Chapter 5 — Language is Wings

That look said clearly: this isn't over yet. At ten o'clock in the morning, Tran Vu Phi went down to the translation room. He stood in front of my desk, his face complicated.

“Lam Dao, what level is your German…?”

“It can be used.”

"Can it be used? I heard that yesterday in Dong Thinh, you negotiated entirely in German, but also mixed in Arabic?"

“Just a normal level of communication.”

"Normal?"

He looked at me for five seconds.

"Did you know that hiring a multilingual translator like you has a starting salary of at least twenty-five thousand a year? You keep eight thousand for three years."

“I have no opinion on the current salary.”

Tran Vu Phi looked at me deeply.

"Okay. Come to the meeting room at two o'clock in the afternoon. You will participate in the meeting of the Dong Thinh project."

He turned away. To Uyen Tinh jumped up from the chair.

"General Tran! The Dong Thinh project is in charge of me!"

Tran Vu Phi did not turn around.

"You're still in charge. But Lam Dao participates in the dialogue. This is President Trinh's idea."

To Uyen Tinh's face changed. She turned to me.

“Lam Dao, are you happy?”

“Team leader To, I just—”

"Just what? You think you can stand on par with me by showing off just once yesterday?"

“I didn't mean that.”

"I've been at this company for seven years, from intern to team leader. What are you? Someone who hides everything."

There are six people in the office. They are all looking at us. I don't respond.

“Just wait.”

To Uyen Tinh took the bag and left. My phone vibrated violently again.

"I heard it all!! She scolded you right in the office! Why don't you turn back!"

"Unnecessary."

"Your mentality is really strong! By the way, I just heard this news - Co Than Chau called President Trinh this morning, specifically naming you to be the interpreter for the project!"

I paused a bit.

“Just by name?”

"Yes! Called you by your name! Ha ha ha, To Uyen Tinh must have gone crazy with anger!!"

At two o'clock in the afternoon, I went to the meeting room. There are Trinh Hao Nam, Tran Vu Phi, To Uyen Tinh, and two people from the legal department. Trinh Hao Nam looked at me.

"Lam Dao, Dong Thinh side—The President has specifically appointed you to be the interpreter for the project. From today, you are temporarily assigned to the Dong Thinh project team."

"But your position is still a basic employee, the salary has not changed. After the project ends, it will be reevaluated."

To Uyen Tinh smiled coldly, but said nothing. The meeting continued to discuss communication plans. Dong Thinh's supply chain project is divided into three phases. The preliminary framework was completed yesterday, followed by detailed terms and contract translation. The entire document needs three versions: Chinese, English, German.

“Lin Dao, can you handle three languages at the same time?” Tran Vu Phi asked.

To Uyen Tinh interjected:

"Three languages? Her CV is only in English. Her German proficiency is unclear, what if something goes wrong?"

“Yesterday in the meeting room was the answer.” Trinh Hao Nam said.

“Is there any problem?”

To Uyen Tinh was silent. After the meeting, I returned to my seat. Opening the email, Dong Thinh sent the first batch of documents. All in German. Sixty-two pages. It took me two hours to complete the Chinese version, and another hour and a half to complete the English version. During that time, To Uyen Tinh passed by my table three times. Each time, keep your eyes on the screen for a few seconds. The third time, she spoke up.

“Translating so quickly, aren't you afraid of making mistakes?”

“You better pray you're not wrong.”

At eight o'clock in the evening, I sent the copy Translated for Tran Vu Phi. Ten minutes later, he replied:

“Speed and quality both exceeded expectations.”

Then add another sentence:

“Lam Dao, what have you been doing for the past three years?”

I don't answer. Back home, after feeding Nien Cao, the phone rang again. Male voice, deep, steady. It's Co Than Chau.

"I'm Co Than Chau from Dong Thinh. Your number was given to you by General Tran."

“Boss, is there something wrong?”

“I saw the sixty-two page translation today.”

“Is there a problem?”

"No. This is the most accurate German commercial translation I've seen in the last three years."

“You are not at the ‘basic employee’ level.”

“I am exactly in that position right now.”

"I know." He stopped for a moment.

“That's why I'm curious.”

I didn't reply.

"Tomorrow afternoon, Dong Thinh has an internal meeting, related to choosing a Middle Eastern partner. I need an interpreter who knows Arabic."

“This should go through the company—”

"I know. But I'm asking you directly—can you come?"

I hesitated for a second. Hanging up, Nien Cao jumped on my lap.

“Your master… is about to be revealed.”

It yawned. The next afternoon, I went to Dong Thinh. In the meeting room, in addition to Co Than Chau and his team, there were also three Middle Eastern customers—from a construction materials corporation in the UAE. The leader was about fifty years old, wearing a white robe, with a stern expression. Next to him was the translator, a fairly young Arab girl. Co Than Chau saw me and nodded slightly.

“You may be needed today as a simultaneous translator between Arabic and Chinese.”

If To Uyen Tinh were here, she would definitely ask: where does her Arabic come from? The answer is… I lived in Cairo for a year and a half, sharing a room with the daughter of an Egyptian diplomat for half the year. The meeting begins.