Chapter 15 — Summer On The Terrace

The truck carries three steel frames and dismantling tools. The manager gave the paper to the security guard, saying they were allowed to check area C. Uncle Sau asked to call the management board to confirm.

Vy and Quan stood on the stairs, My wrote down the time. Long called the number in the notice, but no one picked up.

“We only removed one tray,” the manager said.

Quan asked: "Which tray? Is there a record of the status before removing it?"

“No need, this is a temporary thing.”

"Anything on the roof can affect the load. Someone needs to be in charge."

Ms. Nhan called and confirmed that the company had been surveyed but had not been dismantled. The manager was upset and asked the group to get out of the way.

Vy opened the conditions table. "If there is no license, we cannot stop it with people. We record it and request a stop."

They don't lock doors or push workers. Uncle Sau stood in front of the technical entrance, the security guard only let in people whose names were on the list. The worker calls back upper management.

While waiting, a student recorded a video. My prevent live streaming, explaining that everyone in the video needs to be asked. The student was upset and said the group was hiding the truth.

“We don't hide,” My replied. “We don't want to make you responsible for a video without permission.”

Quan checked the distance of the truck from the house pillar. Car parked too close to fire truck path. He asked to move, the driver objected. Uncle Sau called school security and made a record.

After forty minutes, the administration arrived. They admitted that the notice was not updated, asking the company to only measure from the ground. Ms. Nhan arrived later, apologizing for the wrong delivery schedule.

Some students booed. Vy raised her hand, asking everyone to keep their distance. She said this incident needs to be recorded, not turned into a match.

Mrs. Nhan looked at her. “I understand why you don't want to sign quickly.”

“We also understand that the company has a schedule.”

“But the schedule is not more important than the process.”

They made a record: no dismantling, just measuring; Steel frames are not placed on the roof; All entries must be announced in advance. The company signs, Mr. Sau signs, and the management board representative signs.

When the car left, Quan inspected the land. A tray of luffa was hit and the vines broke. Ngoc Ha picked up the tree and did not blame the workers.

“Is this tree alive?” Quan asked.

“If you pin it down and reduce the sun.”

Vy helped build the truss. The two of them worked together and did not talk about what had just happened.

Long discovered that in the company minutes there was a sentence "a group of students voluntarily allowed filming". My objected and requested deletion. Ms. Nhan said it was an available model and was not used.

“Existing models can still be used,” My said.

Mrs. Nhan repaired it right in front of everyone. "Okay. I'll withdraw."

Vy looked at her, noting the change but not calling it a victory.

In the afternoon, the school's climate fund sent an additional request: it needed to prove that the garden would not increase maintenance costs. The military compiles the repair schedule, number of water outages and material costs. Data shows that the first year the group made two errors, but after scheduling, costs decreased.

Ha said: "Don't hide two mistakes."

“I don't plan to.”

“If they see an error, they can refute it.”

“If you hide it, they will find out later.”

Quan looked at Ha and nodded. He added the section “operational lessons”.

Vy presented to Ms. Huong. Ms. Huong requested to remove the sentence "roof restoration garden", because the garden only reduces surface heat, does not repair the structure.

“You edit the best sentences,” Vy said.

“The best sentences are often the easiest to get wrong.”

Vy changed it to "the garden contributes to reducing internal surface heat measuring conditions.” The profile is less emotional but correct.

That night, the group received an email from the council: an open session would take place in four days, deciding whether to keep the garden or not. Companies are invited, students are invited to speak.

“We need someone to step up,” Long said.

Vy replied: “Not one person. A group with the right to speak clearly.”

Quan looked at her. “And the user is not the background.”

My nodded. “They will speak for themselves.”

In Long's inbox, an unopened email from Ms. Nhan appeared: "If you provide the group budget, I can help you win the meeting."

Long read but did not reply. He took a photo and sent it to Vy and Hanh.

For the first time, Long did not hide an offer for fear of losing his position.

After the car left, management asked the group to submit an incident report for the day. Vy writes the development part, Quan writes safety, My writes about not broadcasting live and Uncle Sau confirms. They don't call workers trespassers; They write “survey team before confirmed time”.

