Chapter 23 — Mist Peak Rescue Team

"Miss Van, your ao dai is very beautiful!" Dieu Han exclaimed, twirling around in her light blue party dress, her eyes sparkling as she watched Khanh Van walk out of the station's dressing room, wearing a jade silk ao dai that she rarely had the opportunity to wear.

"Thank you." Khanh Van smiled, adjusted her shirt, feeling a bit strange when wearing an outfit completely different from the lifeguard uniform she wore almost every day. "It's been a long time since I had a chance to wear an ao dai."

It has been five months since the storm on Sa Mu peak nearly claimed three lives, and today, the entire rescue team at Heaven's Gate station was invited to attend a completely different event - the wedding of Kieu Thanh Son and Uong Bao Anh, held in a small garden at the foot of the mountain, not far from Nam Tha village, where they began their fateful trekking trip.

"The car is waiting out there," Uncle Tong called from the station gate, also dressed in a smart suit instead of his usual rescue outfit, looking a bit unfamiliar with himself but still maintaining his usual solemn look. "Let's go, don't want to be late."

The whole team — Khanh Van, Kien, uncle Tong, Uyen Nhi, Dieu Han, Long, and even Bao Khang, whose shoulder had completely recovered — loaded into two cars, heading towards the garden where the wedding would take place. Kien, whose leg was able to walk normally after many months of physical therapy, sat next to Khanh Van on the bus. The two chatted loudly about the station's changes in recent times - three new trainees had officially joined the team after the training course, including Khoi and Vy, enthusiastic young faces.

When the car arrived, the garden was decorated simply but cozy, with wildflowers picked from the surrounding hillsides, and a white silk strip stretched across the path leading to the ceremony site. Kieu Thanh Hien, wearing a bright red ao dai, was busy running back and forth taking care of everything, but when she saw the rescue team's convoy arriving, she stopped immediately, her face lit up.

"Everyone's here!" She ran over and hugged Khanh Van first, her voice shaking with emotion. "Thank you everyone for coming. Today would not be complete without those who gave my family the opportunity to have this day."

"We can't miss it," Khanh Van replied, hugging her back warmly. "This is one of the days I've been looking forward to most since that campaign."

Nam ran from behind, now much taller than the image of the teenager trembling in the dark cave five months ago, wearing a small, well-fitting suit, playing the role of best man for his uncle. "Miss Khanh Van! I have registered for the basic survival training course, starting next month!"

"That's great, Nam." Khanh Van rubbed his head, feeling a genuine pride at this teenager's maturity. "I look forward to hearing you talk about your progress."

The ceremony was simple but emotional, with Son waiting at the end of the aisle, his eyes never leaving Bao Anh as she walked up in a simple white wedding dress, her face radiant, healthy, completely different from the pale image in the cold cave that Khanh Van still remembers clearly.

While waiting for the official ceremony to begin, Khanh Van stood next to Kien under the shadow of a large old tree at the edge of the garden, both quietly observing the scene before them.

"Do you remember," Kien said softly, "when we found them in the cave, Bao Anh almost didn't survive?"

"I remember every detail clearly," Khanh Van replied, her voice carrying a gentle contemplation. "And now seeing her standing there, smiling so brightly, I think this is why we do this job, no matter how tough it is."

Kien nodded and was silent for a moment before continuing, his voice somewhat hesitant. "Miss Van, I want to tell you something. I've been meaning to say it for a long time but there hasn't been a suitable opportunity."

"Say it."

"Thank you, not only for teaching me about prudence, but also for showing me that changing the way I do things doesn't mean admitting defeat. I think I've become a much better captain because of what you've shared, and I hope you know how much it means to me."

Khanh Van looked at him, a warm smile appeared on her lips. "You've taught me just as many things, Kien. Maybe we're both better versions of ourselves, thanks to each other."

The music began to play, signaling that the official ceremony was about to begin, and both of them turned their eyes back to the aisle, where Son and Bao Anh were standing opposite each other, preparing to exchange vows for a new journey, built on the foundation of a survival that many people, including themselves, once thought was impossible.

Son held Bao Anh's hand, his voice trembling with emotion as he recited the pre-prepared vows. "I thought, that night in the cave, that I might lose you forever. From now on, I promise to never let you hide anything for fear of disturbing me, and I will always be by your side, whether the weather is clear or stormy."

Bao Anh, tears rolling down her cheeks but her smile never fading, responded with her own oath, her voice much steadier than what Khanh Van had ever heard from her that fateful night. "I promise to always be honest with you, about all my fears, all my limitations. And I want to thank not only you, but also everyone who gave us the opportunity to have this day."

She turned her head to look towards the rescue team standing among the crowd of guests. Her eyes stopped at Khanh Van for a moment, a deep gratitude that needed no words to describe more fully.

The ceremony ended in applause and happy tears, and the party afterward took place warmly under the light of lanterns hanging throughout the garden as the sky began to get dark. Khanh Van sat at the table with the whole team, enjoying local dishes prepared by Thanh Hien's family, listening to loud jokes mixed with thoughtful moments when someone recalled certain details of the rescue campaign five months ago.

"Miss Van," Bao Khang said, raising her glass of water, "I want to thank you again, for not leaving me behind even though I ruined the entire reconnaissance that day."

"You didn't ruin anything," Khanh Van replied, raising her glass in response. "You are part of the reason why everything happened as it needed to happen. If it weren't for that incident, perhaps all future decisions would have been different."

The whole table raised their glasses, a gentle but meaningful clink of glasses, celebrating not only the newlywed couple, but also the journey that each of them had gone through together, from the darkest hours to this warm moment.

After the party, when most of the guests had begun to leave, Khanh Van took a walk around the small garden, enjoying the cool air of the mountain evening. She stopped next to a bush of wildflowers, watching the small petals sway in the gentle breeze, her mind drifting back to what had happened in the past five months — from the two-year obsession, to the day she faced it, to the gradual change in her relationship with Kien, and now, to this moment of peace.

Uyen Nhi came and stood next to her, both silently looking at the garden under the dim lantern light. "Are you happy, Ms. Van?" she asked, her voice gentle.

Khanh Van thought for a moment before answering, wanting her answer to be truly sincere instead of just a polite response. "Yes," she said finally. "Not perfect happiness, no more pain at all — I think the pain of Nam Long will always be there, in some way. But I'm happy because I found myself again, and because the work I do is still saving lives, as we are seeing today."

Uyen Nhi nodded, put her arm around Khanh Van's shoulder in a short but warm hug, they both stood there, quietly enjoying the rare moment of peace amid the challenging days of their chosen profession.

In the distance, soft music still echoed from the garden, mixed with the chirping insects of the mountain night, and in the sky, the stars began to appear gradually as darkness fell completely, illuminating the trail leading towards the distant mountains that both of these women knew they would return to, time and time again, throughout their careers ahead.

Tonight, at least, there was no walkie-talkie interrupting that peace, and they both cherished each of these rare moments as a gift.