Chapter 17 — The Dignity of a Signature

“I will let you know when the time comes.”

After hanging up the phone, I looked at the clock. Two thirty in the afternoon. At three o'clock, I have an appointment. The person who appointed me was Hua Tu Tu. This morning she found my WeChat through Tieu Tran and sent a message:

“Ms. Lam Ha.”

“I know you probably don't want to see me.”

“But there are some things I want to clarify with you directly.”

“If you agree…”

“…any time this afternoon.”

I agreed to meet. Not out of curiosity. Nor for forgiveness. I want to look into her eyes. We arranged to meet at a tea house. Hua Tu Tu arrived first. She sat by the window, no makeup, wearing a light-colored woven sweater, her hair hanging down to her shoulders. Looks much younger than the day of the awards ceremony. I sat down opposite her. She bowed her head, her fingers constantly curling around the rim of the tea cup.

“Miss Lam Ha…”

She opened her mouth first. I said nothing.

“I know apologizing won't solve anything.”

She raised her head to look at me.

“But I really want to make it clear to you…”

“I know everything.”

I slightly raised my eyebrows. This is completely different from the content of her clarification. Hua Tu Tu saw my reaction and smiled bitterly.

“Online article…”

“It was Mr. Tham who told me to post.”

“He said if I just put all the responsibility on him…”

“…then he will protect you and not let you be affected.”

“But half of it is fake.”

“You said you didn't know 'Quy Khu' was my work…”

Her voice trembled.

“I knew it from the first day I joined the company.”

“Everyone in the design department knows…”

“…the core projects are all done by me.”

“The general told me…”

“You are his wife.”

“Your work also belongs to the company.”

“It doesn't matter who signs.”

She stopped for a moment.

“But your design notebook…”

“…I secretly went to see it myself.”

“It wasn't Mr. Tham who gave it to me.”

I looked at her.

“Your acceptance speech…”

“Why do we have to use that paragraph?”

She bowed her head lower, her voice much quieter.

“I feel like that part was written so well.”

“I can't write it myself.”

“I know this is funny.”

“An imposter…”

“…even the impersonation speech must be copied from the real creator.”

The tea room is very quiet. There was only the sound of boiling water coming from the tea stove in the corner of the room.

“Hua Tu Tu.”

I spoke up.

“You came to find me today…”

“…besides apologizing, what else do you want?”

She was silent for a few seconds. Then he raised his head and looked at me.

“I want to know…”

“If I told you the whole truth…”

“All I know…”

“…can you give me a chance?”

“What chance?”

“Opportunity to learn design with you.”

I looked at her for a long time without speaking. There was fear in her eyes. There are expectations. There is also a very childish kind of stubbornness, the kind of never really knowing what the sky is.

“Do you know what you're saying?”

She nodded.

“I already sent a message to Mr. Tham.”

“Tell him you won't keep lying for him anymore.”

She passed the phone to me. The screen is a chat between her and Tham Hao. The last message sent by her was at eleven o'clock this morning:

“General Shen.”

“I don't follow you anymore.”

“Lam Ha's story…”

“I will say clearly what needs to be said.”

Five minutes later, Tham Hao sent back a voice. I don't listen. But look at the expression by Hua Tu Tu... The content is definitely not easy to listen to. I returned the phone to her.

“Your story…”

“I need to think more.”

She nodded.

“Thank you for meeting me.”

I stood up, grabbed my bag and left. After walking out of the tea room, I stood on the side of the road in a daze for a long time. Then took out his phone to call Lu Thanh Hoa.

“Lawyer Lu.”

“By Hua Tu Tu…”

“Temporarily postponed for now.”

“She might still be useful.”

The news of Hua Tu Tu's betrayal, Tham Hao knew that night. It's not what she said. But he discovered it himself. Because after meeting me in the afternoon... Hua Tu Tu went directly to the organizing committee of the Golden Crane tournament. She submitted a written statement. It details the entire process from the time "Quy Khu" started being deployed until it was taken to the tournament. Including Tham Hao instructing her to impersonate herself and participate. Change the signer's name in the file. Forcing her to memorize my design philosophy to use as an award speech. After receiving the documents, the organizing committee immediately notified Tham Hao. Tham Hao called Hua Tu Tu eleven times. No one picked up the phone. Then he called me eight times. I didn't listen either. He called Ha Minh Chau. At ten o'clock that evening, Ha Minh Chau appeared at the hotel I was staying at. When the front desk called my room to inform me, the girl on the switchboard used an extremely awkward voice:

“There is a lady down in the hall who wants to see you.”

“She said she was your family member.”

“Her emotions… are a bit agitated right now.”

“We suggest you come down for a visit.”

When I went downstairs, Ha Minh Chau was sitting on the sofa in the hall. She was wearing a dark purple cashmere coat, clutching a silk scarf in her hand. The makeup is very neat. But the corners of his lips sagged. It's like you just finished crying and then hastily reapplied your makeup. As soon as she saw me, she immediately stood up. I sat down opposite her.