Chapter 19 — Summer Rescuer

Three days after the lighthouse visit, things began to deteriorate rapidly. Thao Nhi had just finished her morning shift when she received a phone call from her mother. Mrs. Hoa's voice was so panicked that Thao Nhi had to ask her to speak slower twice to understand the situation clearly.

"There's an inspection team coming to the shop, Nhi," Ms. Hoa said, her voice shaking over the phone. "They said they received complaints about food hygiene and safety, did random inspections, and ransacked the kitchen. Mom has never encountered such a thing in the ten years she opened the restaurant."

Thao Nhi immediately ran back to the restaurant and saw two uniformed employees of the District Health Department taking notes and taking photos all over the small kitchen, while her mother stood in a corner, her face pale with worry. Some diners who were in the middle of eating their meals also appeared confused by this unexpected scene.

"What's the problem, guys?" Thao Nhi asked, trying to keep her voice calm even though she clearly understood in her heart that this was not a random check.

"We received a complaint about the unclear origin of food at this restaurant," one of the two employees replied, his voice mechanical, avoiding looking directly into her eyes. "We need to check all import invoices for the last three months."

After nearly two hours of intense inspection, the inspection team could not find any serious violations - Ms. Hoa's shop always complied with regulations, the source of goods was clear from long-term acquaintances - but they still made a record of a few minor and insignificant errors, along with a warning that they would "continue to monitor" in the future.

When the inspection team left, Thao Nhi hugged her mother, feeling her body still trembling from shock. "Mom are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Mrs. Hoa replied, but her voice couldn't hide her fear. "But Nhi, this is exactly what happened eight years ago, exactly like what I told you about. They are repeating the same tactic."

Thao Nhi immediately called Bach Duong and recounted the incident. His voice over the phone was full of indignation. "This is blatant retaliation. I will record this entire incident as additional evidence."

But that wasn't the only incident that week. Two days later, when Thao Nhi was on the afternoon shift, she received a call from Trong Nghi, his voice was unusually heavy, asking her to come to his office as soon as the shift ended.

"What's wrong, Uncle Nghi?" she asked as she entered his small office.

Trong Nghi placed in front of her an official document from the district's Economic and Tourism Department, requesting the lifeguard station to "reconsider the staffing arrangement", on the grounds that "some employees spoke inappropriately during official events of the district, affecting the image of the local tourism industry" — a clear reference to Thao Nhi speaking up at the Tourism Council meeting.

"They are pressuring me to fire my child," Trong Nghi said, his voice filled with suppressed anger. "But I won't do that, Nhi. You are the best lifeguard on this team, and what you said at that meeting was the truth, not an inappropriate statement."

"But if you don't comply, the district could cause difficulties for the entire rescue station," Thao Nhi said, her voice worried for the whole team, not just for herself.

"Let me take care of that," Trong Nghi replied, his voice determined. "I've been doing this job for thirty years, I know how to fight within the rules. Just focus on gathering evidence and working with Mr. Duong. I won't let them kick you out of this team just because you dare to tell the truth."

That evening, when Thao Nhi recounted the entire day's events to Bach Duong, they both went to Nghiem Bao Long to officially report this chain of suspicious events - the unexpected inspection at her mother's shop, the pressure to fire from the district, all happening within just a week after Thao Nhi publicly denounced Cung Nghia Phat.

Mr. Thi, who went with Thao Nhi and Bach Duong to the police headquarters that night because he was worried about his friend, stood quietly in the corner of the room, his hands tightening his shirt. She had never witnessed her best friend's family being threatened so directly, and it made her feel a new surge of anger, different from the usual worry she had been having for Thao Nhi over the past weeks. "I also want to testify, Mr. Long," she said. "I witnessed everything that happened at the Tourism Council meeting, I am ready to confirm Mr. Phat's threat whenever needed."

Nghiem Bao Long listened with an increasingly heavy face, his hand tightly gripping the pen on the table. “I will fully document these events,” he said, his voice low. "But I need to be honest with you two — this morning, I also received a call, from someone claiming to represent the district, 'reminding' me to be cautious in handling complaints related to the Diamond Bay project, because this is a 'sensitive issue affecting the local economy'."

"So what will you do?" Bach Duong asked directly, his eyes gauging the police chief's reaction.

Nghiem Bao Long was silent for a long time, his eyes looked out the window, where the town street lights had begun to light up in the twilight evening. "I've been a police officer in this town for nearly twenty years," he said finally, his voice taking on a new fierceness. "I was silent once, eight years ago, when I was young and afraid of pressure from my superiors. I have lived with that regret for the past eight years. This time, I will not repeat that mistake again, even if it costs me my position."

He pulled out a notebook from his desk drawer and began to write down in detail everything Thao Nhi and Bach Duong had just reported. "I will make an official record of the call I just received this morning, considering it an act of interference in the investigation. I will also officially ask my superiors to allow reopening of your father's case file, based on the new details that you two have provided."

Thao Nhi feels a new ray of hope flashing through these stressful days. "Thank you, Uncle Long."

"Don't thank me yet," he replied, his voice serious. "The road ahead will be even more difficult. But at least now you won't have to go alone, and I won't be on the sidelines like eight years ago."

When leaving the police headquarters, Bach Duong held Thao Nhi's hand tightly, feeling the tension still present in each of her fingers. “We're scaring them,” he said, his voice both worried and a little determined. "They wouldn't crack down so hard if they didn't feel really threatened."

"I know," Thao Nhi replied, "but that also means they won't stop. I worry about mom, worry about the team, worry about you."

"We'll get through it," Bach Duong said, pulling her into a tight hug in the middle of the dark street. "We've gone too far to turn back."

When Thao Nhi arrived home, she saw her mother still awake, sitting quietly at the dining table with yellow light shining down on her worried face. She sat down next to her grandmother, recounted the entire conversation with Uncle Long, trying to give her mother some hope that she herself was trying to keep in her heart.

"I don't regret refusing to sign that paper in the past," Mrs. Hoa said, her voice tired but still determined. "But I confess, I didn't expect that eight years later, that incident would still haunt our family so much. I just hope you don't falter because of me, Nhi. The shop may close, I can find another job, but there is no second chance for justice for your father."

Her mother's words made Thao Nhi even more determined. She hugged her grandmother tightly, feeling that they were both relying on each other to get through this difficult time. “I promise I won't let anything happen to you,” she said. "But I can't stop. This isn't just about my family anymore, mom. There are so many other families swimming in Bai Duong every day without knowing the dangers lurking."

That night, Thao Nhi couldn't sleep, her mind reeling with a series of thoughts about the next steps to take. She took out her phone, texted Anh Kiet and Anh Thi, asking them both to come early before tomorrow's shift to discuss plans to protect the safety of her family and the whole team in the coming days - perhaps it was time for them to coordinate more closely, not only in rescue work, but also in the silent war going on behind the waves.