Chapter 12 — The Summer Contract of Western Beauty and Beasts

In Saigon, after the wedding with Nha Khanh could not take place as planned, Lam Viet Cuong initially did not care much, thinking that the girl was too scared to run away, and sooner or later she would return on her own or be recaptured by the huge debts hanging over her head. But as time passed, there was no news about Nha Khanh for months, and he began to feel uneasy. Although the share transfer had been completed on paper, the huge debt in her name could not be recovered, and above all, her mysterious disappearance made him fear that she might be secretly trying to collect evidence to denounce their conspiracy.

Trinh Khac Sang was also not much more patient. During a meeting in his private office, the atmosphere was much more tense than previous times.

"Have you found any clues about that girl?" Trinh Khac Sang raised his voice and tapped his fingers hard on the table. "It's been half a year, can we just let it disappear like that? That debt can't be recovered, I also lost everything, not just you."

"I've already sent people to look everywhere," Viet Cuong replied, his voice somewhat annoyed. "But that girl is too careful, doesn't use old phones, doesn't contact friends or relatives, even Mr. Phong said he doesn't know where his daughter is, but looking at his face, I believe it's true."

"Then we have to find another way," Trinh Khac Sang squinted his eyes, his expression calculating. "That girl is from a young lady's family, used to living happily, and has no special survival skills. She can't completely disappear without a trace. Try checking again to see if there have been any unusual expenses related to the Duong family recently, even the smallest."

Viet Cuong thought for a moment, then suddenly remembered something. "Ah, there's one thing. A few months ago, a small amount of money was withdrawn from Nha Khanh's private savings account, an account that I didn't know about at first. I discovered it thanks to searching through bank records when preparing transfer documents. The withdrawal transaction took place at an ATM in the Lam Dong plateau area, right after the night she disappeared."

Trinh Khac Sang curled his lips and smiled coldly. "So there's a clue. The Lam Dong plateau is vast, but it's not impossible to trace. Send people up there, inquire at bus stations, areas with large numbers of people renting rooms or working on a seasonal basis. That young lady will definitely leave a trace somewhere, it's just that no one has taken the trouble to look carefully."

A few days later, two strange men appeared in the town near Doi Suong farm, dressed normally like tourists, but constantly asking local people about a young girl, slim, looking like a city lady, who had just appeared in the area about half a year ago. News of the two strangers asking for information quickly spread throughout the small community, reaching the ears of the old lady selling sticky rice at the bus station - the person who gave Nha Khanh directions on the first day she set foot in this land.

By chance, the old lady knew a distant relative of Uncle Sau Lanh, and during a chat at the market, she mentioned two strangers asking for information about a young girl, making that relative immediately think of Nha Khanh, and hastily reported it to Uncle Sau.

"Son, I heard the bad news," Uncle Sau said, his voice full of worry as he pulled Bach Son to a corner of the yard to talk privately, away from the earshot of Nha Khanh who was busy in the kitchen. "There are two strangers who are asking around town about a girl who looks exactly like Nha Khanh, who just appeared in the area about half a year ago."

Bach Son was stunned, his face immediately darkened. "Do you know who they are and where they come from?"

"I'm not sure, I just heard that they dressed like city people, asked questions very carefully, and even gave money to a few people to find out information." Uncle Sau shook his head. "I don't think it's okay at all. You should be careful. There's something to tell her just in case."

Bach Son nodded, his heart heavy with worry. During the past few months, since the day Nha Khanh moved in with her, he had almost forgotten some of the potential danger behind her story, when everyday life passed more peacefully and warmer than he had ever imagined. Now, the harsh reality reminds him that the danger that Nha Khanh once ran from had never really disappeared, it was only temporarily silent, waiting for the opportunity to return.

That night, after Tue An fell asleep, Bach Son went to Nha Khanh and told him everything Uncle Sau had just reported. After listening, Nha Khanh's face turned pale, her hands trembled slightly, the tea cup in her hand almost fell to the floor.

"They... they found this far?" she asked, her voice cracking with panic. All the memories of the night she ran away, of Trinh Khac Sang's cold voice on the phone from years ago rushed back into her head like a nightmare that had never gone away.

"Not sure if they've found out exactly where you are," Bach Son reassured, his voice trying to stay calm even though his heart was no less worried. "But we need to be more careful from now on. You should limit going out of town alone, let me or Uncle Sau take care of all the shopping. If anyone strange appears nearby, please notify me immediately."

Nha Khanh nodded, but the fear still did not subside in her heart. She looked down at her hand, where the simple wedding ring was still there, and suddenly realized that, no matter how many warm and precious things this life had brought her, she still could not truly escape the shadow from the past that was quietly following her, just waiting for the slightest loophole to collapse, sweeping away everything she had tried to rebuild from the beginning.

That night, she couldn't sleep. She sat up, opened the old phone still hidden in the bottom of her suitcase, dialed Ha Bich Tram's number - the first call she made since leaving Saigon, breaking the rule of absolute silence she had set for herself for the past half a year.

"Nha Khanh! Oh my god, is it really you?" Bich Tram's voice broke on the other end of the line, both happy and choked. "I've been looking for you for half a year now, and your dad's worried like crazy. Where have you been that you haven't been able to see?"

Nha Khanh choked up, briefly telling her friend about what happened — about Viet Cuong's plot, about the huge debt, about the escape journey to the plateau, about the new marriage with Bach Son. Bich Tram listened silently, occasionally letting out sad sighs.

"So someone is looking for you there now?" Bich Tram asked, her voice worried. "You have to be careful, that guy Viet Cuong and that guy Trinh Khac Sang are not the same type. Let me try to secretly find out more about what they are planning. If I have any clues, I will let you know right away."

"Thank you," Nha Khanh said, holding the receiver tightly as if holding a close friend's hand over the phone line. "I'm sorry for disappearing so suddenly. I didn't dare contact anyone for fear of getting involved."

"Don't say that, friends are meant to take care of each other in times of trouble," Bich Tram replied, her voice resolute. "You can rest assured there, take care of your new family, let me take care of this part. If anything happens, I will contact you through this number. Remember to keep your phone safe and don't let it leak out."

Hanging up the phone, Nha Khanh sat quietly in the darkness, both relieved to have found a fulcrum from the old world and more worried than ever at the prospect of danger getting closer and closer. She looked out the window, where Doi Suong farm was still in the quiet darkness, and silently prayed that this fragile peace would last a while longer, enough for her and Bach Son to mentally prepare to face what was about to come.

The next morning, she told Bach Son about the call with Bich Tram, about how her father had been worriedly looking for her day and night for the past half a year. Hearing that, Bach Son pondered for a moment and then spoke, his voice unusually serious.

"Maybe it's time for you to let dad know you're okay, even though you can't specify the exact location yet," he said. "As a parent, there is nothing more heartbreaking than not knowing how your child is living or dying. I understand that feeling better than anyone."

Nha Khanh looked at him, her heart filled with deep gratitude for that understanding. She nodded, thinking, perhaps it's time for her to face her past more proactively, instead of forever hiding in fear, especially now that she's no longer alone to bear it all alone. She asked Bich Tram to convey a message to her father through a safe indirect channel, just a few words of peace, not daring to reveal any more details, but it was enough to relieve some of the burden of guilt that had been weighing her down for the past half a year.