Chapter 7 — The Ao Dai Shop at the End of the Street

The day Quang Duy brought the ao dai to give to his mother on her seventieth birthday, his whole family held a small, cozy party at their home. When the mother opened the gift box, her eyes lit up with emotion at the exquisite beauty of the jade green silk ao dai.

"Where did you find a place to make beautiful shirts like this?" she asked, her hands trembling as she caressed each meticulously embroidered line of magnolia flowers.

"A small shop in Hoai Xuan old town, mom," Quang Duy replied, unable to hide his smile when mentioning the place that had become special in his heart in recent months. "Vinh Xuan shop has existed for more than fifty years."

"Wing Chun," his mother repeated, seeming to think about something. "The name sounds familiar. Is the shop being mentioned in the recent urban beautification project?"

Quang Duy was a bit surprised by his mother's understanding. "That's right, have you been following the news about that?"

“I read an article about that story,” she replied, her face turning more serious. "It would be a pity if such a place that preserves such a precious traditional craft would be demolished just for immediate economic benefits."

His mother's sincere comment made Quang Duy feel more motivated. He told his mother in more detail about what was going on, about Doan, about her family, and the doubts that were gradually growing in his heart about the true purpose of the project.

"You have feelings for that girl, right?" his mother asked directly, her eyes filled with a mother's understanding.

Quang Duy was a bit confused by that direct question, but finally nodded in acknowledgment. "I think so, Mom. But the situation is quite complicated, with my job position and what's going on with her family."

"If you really have sincere feelings, and she is also a worthy person, then the difficulties ahead are just challenges to prove those feelings, son," his mother said, her voice filled with the wisdom of life experience. "Don't let fear or work pressure stop you from pursuing what's really important."

***

His mother's advice gave Quang Duy new determination to learn more about the abnormalities in the project. Together with Anh Tuan, he began to quietly review all related documents, from legal documents, financial reports, to the list of parties involved in the project.

“I found this,” Anh Tuan said one afternoon, when they were both working late at the office after everyone had left. He pointed to a document on the computer screen. "This is the list of shareholders of the company designated as the main investor for the development project after clearance."

Quang Duy attentively read through the list, and one name startled him. "Isn't this Mr. Huu Tai's brother-in-law?"

"Exactly," Anh Tuan confirmed, his voice filled with doubt. "And if I'm not mistaken, this company also has connections to at least two other officials on the project approval board."

That discovery made them both realize that this urban beautification project may not simply be for public development purposes as officially announced, but contains complex group interests that may involve serious conflicts of interest in the decision-making process.

"We need more concrete evidence before we can make this public," Quang Duy said, although in his heart he clearly felt the severity of what he had just discovered. "Otherwise, we could be accused of slander, or worse, lose our chance to stop this altogether."

"I agree," Anh Tuan said. "We need to access the original documents about the bidding and project approval process. But that is not easy, especially when superiors have begun to doubt our actions."

The two continued working late into the night, carefully backing up every piece of important information, preparing for a legal and ethical battle that they knew would not be simple, but both felt the importance of bringing the truth to light, even at the cost of their own careers.

***

The next day, Quang Duy decided to meet privately with Doan to share the initial findings, although still maintaining a necessary level of caution so as not to cause unnecessary confusion before there was enough definitive evidence.

“I need you to know something,” he said, as the two sat at a small cafe far from the Wing Chun shop, where few people they knew could overhear this sensitive conversation. "But I need you to keep this information private for now, until we have enough concrete evidence."

"I understand," Doan replied, her voice serious, aware of the importance of caution in this situation.

Quang Duy recounted what he and Anh Tuan discovered about the relationship between the investor company and officials with decision-making authority in the project. Doan listened with an increasingly serious expression, realizing the true scale of the problem facing the old street.

“So this isn't just any ordinary urban development project,” she said, her voice filled with indignation. "It's a profiteering scheme disguised as public interest."

"We still cannot confirm that for sure until we have complete evidence," Quang Duy said, although his voice could not hide the same indignation. "But the current signs are really worrying."

"Can I help?" Doan asked, determination clear in her eyes.

"Right now, the most important thing is that she and the community continue to apply public pressure through the media and official channels, while we quietly collect evidence from within," Quang Duy explained. "These two approaches, if coordinated at the right time, can create a big enough impact to force the authorities to seriously investigate."

Doan nodded, her mind already starting to plan the next steps. "I will further contact lawyer Hai Dang to see if there is any way to officially request transparency of information about the parties involved in the project."

"That's a good idea," Quang Duy agreed. "But be careful, Doan. If what we suspect is true, then the people behind it may not hesitate to use many measures to protect their interests."

That warning made Doan feel a little worried, but also strengthened her determination. "I'm not afraid," she said, her voice steady. "I am ready to face any difficulty to protect what my family has worked so hard to build."

Quang Duy looked at her with eyes full of admiration and even a little concern for her safety. “I will always be by your side throughout this journey,” he said, holding her hand tightly across the small table. "We will get through it together, no matter how difficult the road ahead is."

On the way back to the shop, Doan couldn't help but think about what he had just learned. She realized that the fight to protect the Vinh Xuan shop is no longer simply a matter between her family and a normal planning project, but has become a much larger struggle - against the abuse of power and group interests that are hiding behind the beautiful words of urban development.

When she returned to the shop, she found her grandmother and wanted to share some information, although she still kept the most sensitive details as advised by Quang Duy. “Grandma, I think there's more to this project than I know,” she said, sitting down next to her.

Mrs. Xuan, despite her old age, still maintains her clarity and sharpness of thinking. "I'm not surprised, Doan," she said, her voice calm but full of experience. "She has lived through many periods and witnessed many similar stories. Sometimes, projects in the name of development only serve the interests of a few people."

"So what should we do, grandma?" Doan asked, seeking wisdom from his grandmother's life experiences.

"Just keep doing what you're doing — uniting the community, searching for the truth, and never giving up," Ms. Xuan replied, holding her granddaughter's hand tightly. "The truth, no matter how well hidden, will always find a way to emerge in the end, as long as there are enough persistent and courageous people to pursue it."

Those words of her grandmother, simple but full of power, gave Doan valuable motivation to continue the arduous battle ahead, with the firm belief that justice and truth, no matter how many challenges they have to go through, will eventually win.