Chapter 2 — The Ao Dai Shop at the End of the Street

Three days after the announcement of the urban beautification project was announced, the young man that Doan had seen in the survey group suddenly appeared at the Vinh Xuan store, not in a neat office outfit like last time, but in a simple shirt, holding a familiar notebook.

"Excuse me, is this the most famous ao dai tailor shop on this street?" he asked, his voice polite, his eyes scanning the shop space with obvious curiosity.

"That's right, this is the Vinh Xuan store," Doan replied, her voice somewhat cautious when she realized he was one of the project survey team a few days ago. "What do you need my help with?"

"I want to order an ao dai," the man replied, somewhat hesitant at Doan's somewhat cold attitude. "I heard that this is the place that preserves the most sophisticated traditional ao dai sewing techniques in the region."

Doan frowned, unable to hide his surprise. "You ordered an ao dai? For whom?"

"For my mother," he replied, smiling. "Your seventieth birthday is coming up, I want to give you a truly meaningful gift."

Although still a bit wary, Doan's professional instincts emerged, motivating her to start her familiar consulting job. "Do you know what style and color your mother likes? We can design according to individual requirements, or refer to available models."

"I think, maybe I need your advice," he replied honestly. "I'm not very familiar with these things."

Doan began to introduce him to some fabric samples and some popular designs. Her voice gradually became more natural when talking about the job she loved most. The man listened attentively, occasionally asking questions that showed sincere interest, not just social politeness.

"Sorry, I still don't know your name," Doan said after a moment, realizing he had missed basic courtesy.

"Bui Quang Duy," he replied, reaching out to shake her hand in a polite manner. "What about you?"

"Pham Thuc Doan," she replied, shaking his hand, even though her heart was still wary when she remembered that he was part of the project survey team that threatened her own store.

***

While taking measurements and recording Quang Duy's requests, Doan couldn't help but mention the issue that had been bothering her for the past few days.

"Hey Duy," she said, trying to keep her voice calm even though she was full of tension. "I saw you a few days ago, in the urban beautification project survey group, right?"

Quang Duy paused for a moment, noticing the change in her attitude. "That's right," he admitted. "I am a planning architect, sent by the company to conduct a field survey for the project."

"So you know clearly, this store of my family is in the area of possible liquidation," Doan said, her voice unable to hide the tension.

"I know," Quang Duy replied, his voice becoming serious. "And I understand, that must make you very nervous."

"Worry is not enough to describe it," Doan replied, her voice a bit harsher than intended. "This is the store that my grandmother built for more than fifty years. It is not just a store, but a part of the history of this street."

Quang Duy was silent for a moment, his eyes became thoughtful. "I understand that feeling," he said finally. "Honestly, when I stepped into this street for the first time, I also felt its special value - not just numbers on the planning map, but a lively space, full of stories."

"So why are you still participating in a project that could destroy all of that?" Doan asked directly, not hiding his frustration.

Quang Duy pondered that question, seemingly questioning himself. "That's my job," he replied, though his voice was no longer as certain as before. "But I promise, I will try to ensure that, if the project really needs to be implemented, important cultural values like your salon will be considered fairly and thoroughly."

That promise, although not enough to completely erase the anxiety and a bit of doubt in Doan's heart, still partly made her feel the sincerity in the words of the man in front of her - a rare sincerity that she did not expect to find in a person from the project side that was threatening her family's very life.

***

After completing the measurements, Doan led Quang Duy to visit the sewing workshop behind the shop, where Bich Ngan and two other older workers were meticulously working with each stitch. Quang Duy observed with undisguised interest, occasionally stopping to ask about each step.

"This is the hand embroidery process," Doan explained, pointing to an elderly worker diligently embroidering tiny flower petals onto the silk fabric. "Each vignette can take weeks to complete, depending on complexity."

"It's amazing," Quang Duy said, bending down to take a closer look at the delicate embroidery. "I never thought a shirt could contain so much effort and talent."

"That's what makes traditional ao dai so special," Doan replied, her voice clearly proud. "Unlike mass-produced industrial fashion, each ao dai from our store is unique, carrying within itself the personal story of the wearer and its creator."

Quang Duy was silent for a moment, seemingly thinking deeply about what he had just witnessed. “I'm starting to understand why preserving places like this is so important,” he said quietly, almost whispering to himself.

Bich Ngan, curiously observing the strange guest chatting intimately with his master, could not hide his curiosity when Quang Duy left. "Miss Doan, who is he? He looks different from my usual customer."

"He is a planning architect, part of the team surveying the renovation project," Doan replied, her voice somewhat thoughtful.

"So why do you still accept making clothes for him?" Bich Ngan asked, unable to hide her surprise.

"I'm not sure," Doan admitted. "But there was something about him that made me feel like, maybe, not everyone on that project saw this street just as numbers on a drawing."

***

That evening, when recounting the meeting to her mother, Mrs. Ngoc Huong appeared much more cautious than her daughter. "You be careful, Doan," she said, her voice filled with worry. "The people of that project, no matter how kind they seemed, were still on the side that wanted to take away my shop."

"I know, mom," Doan replied. "I'm not naive enough to trust it completely just because of a few nice words. But I think, if there is someone inside the project who really understands and respects the value of this street, perhaps it will be an opportunity for us to find a common voice, instead of just hopeless confrontation."

Ms. Ngoc Huong pondered her daughter's argument, although she still had many concerns. "I hope you're right," she said finally. "But don't put too much hope in someone you've only met once, my child."

Doan nodded, although in her heart she couldn't deny that her brief encounter with Quang Duy had left an unforgettable impression — not only because of the rare sincerity she felt from him, but also because of a vague feeling that, perhaps, fate was planning something greater between them, something neither of them could have foreseen at this time.

Before going to bed, Doan took out Quang Duy's measurements and began sketching out the first ideas for an ao dai for his mother. She wanted to create a truly special design, not just because it was a normal order, but because she felt the sincerity of the son's desire for his mother — a sentiment she deeply cherishes in her work.

"Jade green silk would suit an older woman," she muttered to herself, her hand quickly sketching a few lines on the paper. "Combined with magnolia flower motifs, symbolizing longevity and nobility."

When completing the first sketch, Doan sat quietly looking at it for a long time, her mind still lingering with thoughts about today's unexpected meeting, and about what the future might bring to both Vinh Xuan shop and her own life. Outside the window, the streetlights cast shadows on the quiet old street, as if quietly witnessing the new disturbances that had just begun to creep into her normally peaceful life, signaling that a new and surprising chapter was about to open.