Chapter 5 — Sunlight on the Red Book

A week has passed since the conversation with Ms. Gam, Ha Vy is still patiently waiting for Mr. Ba Dat to contact him again, while taking advantage of the time to complete more technical documents, preparing for any situation that may arise. She also did not forget her official mission - to organize an official working session with both brothers Dang Phong and Dang Khoa, to listen to the views and aspirations of each side fully and objectively.

The meeting took place at the commune committee headquarters, with the participation of Mr. Tran Quoc Hung to ensure the officiality and objectivity of the mediation. Dang Phong arrived first, his face still holding the usual tense and impatient look. "I hope today's meeting will help speed up the resolution process," he said as soon as he sat down. "The travel company is still waiting. They can't wait forever."

"I understand your impatience," Ha Vy replied, her voice calm. "But I need to ensure that every decision made is based on a solid legal basis and is absolutely accurate, especially in cases with complex historical factors like this."

When Dang Khoa arrived, the atmosphere in the meeting room became even more tense when the two brothers accidentally encountered each other. "Do you still insist on selling the land?" Dang Khoa asked directly, his voice could not hide his dissatisfaction.

"You don't understand the pressure I'm under," Dang Phong replied, his voice harsh. "I'm in heavy debt from a loss-making business in the city. I need money to settle it. Selling a part of land to get capital to rebuild my life, what's wrong?"

"This is not just land, this is my father's lifelong effort," Dang Khoa argued, his voice no less fierce. "I don't object that you need money, but is selling the whole garden to a strange company and letting them turn it into a resort? Is that the only way?"

Mr. Tran Quoc Hung, realizing that the situation was at risk of escalating into a fierce argument, intervened promptly. "Calm down, you two," he said, his voice stern but still maintaining the necessary gentleness. "We're sitting here today to find a reasonable solution, not to argue anymore."

Ha Vy took that opportunity to gently but firmly make an important announcement. "Before we discuss the specific division plan, I need to inform you two of something," she said, her voice carefully choosing each word. "During the process of measuring and comparing records, I discovered that there is a significant difference between the current land boundary and the original cadastral map from 1919. I am conducting further verification, but it is possible that a part of the land currently under the use of my family, in fact, should belong to the neighbor's family - Mr. Sau Tam."

That information was like a shock, causing the whole room to fall into heavy silence. Dang Phong, his face changed dramatically. "What...what did you say?" he asked again, his voice unable to hide the panic. "Do you mean my land is in dispute with Mr. Sau Tam's family as well? What about the land sale contract I signed with the travel company?"

"If my hypothesis is verified correctly," Ha Vy replied, her voice cautious but decisive, "then the difference in land needs to be adjusted and returned to the rightful owner according to the law, regardless of any sales contract that has been or is being signed on that land."

Dang Phong stood up, his face red with anger and fear. "That's impossible! My family has used this land stably for decades and has a proper red book. How could it suddenly be taken back?"

"I understand your concern," Ha Vy replied, her voice still maintaining the necessary calm despite the increasing pressure. "But the law clearly stipulates that if there are errors in the previous measurement and certification process, the responsible authorities must correct them, ensuring the legal rights of all parties involved."

Dang Khoa, although unable to hide his surprise at the information he just heard, still tried to remain more calm than his brother. "If it's true that our family has unintentionally appropriated Mr. Sau Tam's land over the years, then we need to return it, that's the only right thing to do," he said, his voice firm.

"You talk too easily," Dang Phong snapped, turning to look at his younger brother with eyes full of indignation. "You're not someone who is in debt. You don't understand how it feels to lose an important part of your assets."

Mr. Tran Quoc Hung spoke again, his voice was low but full of weight. "I understand this is a big shock to your family," he told Dang Phong. "But I hope you understand, Ms. Vy is in no hurry to come to this conclusion. This is just an initial suspicion that needs to be fully verified before any official decision is made. We will ensure the process is fair and transparent for all parties."

The meeting ended in a tense atmosphere, without reaching any specific agreement, but marked an important turning point in the entire case. When everyone left, Dang Phong left first, his face still full of anger and confusion, not saying another word to anyone.

Dang Khoa lingered, his eyes looking at Ha Vy with indescribable complexity - both a bit shocked at the truth that had just been revealed, and also with trust in the young officer who did not hesitate to tell the truth, even though it could be directly detrimental to her own family. “Thank you, for being honest,” he said, his voice sincere. "I know, it's not easy, when you first come back to work and don't know anyone in the commune."

"That's my responsibility," Ha Vy replied, smiling slightly even though her heart was still heavy after the stressful work session just now. "And I believe, no matter how difficult, the truth will eventually bring about the betterment in the long run, for everyone."

Dang Khoa looked at her, his eyes filled with gratitude. “I believe that,” he said. "And I will accompany you until the truth is completely revealed, even though the road ahead is still very difficult."

On the way home, Ha Vy stopped by Mr. Sau Tam's house, partly because she was curious to observe more of his family's daily life, and partly because of the feeling of guilt in her heart as she had just said something that could upset the old man's peaceful life, even though she believed it was something that needed to be done. Mr. Sau Tam was still mending nets as usual. When he saw her stop by, he happily invited her into his house for a drink.

"Are you visiting this old man again?" he smiled gently, pouring her a cool glass of iced tea. "You work in the land administration, you must be very busy, right?"

"Yes, quite busy sir," Ha Vy replied, trying to keep her voice normal even though she was full of feelings. "It must be very sad for you to live alone. Does Uncle Hen often come to visit you?"

"He's busy doing business in the city, only occasionally comes home for a few days," Mr. Sau Tam replied, his voice a bit sad but still trying to be optimistic. "But hey, he's used to living alone. Having a small garden and having chickens and ducks as friends is enough to make him happy."

Looking at the simple, frugal life of the old man, Ha Vy became even more determined to clarify everything, to return justice to the family that had silently suffered for more than twenty years without even knowing it. She didn't say anything more about her doubts, just sat and chatted for a while more about everyday things before saying goodbye and leaving.

That evening, when she sat down to summarize the entire day's events, Ha Vy clearly felt that her journey ahead would be even more challenging. The tense working session with the two Lam brothers, Dang Phong's violent reaction, Mr. Sau Tam's confiding silence - all were like puzzle pieces gradually being placed in the right place of a bigger, more complicated picture than she had ever imagined when she first arrived at Con Sen.

She opened the window, letting the cool night breeze from the river blow into the small room, bringing with it the gentle scent of coconut flowers in bloom. Looking at the moonlight sparkling on the surface of the river, she silently promised herself that no matter how many thorns and conflicts the road ahead had, she would steadfastly pursue it to the end, to bring true justice to the land and the people here - the people who have been, are, and will always be attached to this peaceful river region.