Chapter 18 — The Code in the Tangerine Garden

Huy opened the company meeting room door with the card that was not locked yet.

On the table were a land purchase contract, a cold storage design and an envelope with his mother's name written on it. Ms. Van sat opposite, while the project director participated via the screen. Tran Khai stood behind the glass door, his left hand wearing a thin bandage.

“I signed the minutes with the households,” the director said. “That violates the confidentiality agreement.”

“What commitment prohibits me from asserting my family's rights?”

“You represent the company when accessing the land.”

“I did not represent when I signed with my country.”

Ms. Van pushed the envelope towards him. "The support for your mother can be considered goodwill. If the project stops, the company has the right to withdraw it."

Huy looked at the money. It's enough to pay for a few months of treatment, not enough to buy a lifetime of silence.

“My mother accepted it because she thought it was support,” he said.

“She signed the receipt.”

“The receipt does not indicate the right to purchase.”

The project director interjected: "Huy, we want to settle this peacefully. Tan's family is in debt. If they sell, everyone has money. If they keep, the company must take the matter to the management agency."

“Regulators will see the design for placing the well on the tank.”

“That is the expected location.”

“And the smoking test data?”

Silent screen.

Huy placed the USB on the table. “I have the data.”

Ms. Van looked at him. “You took it illegally.”

“I will hand it over to the investigation agency.”

Khai stepped forward. “I don't understand what I'm doing.”

Huy turned. “I understand you went into my garden, cut trees, changed books and poured oil into the pipes.”

Khai laughed. “Do you have proof?”

“There is a video.”

“The video may be cut.”

"There are water samples, photos, engine schedules, and Mr. Dung's testimony."

Dung is in the hallway following the summons. Huy told him to come, without promising to help escape responsibility.

Ms. Van stood up. "Mr. Dung is a subcontractor. The company is not responsible for arbitrary acts."

“But you signed a contract allowing you to clear obstacles.”

“Not cutting down trees.”

“It's not like breaking the bank.”

The project director turned off the screen. "Huy, your card will be locked after the meeting. The company requires all documents to be returned."

Huy looked at the meeting room where he sat for three years learning how to turn a piece of land into a license plate. He thought that if the project was successful, people in the village would have jobs and tangerines would not have to be sold to traders. He did not foresee that job creation could begin by turning a water line into one person's property.

“I'll pay the card,” he said. “No data return.”

Ms. Van pushed the envelope to the ground. Cash partially fell out.

“You will regret it.”

Huy bent down to pick up each sheet and put it back in the envelope. “I have regretted it ever since I found out my mother signed without explanation.”

He left the room. Khai did not follow.

At the parking lot, Huy called Thu. “I said it all.”

“With the company?”

“And I'll tell Mom.”

“Are you under arrest?”

“No. But you might lose your job.”

“Don't act like you sacrificed yourself.”

"I don't sacrifice. I pay my debt."

Thu was silent for a few seconds. "Let's go to the garden. We need to discuss a new plan."

At the packing house, Quan returned with Na. The baby was still weak but the doctor let her out for a few hours. He placed his crutches next to the door and looked at the cold storage design.

“If you don't sell, where will you get the money to pay for hospital bills?” he asked.

Thu spread a copy of the estimate on the table. She recalculated the value of the tangerine crop, debt, contribution refunds and tank restoration costs. The garden will not be profitable immediately if it is sold through traders driver, but if six households sign a contract with another storage unit, they can use the existing small warehouse and pay a seasonal deposit.

“It's not a magic solution,” she said. “Just a way to not force us to sell water rights.”

Quan read. “Money comes in slowly.”

"Correct."

“Treatment costs are coming in quickly.”

"Correct."

“So it's still missing.”

Lam made a suggestion. He has a documentary filmmaking group about agriculture that can advance the copyright fee for the file if the family agrees to let them film the garden restoration process. It's not advertising, it's not staged, and everyone has the right to review passages related to private life.

Quan looked at him. “You want to shoot again.”

“This time I asked first.”

Na interjected: "I want to spin a fruitless tree."

Quan burst out laughing. “I'm the only one asked.”

Huy put the money envelope on the table. "The company's support money. I will pay it back, but my mother needs part of it immediately. If you guys agree, I will use the rest to buy back pumping supplies and pay for water testing."

Thu looked at him. “You can't use company money like it's clean money.”

"I know. I will clearly state which amounts are returned and which are expenses incurred. If the company demands, I will bear it."

Quan said: "Don't use money to buy forgiveness."

“I took it to fix what I helped them break.”

