Chapter 11 — Spring Falling On Red Dress

Hearing what Tang Van Hoa said, after reading it, her face was as black as the bottom of a pot. She went home and scolded her for half a day but did not dare to tear up the newspaper. Because the factory director praised the good article and said female comrades should also have spirit and vitality. Dad asked Tang Van Hoa to bring a letter. Inside the letter was ten dong. He said I would slowly compensate for what was owed. At the end of the letter, write a sentence: Dad was wrong before. There was a hole in the paper caused by burning ashes. I took the money and put the letter in the drawer. Whether or not to forgive is another matter, but debt must be clearly calculated. After being sent to the rural medical station, Bach Tri Duong initially wrote letters to Tong Bach Xuyen. Tong Bach Xuyen did not answer a single letter and handed it all over to the organization. Later, her family members became impatient and introduced her to an elementary school teacher in a neighboring district. I heard that the other person knew that she was causing trouble in the military family area, so the marriage failed. Her mother once stopped me at the newspaper office, scolding me for destroying Bach Tri Duong. Just when Director Vuong was present, she directly brought someone to the neighborhood office to talk. After that story spread, no one dared to go to the newspaper office to cause trouble anymore. Tang Van Hoa signed up for the evening class. On the first day of school, she wore a blue cotton shirt that had been washed until it was white. When passing by the editorial office, she brought me two sweet potatoes. "Sister, I'll roast them myself." She put the sweet potatoes down and ran away. The next day, two more dimes appeared in my drawer. On the piece of paper was written: Pay part of the price for peach pie and sweater. I clipped the money behind the IOU. One account at a time. When life gets busy, winter passes very quickly. Van Chieu Da often took me to the countryside for interviews. He speaks little but works very thoughtfully. When encountering a muddy road, he will push his bike through first, then turn back and ask if I can go by myself. He won't reach out to pull me unless I actively ask. That moderation makes me very comfortable. Editor-in-Chief Co often teased us. "Chieu Da, if you continue to protect Tieu Tang like that, there will be rumors in the editorial office." Van Chieu Da adjusted his paper, his expression calm. "Then I will pay attention to the impact." He really paid attention. From that day on, all of the two people's separate interviews were changed to three people going together. Without explaining half a sentence, it doesn't make me feel awkward. When spring came, Tong Bach Xuyen achieved success. The commendation ceremony was held at the district hall. The editorial office sent me for an interview. Editor-in-Chief Co asked me if I was shy. “Not shy.” Work is work. The hall was packed with people. Tong Bach Xuyen dressed straight in military uniform and walked onto the stage. Compared to the same time in his previous life, he was a bit thinner. The face is still handsome, but there is more silence in the sharp look. The speech ended, applause rang out. I bowed my head to take notes. After the meeting ended, he stopped me in the hallway. “Reporter Tang.” This name sounded very strange coming out of his mouth. But it was also very appropriate. "Comrade Tong, what's the matter?" He handed me a file of documents. "This is the process of natural disaster relief. Chief of Staff Giang told me to hand it over to the editorial office." "Thank you." The business was finished but he still did not leave. At the end of the hallway, Bach Tri Duong was standing there. After several months of not seeing her, she had lost a lot of weight. He was wearing an old white blouse from a rural medical station, the cuffs of which had been washed until yellow. She looked at Tong Bach Xuyen and then looked at me. There was still unwillingness in his eyes, but there was no longer the same confidence as before. "Bach Xuyen." Tong Bach Xuyen did not turn his head. "Comrade Bach, please call me comrade Tong." Bach Tri Duong's face turned white. "Today I came to ask for help."

error." I closed the notebook. "Say it." She gritted her teeth. "What happened on the mountain was because of my greed. After the two of you broke off the engagement, I realized I was wrong." "It's not that you knew it was wrong." Hearing that sentence, Tong Bach Xuyen looked at me. Bach Tri Duong also raised his head. "You just didn't get the benefits you wanted." Bach Tri Duong's tears were about to fall again. But there were so many passersby in the hallway, no one stopped for her anymore. In the end, she had to try to hold back her tears. "Tang Thanh Chi, do you have to be so harsh?" "Compared to a basin of water." The heat she splashed next to my feet, my words won't burn." She was speechless. Tong Bach Xuyen said in a low voice: "Comrade Bach, what you owe her is not just an apology. Don't bother her in the future." Bach Tri Duong looked at him, as if he finally understood that the door was completely closed. When she turned around, her shoulders drooped. This time no one chased her. Tong Bach Xuyen stood for a long time. "Thanh Chi." "Comrade Tong." He smiled bitterly. "Okay, Reporter Tang." He handed me an envelope. "This is not a private letter. Inside is the engagement letter that your father and my father exchanged when they got engaged that year. My mother told me to give it back to you. "The envelope was very old. The corners were worn out. I pulled out the marriage certificate. On it there was still my father's handwriting when he was young.