Chapter 16 — Old Book Repairer In A Small Alley

Ung The Khang appeared at Do Paper Alley one morning early in the week, unannounced, accompanied by a young assistant wearing a neat suit, completely lost in the scene of low roofs and clotheslines strung across the walkway. His shiny car was parked at the beginning of the alley, the widest place a car could enter, causing a few curious neighborhood children to come and watch.

Lam was fixing a book for a customer when he heard Mrs. Nu calling loudly from outside the door: "Lam, there's an important customer looking for you!" She looked up and saw a middle-aged man walking in, tall, dressed luxuriously but deliberately simple, handsome face with a carefully practiced friendly smile - the type of smile of an acquaintance appearing in front of the camera, in front of a business partner.

"Hello, Miss Lam," he said, his voice warm and polite. "I'm Ung The Khang. Sorry for coming suddenly, but I think some things should be discussed directly, face to face, instead of by letter or phone."

Lam stood up, trying to stay calm even though her heart was beating fast. "Hello sir. Please sit down."

Ung The Khang sat down on an old wooden chair in the workshop, his eyes swept across the room - the bookbinding tools hanging on the shelf, the old books neatly arranged, the "Vong Chu" sign visible from inside the house - with a mixture of curiosity and a little bit of secret pity that Lam couldn't help but feel uncomfortable.

"Your shop is really beautiful," he said, his voice so sincere that it was difficult to tell the truth from the fake. "I really appreciate traditional crafts like this. My grandfather, Mr. Ung Boi Chau, also told me that craftsmen are the keepers of the soul of national culture."

"Thank you," Lam replied, his voice trying to remain neutral. "I wonder why you came here?"

Ung The Khang smiled and did not rush to get straight to the problem, a familiar negotiation tactic of people with business experience. "I heard some information that you and a university lecturer are conducting an investigation related to the origin of my grandfather's collection of poems, Smoke and Mist of Lac Ben. I understand that this may be a misunderstanding stemming from goodwill, but I hope you understand that such accusations, if not carefully verified, can seriously damage the honor of a deceased person, an entire family, and a publishing career that has been built for sixty years."

"This is not an unfounded accusation, sir," Lam replied, trying to keep his voice calm even though he was shaking inside. "We have concrete evidence — handwritten manuscripts, letters, scientific dating, even living witnesses."

The smile on Ung The Khang's lips stiffened for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure. "I understand that you believe in what you find. But you should also understand that such so-called 'evidence' can be easily interpreted in many different ways. A woman copying a famous poet's poetry to practice her writing, to express her admiration — that was not unusual at that time. Signing a manuscript does not prove authorship."

"What about the letters, sir? Are you clear about sending the manuscript to someone to keep before the book is published?"

"Letters can be taken out of context, can be products of the literary imagination, and even," he paused, his gaze growing a little colder, "can be forged by people with their own motives, wanting to profit from the reputation of a classic."

That sentence made Lam choke up, clearly feeling for the first time that this man's outer layer of politeness was gradually peeling off, revealing a toughness, even an underlying threat underneath.

"Are you implying that I falsified evidence for personal gain?" Lam asked directly, her voice trembled but she did not avoid it.

Ung The Khang raised his hands, showing a peaceful expression. "I'm not saying that, Ms. Lam. I just want you to understand clearly, this is a very difficult, expensive, and legally fraught path that you are about to embark on. Tinh Hoa Publishing House has enough resources to protect our family's honor to the end, using all necessary legal measures. I came here today, to be honest, to find a solution that benefits both sides, before things go too far."

"What solution, sir?" Lam asked, even though she vaguely guessed the answer.

"Tinh Hoa Publishing House is willing to provide significant financial support for the restoration and preservation of your family's old book warehouse, and at the same time ensure that the Vong Chu store will remain in its original position, not included in the clearance project of the old town renovation project, if..." he paused purposefully, "if you agree to stop pursuing this story, keep those documents as a private family memento, not published."

The room was silent for a long moment. Lam looked straight into Ung The Khang's eyes, feeling the full weight of the proposal that had just been made - a bribe cleverly packaged under the guise of kindness, of concern for cultural heritage, but in essence it was still just a bribe to bury the truth once again.

"Mr. Khang," Lam said, her voice suddenly becoming stronger than she could have imagined, "my grandfather kept silent forty years out of fear, because of his low status, because he didn't have enough strength to fight against a family like yours. He lived his whole life with that regret. I will not repeat my grandfather's mistake, no matter how much money or how many promises he offers."

Ung The Khang looked at her for a long time, the smile on his lips gradually disappeared completely, replaced by a cold, calculating look. "I respect your determination, Ms. Lam. But I also have to say frankly, this is not my last invitation. I hope you will think more carefully, because the consequences of refusing could be much greater than you imagine."

He stood up, adjusted his vest, bowed politely, then left the shop with his assistant, stepping firmly on the old brick floor of the alley that just a few minutes ago he had praised as "preserving the soul of national culture". Lam stood watching his shadow disappear, her hands clasped, clearly feeling that the war had now officially begun, no longer hidden threats hidden behind politeness, but a real confrontation, where both the truth and her home were on the line.

Mr. Vinh, sitting quietly in the corner throughout the conversation, only came out when the shiny car had completely disappeared from the alley. He looked at his daughter, his eyes both worried and proud, then reached for the notebook and slowly wrote each word.

"I'm. Better. Than. Grandpa."

Lam burst into tears when reading those words, not because of sadness, but because of a mixed feeling of pride and sadness - pride because she was finally brave enough to stand up to the pressure that her grandfather could not overcome, sadness because she understood that the price of that courage could be very great.

As soon as Ung The Khang left, Lam immediately called Duy Khoi and recounted the entire conversation, his voice still shaking with emotion. He listened silently, without interrupting, only when she finished talking did he speak, his voice unusually serious.

"He came to the place to directly offer bribes, which means they are really scared," he said. "This is both good news and bad news. Good because it further confirms we are on the right track, our evidence is strong enough to make them act. Bad because from now on, they will no longer maintain a peaceful attitude."

"What do you think I should do next?" Lam asked.

"We need to speed up the process of completing the file, and at the same time find a way to publicize part of the information at a safe level, so that if they intend to cause harm, at least the public knows the existence of this story," Duy Khoi replied. "I will contact a lawyer today."

"Do you think he'll actually do something, or just make an empty threat?" Lam asked, his voice still uneasy.

"With people with resources like the Ung family, I don't dare take any of their words as empty," Duy Khoi replied, his voice low. "But don't be afraid. You're not alone in this, and I believe what's right will eventually find a way to stand, no matter how bumpy the road gets there."

His words, although they could not completely erase the worry in Lam's heart, were still enough for her to regain some necessary calm and mentally prepare for what would certainly be much more difficult ahead.