Chapter 14 — People Whose Achievements Are Stolen

More than thirty people. No one spoke up. Tien Duy Quoc put his hand towards the lid of the enamel cup and then pulled it back. Ly Phong stood in the front row. Lips pursed tightly. The right hand hangs next to the pants, the index finger and middle finger continuously stretch as if playing an invisible song. Co Hoai An looked at all the photos. He took off his glasses, holding one frame in his hand. The voice is not heavy. But every word echoed clearly throughout the room.

“Three months ago, the Thu Quang Plan preparation committee selected twelve core researchers nationwide.”

“Tham Niem ranked third.”

“After sending the invitation, we never received a response.”

“When I called your hospital, they said she refused.”

“I felt there was a problem so I sent an assistant to find out the reality.”

“Your institute people told my assistant…”

“Tham Niem is preparing to get pregnant.”

“Has left the scientific research line.”

He put his glasses back on.

“You guys are telling me she's not pregnant.”

“No refusal.”

“Don't leave.”

“But I'm in the institute's records room arranging documents.”

The last sentence he said looked straight at Tien Duy Quoc. Tien Duy Quoc's face was as red as pig liver. He turned sharply to Ly Phong, his voice forced out through his teeth.

“Ly Phong…”

“What is it all about?”

Ly Phong opened his mouth.

“Director Qian, this… there is some misunderstanding.”

“Tham Niem's emotions have been unstable recently, there are a few things that may be different from the truth…”

“Misunderstanding?”

Tien Duy Quoc slammed the podium. The vibrated enamel cup bounced up. The cup lid fell to the floor, rolling twice on the tile floor.

“National project invitation was blocked…”

Tien Duy Quoc slammed the table.

“Are you still telling me it was a misunderstanding?”

“Do you know what level the Thu Quang Project is?”

“Do you know if this goes up…”

"It's not just your business anymore, it's the whole institute's business, isn't it?"

Dao Vien who was next to him also stood up. My hands were twisted in front of my body as if I wanted to say something but I didn't dare to open my mouth first. Chu Man sat in the middle row. Arms folded across chest, leaning back on the chair. The eyes behind the glass glanced at Ly Phong's face, then Dao Vien, and finally landed on me. She said nothing. But the curvature of the corners of the lips... It's not a smile. Which is like saying:

“The day has finally come.”

Two o'clock in the afternoon. Tien Duy Quoc convened an emergency internal meeting. Participants include: Tien Duy Quoc. Old Ha in the research management department. Co Hoai An did not attend. He said this was an internal management issue of the institute and he was not at liberty to intervene. But he will stay at the research institute to wait for the results. He and two employees sat in the reception room on the first floor. That information was like a lead hanging on Tien Duy Quoc's forehead. As soon as the meeting started, he spoke frankly.

“Ly Phong.”

“Now you explain to me.”

“The invitation letter is your personal act…”

“Or is there someone in the hospital directing?”

“Director Tien, I…”

“Answer my question first.”

“Did you do it yourself?”

Ly Phong was silent for five seconds.

“It was my personal judgment that was flawed.”

“At that time, I considered Tham Niem's health condition and family situation…”

“Feel like she's not suitable for that kind of intense project…”

“Health condition What?"

Tien Duy Quoc interrupted.

“What is that pregnancy report?”

“The report is a health check done through official channels.”

“Tham Niem said she had never been examined that time.”

“Maybe she forgot.”

I spoke up from the opposite side.

“I didn't forget.”

“This morning I called to verify with that health examination facility.”

“In their system, under my name, there are no medical records from six weeks ago.”

“There was no such examination.”

“How do you explain?”

Ly Phong's hand touched the watch strap again. This time he stroked for a long time. When he flipped the metal lock over and over, it made a very small clicking sound. Dao Vien next to him sat restlessly. The hands are no longer clasped behind the back. But she was clutching the white blouse button in front of her chest, sometimes tightening and letting go. Tien Duy Quoc took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.

“Ly Phong.”

“The denunciation of data falsification…”

“Is it also because of you?”

“That denunciation was made based on the results of the project team's internal inspection…”

“Test with what data?”

Tien Duy Quoc slammed the table.

“The history of the original device was erased by you guys under the pretext of upgrading the system.”

“What did you get to test?”

“Deleting data is a normal operation of the equipment room…”

“Usually?”

“I asked the equipment room today.”

“They said that upgrade did not include data deletion.”

“The deletion order was sent by you using the authority of the vice-principal.”

The meeting room fell silent again. Old Ha bowed his head and looked at the notebook in front of him. Not even a single word was written. Dao Vien's lips opened and closed. The button in his hand was yanked out and rolled under the table. He bent down to pick it up. The whole person almost convulsed under the table. Ly Phong did not speak anymore. He sat there. Back straight.