Chapter 17 — The Light Keeper at the Sea Gate

In the weeks after the engagement, the whole Ha Trieu village seemed to be busy with preparations for the upcoming wedding. Ms. Tu Nhan volunteered to be the main organizer, mobilizing the whole village to participate in preparations, from decorating, cooking, to setting up the theater right in the large yard in front of the lighthouse station.

"I have organized countless weddings in the village, you can rest assured that I will leave them all to you," Mrs. Tu Nhan said to Hoai An, as the two sat together and made a list of things to prepare. "But there is one important thing, you must decide for yourself - choose a good day and month."

Hoai An and Khoi looked at the calendar together and finally chose a day in late autumn, when the weather in Cua Vong is usually the mildest of the year, with little risk of unusual windstorms. "I think this will be a good sign," Khoi said, smiling as they marked their wedding date on the wall calendar. "Start our married life in a peaceful season."

Wedding preparations take place in parallel with both of their official jobs. Hoai An continues his role as supervisor of the pilot project, while Khoi maintains his daily job as a lightman, which has now become much easier thanks to the support of the newly installed sensor system, giving him more free time to participate in wedding preparations.

One afternoon, when Hoai An and Mrs. Tu Nhan were trying on traditional ao dai designs for the wedding at a small tailor shop in a nearby town, she received a call from her mother, informing her that her parents would come to Ha Trieu earlier than expected to help with the preparations.

"Mom and dad want to spend more time getting to know Khoi's family, and the whole community where you're about to spend your whole life," her mother explained over the phone, her voice filled with excitement. "We can't just come on the wedding day and leave right away."

Hoai An felt warmed by her parents' thoughtful care, and at the same time a little nervous thinking that two families, two different worlds, would have the opportunity to blend together in the coming days.

When Hoai An's parents arrived in Ha Trieu, the whole village had prepared a warm welcome. Mr. Nam Vong personally went to the bus station to welcome him, while Mrs. Tu Nhan prepared a sumptuous welcome meal. Father Hoai An, although initially a bit surprised by the simple fishing village scene, was quickly attracted by the sincerity and warmth of the people here.

"Do you know," Mr. Nam Vong said to Father Hoai An during dinner, "your daughter has done a wonderful thing for this whole village. Not only did she save Khoi's job, but she also helped our whole community regain faith in justice."

Father Hoai An nodded, his eyes filled with pride as he looked at his daughter. "I always believe that she will do meaningful things in life," he said. "But I didn't expect it to find a place to call home, a community to be so deeply attached to."

In the following days, Hoai An's parents immersed themselves in the rhythm of Ha Trieu village's life, participating in wedding preparations with everyone. Her mother, with many years of cooking experience, quickly became friends with Mrs. Tu Nhan, and together they experimented with dishes combining Northern cuisine and Central coastal specialties for the wedding menu.

Father Hoai An, meanwhile, spent a lot of time chatting with Khoi, sharing experiences about married life and the responsibilities of a husband and a breadwinner. "You know," he told Khoi one afternoon when they sat fishing by the beach, "marriage is not just about love, it's also about commitment, about always putting the happiness of your spouse first, even in the most difficult times."

"I understand, sir," Khoi replied, nodding seriously. "And I promise to always cherish and protect Hoai An's happiness with all my heart."

Seeing the sincerity in Khoi's eyes, Hoai An's father smiled with satisfaction and patted the future son-in-law's shoulder affectionately. "I believe you will be a good husband," he said. "And I'm happy to see that my daughter has found a worthy man like you."

That evening, when the whole family gathered around the dinner table at the lighthouse station, Hoai An noticed a warmth spreading throughout that small space - her parents' laughter mixed with Khoi's warm voice, and occasionally there was the interjection of Mr. Nam Vong or Mrs. Tu Nhan stopping by to chat. She sat there, quietly observing, feeling a complete happiness that she had never dared to dream of.

"You know," her mother said, when they had a chance to talk privately while washing the dishes after dinner, "I've never seen you so happy. The look in your eyes, the way you talk about this place, about Khoi, all exude a joy that I've never seen in you before."

"I feel the same way, mom," Hoai An replied, smiling emotionally. "I never thought that a seemingly simple business trip could lead me to a fulfilling life like this."

The next days passed in a busy but fun filled wedding preparation. The entire Ha Trieu village contributed together — the men were in charge of setting up the theater and decorating; Women in the village are busy preparing traditional dishes; Children eagerly run and jump everywhere, being assigned small tasks such as stringing flowers or folding decorative paper.

Little Coi, as the self-proclaimed best man, seemed extremely serious about his duties, constantly asking Khoi about what he needed to do on the big day. "Do I need to wear ao dai?" the boy asked, his eyes filled with excitement. "I want to be handsome like you."

"You will be able to wear your own beautiful little ao dai, tailored for you," Khoi replied, stroking the boy's head affectionately. "You will definitely be the most handsome best man ever."

One evening, when the preparation work had temporarily stabilized, Hoai An and Khoi had a rare private time, sitting together on top of the lighthouse tower, watching the panoramic view of Ha Trieu village bathed in the warm lights of the houses preparing to welcome the upcoming important event.

"Are you nervous?" Khoi asked, putting his arm around her shoulders.

"Yes," Hoai An admitted, resting her head on his shoulder. "But it's a happy thrill, not a worry. I just hope the wedding day will go smoothly, so that everyone who has loved and supported us can fully enjoy this joy."

"I believe everything will be perfect," Khoi replied, gently kissing her hair. "Because we are surrounded by the love of so many people, from our families, to a whole community that is always ready to accompany us."

They sat there, quietly watching the light of the lighthouse sweep steadily across the night sky, feeling a deep peace at the threshold of a new chapter in life, built from love, truth, and a community full of love.

"Do you think father and Khiem will like this wedding?" Hoai An asked softly, after a moment of silence, knowing this was a sensitive question but also knowing Khoi was now strong enough to accept it gently.

"I'm sure so," Khoi replied, without hesitation, his voice filled with calm. "Father always wants him to find happiness, and Khiem will definitely like the bustling, joyful atmosphere of a big wedding like this. He has always been the one who likes to gather, likes to be in the middle of a noisy crowd."

"I wish I could meet them, even just once," Hoai An said, her voice filled with regret.

"I've met them, in a way," Khoi replied, smiling gently. "Through the stories you tell, through old photos, through the way my father built this place. They are always present, in every brick, every lamp, and in my heart when I love you."

Hoai An was moved by those words, she leaned her head on his shoulder, they both silently looked at the vast night sea, the sparkling starlight reflected on the water, and the lighthouse light still steadfastly shining, like an invisible connection between the past, present, and the future that they are building together.

"We should go down and rest," Khoi said after a while, stood up, and reached out to pull her up. "There's still a lot to prepare for tomorrow, and you need to stay healthy for the big day ahead."

Hoai An nodded, took his hand, and walked down the spiral staircase with him, leaving behind another peaceful night on top of the lighthouse, which had witnessed countless important moments in their love journey, and now, was preparing to witness another meaningful milestone.