Chapter 27 — Old Street Corner Gold Shop

The day she started making the memorial pendant, Vy woke up earlier than usual and prepared all the necessary tools with a meticulousness and solemnity that was different from normal orders. This is not just a piece of jewelry, but a symbol of reconciliation between two families, of a tumultuous historical story that has finally found its complete ending.

She placed the old earring - now temporarily lent by Mr. Chi Thanh as a reference model - on the workbench, next to the sketch of the new pendant design that she spent many nights perfecting, based on detailed discussions with Mr. Chi Thanh about the meaning he wanted to convey.

"Do this carefully," Mr. Thinh said, sitting in a familiar rattan chair, his eyes following his daughter's every move with undisguised pride. "This is not just an item, but a part of our family history engraved." He reached for his glasses and put them on to see more clearly every detail on the sketch Vy had just completed last night.

"I know, Dad," Vy replied, her voice filled with respect. "I will put all my heart and soul into every detail."

She started with detailed sketches on a piece of gold ingot, using a thin silver pencil to draw the shape of a lotus petal, each line carefully calculated so that when the light shines on, the lotus appears to be in full bloom, symbolizing the rise from adversity that both families have experienced. Between the flower petals, she incorporated tiny yellow bean details, directly inspired by the crafting techniques of ancient earrings, like a connection between the past and present.

Thanh Tra, who was allowed to observe and help with simple steps, sat next to her, attentively following Vy's every move as if she were learning a valuable lesson that could not be found in any textbook.

"Ms. Vy, why don't you use an existing template to do it faster?" Thanh Tra asked, even though she partly understood the answer after many months of studying with Vy.

"Because each item with such a special meaning must be created completely from scratch, with nothing repeated," Vy replied, not taking her eyes off her work. "If you use an existing mold, even if it's faster, the item will lose the uniqueness that a story like this deserves."

Khoi, even though he is busy with banking work, still takes the time to stop by the shop every evening to chat with Vy while she works, sometimes just quietly reading a book next to her, sometimes helping out with odd jobs like making tea and rearranging tools. His silent but warm presence became a great source of motivation to help Vy maintain focus and inspiration throughout this challenging crafting process.

"Aren't you bored watching me work for hours?" Vy asked one night, when she looked up she saw Khoi still attentively observing, even though more than an hour had passed in silence.

"Not at all," Khoi replied, smiling. "I find this one of the most fascinating things I've ever witnessed — the way a lifeless block of metal is gradually brought to life, transformed into a work filled with meaning and emotion. To me, it's like watching a story being written little by little."

The carving process lasts for many days, several hours a day, in between the shop's other orders. Vy works with absolute patience, sometimes sitting for hours just to perfect a small petal, ensuring that the shallow depth of each engraving is harmonious, creating the most natural light effect possible.

When it came to engraving the words on the back — the names Uong Khai Tuong and Khuong Tan Phat, along with the words "Reunited after forty-five years" — Vy was especially cautious, using the smallest engraving point in her tool kit, each stroke meticulously crafted as if writing a letter to two deceased men, whose fate bound them together through a fateful night in which they never had the chance to say a complete goodbye.

Mr. Chi Thanh stopped by the shop several times during the manufacturing process, each time standing quietly and observing, not wanting to disturb Vy's work, but his eyes were always filled with emotion and gratitude. One time, he brought a few small gifts for Thanh Tra and Mr. Thinh, considering them close relatives in an extended family that he had accidentally rediscovered after forty-five years of separation. One time, he brought an old photo of his parents when they were young and showed it to Vy as a way to share more about the people this jewelry commemorates.

"These are my parents, taken not long before my family left," he said, his voice full of nostalgia, pointing to a yellowed black and white photo of two young people standing in front of a spacious house, smiling brightly, unaware of the events that were about to happen. “I want you to see them, to better understand the people for whom you are creating this tribute.”

Vy held the photo, looked at it for a long time, feeling a deep connection to the story she was helping to continue writing. Their bright eyes and radiant smiles made her visualize more clearly the real people behind the papers and indirect accounts she had heard over the months searching for the truth. "Thank you for sharing, sir. Seeing them, I am even more determined to create a worthy work."

By the tenth day, the pendant was gradually completed, with only the final polishing step remaining. Vy sits alone in the evening, after the shop has closed, performing this step with absolute concentration, not wanting to be distracted by anything. She gently rubbed every millimeter of the surface, revealing the gold's natural sparkling beauty, but still retaining a subtle roughness in the gold beans, creating an artistic contrast between the different surfaces.

When she was finished, she placed the pendant on the black velvet and looked at it under the table lamp. The image of a lotus flower with soft petals, dotted with sparkling yellow beans, and delicately engraved words on the back, all blend to create a work that is both aesthetically beautiful and profound in meaning. She gently rotated the pendant under different angles of light, observing the way the golden bean lines caught and sparkled with each movement, as if the item itself was breathing, living, carrying within it the story of two families that had been completely told.

"I'm done, grandpa," she whispered, looking up at the black-and-white photo of her grandfather. "I hope you will be satisfied with this result."

Mr. Thinh, who just went down to check before going to bed, saw the completed pendant and could not hide his emotion. "Very beautiful, Vy. I believe this will be one of the most meaningful works our shop has ever created."

Vy smiled, feeling a deep pride spread throughout her body. She gently put the pendant in a small wooden box made specifically for her, lined with red velvet inside, preparing for the gifting ceremony that will take place in the next few days.

Before going upstairs to sleep, she called Khoi to tell the news, her voice full of excitement even though it was quite late. "I just finished it, Khoi. It's beautiful, I'm very proud of it."

"Congratulations," Khoi replied, his voice warm over the phone. "I am sure Mr. Chi Thanh will be extremely touched when receiving this gift. You have put all your heart and soul into every detail, it will definitely be fully felt."

"I hope so too," Vy said, her voice softening. "Thank you for always being by my side and encouraging me throughout this process. Without you, it would have been difficult for me to maintain the focus and inspiration needed to complete it so completely."

"That's what I'm happy to do, always," Khoi replied, his voice filled with affection. "Sleep well, my talented jeweler. Tomorrow we will prepare for the ceremony carefully."

Vy smiled, hung up the phone, her heart filled with a rare feeling of satisfaction. She looked back at the small wooden box placed on the workbench, knowing that inside it was not only a delicate piece of jewelry, but also the crystallization of many months of effort, of family love, of understanding and reconciliation between two families that had been separated by a painful historical event - a ceremony that she believed would completely close a tumultuous chapter in the history of both families, and open a new chapter full of hope for the future.