Chapter 2 — The Poor and Honored Soldier

I thought: "No hurry, go to the airport first, the mission is the priority."
“Clear.”
The car quietly passed through the night. I leaned back in the chair and closed my eyes. It's been eight years. From new recruits to special forces soldiers, from special forces soldiers to assault squad leaders, from captains to... The things behind the scenes are so confidential that even my mother can't tell. She only knew that I was "demobilized". Actually, it's not demobilization, but a change to another method of performing tasks. The reason I was able to "go home and have a look" is because my superiors gave me seven days off. Seven days. First time in eight years. The results were only called back on the third day. But I'm used to it. Used to bearing everything alone. 【Chapter 2】 The mission lasted seventy-two hours. Details cannot be said. There can only be one result——perfect completion. There were no casualties. When I returned to the military headquarters with the smell of gun smoke, it was just dawn.
“Chief!” Chu Dinh ran over and handed over a hot towel, "Commander Trieu has been waiting for you. No matter what, I want to see you once today."
I wiped my face: "What's so urgent?"
“He didn't say anything, he just said… it was a family matter.”
I raised my eyebrows. Trieu Chan Quoc, sixty-three years old, commander of the Eastern Military Region, rank of major general. As the head of the military region, when you meet me—— You still have to greet me and call me chief. It's not because my military rank is higher than his. But because in the campaign five years ago, I pulled him and thirty-seven other comrades out of the pile of dead people. From then on, he recognized me as his "leader". Relationships between superiors and subordinates are one thing, lives are another. I changed into clean clothes and went to Trieu Chan Quoc's office. As soon as the door was pushed open, Mr. Trieu jumped up from behind the table and rushed forward like a ninety-pound artillery shell.
"Xuyen Tu! You're back! The kid is very good, will you be nice again this trip?"
"Stop patting," I dodged his hand as big as an incense fan, "just say something if you have something to say."
Trieu Chan Quoc rubbed his hands, looking embarrassed. A sixty-three year old major general standing in front of me looked exactly like an elementary school student who had just done something wrong.
"That thing... Xuyen T. Tu, it's like this."
He took a photo from the drawer and gave it to me. In the photo is a girl about twenty-five or twenty-six years old, wearing a military uniform, with a gentle and heroic appearance.
"My daughter, Trieu Cam Thu, just graduated from National Defense Science and Technology University last year and is currently working as a researcher at the Institute of Military Science."
I looked at him: “What happens after that?” Trieu Chan Quoc grinned: "He still doesn't have a lover."
“……”
"Xuyen Tu, I'll tell you, my daughter has a good personality, is gentle, and has a beautiful appearance. There's only one thing—high requirements. I've seen her seven or eight times and haven't paid any attention to anyone."
He stopped and lowered his voice: "It's been said, if you're looking for it, you have to find a real hero. The others don't consider it."
“Uncle Trieu.” I put the photo back on the table, "I'm not in the mood for love right now."
“Don't be so quick to refuse!” Trieu Chan Quoc put his hand firmly on my shoulder, "He will come home during Tet. We will meet once, only have one meal. I won't force you. If you don't like it, it's like making another friend."
“No need——”
“Xuan Tu.” Trieu Chan Quoc suddenly withdrew jokingly, looking at me seriously, "You haven't loved anyone in eight years. Don't you know how impatient your mother is?"
I was silent.
"You have contributed enough to your country. You should also think about your own affairs."
My fingers tapped on the table, saying nothing. Trieu Chan Quoc continued while he was still hot: "Furthermore, this Tet my daughter will return to her hometown. Guess where her hometown is?" I raised my eyes.
"Same district as you. Since he was a child, he grew up next to his grandmother. Later, the household registration moved."
This is truly a coincidence.
"You're also at home for Tet, right? I told Cam Thu to contact you, you two should get acquainted. Let's just decide like that!"
Without waiting for me to answer, he searched the drawer, copied a phone number and gave it to me.
"This is Cam Thu's phone number. The time she will come home is about the same as yours, the twenty-eighth day of December."
When he pushed me out of the office, I was still a bit bewildered. I came to report for duty. How did it turn out to be arranged to go on a blind date? What surprised me even more was—— The seven-day vacation hadn't ended yet, three days later I went home. The first thing my mother said was: "Xuyen Tu! Your aunt introduced you to someone again! The conditions are especially good! On the third day, eat at Vong Giang Lau!"
“Mom, last time at Vong Giang Lau——”
“The person from last time couldn't!” Mom waved her hand, "This time is different, it's the daughter of your aunt's colleague, working at the Institute of Military Science, very good!"
Institute of Military Science. The piece of paper with the phone number in my hand suddenly became hot.
“What is her name?”
“Trieu…… What is Trieu, that's right, Trieu Cam Thu.”
Very good. This is truly a fate that must be met. Third day of Tet. Still Vong Giang Lau. It's still the same private room. But the scale this time is completely different. Last time there were four people. This time——eight people.