Mai placed Mrs. Luu's notebook on the table. "My mother doesn't want any family to be poor because she keeps her name. If you have money, use it to repair valves. But you must clearly state where the money comes from."

Letter started writing minutes of money source. She divided it into three parts: the support money that must be repaid, the legal revenue from the tangerine crop, and Quan's personal expenses that cannot be taken from the water fund without the households' consent. Quan read and did not object.

“I will borrow another round from relatives,” he said.

Thu looked up. “There's no need to be alone.”

“Are you going to share it with the whole village?”

"No. I plan to set up a separate emergency fund for my family from the movie advance and the proceeds from the sale of the tangerine crop. But let's be clear."

Lam looked at her. “You're turning emotions into spreadsheets.”

“No. I'm using a spreadsheet so that my emotions won't be taken advantage of by anyone.”

Huy received the company's final email: suspension and request for reimbursement of survey costs. He passed it to Thu.

“They can sue,” he said.

The district attorney watched and said the company had the right to demand costs if Huy breached the contract, but the data he provided could be considered evidence of wrongdoing. No one is sure of the outcome.

That night, Huy took his mother to a small meeting at home. She was in a wheelchair, her face gaunt. Huy held out the envelope.

“I'm sorry for letting you sign.”

She looked at her signature. “I thought they helped pay for medicine.”

“They call it support.”

“Then give it back if it's money that makes you lie.”

Huy knelt down in front of his mother. “Mom will lack money for treatment.”

"Mom, I've been lacking water for a long time. Don't let the whole village lack water because of me."

Listen to the letter without interrupting. She signed a form confirming receipt of the money under circumstances that were not fully explained, agreeing to return the portion attached to the right to purchase. The medical treatment fee is separated for the lawyer to determine.

Near midnight, they returned to the packing house. Na stands in front of a fruitless tree, tied with a yellow string.

“Grandpa said this tree has no fruit but has a mission.”

“What mission?” Lam asked.

“Reserve seats for those who haven't returned yet.”

Huy looked at the tree for a long time. “My father has never returned either.”

Letter took out the original agreement. Under the light, the word Mrs. Luu is next to six signatures like an unclosed door.

Huy's phone vibrates. A text message from an unknown number:

"You chose their side. The last door will not open for you."

Huy gave the message to Thu. She looked toward the tank.

“The last door doesn't need to be opened for one person,” she said. “It opens when there are enough people.”

Letter checking pressure gauge. The index increased rapidly, then decreased to a safe level. Quan realized that the auxiliary valve had changed direction because rainwater was overflowing into the tank. Without a barrier, mud will flow into the branches.

“This is not a warning,” he said. “This is an error that needs to be fixed immediately.”

Huy called the households. Within fifteen minutes, six people were present at different locations. Mai brings the tools, Mrs. Man brings the filter cloth, Quan gives instructions over the phone. No one waits for someone to give orders. They closed the north branch, opened the escape valve, placed the net and recorded the time.

Na stood next to Thu, writing numbers on the board.

“If there is no cooperative group, who is responsible?” she asked.

“The person at that point.”

“If that person sleeps?”

“Then the person next door called.”

Na nodded, as if that was a clear enough answer.

After the water was fine, Huy received a call from the company. They asked him to return the card and sign the handover record. He said he would come, but only after handing over a copy of the data to the investigation agency.

Thu asked: "Do you still want to join the company?"

“I want to know what they will do with my name on file.”

“Your name may be recorded as a violator.”

“At least it's on file.”

Quan looked at the money envelope. “You use your own money to pay your mother?”

“Partly.”

“What about the part that must be paid to the company?”

“I will sell the car.”

Quan shook his head. “I used to think money could solve everything.”

Huy smiled sadly. "I still think money can solve some things. It just can't solve the cost of staying silent."

Letter completing valve repair record. She clearly stated the cost of materials, contributor, recipient and maintenance time. Huy signed in the materials section, but did not sign in the decision section. I understand that doing a favor does not automatically give me the right to act on behalf of everyone.

Lam asked if this scene needed to be kept in the movie. The letter said to keep it, but to ask each person before publishing it. Mai can speak; Mrs. Man said just keep the sound of the water, don't turn her face; Quan agreed without giving Na's medical records; Huy asked to keep the part where he responded to the company.

“I don't want to turn myself into a good person,” Huy said.

“Good or not depends on the situation,” Lam replied. “It's part of what I do after the computer turns off.”

Huy gave the message to Thu. She didn't answer, just kept it on file.

Outside in the garden, a water valve turns on by itself. This time the water flowed clear, but the pressure was so strong that it shook the floor.