Chapter 21 — Husband Takes Little Tam to Party, Big Screen Shows My 31 Million Yuan Project

No clapping. Mr. Ngo does. But only pat very gently. The host gave me the trophy. I reached out my hand to receive it. The trophy is heavy. I feel that weight very clearly. The microphone was brought in front of me.

“Thank you to the professional association, thank you to the teachers on the appraisal council.”

I stopped for a second.

"This trophy, I want to put on the folding table in the studio. That's where I wrote this plan."

Laughter and applause mixed together in the stands.

“Someone once asked me, is it worth stopping for seven years before coming back?”

The whole hall was silent.

"Not because of the words '31 million yuan', nor because of the number in the contract. But because every night during the two years I sat down to write, I knew clearly what I was doing. That thing is mine."

The entire audience stood up. I held the trophy and stood on the stage. Don't look at anyone in the Chu family. Just standing there, accepting the applause that belonged to me. Seven years ago, I stood in the kitchen next to the production line, holding a glass of cold water, waiting for someone to tell me with their eyes that this was all my life could be like. And now, I stand here. That's all. Three years later. Nguyen To Technical Consulting Studio has developed into an independent company, named To Voc Technology. The direction is clear, the team size is not large, only eighteen people. But each person was introduced by Professor Phuong or connected by Co Minh Thanh. Everyone who came was serious and capable. The market value of To Vuc Technology was once assessed by industry insiders. The most conservative number is 600 million yuan. Not the richest person in the world. Nor did it make history. Just 600 million yuan. Dao Vy became To Vuc's strategic advisor. She comes once a week, brings a cup of coffee and sits down to chat.

“Do you know where Tan Van Tinh is now?” One day, she casually asked while drinking coffee.

"Don't know."

"She quit her job. After the trial, the whole company knew about her and couldn't stay anymore. It was said that she went south to work on content for a small company."

I replied once, without saying more.

“And Chu Yen.” Dao Vy said, "This year Le Hang restructured, he was fired."

“I know.”

“Aren't you sad?”

“What's sad?”

Dao Vy looked at me and laughed.

“I knew you would say that right away.”

The news about Chu's mother was told by Ms. Trieu. After paying the 600,000 yuan, the Chu family changed to a smaller house. Chu Dien took a little of the excess money as start-up capital. He worked at Dao Vy's company for more than half a year, then quit and opened his own small studio, accepting individual video editing orders. Struggling to make ends meet, it seems like there is finally something serious to do. Chu's mother once fell ill and was hospitalized for more than ten days. The caregiver was Chu Hue. Chu Yen came to visit once. But it's all no longer related to me. Really no more. It's not because I'm cruel. But I forgot. Later that year, I worked overtime in the studio until very late. Everyone had gone home, and I was alone sitting under the light, facing the computer screen. Outside the window is a night view of the city. The lights in high-rise buildings light up in each square, like a chessboard. The trophy is still placed on the table. It's still there. I sat and watched for a while, then bowed his head again and continued working. The phone on the table suddenly lit up. This is the message Dao Vy sent, accompanied by a photo. In the photo, I am standing on stage receiving the award. I don't know who took the photo, the camera angle is very beautiful. The light shines on me, my expression calm, my hands holding the trophy. Below, she wrote a sentence.

"Those people? You've long since forgotten."

I looked at the photo for a while. Then turn off the screen, stand up, stretch, and go to the kitchen to pour a cup of hot water. I stood on the balcony, drinking water and watching the city at night. Thirty-four years old divorced. Thirty-seven years old stood on stage to receive an industry award. In the middle, I never felt how great I was. Just work every day, complete what needs to be done. No patience. No explosion. Do not grind your teeth. Nor do I carry a sky-high ambition. Simply do it. The trophy is for today. The company is today. This cup of hot water is also from today. The wind on the balcony blew a corner of the curtains, revealing strips of light connecting the outside. I finished my water, returned to the table, and opened the computer again. The first draft of the third topic can be finished tonight.