Chapter 11 — The Lantern That Never Goes Out

On the morning of the Ancient Craft Market, the village communal house yard was packed with people from early on, far exceeding all expectations of Uyen Chi and the organizers. Each small stall is set up with bamboo and canvas, each stall has its own nuance of each craft in the street - the pottery stall with rotating tables under the skillful hands of the old craftsman, the mat weaving stall with the steady clicking sound of the loom, the rattan weaving stall with baskets and hats gradually taking shape before the eyes of admiring visitors.

Van Nguyet Workshop occupies a central location, where Uyen Chi, her father and Thien Vu had already set up the arrangements the night before - finished lamps hung in long shimmering rows, and a corner with live demonstrations of the process of splitting spokes, weaving frames, stretching silk, and drawing lamps so that visitors could see with their own eyes. Right from opening time, the crowd gathered around the booth, admiring Mr. Khoan's meticulousness in every move as he guided a group of children to try splitting simple slats.

"Miss, can I try drawing lights?" A little girl about seven years old pulled Uyen Chi's sleeve, her eyes bright and full of excitement.

Uyen Chi smiled and led the baby to the corner of the table reserved for children, where she had prepared simple small lamp frames and safe watercolors. "What picture do you want to draw?"

"I want to draw a lotus flower, like that big beautiful lamp," the little girl pointed to the Cuu Lien Mau lamp that Uyen Chi brought to display in the most solemn position of the booth.

That scene, the children eagerly holding pens to draw on the lamp frame, the tourists attentively listening to the story about the history of lamp making in the old town, made Uyen Chi's heart swell with an indescribable emotion. This is exactly what she wanted — not only to sell products, but also to convey her love and appreciation for craftsmanship to everyone, especially the younger generation.

Thien Vu, with a camera always ready in hand, moved around the booths, capturing every precious moment - the passionate eyes of an old man when seeing the frame weaving technique she used to do since her youth, the radiant smile of a little girl when completing a lamp she painted herself, the scene of craftsmen passionately telling stories to visitors. He plans to use those photos as promotional material for the cultural performance of the upcoming official festival, but more than that, he feels he is recording a part of the lively soul of the old town that not everyone has the opportunity to witness.

Near noon, when the crowd reached its peak, a group of local reporters appeared, carrying cameras, interviewing a number of artisans about their feelings about the risk of being replaced by industrial lights. Uyen Chi, when asked, answered with all the sincerity and determination accumulated over the past few days.

"Handmade silk lamps are not just a product to sell," she said to the camera, her voice calm but filled with weight. "It is the story of an entire family, a street, passed down through generations by human hands. We do not oppose development, do not oppose new technology, but we hope everyone understands that there are values that cannot be measured by price or quantity."

That interview, later broadcast on the local evening news, created a big buzz, causing many people inside and outside the street to become more interested in the stories of traditional artisans. But right in the midst of the rising joy and hope, another piece of news came, casting a shadow over that excited atmosphere.

That afternoon, when the Old Craft Market had just ended and everyone was busy cleaning up, Mr. Dai Quang Minh suddenly appeared, his face carrying an unusually serious look. He went to the booth of Van Nguyet factory, where Uyen Chi, Mr. Khoan and Thien Vu were cleaning up the remaining tools.

"I have news to announce," Mr. Minh said, his voice somewhat hesitant. "Tomorrow morning, the Management Board will have an official meeting with Han Phat company to sign a preliminary contract. They have just made a new proposal, with a much larger sponsorship package than the previous time, along with a commitment to undertake all decoration costs for the central area of the old town."

Uyen Chi felt as if there was a cold current running down her spine. "But today's Ancient Craft Market, didn't it show the appeal of handmade lamps? Why did the Management Board still decide to lean towards Han Phat?"