Ms. Nhan read and suggested changing the sentence "no license yet" to "no license yet". The group agreed because it was more correct.

Ha repaired the luffa trellis, saying the tree would survive if there was moderate sunlight. The worker who bumped into the tray sent the message apologizing, saying he was not allowed to know the restricted area.

Quan replied: "We will update the table more clearly."

Vy finds that not making mistakes the enemy helps people keep working.

The Climate Fund responded needing maintenance cost figures. Long gave the board, including the faucet, sensor and pouring tray errors. The Fund approves a small amount with the condition of a six-month check.

Uncle Sau said: "For the first time, I saw a group of students asking for money by saying they had done something wrong."

“Because the examiner will see later,” Vy said.

In school, the collage post is still mentioned. My sent a correction to the questioner, without arguing. Ms. Mai allowed me to use a new sentence: "The kitchen needs correctness more than pity."

The group put the sentence on the board in the lobby, writing her name.

The council requested a list of speakers. Vy asked users to speak for themselves, not letting her read for them. Ha and Uncle Loi agreed. A freshman talked about the class schedule, a cleaning lady talked about pipe pulling.

The troops practice with them, pointing out a safe location. You don't edit the content.

Long received an email from the company requesting a new budget. You sent it through the common channel. Ms. Nhan no longer sends private messages.

“You have become a tester,” My teased.

“I could still do it wrong.”

“But now many people are watching.”

The next morning, the school sent a document to temporarily suspend the dismantling until the meeting. The car did not return. The garden has a few more days.

Vy exhaled, but Quan reminded her: "Don't consider stopping as holding."

“I know.”

“You talk too fast.”

Vy laughed. “I'm practicing like you.”

When organizing documents, Long saw an old folder in the student union computer: a budget signed by the former head of the administration department, with the line "priority for advertising contracts". You have never created a file before.

Long opened, then closed, and sent it to Hanh and Ms. Huong. They will check the source and not publish it hastily.

On the rooftop, a free lesson begins. No one talks about the company. But under the concrete floor, the new waterproofing layer is drying, waiting for a rainy season when they don't know how far they will test the system.

The lesson was Ha's idea. She invited first-year students to distinguish between planted soil, soil that holds water, and soil that has been compacted too tightly. There are no slides, just three sample trays and a spoon. A friend asked why not buy the best soil for everyone. Ha explained Preferring the type that is best for one plant may choke the drainage of another plant; In a real garden, choices are always limited.

Vy stood outside the circle, listening to two students argue about whether the waterproofing layer made the roof safer. She did not intervene immediately. Quan stepped forward and asked what parameters they were basing on. You two only have the manufacturer's advertising. Quan showed them the construction report and said the waterproofing layer was only a part and did not replace structural inspection. They write down their answers, then edit the notes themselves.

Long used the remaining money to buy a whiteboard and four odorless pens. He stuck the receipt on the corner of the board. One friend teased this too carefully. Long said to be careful not to delay the project by fixing an unknown expense later. He told the story of once signing a sponsorship contract without carefully reading the terms, causing the club to return the money. No one laughs anymore.

In the afternoon, the team inspected the waterproofing layer. Uncle Sau reminded you not to wear spiked shoes and not to pull heavy objects on your face to dry. Ha placed the barrier wire, My wrote the "under maintenance" sign in large letters. A sanitation worker tried to push the cart past, Vy stopped and explained. That person apologized and went back down to get a smaller car. There was no formal thank you, only one class was kept intact because someone had time to ask.

When everyone returned, Vy reread the budget folder Long sent. The line "advertising contract priority" worried her, but she didn't speculate. She wrote down a list of questions for tomorrow morning: where was the file created, who has the right to edit it, is the signature authentic. Quan told her to sleep before investigating. Vy said she did not want to turn doubts into conclusions in her mind. He sent her the test schedule, adding a "vacation" box.

Vy looked at that box for a moment then set the alarm. Roof needs sober people, not people who turn themselves into heroes.

She texted Quan: "Let's check together tomorrow?" He answered after a minute: “Yes, but remember to eat breakfast.”

Vy laughed, then turned off the room light.

She also checks her phone battery, power bank, and keys before going to bed.