Chapter 26 — Sunlight on the Red Book

After an emotional proposal at the dyke project, Ha Vy and Dang Khoa began preparing for the upcoming wedding, while continuing to complete unfinished work at Con Sen. Mrs. Diep, Ha Vy's mother, went to Con Sen as promised, to officially meet with the Lam family and discuss the necessary procedures for her two children's big day.

The meeting between the two families took place in a warm, intimate atmosphere, in the traditional three-room wooden house of the Lam family. Mrs. Gam, with the thoughtfulness and hospitality typical of Western women, prepared a sumptuous meal to welcome Mrs. Xuan and her future in-laws.

"Vy is a wonderful girl, smart, upright, I really like her," Mrs. Gam told Mrs. Xuan during the conversation, her voice sincere. "My family feels extremely lucky to welcome her as my daughter-in-law."

"Thank you," Mrs. Xuan replied, her voice emotional. "I'm also very happy to see my daughter find a nice, warm family like yours, with a mature, devoted, loving husband like Khoa."

The two mothers quickly became close, discussing details about the wedding plan, from choosing an auspicious date to traditional rituals that need to be fully performed according to the customs of both regions. Ha Vy and Dang Khoa, sitting next to each other and listening, couldn't help but feel warmed by the quick harmony between the two families.

"I think we should hold the wedding right at Con Sen," Dang Khoa proposed in a private evening, when the two discussed more specific details. "The place where everything between us began, should also be the place that saw us officially come home together."

"I think so too," Ha Vy replied, smiling slightly. "Con Sen has become an indispensable part of my life, and I want the most important day of my life to take place right here."

The two decided to choose the wedding location right in the area near the recently completed dyke project, where they could see the entire view of the Con Sen river and the green rice fields stretching to the horizon. "This will be the most suitable place," Ha Vy said, her eyes filled with emotion as she imagined the upcoming wedding scene. "A place that both carries the meaning of a beginning and is a testament to the efforts we have built together."

In the following weeks, the whole Con Sen commune seemed to be as excited as the bride and groom before the upcoming big day. Neighbors, those who accompanied Ha Vy throughout the recent challenging journey, enthusiastically contributed to the preparations, from decorating the wedding space to preparing traditional dishes rich in Western flavors.

Mr. Sau Tam, despite his old age, volunteered to decorate the flower gate with coconut leaves, a traditional craft that he had mastered since his youth. "Let me do it for you, none of the kids nowadays know how to weave coconut leaves into beautiful shapes like in the past," he said, his hands quickly braiding each coconut leaf into delicate, beautiful shapes, reminiscent of a distant youth.

Mai Anh and a few colleagues at the commune land office also took leave to assist Ha Vy in the preparations, from making the guest list to arranging seats for each banquet table. "This is my best friend's wedding, I have to help as much as I can," Mai Anh said, her hand still diligently recording every little detail in her familiar notebook.

Dang Phong, with newly accumulated business experience, is responsible for contacting and ordering necessary materials for the wedding, ensuring everything is carefully prepared and on schedule. "I want your wedding with Ms. Vy to be perfect, worthy of what you two have been through together over the past year," he told Dang Khoa one evening when both brothers reviewed the preparation list.

Seeing the whole community joining hands to prepare for the big day of her life, Ha Vy couldn't help but feel deeply moved. She gradually realized that the happiness she was experiencing was not simply the love between two people, but also the love and connection of an entire community that had gone through many ups and downs and challenges together to get today.

One afternoon, while going with Mrs. Xuan to choose fabric for a wedding dress at a small tailor shop in the district town, Ha Vy happened to meet the representative of the Provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment, who had attended the summary meeting of the previous expanded review. "Miss Vy, I heard you're getting married. Congratulations," he said, a friendly smile clearly appearing on his face. "I also have good news to tell you. The review in neighboring communes that you participated in has officially been completed, all cases have been handled satisfactorily."

"I'm very happy to hear this news," Ha Vy replied, her voice filled with excitement. "I believe this will be a good start for more transparent land management across the province in the future, bringing justice to many other families."

"In addition, we are also considering inviting you to participate in compiling a set of documents guiding the process of reviewing and handling cases of historical land deviation, so that it can be applied more widely throughout the province, possibly even the whole country," he added, his voice full of respect, his eyes unable to hide his trust in the young and capable officer. "The practical experience she has accumulated through the incident at Con Sen is truly extremely valuable, not every officer has it."

That suggestion made Ha Vy deeply moved, feeling more clearly than ever the true meaning of what she had accomplished over the past year. "I'm honored by the offer, sir," she replied, her voice sincere. "I will try my best to contribute my small part to this common cause, after everything in the family has been stabilized."

On the way back, Mrs. Xuan could not hide her pride when looking at her daughter. "I always believe that you will become a useful person for society," she said, her voice filled with emotion. "Seeing you grow up and be trusted and loved by everyone like that, I feel that all the sacrifices and hardships of raising you alone are completely worth it."

"I am where I am today, largely thanks to my mother's teachings and silent sacrifices over the years," Ha Vy replied, holding her mother's hand tightly with eyes full of gratitude. "I hope that Mom will always be by my side, witnessing every next step of growth in my life, from the upcoming wedding, to the further journeys that Khoa and I will walk together."

That evening, when returning to the small inn where she was staying before the wedding, Ha Vy sat silently looking back at the entire meaningful journey she had gone through. From a young officer with many doubts and worries when she first took office, she has now become an indispensable part of Con Sen, is trusted and loved by the whole community, and is about to enter a new happy chapter of her life.

She took her phone and texted Dang Khoa a good night, along with the words: "Thank you, for giving me a reason to believe that every difficult journey is worth it, if the final destination is happiness like this." Just a few minutes later, he texted back, along with a photo of the starry night sky above his garden: "Me too, honey. Good night, my soon-to-be wife."

Ha Vy smiled brightly at that text message, put the phone on the table, looked out the window where the moonlight was shining gently on the Con Sen river. She closed her eyes, letting her mind drift to the images of the upcoming big day - about the wedding dress being meticulously tailored, about the ceremony scene on the new dike, about the beloved faces that would be present to witness that sacred moment, and about a bright future that was wide open ahead, where love, work and a close-knit community would continue to write the most meaningful pages of life together, on the very land that she had learned to call her life's second home. me.