Chapter 11 — Pottery Kiln Fire Keeper

The shiny black car stopped in front of the factory gate, and Chiem Dac Nguyen stepped down with a majestic appearance, his neat suit contrasting completely with the surrounding clay and dusty scene. He had an angular face, sharp eyes, and right from the first sight, Van Khe felt an invisible pressure weighing on the air.

— Duy Khang, come out here with me right away, — Mr. Nguyen called out, his voice full of authority, not even looking at Van Khe or Mr. Vong once.

Khang stepped forward and stood between his father and Van Khe's family, his voice calm but determined.

— Father, if you have any business to come here, please say it directly.

— What is it? — Mr. Nguyen chuckled, his eyes scanning the rows of ceramic products just released from the oven stacked neatly on the shelves. — I heard you spent a whole week here, helping with this outdated wood stove, and even letting some cultural researcher film it and create some heritage records. Do you know how that affects the company's plans? If this furnace is recognized as a heritage site, the government will intervene and land recovery will be much more difficult!

— So you only care about land acquisition and don't care about the true value of traditional pottery? — Khang objected, his voice starting to get harsh.

— Traditional values cannot feed anyone in these times, Khang! — Mr. Nguyen growled. — I once lived in the poverty of a wood kiln, and saw my family go bankrupt because of constant failed firings. I switched to a gas furnace not because I don't love my job, but because I want my family to have a stable life, without having to worry every time the weather turns windy!

Van Khe stood still, observing the confrontation between father and son, feeling that behind Mr. Nguyen's anger was a pain that had never been healed. She took a step forward, her voice gentle but firm enough for everyone to pay attention.

— Uncle Nguyen, — she spoke up, — I know you have your own reasons for not believing in wood stoves anymore. But I want you to know something, before you decide what to do next.

Mr. Nguyen turned to look at her, his eyes cold as if he were evaluating an opponent.

— What are you going to say?

— My grandfather, — Van Khe said, his voice shaking slightly but still trying to keep it steady, — came here to visit the furnace last week. He told my family the truth about the night of the accident thirty-five years ago.

The surrounding atmosphere suddenly became suffocatingly tense. Mr. Nguyen's face suddenly changed color, but he quickly regained his fake calm.

— What truth? I've heard that story all my life, there's no need to hear it again from a child who was never born at that time.

— But perhaps you have never heard the whole truth, — Van Khe continued, taking a deep breath to gain courage. — Your grandfather said that night, he voluntarily opened the air vent earlier than scheduled because he wanted to test a faster way to heat it. My grandfather tried to stop me, but it was too late. After the accident, your grandfather took all the blame on himself, to protect my grandfather from having to be known for causing his own younger brother's death.

That sentence was like a knife cutting through the air. Mr. Nguyen stood stunned, his face pale, his hands clenched so tightly that his knuckles were pale white.

— You... you made it up, — he said, his voice trembling even though he tried to maintain a strong expression. — My father never told me that story. He always said that the Thach family was the cause, that Mr. Tuyen had miscalculated—

— I'm not making it up, — Van Khe interrupted, her voice determined. — You can ask your grandfather directly, or watch the video recording that Ms. Thuy took of his visit to the furnace last week. I understand this is hard to accept, but I think you deserve to know the truth, instead of continuing to live with a false story for so many years.

*

Mr. Nguyen stood silently for a long time, his eyes fixed on the unknown space, as if the entire foundation of trust he had built throughout his life had just been violently shaken. Khang walked closer to his father, his voice softening.

— Father, if what Van Khe said is true, then all these years, you have carried an unnecessary hatred in your heart. I think it's time for you to talk frankly with grandpa, instead of continuing to avoid it.

— Shut up! — Mr. Nguyen suddenly shouted loudly, startling everyone. — Do you think just one touching story can erase everything our family has gone through? My parents died in poverty trying to get back up after Uncle Tan's death! I had to drop out of school at the age of fifteen to work, rebuilding everything from scratch! No matter who was right or wrong on that stormy night, the pain we endured is still real and cannot be erased with just a late apology!

Those words made Van Khe suddenly understand something deeper - Mr. Nguyen's hostility towards the Vong Nguyet furnace was not simply a misunderstanding about the old accident, but also stemmed from a poor, traumatic childhood that he had to struggle to overcome alone. The truth about the accident can partially relieve the burden of resentment, but the wound of years of hardship is not easily healed overnight.

— Uncle Nguyen, — she said, her voice softer, — I have no intention of erasing what you went through. I just hope you understand that destroying the Vong Nguyet furnace is not the way to heal that pain. Perhaps, the path of reconciliation will truly help you let go of the burden that has haunted you for so many years.

Mr. Nguyen looked at her, his eyes were complex and unreadable, then he turned to look at his son, who was standing on the side of the "enemy" with an unprecedented resoluteness.

— I need time to think, — he said at last, his voice softened somewhat but still heavy. — But don't think it will end so easily. The company's plan will continue, until we are really sure about everything.

He turned and walked back to the car, without saying another word, leaving behind an atmosphere heavy with emotions that had not been fully released. Khang watched his father's car disappear around the corner and sighed heavily.

— I'm sorry, — he said, turning to Van Khe. — I didn't expect things to be so tense.

— It's okay, — Van Khe replied, placing her hand on his shoulder to comfort him. — At least, the truth has been told. Now, everything depends on whether Uncle Nguyen is ready to face it or not.

But in her heart, a dull worry remained — because she understood, a man who had built his entire career and identity on the foundation of a pain, would not easily let go of it after just one conversation, no matter how clear the truth was.

*

That evening, Mr. Vong called Van Khe to sit on the porch, where the moonlight shone faintly through the canopy of the old star fruit tree. He seemed more thoughtful than usual, twirling the cup of tea that had cooled a long time ago without drinking it.

— You surprised me, Khe, — he said, his voice both worried and somewhat proud. — You dare to stand up and speak frankly to Mr. Nguyen like that, I didn't think you were that brave.

— I can't let him continue to live in misunderstanding, father, — Van Khe replied, sitting down next to his father. — But I'm also worried, I don't know if I did the right thing or made things worse. Uncle Nguyen seemed even angrier after hearing the truth.

Mr. Vong sighed and put the tea cup on the table.

— There are people who, when they have been accustomed to carrying a hatred in their hearts all their lives, having to let it go is even more painful than continuing to hold it, — he said, his eyes distant as if remembering the past years. — Mr. Nguyen wasn't just angry because of the misunderstanding, he was angry because of his poor childhood and the years of hard work building his career, now it suddenly seemed meaningless if that grudge turned out to be just a misunderstanding. You have to be patient, give him time to accept it himself.

Van Khe nodded, leaned her head on her father's shoulder, feeling the familiar warmth in the cold foggy night. She thought of Khang, of his painful eyes when he saw his father almost collapse before the truth that had just been revealed, and wondered if the budding love between the two would be enough to withstand the family storm that was coming.

— Do you think Uncle Nguyen will finally accept to let go of his resentment? — she asked softly.

— I don't know, — Mr. Vong said honestly. — But I believe, if you and Khang can still maintain an upright mind like today, no matter how bumpy the road is, in the end the truth and sincerity will overcome resentment, Khe. It's just that it might cost a lot of tears before that day comes.