Mr. Minh sighed, his expression clearly showing confusion between two streams of pressure. "I understand your feeling, and to be honest, I am personally very impressed with what I saw today. But the Management Board also has to consider the general budget, and the pressure from superiors to meet tourism development targets this year. Han Phat's sponsorship package is too big to easily refuse, especially in the context of a tight local budget."

"So is there any chance for us?" Mr. Khoan asked, his voice lowered but still remaining calm.

"Tomorrow's meeting is just the first step, not the final decision," Mr. Minh replied, although his voice was uncertain. "But I have to be honest, the possibility of a contract being signed is very high. I'm here to announce it in advance, so people can mentally prepare, or if they have any comments, they can send them before the meeting."

After Mr. Minh left, the atmosphere at Van Nguyet booth became very heavy. Thien Vu stood still, clenched his fists, his eyes full of anger and helplessness. "I'll call my father right away," he said, his voice unusually firm. "I need to know the terms of this new offer, and I will try to persuade you to reconsider."

"Do you think he will listen to you?" Uyen Chi asked, though not with the intention of blaming, but just a practical question stemming from worry.

Thien Vu was silent for a moment, then slowly shook his head. "I'm not sure. But I have to try. I can't stand by and watch my family's company continue to cause another wound to the Van Nguyet factory, after everything I just learned."

Uyen Chi looked at him and saw in Thien Vu's eyes a fierceness that she had never seen before. She nodded, holding his hand for a moment as a way to give him strength. "No matter the result, I believe you tried your best. And we, all of this profession, will not give up easily."

Before Thien Vu left, he stayed for a while at the factory gate and immediately called his father even though it was late at night. Uyen Chi stood not far away, not hearing the entire conversation clearly, but through Thien Vu's increasingly tense voice, she guessed that the call did not go well. When he hung up, his face showed fatigue and disappointment.

"What's wrong?" she asked as he stepped closer.

"My father said this was a business decision, not a personal matter," Thien Vu replied, his voice bitter. "He told me not to let my emotions interfere with my work, that I was too young to fully understand the competitive pressures in the market. He also said that if the company did not seize this opportunity, another company would do the same. It would be better for my family members to benefit than for a competitor to take it away." He shook his head, his eyes filled with helplessness. "I tried to mention my grandfather, but he just remained silent and hung up."

Uyen Chi placed her hand on his shoulder, trying to comfort him even though she couldn't help but feel disappointed. "At least I tried. Trying doesn't always bring immediate results, but at least the seed has been planted. Who knows, later, what I said today will make him think again."

Thien Vu nodded, although his expression was still heavy. "I won't give up. Tomorrow I will attend the meeting, even as the organizer of the cultural part, I will try to speak up as much as I can."

After Thien Vu left, Uyen Chi returned to the workshop and saw his father still sitting there, the oil lamp light shining on his thoughtful face. Neighbors had already left one after another after a long, tiring but happy day, but news of the meeting tomorrow morning had already spread, causing the whole street to be plunged into a new anxiety.

"What do you think we should do next?" Uyen Chi asked, sitting down next to her father.

Mr. Khoan pondered for a long time before responding. "I think, I can't just rely on one fair to change the decision of the entire Management Board. Perhaps, I need to prepare an official petition, signed by all craft households, and send it straight tomorrow's meeting, showing them that this is not the opinion of a few individuals, but the common voice of the entire community."

Uyen Chi nodded, feeling a little more hopeful in her heart at her father's calm and decisiveness. "I will go meet everyone tonight and ask for autographs. Even though I may not be able to completely change tomorrow's decision, at least I have to let my voice be recorded."

That night, when she returned to the workshop after going around asking for signatures for the petition, Uyen Chi couldn't sleep, her mind kept spinning between the joy of the success of the Old Craft Market and the worry about the fateful meeting about to take place the next morning. She looked out the window and saw the moonlight still shining gently like every night, but this time, that light seemed to carry an insecurity, as if signaling a bigger storm about to come, testing not only her will, but also the united strength of an entire community trying to keep its own soul.