Chapter 21 — The Dignity of a Signature

I pulled the door open and walked out. The light in the hallway is very white. The three o'clock sun shines through the ground-level glass window onto the brick floor. Lu Thanh Hoa walked behind me. After taking a few steps, he said:

“Congratulations.”

I turned my head to look at him.

“Congratulate me for what?”

“Free now.”

On the way back to the apartment, I thought for a long time about the word "freedom". It sounds light. But to get it… It took me four years. Returning to the apartment, I sat down in front of my desk. Open the computer. Inside there were documents of the first project. It's a new project that the hotel chain's brand director sent over. Overall renovation of the hall. The budget is double last year's. I started sketching. The feeling of pencil touching paper... It's been a long time since I felt this peaceful. After drawing for half an hour, the phone rang. It's Hua Tu Tu.

“Miss Lam Ha…”

“Have you signed the agreement yet?”

“So he…”

“…did you do anything to me?”

I stopped writing.

“What are you afraid of?”

“After I submitted the explanation to the organizers…”

“…The General openly said in the company that you betrayed him.”

“The administrative department sent me a dismissal notice today.”

“The reason is…”

“Unsatisfactory during the probationary period.”

“What are you going to do now?”

“…don't know.”

Her voice was very quiet.

“I also have nowhere else to go.”

I thought for a few seconds.

“I said before…”

“…want to study design with me.”

“Does it still count?”

She was silent for two seconds. Then his voice immediately brightened.

“Of course!”

“Then I'll give you a chance.”

“The studio is in the preparation stage.”

“Need one person to do everything.”

“Salary is not high.”

“A lot of work.”

“But if you really want to learn…”

“…you will learn more here than at Tham Thi.”

“But there is one condition.”

“What conditions?”

“No matter whose work it is…”

“…must also sign with the right person.”

“Can you do it?”

“Can do it.”

She almost screamed. I hung up. On the piece of paper in front of me, I wrote a line:

“Hua Tu Tu — waiting to accept the job.”

Then continue sketching. Quietly drawing all afternoon alone. No one presses my shoulder anymore. No one forced me to give the trophy anymore. No one calls me "Assistant Lam" anymore. The sound of a pencil gliding on paper sounds so pleasant. At seven o'clock in the evening, Le Kha formed a group of five people. The group name is: “Nguyen Thach — Founder”. She sent a text message:

“Everyone.”

“The plan to participate in the exhibition next week must be finalized.”

“Each person submits a design brief along with photos of the effects of the work.”

Then she tagged me:

“Have you decided on your exhibition yet?”

I answered: The group was silent for a few seconds. Then Lieu Than sent a word: The remaining two members also took turns sending approval symbols. Le Kha added another sentence:

“Use your own name.”

"Of course."

In the signature column of "Quy Khu"... There is only one name left. Three days after signing the divorce agreement, the entire work of amending Tham Thi's signing rights was completed. Thirty-seven projects. All external public documents. The designer part was changed from “Tham Thi Design Team” or other names… …to “Lam Ha”. Said to be completed in two working days. But in reality it only took a day and a half. Because Tieu Tran proactively stayed up all night working overtime. He told me:

“The moment the repair was finished…”

“…I even took a screenshot and posted it to my friends circle.”

“Yes just one sentence.”

“‘Finally that guy has returned.’”

When I saw that post… There were more than forty likes below. The most commented is from Chu Nhuy. Three consecutive clapping icons. The reaction in the industry was even greater than I expected. Because among those thirty-seven projects… There are several projects that are considered iconic case models in the industry. Previously, everyone thought they were the work of the "Tham Thi team". It wasn't until the signature was revised... Everyone realized it. Behind those projects... Actually, from beginning to end there is only one person. The first person to publicly speak up... was the director of the fine arts museum who cooperated with Tham Thi three years ago. He posted a status on social media:

“I just found out today…”

“…the person who actually designed the exhibition space that I am always proud of is named Lam Ha.”

“Before, I always told others that it was Tham Thi's masterpiece.”

“But now that I think about it…”

“…the woman who always sits quietly in the corner taking notes at every meeting…”

“…is the one who truly understands the drawing.”

That post was shared thousands of times. Immediately after that... Other cooperators of old projects also spoke up one after another. Someone publicly expressed their support for me. Someone just quietly changed the designer's name on the project introduction page. But no matter the method… The effect is the same. The two words "Lam Ha"... began to appear more and more. As for the name "Designer Thirteen"... is gradually disappearing from those places. For Tham Hao... This is an even more fatal blow than divorce. Because the most valuable thing of a design company... Not the office. Not the device.