Chapter 22: Chapter 22 Professor Tran's ultimatum — Rebellious Symphony

Professor Trần Quang Vũ is not a person who acts hastily. For a whole week after hearing the rumors from his colleagues, he silently investigated, without saying a word to Minh, just quietly observing and collecting evidence in the careful, meticulous style of a person who had been head of the Cardiology Department for many years.

He tried to look through his son's phone one evening when Minh accidentally left it on the dining table while going to the bathroom. Even though the screen had a password, he still had time to see a notification appear from an email application: "WaveSound Records: Waiting for your response about the exclusive contract."

He also quietly searched for an old video of Neon Tide circulating online, zooming in on each frame to confirm that the face in it was his son, even though his face had been edited with youth fashion filters.

And finally, Saturday night, when the whole family gathered around the dinner table, he placed a tablet on the table, the screen opened to the official music channel of "Z" with millions of views.

"Can you explain to me," he said, his voice cold as ice, "why you appeared in this video, standing next to electronic music equipment, two years ago? And why recently, you received a contract offer from a record label, addressed to someone called Z?"

The entire dining table was in dead silence. Mrs. Đoàn Ngọc Diễm, Minh's mother, turned pale and looked worriedly at her son.

Minh put down his chopsticks and took a deep breath. He had prepared himself mentally for this moment for a long time, but he did not expect it to come so suddenly and cruelly, with no chance for him to proactively choose the right time and method.

"Yes, dad," Minh said, his voice shaking but determined. "I am Z."

A long silence passed, so heavy that you could clearly hear the wall clock ticking every second.

"I..." Professor Vũ gritted his teeth, anger clearly visible on every line of his face. "How long have you been lying to us? Two years? Three years? While we believed you were just being lazy and neglecting your studies, you were actually secretly building a music career behind the whole family's back?"

"I'm sorry for hiding it from your parents," Minh said, his voice still calm despite the storm inside. "But I have no other choice. Every time I try to talk about my passion for music, dad always dismisses it immediately as worthless."

"Because it is truly worthless compared to the medical career that the entire family has worked hard to build for four generations!" Professor Vũ slammed his hand on the table and roared. "Do you know how hard your grandfather had to work to become the best surgeon in the province? Do you know how many years of my youth I sacrificed to achieve the current position of dean? All those sacrifices, to pray for you to continue the tradition, not for you to turn into a hidden nightclub DJ!"

"That's not your average nightclub DJ, dad," Minh countered, his voice starting to tremble with emotion and long-pent-up anger. "You are a music producer, with millions of people across the country listening and admiring your talent. You have built it entirely by your own efforts, not thanks to family reputation, not thanks to any privileges."

"That's not important!" Professor Vũ stood up, his voice full of authority and anger. "Music is not a stable, sustainable path. How will you live ten years, twenty years from now, when the trend is over, when no one remembers the name Z anymore? The medical field is what brings real value, saves people, and is respected by society for life."

"So my value, according to you, is only measured by stability and social reputation?" Minh asked, his voice choked with hurt. "Dad never once asked me what I really wanted, what I was truly happy with. I only forced me to become the version I wanted."

"Because I'm your dad!" Professor Vũ shouted. "It's your responsibility to shape your future properly, even if you're too young to understand what's really good for you," Ms. Ngọc Diễm finally spoke, her voice trembling but trying to calm the situation. "Mr. Vũ, maybe we should calm down and sit down and talk..."

"Don't interfere," Professor Vũ interrupted his wife, his voice still full of anger, then turned to look at his son, his eyes cold and scary. "Okay. I will give you one last ultimatum, Nhật Minh. You choose one of two paths: completely give up this Z identity, refuse the contract with that record label, focus all your efforts on studying to enter medical school as your family's plan. Or, if you still insist on pursuing this musical path, you will have to take care of everything yourself from now on, no longer receiving any financial support from your family, including tuition, including travel expenses. study later if you have that intention."

"Dad!" Minh exclaimed, unable to believe what he had just heard.

"I've decided," Professor Vũ said, his voice unwavering. "I have a week to think and answer dad."

He stood up, left the dining table, walked up to his private office, slammed the door, leaving Minh sitting there, stunned, with Ms. Ngọc Diễm trying to hold back her tears next to him.

"I'm sorry," Mrs. Ngọc Diễm whispered, holding her son's hand. "I didn't have the courage to stand up for you earlier."

Minh looked at his mother, clearly feeling the helplessness and hurt in her eyes. "I don't blame you, Mom. I understand that you also have your own fears."

"What are you going to do?" she asked, her voice filled with worry.

Minh was silent for a long time, looking down at his hands, the hands that had created hundreds of pieces of music, and had learned to lead Linh's violin with a genuine heartbeat instead of a rigid technique. "I don't know, Mom. But I know one thing: I can't give up music, even if the price is losing my family's support."

That night, Minh left home and wandered through many streets with no specific destination, his mind reeling from the ultimatum he had just received. Finally, his feet brought him to the front gate of Royal High, where warehouse number 4 still lay quietly, witnessing the entire journey he had gone through over the past two months.

He stood there for a long time under the yellow streetlight, wondering if he had the courage to face a completely uncertain future, without the protection of his family, just to keep his true self.

He pulled out his phone and was about to text Linh, but then stopped, not wanting her to worry anymore this late at night. But as if there was an invisible link between the two of them, his phone vibrated right after, showing Linh's name calling.

"Are you okay?" Linh's voice rang out with worry as soon as he picked up the phone. "I have a bad feeling all night. I can't sleep."

Minh was silent for a moment, then his voice choked. "My dad knows everything, Linh. He gave me an ultimatum. Give up music completely, or lose all support from my family." A long silence rang out from the other end of the line before Linh replied, her voice trembling. "Where are you? I'll be right there."

"No need, it's late," Minh said, even though he really wished she was there right now.

"I'll be right there," Linh repeated, her voice determined not to accept objections, then hung up before he could stop her further.

Fifteen minutes later, Linh appeared at the school gate, panting from having just cycled quickly in the dark, her hair a bit messy but her eyes full of sincere concern. She didn't say anything, just walked over and hugged Minh in the middle of an empty street.

"You're not alone," she whispered in his ear. "No matter what your father says or does, I'm still here."

Minh tightened his arms around her, feeling a rare bit of peace amid the storm surrounding his life. "Thank you for coming."

They sat down on the steps in front of the locked school gate, under the dim streetlights, saying nothing more for a long time, simply being present together, sharing the burden without having to express it in words. Linh knows that the real decision Minh must make is still ahead, but at least, right now, she wants him to know that he doesn't have to face it alone.

"A week," Minh finally spoke, breaking the silence. "Dad gave me a week to think and answer. After that, I had to choose, decisively, there was no turning back."

"Which way are you leaning?" Linh asked softly, even though she already vaguely guessed the answer.

Minh looked up at the night sky sparkling with a few rare stars left among the city lights, remaining silent for a long time before responding. "I don't know if I have the right to be selfish in keeping my passion, when the price could be my educational future, my relationship with my parents. But I also don't know if I can live fully if I give up the most true part of myself."

"No matter which path you choose," Linh said, squeezing his hand, "I will support you. But I hope you choose for yourself, not for me, not for the competition, not for anyone else."

Minh turned to look at her, his eyes filled with a complex emotion between love, fear, and even a fragile glimmer of hope. "Thank you, for always reminding me that this is my own life," They sat together until nearly midnight, before Linh insisted on urging him to go home and rest, promising to always be ready to listen whenever he needed, during the difficult week of deliberation that lay ahead.