Chapter 5 — The Inn at the End of the Pass

Two weeks after the pickup truck pulled up to the side of the road in front of End Deo Inn, the survey team finally had to leave - not because the work was finished, but because this period of work had expired and had to return to headquarters to report before returning to continue the next phase.

On the morning of our farewell, the atmosphere in the restaurant was much quieter than usual. Phu and Sinh thanked Thao profusely, promising that the next time they came back they would definitely eat a few more meals before they would go. Nhat Minh was sad, clinging to Khai Dang without letting go, clutching the small notebook that Khai Dang gave him a few days ago - inside there were a few pages he had personally drawn to illustrate how to read a topographic map, with a handwritten dedication: "To the youngest geographer of Vuc Suong Pass."

"Remember to come back, I promised." Nhat Minh said, his voice choked, trying not to let his tears fall in front of adults.

"I promise." Khai Dang sat down and rubbed the boy's head. "I still have to go back to investigate again. I can't hide."

Thuy Duong stood next to her, looking at the parting scene with complicated eyes, while Gia Binh stood quite far away, leaning his back against the porch pillar, arms crossed over his chest, but Thao noticed that his younger brother's eyes were still following all developments, not at all indifferent as he tried to appear.

When it was Thao's turn, Khai Dang stood in front of her for a long time, seemingly having many things to say but not knowing where to start in such a crowded atmosphere.

"Thank you for the past two weeks." He said, his voice deeper than usual. "Not just accommodation, but... much more than that."

"Thank you for being honest with me." Thao replied, trying to keep her voice calm even though something was tightening in her heart. "Be careful on the road."

Khai Dang nodded, about to turn away, then as if suddenly remembering something, he stopped, pulled out a small carefully folded piece of paper from his jacket pocket, and gave it to Thao.

"My phone number. If there's anything related to the project, no matter how small, just call. I don't promise to know everything, but I promise I won't hide it from you anymore."

Thao received the piece of paper, folded it carefully and put it in her pocket, as if keeping a fragile but precious promise.

The pickup truck rolled downhill, disappearing after the first turn, leaving a strange void in the atmosphere of the inn, which had become accustomed to the presence of three strangers over the past two weeks. Nhat Minh stood and watched until he could no longer see the car's shadow before turning around, his face sad all morning.

In the days that followed, the rhythm of life at End Deo Inn returned to normal - waking up early in the morning to cook the kitchen, welcoming passersby at noon, cleaning up in the afternoon, and taking care of the books in the evening. But something has changed, even though it's very small, hard to name. Thao found herself looking out at the steep road every time she heard the sound of a car in the distance, partly unconsciously expecting the pickup truck covered in red dust to return sooner than expected.

In the middle of the week, Uncle Tam Nghi - a truck driver carrying long-distance agricultural products, a regular customer of the shop since Mr. Chinh was still alive - pulled over to rest as usual. A man in his fifties, skin tanned by the sun and wind, with a booming voice typical of long-distance drivers, immediately asked a familiar question as soon as he walked in.

"Is there anything delicious for today's rice? I've been running since morning and I'm so hungry."

"Yes, there is braised fish with pumpkin soup. Try it to see if it suits you." Thao replied, carrying the tray to the familiar table where Uncle Tam always sat.

While eating, Uncle Tam told all kinds of stories he heard along the way - stories about gas prices, stories about weighing stations, and not forgetting to mention the survey team that had just left a few days ago.

"I heard the drivers talking loudly on the CB radio. They said there was going to be a real tunnel through the mountain, not a random rumor anymore. The container truck drivers were even happy, calculating that the new route would be shortened by nearly twenty kilometers, saving fuel and damaging the brakes through these bends." Uncle Tam shook his head as he spoke, his voice suddenly low. "But I'm sad. I've been running this route for twenty years, I'm as familiar with this pass as I am with my home, even with this inn, my dear. The road has just opened, I probably have no reason to stop here anymore."

