Chapter 20 — The Inn at the End of the Pass

After the night the whole family received the truth about Mrs. Ha together, Thao spent the next morning composing a long message to send to the phone number she had secretly kept for over a year. She wrote and rewrote many times, erased and rewrote, trying to convey both the affection and tolerance that all three sisters wanted to convey.

"Miss Ha, it's Thao. The three kids already know everything. They don't blame you, they just want to see you again. When you're ready, we'll always be waiting."

The message was sent nervously, and it wasn't until that evening that Thao's phone vibrated with a response. A short but tearful text appeared on the screen: "I'm sorry for hiding for so long. Give me a few days to arrange work, I'll come home to visit my children."

While the family is gradually healing old wounds, the preparation work for the "heritage road" project is also entering a sprint phase. Khai Dang worked almost non-stop, completing the official tasks of the survey team and taking advantage of any free time to complete the project documents with Thao.

But the pressure of that dual job began to leave clear marks on his face - dark circles under his eyes, a tired look every time he returned to the shop after a long day of working in the field.

"You should rest more." Thao said, one evening when she saw Khai Dang slumped over his desk due to exhaustion, he had not had time to eat dinner. "I don't want to see you exhausted from my work."

"This isn't just my job anymore, it's both of our jobs." Khai Dang replied, trying to smile reassuringly even though he was clearly very tired. "Don't worry, I'm fine."

But Thao did not completely believe that reassurance. She noticed that recently, Khai Dang often received calls from the company late at night. His voice on the phone was a bit more tense than usual, even though he always tried to hide it with a calm appearance every time he returned to her.

One evening, Thao overheard the last part of Khai Dang's call when he walked into the backyard to talk on the phone, thinking no one was listening.

"I understand the pressure from the company, but I cannot falsely report survey data. If superiors want to speed up progress, please find another solution, not by ignoring the geological risks that I have noted." His voice was determined, different from his usual calmness.

Thao stood silently behind the corner of the wall, her heart clenching when she realized that Khai Dang was facing much greater pressure than he had ever shared with her. She waited until he hung up the phone before walking out, unable to hide the worry on her face.

"You're in trouble with the company for helping me, right?" She asked directly, without beating around the bush.

Khai Dang paused for a moment before sighing and nodding in acknowledgement. "The company discovered that I was secretly supporting the construction of a project opposite to their plan. They were not satisfied, and even intended to transfer me to another project in a remote province to separate me from this area."

That news hit Thao like a hammer. She felt guilty when she realized that because of helping her family and saving this pass, Khai Dang was having to sacrifice his entire career and was at risk of being forced to leave this place, away from her.

"You don't have to sacrifice so much for me, for this project." Thao said, her voice shaking with worry. "If the company really transfers you, I don't want you to have to risk your career future."

"Thao, this is not a sacrifice for you." Khai Dang grabbed her shoulder, his eyes firmly looking straight into her eyes. "This is what I believe is right, what I want to do for my own professional conscience. If because of this I have to change jobs, I accept it, but I will not stop halfway."

The steadfastness in his words made Thao both touched and scared - touched by his sincere heart for her and the whole community here, scared by the prospect that he could be sent away at any time, threatening the fragile relationship that had just blossomed between the two.

"If you are really transferred, what will happen between us?" She asked, her voice so low it was almost a whisper, not daring to look him straight in the eyes for fear of reading an answer that was not as expected.

Khai Dang lifted her chin, forcing her to look straight into his eyes, his eyes filled with sincerity and determination.

"No matter where they send me, I will still find a way to come back here, find a way to be with you and your family." He said, his voice firm and without hesitation. "Geographical distance may be a challenge, but it is not strong enough to change what I feel for you, for this place."

Those promises, although they could not completely erase the insecurity creeping into Thao's heart, were enough for her to find a solid fulcrum amid the countless storms surrounding her. She leaned her head against his chest, listening to the steady heartbeat that sounded like a commitment without words, while outside, the night on Vuc Suong Pass continued with rare sparkling stars appearing after many days of continuous rain, like a fragile sign of hope in the midst of a storm that had not yet completely passed.

A few days later, the news that Thao feared the most finally came. Khai Dang received a decision to temporarily transfer to another survey project nearly three hundred kilometers away, for an indefinite period, with the official reason being "increasing personnel for key projects." Everyone understood that it was just the company's way of trying to separate him from the area that was causing trouble for their project's progress.

"I have to leave in three days." Khai Dang announced, his voice trying to stay calm but his eyes could not hide the heaviness. "But I was able to complete most of the necessary technical data for the project before leaving. For the rest, I will work remotely via phone or email, don't worry."

When Thao heard the news, she felt like the ground under her feet was gradually collapsing. But she tried to suppress her panic, nodded, trying to appear strong in front of him even though her heart was in turmoil.

"You just go ahead and do your job well. The project has reached this stage, I and the whole neighborhood will try to complete the rest." She said, trying to keep her voice steady.

The three days before Khai Dang left passed quickly in a hustle and bustle of completing work and trying to spend the last perfect moments with each other before the separation with an unknown reunion date. Nhat Minh was sad beyond words, Thuy Duong and Gia Binh also seemed equally attached, viewing Khai Dang as a brother, a true friend who has become an indispensable part of the family during the past turbulent days.

The last evening before he left, the whole family organized a simple but cozy farewell dinner, full of the dishes that Khai Dang loved most during his time here - braised fish, sour soup with stream fish, fried eggs with lolot leaves that he had learned from Thao himself. Nhat Minh, even though he tried to appear strong, could not hide his red eyes throughout the meal.

"I promise to keep in touch with you every day, no matter how busy I am." The boy advised, his voice choked.

"I promise." Khai Dang replied, patting the boy's head, trying to keep his voice cheerful even though his heart was equally heavy. "Besides, I'm just going on a business trip, not going away all the time. Remember to take care of your health, study hard, I'll check your homework when I get home."

Gia Binh, at the end of the meal, suddenly stood up and gave Khai Dang a small bag containing a few basic car repair tools. "This place is for you to protect yourself on the road, on long business trips, maybe you need it. Consider it my parting gift."

Khai Dang received the gift, feeling speechless at the sincere concern from a boy who had kept a cautious distance from him during the first days of their acquaintance.

The next morning, when the car carrying Khai Dang was about to leave the restaurant, the whole family stood in line to see him off, exactly like the scene the first time he left many months ago, except this time, the atmosphere was no longer distant like new acquaintances, but filled with the nostalgia of truly close people.

"Remember to stay healthy." Thao said, trying to keep her voice calm even though her eyes were red. "And remember to keep in touch regularly, don't let work get carried away and forget about us."

"How could I forget?" Khai Dang replied, gently holding her hand for a moment in front of the eyes of the whole family, a gesture that no longer needed to be hidden like before. "This place, these people, have become a part of my flesh and blood. Please wait for me, wait for the day I come back."

Thao nodded, unable to say another word because her throat was choked. The car slowly rolled, disappearing behind the familiar curve, leaving behind a vast silence in the hearts of each family member, but also leaving a strong belief that, no matter how far the geographical distance is, the bonds that have formed over the past months will not be easily broken.