Chapter 21 — The Bookmobile Through the Mountains

There are only two weeks left until the public hearing, and the atmosphere of preparation is more urgent than ever. Nghi spent almost all of her free time perfecting her presentation, while still maintaining a regular schedule, not wanting to let any stop feel abandoned during this important period.

But while everything seemed to be going smoothly, a new problem suddenly appeared - the bookmobile, a loyal companion for the past sixteen years, began to show signs of more serious problems than previous minor failures.

On the way back from Khuoi Tra, the car suddenly stopped in the middle of the slope, the engine made a strange noise and smelled of fire. Nghi quickly pulled over and immediately called Uncle Bon Senh. It took nearly three hours for him to arrive, carrying all his tools, but this time, after a thorough inspection, his face became serious and different from usual.

"Honey," Uncle Bon said, his voice heavy, wiping his hands on a black, greasy rag, "this time it's not as simple as the previous times. The driveshaft is cracked, the gearbox also shows signs of serious wear. I was able to temporarily mend it so you could get home safely, but to be honest, this car probably won't last through the rainy season this year."

Nghi stood silently, his heart tightening. "Can you fix it completely? I will try to raise the money, even if I have to borrow it."

Uncle Bon shook his head, his eyes full of regret. "The problem is not the repair fee, Nghi. Spare parts for this model of car are now almost extinct. I have to order them from scrap shops in the South. Sometimes I have to wait for months to get them, but I'm not sure I can find the right ones. I've tried to fix them up until now thanks to a little luck. This time, I'm afraid that even if I can fix them, I'll only be able to hold on for a few more months."

That news was like a bucket of cold water falling at the most sensitive time. Nghi sat absent-mindedly in the car cabin after Uncle Bon finished the temporary patching, looking out at the familiar mountain road, his mind filled with hundreds of worries. If the program is lucky enough to keep its budget after the hearing, but the car can no longer operate, will all the efforts of the past eight weeks still mean anything?

That night, she recounted the situation to Nam, her voice filled with worry. "If the car breaks down completely, even if we win at the hearing, the program cannot continue to operate. I don't know what to do, Nam."

Nam was silent for a moment, thinking, then spoke, his voice trying to stay calm even though he couldn't hide his anxiety. "So we need to include this issue right in the presentation at the hearing. Instead of just asking to keep the old budget, we need to propose an additional investment in replacing vehicles, making this a part of the long-term development plan that we have discussed. This is also an opportunity to prove that, without appropriate investment now, the program is at risk of complete collapse, not because of lack of workers, but because of lack of the most basic facilities."

Nam's opinion made Nghi feel a little comforted, but the worry about the car still did not go away. She knows that, even if she can convince the district to invest more budget, the approval and bidding process for purchasing new vehicles can take months, even years, while the current vehicle can "collapse" at any time.

In the following days, despite being busy with preparations for the hearing, Nghi still tried to drive very carefully, reducing the maximum speed on bad roads, avoiding strong shocks that could put more pressure on the weakened part. Every time she started the car in the morning, she silently prayed, listening carefully to every sound of the engine, fearing any strange sound that could signal a more serious problem.

Uncle Bon Senh, even though he had temporarily patched things up, still called regularly to check on the situation and advised Nghi of signs to pay attention to in order to promptly handle any problems that arose along the way. "Drive carefully, don't carry too much weight, and absolutely avoid driving on heavy rainy days if it's not really necessary. This car is like an old person now, you have to take care of every little bit."

That advice made Nghi even more worried when thinking about the approaching rainy season, a time when unusually heavy rains could come at any time, turning the already bumpy mountain roads into even more dangerous. Little did she know, just a few days later, this worry would come true in a way even harsher than anything she could have imagined.

That weekend, Nghi still decided to leave on schedule, stopping by all four stops so as not to disrupt the children's reading habits that had been formed over many years, even though he couldn't help but feel nervous every time the car climbed a steep hill or bumped through bad roads. At Khuoi Tra, Ms. Ban Thi Nai, who has now become one of the program's most ardent supporters, immediately recognized Nghi's unusually pensive expression.

"Miss Nghi, is there anything you're worried about?" Mrs. Nai asked, her voice truly concerned, completely different from the coldness of the first days of our acquaintance.

Nghi hesitated for a moment and then shared about the condition of the car, about the worry that it might not be able to survive the upcoming rainy season. After hearing this, Mrs. Nai's face darkened, then she spoke with a determined voice. "If your car needs anything, just tell the people in the village. Although the men in the village are not good at repairing cars and machinery, they are healthy enough. If you need to push the car or carry anything, just call, we are ready to help."

That sincere suggestion warmed Nghi's heart somewhat, even though the technical concerns still could not be resolved with human power alone. On the way out of Khuoi Tra, she stopped by Uncle Bon Senh's house again, brought a thank you gift, and asked if there was any solution to temporarily reduce the load on the engine while waiting to find replacement parts.

"I haven't considered reducing the weight of the box of books I carry on each trip, dear," Uncle Bon suggested, "if you divide the number of books you bring each time, go on more trips but each trip is lighter, and also somewhat reduce the pressure on the gearbox and driveshaft. It's not a radical solution, but at least it will buy more time before getting new spare parts."

Nghi remembered his uncle's advice and told himself he would adjust the way he arranged goods in the car on upcoming trips. But deep inside, she still couldn't dispel the growing feeling of insecurity, like a dark cloud accumulating on the horizon, just waiting for the right time to pour down, right when people were least prepared.

That evening, when Nghi told her mother the whole situation, Mrs. Dung pondered for a moment, then stood up, went into the inner room, and searched in an old wooden box that stored important family documents. She took out a small savings book and gave it to her daughter.

"This is the money I have saved from selling tea and books over the past few years, intending to take care of my old age," Mrs. Dung said, her voice calm but her eyes full of determination. "But I think, right now, you need it more than me. Not enough to buy a new car, but at least enough to deposit spare parts for Anh Duong, buying more time for it."

Nghi held the savings book in her hand, tears rolling down her eyes. "I can't accept your old age pension, Mom."

"You just accept it," Mrs. Dung held her daughter's hand tightly, her voice resolute. "I'm old, I don't have many needs, and I still have a tea shop and books, and I have you by my side to take care of me. But with this program, if I let it fall right when it's about to win, I'll regret it for the rest of my life. Your father will definitely want me to do the same."

Nghi hugged her mother, mother and child cried in each other's arms, not because of pain, but because of a love and sacrifice that words cannot fully describe. That night, Nghi called Nam to tell him the news, telling him about the money her mother had just given her, her voice still choked with emotion.

"Your family is so admirable," Nam said, his voice equally emotional. "I believe, with such unity, no matter how difficult it is, we will overcome it, Nghi."

The next morning, Nghi brought her mother's savings to meet Uncle Bon Senh and made a deposit in advance so he could start looking for replacement parts through professional connections. Uncle Bon held the money, his eyes could not hide his emotions. "You and your aunt really did not disappoint Uncle Trac in the past. I will try my best to find suitable spare parts so that this car can continue to roll for many more years."

Leaving the car repair shop, Nghi felt a little more relieved, although there was still the worry about time - whether the spare parts would be able to arrive before the official storm season hit or not, was still a question without a certain answer. She looked up at the sky, gray clouds were gradually gathering towards the distant mountain peaks, a familiar sign that the rainy season was approaching, and in her heart, a vague but persistent premonition kept urging her to hurry up in everything, as if time was running out not only for the upcoming hearing, but also for the safety of the car that had accompanied her family for the past sixteen years.