Chapter 15 — Old Street Corner Gold Shop

Three days after discovering the earring in the family safe, a formal envelope was sent to Tan Phat gold shop by mail, stamped by lawyer Su Dinh Khang. Vy opened the envelope with trembling hands, feeling that this was not good news.

Inside is an official document, presented solemnly in accordance with the legal format, with the bold title: "Notice of request for resolution of property disputes — Time limit of 30 days." Vy skimmed through the content, her heart pounding with each line. The document clearly states that if within thirty days from the date of signing, her family does not have an official response regarding the return or compensation of the jewelry set mentioned in the denunciation, Mr. Uong Chi Thanh will officially sue in civil court, and will publicize the entire case file in the media to "seek public support for his legitimate request".

Vy sat down in her chair, feeling like all the hope that had just rekindled in her heart after the meeting with Mr. Doan was suddenly doused with a bucket of cold water. Even though she had the earring, the old receipt, and the detailed account of the only living witness, the evidence still needed time to verify, compare, and present convincingly — and thirty days was too short a period of time to complete all those steps.

She immediately called Khoi, her voice unable to hide her panic as she reread the text over the phone. Khoi listened, his voice also lowered with worry, but still tried to maintain the calmness necessary to reassure her.

"Thirty days is not too short if we work effectively," he said, although he himself understood that this was no small challenge. "I will speed up the search for archived records related to the asset confiscation case. Please keep the earring carefully. Don't let anyone other than your family know right now, including lawyer Khang, until we have enough evidence to present it in the most complete way."

She put the document on the table and went to find her father to announce this news immediately. Mr. Thinh read the content over and over again, his hands shaking with both anger and anxiety. “This guy is so fierce,” he said, his voice heavy. "But I understand, if I were in his position, carrying around my last words for so many years without being able to resolve them, maybe I would be just as impatient."

"I think so too, dad," Vy replied, trying to see things from more angles even though her heart was still filled with worries. "It's just that thirty days is really too urgent to clarify something that has lasted forty-five years."

At the same time as legal pressure is increasing, the store's business situation is not much better. Since the video spread on social networks, although Thuy Duong's article is somewhat balanced, there are still many old customers who are hesitant, some even directly calling to cancel pending orders because "they do not want to get involved in the scandal".

That afternoon, a regular customer - the owner of a grocery store near the market - stopped by to get her deposit back for an unfinished necklace order, her eyes somewhat shy but still determined. "Miss Vy, I don't mean anything, but I'm embarrassed to hear it's so noisy. Let's let everything calm down some other time and then I'll come back."

Vy understands that she cannot blame customers for being cautious, but every time she witnesses this scene, she feels like a small piece of the trust that her family has worked hard to build for three generations is gradually cracking. She returned the deposit, thanked the customer for being frank, then went back inside, sitting quietly at the workbench, looking at the familiar tools with a heavy heart. Within a week, this was the third order canceled for the same reason, and she knew that if the situation did not improve soon, that number would continue to increase.

Thanh Tra, witnessing this scene, could not hide her dissatisfaction. "Sister Vy, why do people treat you so unfairly? I didn't know right from wrong yet so I quickly shunned you."

"I don't blame them, Thanh Tra," Vy replied, her voice tired but still trying to stay calm. "Everyone has the right to be cautious with their money and beliefs. I just hope everything will be cleared up soon, so that not only my shop, but also Mr. Chi Thanh's family can be freed from the misunderstandings that have lasted for many years."

Thanh Tra was silent for a moment, then spoke softly, her voice filled with determination unexpected from a twenty-year-old girl. "Then I will try harder to learn the trade very well, so that in the future, no matter what happens, my shop will still have people to continue." That sentence, although simple, deeply touched Vy, like a silent commitment in the midst of uncertain days, reminding her that, no matter the outcome of this dispute, the fire of the profession is still being passed on, never extinguished.

That evening, the whole family sat together in a rare heavy atmosphere. Mr. Thinh, although his health had not yet fully recovered, still tried to participate in the discussion, his eyes more steadfast than the previous days, as if finding the clue about the earring had given him a new source of strength.

"I don't think we should wait passively anymore," he said, his voice surprisingly firm. "Thirty days is the deadline they gave, but that doesn't mean I have to wait until the last day to act. I should proactively contact, request a direct meeting with Mr. Chi Thanh, present all the evidence I have, instead of letting things continue to be tense through the intermediary of a lawyer."

Vy looked at her father, impressed by this unexpected determination. "I think Dad is right. But we need to prepare carefully before meeting, we can't let another confrontation repeat like last time."

She called Khoi back and discussed the specific plan. The two agreed that, before asking to meet Mr. Chi Thanh in person, they needed to complete the verification of the origin of the earring — perhaps ask an expert to examine antique jewelry to confirm whether the age and style of making matched the description in Mr. Chi Thanh's declaration, and at the same time, Khoi would make every effort to find the official asset confiscation records from the police, if still archived.

"We have thirty days, Vy," Khoi said over the phone, his voice filled with determination. "It's not much, but it's enough if we don't waste a single day. I'll take a few days off to fully focus on this, and go with you to the end."

"You don't have to sacrifice your job because of my family's problems," Vy said, her voice apologetic, although secretly grateful for his willingness.

"This is no longer just about your family, Vy," Khoi replied, his voice warm but determined. "It's my grandmother's story, a part of history that I happened touch. And more importantly, I don't want to see you face all of this alone."

Those words made Vy's heart feel strangely warm amid these turbulent days. She looked out the window, the light from Hao Kim was still as bright as every night, but this time, instead of feeling overwhelmed and helpless like before, she felt a new determination rising strongly in her heart.

After hanging up the phone, Vy posted a wall calendar on the wall next to the workman's desk, circled in red the last day of the thirty-day period, as a daily reminder of the ongoing race. She took out her notebook and wrote down a list of things to do in order of priority — contact an antique jewelry appraisal expert, wait for Khoi to find property confiscation records, prepare a presentation for the upcoming meeting with Mr. Chi Thanh, and equally important, find a way to maintain customer trust while waiting for the truth to be revealed.

She thought about proactively posting a short article on the shop's social network page, not to argue or justify, but simply to tell the story of the jewelry profession, of the meaningful orders that the shop has made over the years - as a way to remind everyone that, behind the noise of a dispute with unclear rights and wrongs, there are still true values, sincere stories that this small gold shop has been preserving.

The thirty days ahead will be a race against time, but this time, she is no longer alone, and she believes that, with the evidence in hand and the companionship of her loved ones, the truth will finally be revealed, although the road ahead still has many unpredictable thorns.