Chapter 11 — From the Ruins, I Rise Brightly

“So… why can't our square… be a dream?”

“A dream of clouds… and sky.”

I used soft curves... to rearrange the entire section of Truong Bac. The rigid square blocks... immediately became alive.

“The ground… we use green grinding stones with different shades, simulating the light of water.”

“The stores… are no longer arranged in rigid circles, but are scattered like pebbles along a lake.”

“The top… uses a white stretch film structure to create the shape of clouds.”

“During the day… it's a roof.”

“At night… it is a system of light.”

“When the lights turn on… the whole square will look like a sea of glowing clouds in the night sky.”

“People walk in… it's like walking in a dream.”

I stopped for a beat.

“And the central highlight…”

I draw an upward spiral.

“No need for statues.”

“Just a white staircase… spiraling into the sky.”

“There is no end.”

“Only the sky.”

“Its name… is ‘Stairway to Heaven’.”

“It was the poet's dream that year.”

"It's also the desire for freedom... of every person who comes to this place."

I put down my pen. The meeting room remained silent. Everyone looks at the sketch. A solution... While maintaining full functionality. Just has a soul. It's no longer architecture. Which is a dream. A moment later. Applause rang out. It's Co Ngon. He stood up and looked at me, his eyes unable to hide his excitement. Then the applause spread. The whole room exploded. The young designers looked at me... eyes shining. I turned to Truong Bac. He stood silently in front of the board. After a while... he turned back to look at me. All doubt in his eyes... had disappeared. Only true admiration remains. He nodded. From that moment… I was truly standing here. The square plan... was absolutely approved. The team spirit... was on fire. The project, which had been stalled… began to move forward at an astonishing pace. As for me... completely back to work mode. Every day… like a never-ending spinning top. Field survey. Busy… but full of energy. The feeling of using your own mind and hands... to create a new world. Nothing can replace it. The chemistry between me and Co Ngon... is becoming more and more obvious. We are like two people who have worked together for a long time. Sometimes just one look... is enough to understand the meaning. Sometimes we argue to the point of blushing over a small detail. Sometimes in the middle of the night... because of a common idea, we clapped hands and laughed loudly. That intellectual resonance... makes me feel more fully alive than ever. That night, the entire design department worked overtime. Co Ngon and I stayed in the office. Before the big plan... edit every last detail. Quiet space. Only the sound of pen gliding on paper remains. And the sound of insects outside the window. Suddenly… my phone rang. In my heart... suddenly a bad feeling arose. I pressed listen and turned on the speakerphone. On the other end of the line was a tired, mechanical female voice.

“Excuse me… is it Ms. On Tinh?”

“I am a nurse in the inpatient department, People's Hospital No. 1.”

I frowned slightly.

“It's me. What's going on?”

The nurse's voice on the other end paused a bit.

"It's like this... we have a patient named Truong Que Phan... who is... your ex-mother-in-law."

“She had a stroke and was hospitalized for more than half a month.”

“Before that, it was still taken care of by my son Chu Khai and my daughter Chu Le.”

“But since yesterday… we can't contact them anymore.”

“The cost of treatment... is also a week in arrears Already."

“In the medical records, the emergency contact section still has your number.”

“So we wanted to ask… can you contact her family?”

“Or… can you temporarily advance the hospital fees?”

I listened quietly. Does not show emotions. Truong Que Phan. Those names… now sound like stories from another lifetime. Turns out… they still left such a small, dirty tail in my life. I held the pen and continued to take notes on the drawing. His voice was calm as if he were talking about the weather.

“First, Chu Khai and I have been divorced for a month.”

“Legally, I no longer have any relationship with their family.”

“Therefore, I have no obligation to pay anything.”

“Second, I also don't have contact information for other relatives.”

“However, I remember they are still distant relatives back home.”

“For example, one person is named Chu Phu Quy, the other is named Chu Man Thuong.”

“You can contact the local police.”

“Third, please remove my phone number from your emergency contact list.”

“I don't want to receive any more calls like that.”

Every sentence, every word... clear and distinct. No emotions. Like a lawyer handling a case... unrelated to me. The other side was silent for a few seconds. Then the nurse's voice became confused.

“Yes… okay… we understand.”

“Sorry for bothering you.”

I don't say anything more. The room became quiet again. I bowed my head and continued drawing. As if the call just now... was just a small, insignificant detail. A warm hand... gently placed on mine. It's Co Ngon. I don't know when, he was standing next to me. His eyes... were a little worried, a little sad.

“Are you… okay?”

His voice was very light. I looked up. Look into his eyes. Those eyes... were as deep as a lake. Clearly reflects my image now. Steady gaze. The corner of his lips... also carried a very small smile. It was the smile of someone... who had truly broken free from his chains. I shook my head. Then pick up the pen and point to the drawing in front of you.

“It's okay.”

My voice is clear and certain.

“This part… if I adjust the inflow direction like that… will it make more sense?”

My world... There is no more room for that dirty past. All that remains is before our eyes... A vast, brilliant future. Co Ngon looked at me. The worry gradually disappeared. Instead… there was a gentle, understanding smile. He gently held my hand. Tighten very gently.

“Let's work together… to make it the best version.”