Chapter 12 — The Lantern That Never Goes Out

The next morning's meeting took place at the headquarters of the Old Quarter Management Board, not open to all craft households like last time, but only limited to the internal board of directors and representatives of Han Phat company. Uyen Chi and several representatives of craft households stood outside and waited, holding a petition that had collected nearly a hundred signatures in just one night, hoping to have a chance to present it before the final decision was made.

Thien Vu, as the person in charge of the cultural performance, was allowed to attend the meeting. He entered the meeting room with a tense but determined expression, carrying the petition that Uyen Chi gave him before entering. Uyen Chi stood outside, her heart pounding, watching the closed door, trying to guess what was going on inside.

Nearly an hour passed in anxious waiting. Finally, the door of the meeting room opened, Mr. Dai Quang Minh walked out first, followed by Mr. Han Vinh Vuong with an expression of satisfaction that was hard to hide, and finally Thien Vu, his face clearly showing heavy disappointment.

"Dear people," Mr. Minh spoke to the waiting crowd, his voice somewhat difficult when announcing this news, "The Management Board has decided to accept the proposal to cooperate with Han Phat company for the main decoration of this year's festival. The contract will be officially signed next week."

A collective sigh rang out from the crowd, mixed with murmurs of discontent. Uyen Chi felt like there was a heavy rock pressing down on her chest. Even though she had mentally prepared for this result, when she heard it was officially confirmed, the disappointment still hit harder than she expected.

"What about our petition?" Uncle Sau Dong spoke up, his voice full of frustration. "Nearly a hundred signatures, is there no value in this decision?"

Mr. Minh seemed confused, glanced at Mr. Vuong before responding. "The Management Board has taken note of people's opinions. Therefore, we also propose a balanced plan - craft households are still allowed to sell their products in designated areas during the festival, just no longer responsible for the main decoration on major streets."

"That's just a consolation to ease our objections," Ms. Nham said frankly, unable to hide the bitterness in her voice. "If tourists only see bright plastic lights on the main streets, where would they even bother to visit small corners to buy our handmade lights?"

Mr. Vuong, standing nearby, spoke with his usual calmness. "I understand people's concerns, but this is a carefully considered decision, based on the common interests of the whole old town. Our company is committed to supporting the promotion of craft stalls as much as possible." His eyes glanced at Uyen Chi for a brief moment, then he turned to Thien Vu. "You should also accept this reality, don't let personal emotions affect your work."

Thien Vu looked at his father, his eyes full of suppressed anger. "Father calls this reality, but I call this an unfair decision, made just for money, completely ignoring the cultural values that generations have worked hard to build."

"Thien Vu," Mr. Vuong said, his voice becoming more stern, "this is not the place to argue about family matters. I hope you keep your role at work."

The atmosphere between father and son became extremely tense, making everyone around them feel suffocated. Uyen Chi stepped forward and gently placed her hand on Thien Vu's arm, a gesture that both reassured him and reminded him that this was not the right place to resolve all family problems. Thien Vu took a deep breath, tried to suppress his anger, nodded to his father, then turned and walked with Uyen Chi out of the headquarters campus.

"Sorry," he said when they had gone a little way, his voice still shaking with anger. "I tried my best during the meeting, presented the petition, presented every argument I could think of, but in the end nothing changed."

"You don't need to apologize," Uyen Chi replied, her voice gentle but firm. "You did your best, which I acknowledge and appreciate. This is not your fault."

They walked in silence for a long while, each carrying their own heavy thoughts. Finally, when approaching the riverbank, Uyen Chi stopped, looking out at the water flowing lazily under the afternoon sunlight.

"Perhaps," she said, her voice carrying a new determination, "we can no longer rely on the Management Board's decision. If they have chosen that path, then we must find another path, a path that we can take on ourselves, without having to ask anyone's permission."

Thien Vu looked at her, his eyes gradually regained their steadfastness. "What are you thinking about?"

"I don't know the details yet," Uyen Chi replied, "but I think, if the Management Board doesn't give us the opportunity in the central area, then we will create our own event, big enough, impressive enough, so that no one can ignore it. The old craft fair just now is just the beginning. We need something bigger, stronger, right before the official festival night."

Thien Vu nodded slowly, a new ray of hope flashed in his eyes. "I will help you, in any way I can, even if it means I have to confront my father more directly." He took her hand, squeezing it tightly as a pledge. "We'll find a way, I believe in that."

Standing on the riverbank, in the hot summer afternoon sun, they both looked towards the ancient tiled roofs of Nguyet Giang ancient town, which was preparing to enter an unequal but determined battle. Uyen Chi knows that the road ahead will still have many thorns, but she also knows that she is no longer alone on that journey.

That afternoon, news of the contract about to be signed spread quickly throughout the street, causing a wave of mixed reactions. Some people are discouraged, thinking that there is no point in fighting over a decision that has almost been arranged; Some people still maintain their determination, believing that there is still water left to fight. Uyen Chi convened a small meeting right at the Van Nguyet factory yard in the evening, inviting all the craft households that had signed the petition to discuss the next direction.

"I know this news makes many of us feel discouraged," she opened to the crowd that filled her yard, oil lamps hanging everywhere creating a warm halo in the dark. "But I think, this is not the time to give up, but the time for us to prove our value in a different, stronger way, regardless of anyone's decision."

"What are you going to do next?" a weaver asked, his voice still skeptical.

"I think, we should organize our own light parade night, right before the official festival night, releasing lights on the river, so that the whole street and tourists can witness the true beauty of handmade lights, not overshadowed by any other bright plastic lights," Uyen Chi presented, her voice becoming more and more confident as the idea gradually took shape in her mind. "We don't need to ask anyone's permission to love and appreciate our own profession."

Murmurs arose throughout the yard, some people nodded in agreement, others were still hesitant about the scale of the plan. Uncle Sau Dong was the first person to stand up and support. "I follow you. I'm old but I still have the strength to do it. I can't let the profession my ancestors left me wither away in my hands."

Gradually, each person agreed, although there were still many concerns about how to organize it, about the budget, and about whether it would be on time or not. But at least, in that dark night, among the shimmering oil lamps hanging throughout the Van Nguyet factory yard, a new ray of hope was lit, not from the permission of any management agency, but from the determination and love of the profession of the people sitting here.

Ms. Nham, although initially hesitant, finally spoke up. "If you do it, you have to do it well. I will mobilize more households that make zodiac animal lamps in the market to participate, as if adding more color to the night of the lantern parade." The old potter sitting in the corner of the yard also nodded in agreement, promising to bring small ceramic vases to place candles inside the lamps, creating an additional highlight for the display space.

Thien Vu, standing quietly observing throughout the meeting, finally voiced his opinion. "If possible, I can help people plan the media, contact a few press units I know to report before the event. But most importantly, we need an impressive name, a story that really touches people's hearts, so that it is not just a mere performance, but a declaration about the value of craftsmanship."

Uyen Chi looked around the yard and saw that the faces that were tired from the sad news this afternoon were shining with new vitality. She felt an unusual warmth in her heart, not because all the difficulties had been resolved, but because she realized that the fire that her grandmother once lit in the Van Nguyet workshop had now spread throughout the entire community, no longer the burden of just one family.