Chapter 22 — The Dignity of a Signature

It's the reputation of completed projects... And the reputation of the designer. When the entire aura of the project shifted from the company to the individual... Tham Thi immediately turned into an empty corpse. Tieu Tran called to tell me... Currently the company only has three people left. Tran Nhuy's "herniated disc" has still not healed. I probably won't be able to recover from this anymore. Ha Minh Chau did not appear again. Tham Hao also stopped contacting me. But some news about him started spreading in the industry. It is said that he is looking for some design companies to discuss a merger. I heard that he is looking for new investors... But everyone he meets gets rejected. There are also people who say he has put the house in Bich Lan Loan up for sale... Maybe he wants to raise cash to hold on. Those news are mixed with fake news. I'm also lazy to verify. Right now my every day is full of schedules. Drawing designs in the morning. In the afternoon, online meeting with the group "Nguyen Thach". In the evening, process studio registration procedures and finalize the plan for the first project. Hua Tu Tu comes to my apartment every morning at nine o'clock. Help me handle all sorts of petty administrative tasks. She is really hardworking. Print documents. Run license. Work with suppliers. Do anything. Sometimes when I'm drawing... She will pull up a chair and sit next to me to watch. Say nothing. Just look. One time I watched for more than half an hour... She suddenly asked in a low voice:

“Miss Lam Ha…”

“The light processing at this angle…”

“…why did you choose this corner?”

I stopped writing. Take a look at her. This is the first time… She asked me about the design itself. I thought for a moment and then explained to her. After listening… Her eyes lit up. Immediately took out my phone to record every word I said. That moment... I suddenly remembered myself twelve years ago. I was the same then. Pull up a chair and sit next to the teacher. Watch him draw the blueprints. Then ask why. I don't say anything more. Just keep drawing. In the evening, after finishing my work, I lay on the bed and scrolled through my phone. Video of the speech at the industry conference that day... Exceeded more than two million views. The most liked comments are:

“Every designer deserves to have their name attached to their work.”

Is what I said. Looking at that line... I felt something in my chest gradually relax. Like a spring that's been compressed for too long... There's finally space to bounce back. The day "Nguyen Thach" was officially established... was a Saturday afternoon. The location is the loft next to the river that Le Kha rented. That is also the temporary office of "Nguyen Thach". More than one hundred square meters. The ground-level glass door is very large. Very beautiful light. The five founding members were all present. And the other two. Diep Dao — specializes in interior decoration. Chung Van — specializes in creating brand space. We don't hold any ceremonies. Just put five cups of coffee on the long table in the loft. Le Kha took out a handmade wooden board. The front is engraved with the words "Nguyen Thach". She put it down on the table.

“Enough people.”

Five people clinked glasses together. Start working. The afternoon's topic was to discuss plans to participate in next year's International Design Exhibition. Each person introduces their work. The rest of the people commented. It's my turn... I show the entire complete plan of "Quy Khu" up wall. This is the first time... I stand under my own name... In a team of my own choosing... To complete the story of this work. I start from the first sketch. From the meaning of "Retreat" in "Shan Hai Kinh". Since that sleepless night... When I drank coffee and wrote down my design philosophy. I talked for forty minutes. After finishing speaking... The whole apartment was silent for a few seconds. Lieu Than was the first to speak.

“Six years ago in Shenzhen…”

“…I felt like your work had an aura that others didn't have.”

“Now I finally understand.”

“That aura…”

“…called no compromise.”

Diep Dao propped her chin up and looked at the design on the wall.

“This work will be exhibited internationally…”

Chung Van said nothing. Just give me a thumbs up. Le Kha leaned back in his chair and laughed.

"Alright."

“Stop praising.”

"Work."

The meeting lasted three hours. When the meeting ended... It was seven o'clock in the evening. I walked out of the loft. Standing on the corridor next to the river bank. The sunset dyed the entire water surface a brilliant red-orange color. The horizon in the distance is hazy and hazy. The phone rang. It's a strange number. I picked up the phone.

“Hello Miss Lam Ha.”

"I'm Trieu Duy, head secretary of the Golden Crane tournament organizing committee."

“Hello Secretary Trieu.”

“On behalf of the organizing committee, I officially inform you…”

“…after two weeks of specialized investigation…”

“…dispute over the right to sign the gold prize-winning work ‘Quy Khu’…”

“…verification has been completed.”

His voice is very official, very standard.

“The organizers confirm…”

“The original creator of the work is Ms. Lam Ha.”

"Previously using the name Hua Tu Tu to participate in the contest..."

“…belonging to the act of false declaration by Tham Thi Design Co., Ltd.”

I squeezed the phone gently. The river wind blows. The hem of the dress is blown to one side.