Chapter 17 — The New Marriage Digs the Truth

He bowed his head and after a long moment said: "Yes." Trieu Lam did not come. It is said that Mr. Luc took her to the suburbs to recuperate, and the Trieu family's affairs continue to be investigated. Because Lady Ha slandered the Kieu family's factory, she was cut off from Ton Thi's cooperation, and she was no longer as prestigious in the ladies' circle as before. The day Lam Chi failed to appeal, Luc Thua Nghien sent me a text message. "Uphold the verdict." I replied with two words. "I know." He won't bother me anymore. A year later, the Kieu family factory expanded, Ton Thi and Luc Thi both became long-term partners. I did not continue to hold Luc Thi's supervisory position, but nominated Aunt Tan. Old man Luc knew about it and smiled and said: "You really know how to dig the corner of the Luc family's wall." Aunt Tan stood next to me, a little embarrassed. "Old man, I just changed my workplace." I said: "Aunt Tan is good at supervising others, more suitable than me." Luc Thua Nghien also attended the expanded inauguration ceremony. He stood outside the crowd, not pushing in front. When the cut red silk ribbon fell, the workers clapped their hands, Kieu Yen threw the ribbon into the sky, my aunt scolded her for clumsy hands and feet while laughing without closing her mouth. General Manager Ton carried a cup of tea and walked to my side. "Miss Kieu, after today, no one in Giang Thanh will dare to say that the Kieu family relies on the Luc family anymore." I looked at the new sign hanging in front of the new factory door. "Relying on someone is not as good as relying on yourself." Luc Thua Nghien heard it and stood a few steps away, looking at me. After the ceremony ended, he gave me an old wooden box. "Grandpa told me to give it to you. The final compensation for the Tay Linh rescue team, the Luc family has fully compensated. Every family on the list has signed to receive it." I opened the box, inside was a thick stack of receipts, and also a letter from Quy Hoai Xuyen's mother. There were only a few lines in the letter. "Ninh Ninh, don't continue to be stuck in that mountain. If Hoai Xuyen were still alive, he would also hope that you would step forward." I closed the letter and didn't say anything for a long time. Luc Thua Nghien said: "Kieu Ninh, in the future I will not beg you to turn back again." I raised my eyes to look at him. He put his hands in his coat pockets, as if he had finally learned how to stand where he should stand. "The Luc lady will continue to investigate. The rest of the Trieu family, whoever touches something dirty, hand it over. My mother also signed a document relinquishing control of the Luc lady. Grandfather said he was sorry that she owed her money, and could not pay it off in this lifetime." "Then there is no need to pay back." I said. "Just don't continue to hurt people." He nodded. "Okay." Kieu Yen poked her head out from the factory door and called out: "Sister, taking pictures! If you don't come yet, I'll stand in the middle!" I walked over. My father stood under the sign with a cane, my mother adjusted his collar, and Aunt Tan was pushed to the front by the workers, with a mixture of panic and joy on her face. General Director Ton criticized the blinding sunlight but insisted on taking the umbrella from Kieu Yen's hand. Kieu Yen refused, the two argued like elementary school students. The photographer called out: "Everyone look over here." Before the shutter was pressed, Luc Thua Nghien stood far away and nodded slightly at me. I also nodded once. That is not forgiveness, nor is it starting over. But after the dust settles, give the past an hour to properly close the door. Afterwards, Lam Chi wrote several letters in prison, all of which I returned intact. Trieu Minh and the related Trieu family members were sentenced one after another, Lady Ha moved out of Giang Thanh, Trieu Lam no longer appeared in front of me. Before passing away, Mr. Luc handed over Luc Thi's clean portion to Luc Thua Nghien, and left a letter of apology to the family of the victim Tay Linh. That winter, I went to the cemetery north of the city once again. I ordered the first product sample that met the factory's standards

just in front of Quy Hoai Xuyen's grave. "Look, the Kieu family is alive again." The wind blew through the pine branches, the confetti gently shook. I turned around and went down the mountain, at the foot of the mountain parked the Kieu family's car. Kieu Yen lay on her stomach by the window and waved at me. My mother criticized her for letting the cold wind blow in so she raised her hand and patted the back of her head. My father sat in the passenger seat, holding a thermos in his lap, saying he had stewed the soup today and could drink it when he got home. I smiled and walked over. Before, I used to think the truth was the end point. Later I learned that the truth was just moving the rock that was pressing on me away. People still have to stand up, eat, sleep, make money, and live glorious days. When Giang Thanh snow fell, the lights in the Kieu family's new factory turned on one after another. Those who once looked down on me could only finally raise their heads to look at the sign I hung up by myself. Kieu Ninh. Not anyone's grandmother, not anyone's dependent. It's Kieu Ninh of the Kieu family.