two words on it. Niem Bach. Below is a small text: Brand and visual design studio. I placed the business card on the tea table and pushed it in front of him. "Familiar." "Whose business card is this?" He picked it up and took a look. “Your friend?” “No.” I stood in front of him, bowed my head and looked at him. “It's mine.” Chu Han's hand holding the business card stiffened in mid-air. His eyes moved from the business card to my face, then back to the business card. Repeat three times. "What... what do you say?" "Nien Bach Workshop belongs to me. The owner is me. Those designs that were violated were all done by me." In the living room there was only the buzzing sound of the refrigerator. Chu Han's mouth opened and could not be closed for several seconds. "No way." He said, his voice weak. “Before, I was just an ordinary designer… doing a few small projects… how could I be Niem Bach…” “Do you think it's impossible?” I went to the bookshelf and took out a black file. That's what I dug out of the storage room after the period ended. Open up, inside is more

twenty cooperation contracts. The plan to upgrade the brand of Tri Vien Group, the visual system of Thuy Trach real estate, the design of the entire Gia Moc Doi Thoi brand... Each side A is a resounding name. Each column of signatories on side B writes: To Niem. I placed the file in front of him. "The designs you stole from my computer, each sheet's market price is no less than one hundred thousand. In total, I downloaded forty-seven original files..." "I used these to help Luong Uyen make a plan, got the project, I got promoted and raised my salary, she gave me an excellent review." "And you... I never even received a word of thanks." Chu Han's face was as white as paper. The file slipped from his hand, falling all over the ground. "You... you know?" "It doesn't matter when you knew." I squatted down and picked up every document on the ground. "The important thing is... the one implementing Tri Vien's new vision now is Niem Bach workshop. It's you." "Your project can't be saved anymore, Chu Han. Because the person who can save it... is the person you stole from." He suddenly stood up. "To Niem! You already knew, right? You designed everything... Tri Vien sent the documents, assessed the violation, changed teams." The night... was all arranged by you?!” “Yes.” I stood up straight and looked at him.