Chapter 4 — The Poor and Honored Soldier

Vuong Giai frowned, clearly not understanding what Trieu Cam Thu was saying. But she heard some respect in the voice, and immediately felt uncomfortable.
“A campaign is no campaign at all,” Vuong Giai pouted, “even if he was a soldier, he is still just a discharged soldier, what future can he have——”
“Shut up.”
Trieu Cam Thu turned his head to look at her. His eyes turned cold. Just two words, but it seemed to carry an overwhelming, well-trained aura. Vuong Giai's words choked in his throat, his face turned red, he took a half step back. Grandmother Trieu Cam Thu quickly reconciled: "Cam Thu, don't be so picky with outsiders." Trieu Cam Thu withdrew his eyes and looked at me: "Ly Xuyen, I have many questions to ask you." I was silent for a few seconds. Then nodded: "Okay, but there are some things that cannot be said."
“I know moderation.”
The middle-aged man next to Vuong Giai felt the atmosphere was wrong and pulled her: "Let's go, don't embarrass yourself here." Her mother also shyly went out as well. But at the door, she turned her head to look at me, muttering a sentence: "There's nothing terrible about being a soldier, you're not a general..." This sentence wasn't loud, but everyone in the room heard it. The cup of tea in Trieu Cam Thu's hand was placed on the table with a "clack" sound. She didn't say anything, just took her phone out of her pocket and dialed a number.
"Dad."
Trieu Chan Quoc's energetic voice came from the other end of the line: "Cam Thu? What's wrong?"
“Dad, is it convenient for you to go to Vong Giang Lau today?”
"What's wrong? What's going on?"
Trieu Cam Thu looked at me, the corner of her lips curled slightly: "It's not a big deal, it's just—some people say being a soldier isn't terrible." The other end of the line was silent for two seconds. Then Trieu Chan Quoc's voice changed, carrying suppressed anger: "Who said?"
“It doesn't matter. Dad, are you free——”
“Ten minutes.” Trieu Chan Quoc's voice was as decisive as cutting iron, "I'll be there in ten minutes. Besides, I'll tell you, today I just heard that I'm having a meeting with Deputy Commander Chu at the army guesthouse next door. We'll both come together."
He paused for a moment, then added:
“That's right, Xuyen T. Tu is also there, right?”
"Have."
"Okay." There was suddenly an indescribable emotion in Trieu Chan Quoc's voice—like excitement, like... tension.
"Cam Thu, tell Xuyen T. Tu not to go. Dad has something important——no, he has... okay, let's meet and talk."
The phone is disconnected. Trieu Cam Thu put down the phone and looked at me. I leaned back in my chair, suddenly having a bad feeling. Trieu Chan Quoc's tone... Doesn't sound like he came to back him up. Which is more like—— Came to defend the whole situation. 【Chapter 3】 Ten minutes. It said it was ten minutes, but it was actually less than eight minutes. Because by the seventh minute, there was a commotion outside Vong Giang Lau. First was the sound of car brakes——not just one, but a whole series. Then there were footsteps. The sound of neat footsteps carries a clear rhythm. That rhythm, normal people cannot step out of. Only people in the military have that frequency. The private room window is directly opposite the hotel's main door. Trieu Cam Thu's aunt was the first to stand up and look outside, then her expression froze.
“Oh my god…… what kind of battle is this?”
My mother also stood up and looked outside. In front of the hotel there are three off-road vehicles with license plates The army stopped. The door of the first car opened, Trieu Chan Quoc's ninety-pound body jumped out, behind were two middle-aged men also wearing civilian clothes—but with that standing posture and aura, one could tell at a glance that they were at least a general officer or higher. From the car behind, four young soldiers wearing training uniforms stepped down, their backs straight, as if they were on duty. The hotel doorman was so scared that he stood there, not daring to move. Trieu Chan Quoc strode inside. The staff next to him stopped him: "Sir, may I ask you——" Trieu Chan Quoc didn't even look at it, just took out a certificate and shook it in front of his face. The employee's face immediately turned pale, his whole body quickly took a big step aside, his lips trembled. The private room door was pushed open. Trieu Chan Quoc appeared at the door. Today he was wearing a black dinner jacket, not a military uniform, but that murderous aura could not be hidden. Behind him were two people, one of whom I knew—Deputy Commander of the Eastern Military Region Zhou Hengzhi, also with the rank of major general. The three people just stood in the private room, the air seemed to freeze. My mother instinctively stood up, opened her mouth but couldn't say anything. Grandmother Trieu Cam Thu is an experienced person. She stood up to greet: "Is Chan Quoc coming? Quickly sit down." Trieu Chan Quoc did not sit. His eyes swept around the private room, then locked tightly on me. The next second, this ninety-pound major general stood straight and upright. Right hand raised, five fingers closed, placed close to the temple. A standard military salute.
“Hello, chief.”
The voice was so loud and shocking that the cups and plates in the room shook slightly. Chu Hang Chi behind him also immediately stood up and saluted: "Hello, boss!"