Chapter 7 — Sunlight on the Red Book

Early the next morning, when the mist was still hanging over the river, Ha Vy was at Mr. Ba Dat's gate, where Dang Khoa had just arrived on time. The two exchanged nervous looks before entering the small house, where Mr. Ba Dat was already sitting, his face clearly showing a long, sleepless night.

"Thank you both for coming," he said, his voice sad but somewhat lighter than the last time we met. "I've been thinking all these nights. I think it's time to tell the truth, even if it's late, rather than taking it to the grave."

He poured water for the two of them, his hands still shaking slightly as he held the teapot. "That year, when the commune conducted the first cadastral survey to issue official land use rights certificates to the people, I was the person directly in charge of the measurement work," he began, his voice slow, as if trying to suppress his emotions. "Mr. Duc, our father," he looked at Dang Khoa, "at that time was one of the most well-off people in the neighborhood. He came to me and asked for help measuring the boundary of his garden."

"What did he say to you?" Ha Vy asked, her voice was gentle but could not hide her tension.

"He said, his garden has been used stably for many generations, but the actual boundary has not been clearly defined. I hope you can help me measure and record it properly," Mr. Ba Dat continued, his voice getting heavier and heavier. "At first, he didn't think there was anything unusual, because at that time the measurement had many shortcomings, relying heavily on people's testimonies. But then, he gave him a sum of money, saying it was a 'thank you gift', along with a request to record the boundary further back towards Mr. Sau Tam's land."

The room fell into a heavy silence. Dang Khoa clenched his hands, his face visibly pale before that direct confession. "You... agreed to do that?" he asked, his voice choked.

Mr. Ba Dat bowed his head, not daring to look directly at Dang Khoa. “You were wrong,” he said, his voice trembling with regret. "At that time, his family was in trouble, his wife was seriously ill and needed money for urgent treatment. The amount of money Mr. Duc gave his family at that time was many times larger than the meager salary of a commune cadastral officer. He let greed and poverty overwhelm his reason, arbitrarily adjusted the boundaries on the map, recording discrepancies compared to the actual previous land use."

"Did Mr. Sau Tam know anything at that time?" Ha Vy continued asking, trying to remember every important detail.

"Mr. Sau Tam was honest, uneducated, and trusted state officials completely," Mr. Ba Dat replied, his voice filled with self-blame. "He did not know how to read technical maps, nor did he think that cadastral officials could falsify records. When the certificate was issued, he just signed and acknowledged it without realizing that his land portion had been reduced compared to the actual previous use."

Dang Khoa stood up and walked out onto the porch for a moment, trying to calm down his rising emotions. When he turned back, his eyes were red but his voice had regained some composure. "So, for more than twenty years, my family has been using a piece of land that does not belong to us, acquired through a wrongful act," he said, his voice sad. "My father... I didn't expect that he could do that."

"I'm sorry for contributing to this," Mr. Ba Dat said, his voice choked, his eyes watering. "He has lived in torment for many years. Every time he saw Mr. Sau Tam, he felt endless guilt, but he did not have the courage to tell the truth, afraid of facing the consequences, afraid of hurting more people."

Ha Vy, even though she couldn't help but feel emotional at that painful confession, still tried to maintain the necessary alertness of an officer on duty. "I thank you for having the courage to tell the truth," she said, her voice sincere. "I know, this is not easy. But in order to officially adjust the land records in accordance with the law, I need you to agree to provide an official statement, confirmed by the authorities."

Mr. Ba Dat nodded without hesitation. "I'm ready," he said, his voice determined even though it was still shaking. "He has been waiting for this moment for a long time. No matter what form of punishment he has to endure, he accepts it, as long as the truth is returned to its rightful place, and Mr. Sau Tam's family receives back the land that should belong to them."

Leaving Mr. Ba Dat's house, Ha Vy and Dang Khoa walked silently on the village road. The morning sunlight had begun to penetrate the thin mist, illuminating warm streaks of light on the dirt road surface that was still wet with night dew. "I really didn't expect things to be so complicated," Dang Khoa said, his voice still heavy.

"I understand, this is a big shock for you," Ha Vy replied, her voice deeply sympathetic. "But I believe, the way you face this truth, accept it courageously, is the most important thing, much more important than what happened in the past."

Dang Khoa looked at her, his eyes gradually regained their familiar steadfastness. "You're right," he replied. "We need to correct this mistake as soon as possible, even though it may cause my family to lose a significant portion of their assets."

Returning to the office, Ha Vy immediately reported the entire content of the meeting to Mr. Tran Quoc Hung, her voice still filled with emotion. Mr. Hung listened attentively, his face became more serious when he learned the seriousness of the incident. "This is an important step forward," he said after listening. "But in order for Mr. Ba Dat's testimony to have full legal value, we need to organize an official testimony session, with the participation of representatives of the district Department of Natural Resources and Environment, along with the witnesses of relevant parties."

"I understand, sir," Ha Vy replied. "I think we should proceed as soon as possible, before any pressure from the outside can affect Mr. Ba Dat, causing him to change his mind."

Mr. Hung nodded in agreement. "I will arrange for the official testimony to take place this week. At the same time, I will also make a preliminary report on the situation to the District People's Committee, to have a plan to prepare for adjusting cadastral records after the official conclusion."

That afternoon, when the news that Mr. Ba Dat was willing to provide testimony began to spread within a narrow circle of people directly involved, Ha Vy received a call from Dang Phong, his voice filled with panic. "Miss Vy, I heard that Mr. Ba Dat confessed something to you and Khoa? What is this?"

Ha Vy kept her voice calm, carefully choosing each word when answering. "Mr. Phong, I think this is an important matter that needs to be discussed directly and fully in an official meeting, rather than over the phone. I will arrange to notify you at the same time as my family, when there is a clear conclusion."

"So does that mean what I feared has come true?" Dang Phong asked, his voice shaking with worry. "Is my land really a problem?"

"I cannot confirm before there is an official conclusion, sir," Ha Vy replied, her voice firm but still maintaining the necessary respect. "But I hope you stay calm and cooperate fully in the upcoming verification process. It will be much better for everyone, including your own family."

The call ended in unresolved tension. Ha Vy put down the phone, sighed with relief knowing she had passed today's first challenge, but also understood that bigger, more difficult challenges were still waiting ahead, when the official truth was more widely announced.

Late that evening, while preparing to draft a preliminary report to present to her superiors, Ha Vy received another text message from Mai Anh. "Honey, I heard the rumors, the Song Xanh company already knew that Mr. Ba Dat was about to testify. I don't know where they heard it from, but please be careful."

Reading that message, Ha Vy couldn't help but frown and worry. This sensitive information is spreading faster than she expected, and she understands that she needs to speed up the process even more, before anyone with bad intentions can find a way to intervene, making it difficult for the truth verification process, which is already complicated enough, and even trying to put pressure on Mr. Ba Dat himself before the official testimony can take place.