Chapter 15 — My Nameless Occupation

Outside the window, the sunset glow was warm and pervasive. It was not a feeling of triumph, nor was it the hollow satisfaction of vengeance. It was merely the quiet, settled atmosphere of a resolution long overdue. The following morning, Shen Yi stepped into my office.

"Hang Vien has called."

"What did they say?"

"Ha Kien Quoc called personally. He said the suspension of the evaluation has been lifted and the project will proceed as planned. Furthermore, he asked me a specific question."

"What was it?"

"He wanted to know if you would consider returning to Hang Vien—not as a specialist, but as Vice President."

I allowed a faint smile to touch my lips.

"And how did you answer him?"

"I told him that was a question he would have to put to Su Van herself."

"Then my answer is—no."

Shen Yi nodded, his expression composed. "I suspected as much."

Chapter 17

On the third day of Chu Han's suspension pending investigation, Phuong Ngan abruptly submitted his resignation. There was no handover process whatsoever. On his final day, he wiped his computer clean of all data. When Tran Loi received instructions to clear out Phuong Ngan’s desk, he discovered that not a single shred of documentation remained.

"Ms. Su, Phuong Ngan deleted everything. All the new operational flowcharts he spent so much effort 'refining' at Hang Vien are gone without a trace."

"They weren't necessary to begin with. Nobody ever used the processes he drew up anyway."

"But what about the operations department now? With Chu Han suspended and Phuong Ngan gone, there is no one left to lead."

"You lead it," I replied.

"Me? Ms. Su, I don't think I can—"

"You can. You have been with Hang Vien for four years. During the chaos after I left, even though it was messy, you were the one who held everything together on your own for two months. You have the resilience for this."

There was a silence on the other end of the line for a few seconds.

"Ms. Su, Mr. Ha has instructed me to manage operations for the time being. But I am worried... what if Chu Han returns?"

"He will not be coming back."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because once the bribery allegations are verified, this will move beyond simple suspension; it will be handed over to the authorities. Co Vien Chu is not like Ha Kien Quoc; he will not show leniency."

As expected, one week later, the Hang Vien Group issued an official internal announcement. Vice President Chu Han, due to serious violations of corporate management regulations, had his employment contract terminated, along with his protege, Phuong Ngan. The evidence of improper benefits had been referred to the legal department and external counsel. Simultaneously, Cam Thanh Trading was blacklisted as a vendor, and all associated contracts were voided. The IT equipment procurement contracts were moved into a formal audit phase.

As the news spread, the internal reaction at Hang Vien was not as explosive as I had anticipated. Everyone had known the truth for a long time; they simply hadn't dared to speak it aloud. It was much like how everyone knew that I had been doing the work of eight different departments, yet no one ever acknowledged it. It wasn't ignorance; it was fear. In this world, the cheapest thing is the retrospective remark: "I knew something was wrong all along."

On the second day after the disciplinary action against Chu Han was finalized, I received an unexpected message from Ha Kien Quoc. It was not a digital text, but a formal, handwritten letter delivered to the reception desk at Thuy Hoa. The message was brief.

"Su Van: The debt Hang Vien owes you cannot be settled by a mere apology. For twelve years, you held this company up from the shadows, and yet I was completely blind to your efforts. That is the greatest failure of my career as a manager. You have done a great service regarding the Chu Han situation, though I know you did not act out of a desire for revenge. You acted because you truly cared for the wellbeing of Hang Vien. Regardless of where your path leads, the doors of Hang Vien will always be open to you. Ha Kien Quoc."

I folded the letter and placed it into my drawer. Shen Yi knocked on the door and stepped in.

"Su Van, we have a new client."

"Which company?"