Uncle Tam's words, although gentle, made Thao's heart heavy all afternoon. She realized that the threat from the new road was not just her family's story, but also the story of countless people who had been attached to this pass for many generations - drivers like Uncle Tam, small households that depended on traffic, and an entire small community that was at risk of being forgotten overnight when the new road opened to traffic.

One afternoon, while cleaning the dining room, Thao saw Gia Binh sitting alone at the corner of the table, doing nothing, just looking out at the empty yard where the car was once parked.

"What do you think?" Thao asked, her voice gentle, sitting down opposite.

Gia Binh was silent for a moment, then suddenly spoke, his voice no longer as harsh as usual. "I think... maybe I was a bit hasty in judging that engineer. He treated Minh and Duong really kindly, not pretending."

Thao was a bit surprised by her brother's change in attitude, but tried not to show her surprise too clearly, for fear of making Gia Binh cower like a snail when touched.

"Yeah, I think so too."

"But—" Gia Binh paused, his eyes flickered with hesitation, "—I'm still worried about that new road project. If it's sincere, we have to figure out which road to take for sure. I don't want to wait until we lose everything before frantically finding a way."

"I know. I was thinking too." Thao replied, her voice serious. "But right now there is nothing official. Wait until there is more clear information and then we can discuss specifically, okay?"

Gia Binh nodded, did not object like before, just stood up, intending to leave, then suddenly turned back and said one more sentence, making Thao stunned.

"Miss Thao... thank you. About the plate of sticky rice the other day."

Having finished speaking, he quickly walked away before Thao could react, leaving her sitting alone in the middle of the empty dining room, her heart filled with a feeling of warmth mixed with a choking feeling that she had rarely felt during the three years of taking care of this family alone.

That night, after everything was done, Thao sat at the wooden counter, took out the piece of paper Khai Dang gave to review, then opened her phone, typed a short message: "Did you get to the restaurant safely? Nhat Minh reminded me all these days." She hesitated for a moment before pressing send, wondering if such a simple message was too rushed, then finally sent it, ignoring her hesitations.

A few minutes later, the phone rang. "I'm back, thank you for asking. Please send my regards to Nhat Minh, Thuy Duong and Mr. Binh as well. I'll probably be back for the next survey phase in about three weeks. I hope the restaurant still has a room available for me."

Thao read the message and couldn't hold back the slight smile at the corner of her lips. She typed back: "The room is always available for you." Then put down the phone, stood on the porch and looked down at the dark valley, where a few lights in the distance sparkled like stars falling to the ground.

The night mist fell, as familiar as any other night on Vuc Suong Pass. But for the first time in a long time, when standing alone in the cold mountain air, Thao did not feel as heavy as before. She looked towards the steep road, where the first corner of the pickup truck disappeared two weeks ago, and thought to herself, perhaps the changes coming to this pass, no matter how much insecurity they bring, are also silently bringing something new, something that she, whether she wants it or not, can no longer stop it.

She thought of Uncle Tam Nghi's words in the afternoon, of Gia Binh's eyes when saying a rare thank you, of Nhat Minh's smile every time Khai Dang's name was mentioned, of Thuy Duong's reserve but no longer completely closed. For the past four years, since her father's death, Thao has always told herself that she must be a strong support for everyone, not allowed to be weak, not allowed to need anyone's help, because if she falls, there will be no one to support this whole family anymore. But tonight, standing in the familiar mist, she suddenly realized that she had silently let the past two weeks, with the presence of a strange man, make the burden on her shoulders a little lighter - not because he shouldered anything for her, but because for the first time in a long time, she no longer felt like she was standing alone in the middle of this vast pass.

Mrs. Ha, the stepmother who left three years ago, is probably standing under some city lights right now, looking up at the starless sky because the building lights drown out all natural light. Thao didn't know what she was thinking, whether she remembered the children she left behind or not, but she told herself, no matter what, she would not let history repeat itself again — no younger sibling in this family would have to feel abandoned, no matter how bumpy the road ahead was.

Behind her, the inn's light was still bright and warm in the middle of the night, as if it had been bright for nearly thirty years, waiting for anyone who needed a place to stop.