Chapter 18 — The Lantern That Never Goes Out

The next morning, when Uyen Chi opened the factory door, she suddenly saw a luxury car parked right in front of the alley, and stepping out from there was none other than Mr. Han Vinh Vuong, alone, without an assistant or entourage like before. His face had an unusually serious look, his eyes had dark circles as if he had gone through a sleepless night.

"I want to talk to you," he said, his voice still maintaining its usual calmness, but underneath it was a tension that was hard to hide.

Uyen Chi invited him into the workshop and called his father out to talk with him. Mr. Khoan, when he saw Mr. Vuong, could not hide his surprise, but still maintained a calm demeanor, invited guests to sit, and poured a cup of tea according to the homeowner's etiquette.

"Last night, Thien Vu talked to me," Mr. Vuong began after a short silence, his voice somewhat difficult as he had to admit something. "He told me about the letter, about the drawing my wife showed you two."

Uyen Chi and Mr. Khoan were silent, waiting for him to continue, not wanting to rush to react before understanding the true purpose of this meeting.

"I do not deny," Mr. Vuong continued, his voice low, "that my father, Mr. Han Ba Vinh, once had an agreement with Ms. Tuyet Nga on the double helix frame technique. I also know, that promise to share benefits has never been fully fulfilled." He paused, his hands clasping the teacup on the table. "But I grew up believing that all my family's success came from my father's talent and efforts. Facing the truth differently was not easy for me."

"So what are you here for?" Uyen Chi asked directly, her voice could not hide the caution. "To deny, or to admit?"

Mr. Vuong looked at her, his eyes were complicated, mixed with remaining pride and a gradually rising torment. "I'm here," he said slowly, "to suggest a solution. I'm willing to compensate your family a fair amount of money, as if to make up for some of what my father missed in the past. In return, I hope your family will keep this matter a secret and not make it public, to avoid affecting the company's reputation."

Those words made Uyen Chi feel like she was splashed with a bucket of cold water. She stood up, her voice hardening. "Do you think that just money can erase the pain that my grandmother has silently endured all her life? This is not a matter of bargaining, Mr. Vuong. This is a matter of honor, a matter of fairness."

"I don't mean to offend," Mr. Vuong quickly said, his voice somewhat embarrassed by her fierce reaction. "I'm just trying to find an amicable solution for both sides."

"It's more like it's smooth for you," Mr. Khoan spoke up, his voice was gentle but full of weight. "You are afraid that this truth will affect the company and your image before the upcoming festival, so you want to use money to extinguish it. But sir, my mother does not need money to prove her worth, she has proven it all her life through every lamp she makes. My family is the same."

Mr. Vuong was silent, his face gradually transformed into an indescribable complex expression, between remaining stubbornness and a wavering beginning to creep in. "So what do you two want? Do you want me to publicly apologize in front of the entire old town? Do you want me to give up my contract with the Management Board?"

"We don't ask you to do anything specific," Uyen Chi replied, her voice softening somewhat but still remaining steadfast. "We just hope you acknowledge the truth, not because of pressure, but because it's the right thing to do. How you choose to behave after acknowledging that truth is your own decision."

Mr. Vuong stood up, did not respond immediately, just stood silently looking around the workshop for a long time, his eyes stopped on the Cuu Lien Mau lamp hanging in the corner of the house, as if fascinated by its exquisite beauty even though his heart was full of chaos. "I need time to think," he said finally, his voice much quieter than when he first entered. "This is not as simple as you two think."

He left the factory, his appearance no longer retaining the confidence and determination as his previous appearances. Uyen Chi watched his shadow disappear, a mixed feeling arose in her heart - both relief that he had finally faced the truth, and worry about whether it would really lead to a positive change or not.

"What do you think he will do next?" she asked her father, while they were both still standing silently in the middle of the workshop.

Mr. Khoan sighed, his eyes looking distantly out into the sunny yard. "I don't know, son. But I think, at least today, he had to look straight at the truth, instead of continuing to avoid it like he has for many years. That is also a step forward, even if small."

That afternoon, Thien Vu stopped by the factory, his face was haggard after a long sleepless night, but his eyes still shone with a certain relief. "Is my father here already?" he asked, after listening to Uyen Chi recount the entire meeting.

"Yes," she replied, "but he's not really ready to fully face the truth. He's still trying to figure it out in his own way."

Thien Vu nodded, not showing too much surprise. "I understand my father's personality. He needs time, sometimes a lot of time, to truly let go of the ego and pride he has built up over the years." He looked at Uyen Chi, his eyes contained a new determination. "But I won't stop here. I will continue to persuade you, in every way possible, until you truly understand."

"What happened last night?" Uyen Chi asked, wanting to know more clearly the progress of the conversation between father and son that she had only heard through a brief account.

Thien Vu sat down and told more details. "At first my father was very angry, he thought that I was being influenced by 'outsiders', deliberately defaming the family's honor. I had to show a copy of the letter and drawing that my mother gave me. My father remained silent for a long time after reading it, not saying another word. I think, at that time, he realized that denying it was useless, but he was still not ready to admit it publicly."

"So how is the relationship between you and your father now?" she asked again, her voice full of concern.

"Tense," Thien Vu admitted, his voice somewhat bitter. "He told me to continue doing what I thought was right, but not to expect him to change his stance on business. I think, that was his way of trying to save the last bit of dignity, even though inside he was probably more shaken than what he showed on the outside." He rubbed the back of his neck, a tired look evident on his face. "I have decided that I will not go home to live with my parents for the time being. I will rent a small room nearby, for ease of work, and also to have my own space to think things through."

Uyen Chi looked at him, feeling both sadness for what he was going through and admiration for that decisive decision. "Are you sure about this decision? It's not an easy one."

"I'm sure," Thien Vu replied, his eyes determined. "I need some distance, not to cut ties with my father, but so that we both have time to review things without the pressure of living under the same roof. And," he looked at Uyen Chi, his voice softer, "I want to spend more time here, helping you and everyone prepare for the night of the lantern parade, not as an obligation, but as a true choice from my heart."

Mr. Khoan, sitting quietly listening throughout the story, only now spoke up, his voice warm and sincere. "If you need a temporary place to stay, there's still an empty corner in the attic above my father's house. Although it's not comfortable, it's clean and quiet. Just treat it like your own house, no need to be formal."

Thien Vu looked at Mr. Khoan, in his eyes there was an emotion that was hard to describe in words. "Thank you, but I don't want to bother my family any more. I found a small room near the market, and it's convenient to go back and forth to the factory every day." Even though he refused, his voice was still filled with respect for Mr. Khoan's heart, a warmth that he had never felt so completely in his own home over the years.

That evening, after Thien Vu left to pack her things to move to a new place, Uyen Chi sat alone, looking out at the dark yard, her mind filled with hundreds of thoughts. She feels sorry for Thien Vu's situation, having to stand between the line between family and righteousness, but at the same time, she also feels a stronger belief than ever in the path they are both walking on together, even though that path still has many thorns ahead.