Chapter 13 — Sassy Boy: Heir to the Underground Family

Dieu Linh couldn't sleep all night. She lay on the bed, looking up at the dark ceiling, her mind reeling from what Vinh Bach had revealed on the rooftop that afternoon. Every word, every look of his eyes kept repeating in her head, like a film that refused to stop.

She remembered the first time they met, when he saved her from a group of bullies. She remembered his rare smile during recess, the sessions on the rooftop, the warm hand holding on the way home. All those moments now have a different meaning, much more complicated and painful than what she once felt.

Towards morning, when the dawn light began to creep through the window, Dieu Linh still had not found an answer for herself. She decided to call Khanh Linh, even though she knew it was still too early.

"Dieu Linh? What's the matter calling so early?" Khanh Linh replied, her voice still sleepy but full of worry when she heard her friend's voice tremble.

"I... I need to talk to you," Dieu Linh replied, her voice choked. "About Vinh Bach."

Half an hour later, Khanh Linh showed up at Dieu Linh's house, carrying two cups of milk coffee that she had quickly bought at a nearby shop. The two sat in Dieu Linh's room, and for the first time, Dieu Linh told the whole story — not every detail about the underworld, but enough for Khanh Linh to understand the seriousness of the situation.

"He took advantage of you?" Khanh Linh asked, her voice full of indignation on behalf of her friend.

"At first it was like that," Dieu Linh replied, tears welling up in her eyes again. "But he said everything changed after that, that the feelings are real now."

"Do you believe that?" Khanh Linh asked directly, holding her friend's hand.

Dieu Linh was silent for a long time, trying to listen to her heart instead of her chaotic mind. "I... I think I do," she finally admitted. "But I don't know if that belief is just because I don't want to accept the fact that I was lied to."

"Dieu Linh," Khanh Linh said, her voice softer. "I can't decide for you. But I think, you should ask yourself a simpler question: if you ignore the past, is he - his true self - the person you want to be with?"

That question made Dieu Linh pause and think carefully. In her mind, the image of Vinh Bach talking about his deceased father appeared, about the loneliness hidden behind his cold appearance, about the sincere eyes every time he looked at her. They weren't fake moments, she was sure of that.

"I think... I still want to be with him," Dieu Linh said softly, her voice gradually becoming more steady. "But I also need him to understand that trust cannot be rebuilt overnight. I need time, and I need him to prove it with actions, not just words."

"Then that's your answer," Khanh Linh smiled, squeezing her friend's hand. "Just make sure you do this because it feels right, not because of pressure or fear of being alone. And if he makes you cry again in the future, just call me and I'll come right away."

Dieu Linh laughed lightly at her friend's half-joking, half-serious threat, feeling much more relieved than it had been a few hours before.

Dieu Linh nodded, feeling somewhat relieved after sharing with her best friend. She thanked Khanh Linh, then sent her friend off before getting ready to go to school, even though she still had many things to think about.

At school, Vinh Bach arrived earlier than usual, waiting at the school gate with an undisguised expression of concern. When he saw Dieu Linh appear, he walked closer, but did not dare to get too close, keeping a respectful distance.

"Dieu Linh," he called softly. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she replied, her voice calmer than she expected. "Vinh Bach, I was thinking all night long."

"And?" he asked, his voice filled with worry, not daring to hope too much.

"I choose to stay," Dieu Linh said, looking straight at him. "Not because I've forgotten what you did, but because I believe in the real you — the person who told me about my father, the person who protected me without hesitation, the person who chose to tell the truth even though he knew he could lose me."

Vinh Bach stood dumbfounded for a moment, not daring to believe what he had just heard. "Dieu Linh, you..."

"But," she continued, her tone more serious, "I need you to understand that my trust has been broken. From now on, I need you to be honest with me about everything, no more secrets. If there is danger, I want to know, not be hidden like a child in need of protection."

"I promise," Vinh Bach replied, his voice more certain than ever. "From now on, I won't hide anything from you anymore, no matter how difficult it is."

Dieu Linh smiled, although there was still a bit of caution in her eyes. "Okay. Let's start again, step by step."

Vinh Bach nodded, feeling like a huge burden had been lifted from his shoulders, even though he knew the road ahead to completely rebuild trust would not be easy. But at least he had a chance, and he was determined not to waste it.

The two walked into school together, not holding hands like before, but the distance between them had shortened a bit compared to the night before — a new beginning, fragile but full of hope, for a relationship now built on a foundation of truth instead of hidden calculations.

That afternoon, when the two sat at lunch together in the school cafeteria, Vinh Bach told Dieu Linh a few more details about his life — not everything, but enough for her to feel the sincerity in his efforts to rebuild trust.

"I've never told anyone so much," Vinh Bach said, smiling slightly. "This feels quite strange, but it's more relaxing than I expected."

"Then from now on, please continue to share with me," Dieu Linh replied, her eyes softer. "I want to better understand the world you live in, even if it's scary."

Vinh Bach nodded, looking at her with a deep respect that he had never shown to anyone before. He knew that the journey ahead would still have many challenges, but for the first time in three years of shouldering the responsibility of inheritance, he felt that he no longer had to face everything alone.

That afternoon, after school, Vinh Bach took Dieu Linh to a new location - a small tea shop hidden in a quiet street, where very few people passed by. "This is where I usually go when I need to think alone," he explained as they both sat down at the table near the window.

"Do you want to share anything more?" Dieu Linh asked, noticing his pensive expression.

"I want you to meet someone," Vinh Bach said, then took out his phone and called someone. A few minutes later, a middle-aged man in a neat suit entered the shop and bowed politely to both of them.

"This is Lam Chinh Dao, the housekeeper and also the closest person to my family," Vinh Bach introduced. "Uncle Dao is the only person, besides me, who knows the entire situation. I want you to know that he will always be here to support you if you need anything related to your safety."

"Nice to meet you, Dieu Linh," Lam Chinh Dao said, his voice calm. "Master has told me a lot about you. I hope, no matter how complicated the situation is, you will still give him a chance to prove himself."

"I'm trying," Dieu Linh replied, a bit shy at the housekeeper's sudden appearance. "Thank you for your concern."

After Lam Chinh Dao left, Dieu Linh turned to look at Vinh Bach, somewhat surprised. "Why did you introduce me to him?"

"Because I want you to know that, from now on, you are not alone in facing my world," Vinh Bach replied, his eyes sincere. "If there is any danger, Uncle Dao and the people I trust will always be ready to protect you, even when I'm not there."

Dieu Linh felt a warmth spreading in her heart at that gesture. This is not empty words, but a concrete action that proves that Vinh Bach is really trying to rebuild trust between them with transparency, exactly what she asked for.

"Thank you," she said softly, holding his hand on the table. "This means a lot to me."

Vinh Bach gently squeezed her hand, his eyes filled with rare tenderness. Outside the window, the sunset dyed the small street yellow, and in that rare moment of peace, both of them clearly felt that, although the road ahead still had many thorns and challenges awaiting them, together they had overcome the first and most important test of trust between the two of them.