Chapter 75 — Shrimp Street Without Name

One week before the trial, a surprise press conference organized by Mr. Bao's legal team made the whole group on high alert. Contrary to initial predictions that Mr. Bao would remain silent until the trial, his lawyers released an official statement in which he admitted partial responsibility but at the same time affirmed that he was also a victim of manipulation from Nguyen Dang Hoai and the network behind Mr. Vinh.

“This is a carefully calculated legal tactic,” lawyer Hoang analyzed as the group reviewed the press conference video. “He is trying to position himself as both guilty and victim, hoping that will help reduce the penalty in court, and create sympathy with public opinion before the official trial takes place.”

“Does this affect our case?” Hai Yen asked, her voice worried.

“Legally, not much,” lawyer Hoang replied. "Our evidence remains strong, regardless of how he portrays himself to the public. But we need to be prepared for public opinion to be divided, some people may sympathize with the narrative he is trying to build."

Minh Khang, immediately after the press conference, quickly published a detailed analysis, comparing Mr. Bao's statement with specific verified evidence, pointing out contradictions and efforts to selectively reduce responsibility in his self-defense.

Minh Khang's article quickly attracted widespread attention, partly balancing the wave of public opinion that was at risk of being swayed by the defendant's media tactics. He quoted directly from Mr. Duc's audit report, from Nguyen Dang Hoai's testimony, and from what Ms. Sau herself witnessed, to clearly show that, although Mr. Bao may have been under pressure from his superiors, he was still the one who directly made the decisions and benefited from many wrongful acts over the years.

“The truth is not a story that can be rewritten according to anyone's wishes,” Minh Khang wrote in the conclusion of his article. “Even if Mr. Bao was manipulated by more powerful people, that does not erase his responsibility for the decisions he made himself, the consequences he voluntarily accepted in exchange for personal benefits.”

In the evening, Hai Yen and the whole group watched the reaction of public opinion after Minh Khang's article was published. Although there are still some mixed opinions, the majority of public opinion still maintains support for the process of seeking justice that they have been pursuing for many months.

“I think we have overcome this challenge,” lawyer Hoang commented, her voice relieved. "But this is a reminder that, until the very end, we cannot let our guard down. The defense will continue to find ways to protect themselves, including through sophisticated media tactics."

In the remaining days before the trial, Hai Yen spent most of her time reviewing the entire file one last time, ensuring all details were accurate and ready. She also took the time to visit each witness one last time, not to rehearse more, but simply to cheer them up, to let them know that she was always by their side, ready to support them through the stressful moments that were about to come. next.

When visiting Mr. Tam, who has now almost completely recovered even though he still has some difficulty walking, he held her hand tightly, his eyes filled with determination. “I will be present at the trial,” he said, his voice firm though still a little weak. “Even if I have to use a wheelchair, I will still come, to see justice being served with my own eyes.”

Hai Yen was moved by his determination, promising to arrange everything to ensure he could attend the trial in the most convenient way, a vivid testament to the resilient spirit that all the people on this journey have built and maintained together over the past two and a half tumultuous months.

Leaving Mr. Tam's house, Hai Yen continued to visit Mrs. Ut Phuong, who was still living in the small town where she first met her many months ago. Mrs. Ut Phuong, when she saw Hai Yen, hugged her, her voice full of emotion.

"You know," she said, "after finding out what happened, my son decided to move closer to me and no longer leave me alone like before. He said he was proud of what she did, even though he had to wait until now to say it."

Hai Yen smiled, touched by the positive change in Mrs. Ut Phuong's life since the day she decided to hand over her precious notebook. “I'm so happy for you,” she said. “You deserve this peace and happiness, after all you have sacrificed.”

“You will be present at the trial,” Ms. Ut Phuong affirmed, her voice firm. “You have been waiting for this day for ten years, nothing can stop you from being absent at this most important moment.”

On the way back to Nam Can, Hai Yen stopped for a moment by the riverbank, watching the water drift lazily under the sunset, letting her mind calm down after a long day full of emotional encounters. She thought of all the people she had met throughout this journey - each with their own story, their own pain, but now, they were all heading towards the same thing in common: the upcoming trial, where the truth would be officially recognized before the law.

She pulled out her phone and called Kien, just to hear his voice after a long, emotional day. "What are you doing?" she asked, her voice gentle.

“I am preparing the final documents for my presentation at trial,” he replied. "How are you? You sound tired."

“I'm fine,” Hai Yen said, smiling even though he couldn't see it through the phone. "It's just been a long day with a lot of emotions. I miss you."

“I miss you too,” Kien replied, his voice warm. "There's only one week left. We're almost there, Yen."

“That's right,” Hai Yen replied, looking out at the river gradually sinking into the darkness of sunset. “We're almost there.”

The conversation continued for a while, the two sharing mixed thoughts and feelings about the upcoming trial, what they hoped to achieve, and the worries that still lingered in each of their hearts. When she hung up, Hai Yen felt much more relieved, as if just hearing Kien's voice was enough to give her strength.

She drove back to her mother's house in the last sunset, her mind still filled with images and emotions of a long, meaningful day. When she arrived, Mrs. Sau had already prepared dinner, and the atmosphere in the house was much warmer and more peaceful than in the past. the previous stressful days.

“You look tired,” Mrs. Sau commented when she saw her daughter walk in, her eyes full of concern.

“I'm fine, mom,” Hai Yen replied, sitting down at the dining table. "Just a long day with many emotional encounters. I just visited Uncle Tam and Miss Ut Phuong."

“How are they?” Mrs. Sau asked, ladling soup for her daughter.

"Both are healthy, and both are determined to be present at the trial," Hai Yen replied, smiling slightly. "I really admire their resilience, Mom. After everything they've been through, they're still undeterred."

Mrs. Sau nodded and sat down opposite her daughter. "That's because they believe in you, Yen. You've given them a reason to believe that the truth will eventually win, no matter how long it takes."

The meal that night took place in a warm, simple atmosphere, a precious moment of peace amid the stressful days of preparing for the upcoming decisive moment, when both mother and daughter prepared themselves mentally for the most important week during the arduous journey they had gone through together.

After the meal, Hai Yen helped her mother clean up, then they both sat on the porch, looking up at the starry night sky. “Are you scared, Mom, when you have to go to court to testify?” Hai Yen asked, her voice gentle.

Mrs. Sau thought for a moment before answering. “Yes,” she admitted. "But that fear is now much smaller than my belief in doing the right thing. Ten years ago, I chose to stay silent out of fear. Now, I choose to speak up out of love — love for your father, for you, and for everyone who believes in you."

Hai Yen held her mother's hand, touched by those sincere words of sharing. “I'm proud of you, Mom,” she said. “I'm proud of you for finding the courage to step out of the darkness, after all you've endured.”

Mother and daughter sat together for a while longer in the quiet night, not needing another word, just each other's warm presence was enough to mentally prepare themselves for the coming days, days that would determine not only the legal fate of those who had caused so much suffering, but also the complete closure of a tumultuous chapter in their family's history.