Chapter 7 — Leaving You, I Shine

Before going on stage, I sat in the resting area and reviewed the PPT one last time. The phone screen lit up and then turned off, a message from Phuong Du: "Come on, today's playground is yours." I smiled, stuffed my phone into my bag. When the MC read my name, I stood up, conveniently draped my jacket over the back of the chair, wearing only a white turtleneck sweater and dark pants. Stepping out in front of the stage, the lights shined down, and the more than 300 faces below turned into a dark area. I don't have the manuscript with me. The content of the 20 minutes is all in my head. The first sentence I said was: "The first step in running a brand is knowing who you are." For the next 20 minutes, I presented very fluently. Six years of honing and writing a speech for Co Hanh were not wasted, the logic, the rhythm, the way of interweaving case studies, everything was picked up easily. Under the stands, someone diligently took notes, someone took a screenshot of the PPT screen. At the Q&A part, a man in his 40s raised his hand and asked: "Director Lam, hello, what company did you work for before? In your profile, it was only written as Assistant General Director of Co Thi Real Estate - from assistant to Director of Operations, isn't this a bit of a big jump?" I had anticipated this question in advance.

"I worked at Co Thi for six years, the position title was assistant, but in reality the job covered everything from PR, branding, project coordination to customer management. Whether the jump is big or not, does not depend on the title, but depends on what you actually did."

In the hall, scattered applause rang out. The other person nodded and did not ask any more questions. Getting off the stage, seven or eight people came forward to hand out business cards. One of them, the Marketing Director of the second largest F&B chain in the city, asked me if I was interested in taking on outside brand consulting projects. I accepted the business card: “I will think about it.” Boss Chau sat in the third row of seats under the audience. At the end of the meeting, he came and patted my shoulder: "The presentation was better than me. Later, when there is a forum, you can go ahead and finish it." I smiled. When I walked out of the exhibition center, it was already dusk, half dusk, and the street lights had just turned on. A black Mercedes parked right at the exit. I recognize this car. The car window rolled down, and in the back seat was Tham Van - Co Hanh's mother. She waved at me: "Chieu Chieu, get in the car, I'll invite you to dinner." I stood still and didn't move.

“Uncle, if you have anything, just talk on the phone.”

"The phone didn't speak clearly. It only bothered me for half an hour."

I looked at her face. Exquisite makeup, hair in a bun without a single tangle, pearl earrings reflecting gentle light under the street lights. A 60-year-old person maintains it like he's in his 40s. I hesitated for 3 seconds.

“Yes. Half an hour.”

I got in the car. There was a light scent of gardenia in the car, the scent of perfume Tham Van often used. The driver didn't ask for directions but started the car - clearly with a predetermined destination. Tham Van tilted her head to look at me, her eyes glanced around my face.

“You've gotten thinner.”

I didn't answer.

“Is your new job very busy?”

“It's normal.”

"Hanh Hanh told me not to reply to his messages."

"We are divorced, there is no obligation to respond to messages."

Tham Van sighed, sighing, "Why don't you understand this?" The car stopped in front of a private restaurant. This place is very quiet, the front is not big, the inside is separate rooms. Go into the room and sit down, the waiter pours tea, Tham Van instructs to bring a few dishes first, then lets the waiter leave.

“Chieu Chieu, please tell me something sincere.”

“Please tell me.”

“For this divorce, Hanh Hanh is not mentally prepared.”

My hand holding the cup of tea stopped.

"What do you mean you're not mentally prepared?"

“He thought you two were just... making fun of each other.”

I put the teacup on the table, making a light "click" sound.