Chapter 11 — The White Coat Oath

Two weeks after the conversation with his father, Khoa invited Yen to have dinner with his family, following Associate Professor Truong's sincere request. Yen stood in front of the villa gate, unable to hide her nervousness even though she told herself hundreds of times on the way there.

"Are you okay?" Khoa asked, realizing her hand was shaking slightly as she grabbed his sleeve.

"I've never introduced my boyfriend's family in this official way," Yen admitted, smiling wryly. "I'm afraid I'll do something rude."

"You'll be fine," Khoa reassured, gently squeezing her hand. "My parents will like you soon, I'm sure."

Dinner was much more cozy than Yen imagined. Khoa's mother, a gentle and sophisticated woman, asked Yen many things about work and family, without being judgmental or distant as Yen had feared before a family with high social status.

"I heard from Khoa, you are a doctor in the Emergency Department?" she asked, her eyes full of sympathy. "It must be very hard work."

"Yes, it's hard," Yen replied, gradually regaining her original naturalness. "But I love this job, because I believe speed and determination can save lives in the most important moments."

Associate Professor Truong, sitting opposite, listened attentively, his eyes full of appreciation. " Khoa told me about your family story. I really admire your determination to rise from a difficult situation to become such a good doctor."

"Thank you," Yen replied, touched by that sincerity. "I always believe that starting circumstances do not determine who we can become, only effort and determination can do that."

Those words made the whole table silent for a moment, each person absorbed it in their own way. Associate Professor Truong nodded, his eyes clearly showing respect for the young girl sitting in front of him.

"I want to thank you," he said, his voice serious but full of sincerity, "for accompanying Khoa during the recent difficult time. I know, without your support, perhaps my son would not have had the courage to face the truth and do the right thing."

"That's what we do together, sir," Yen replied, glancing at Khoa with warm eyes. "The department also gave me a great deal of motivation and confidence throughout that journey."

Khoa's mother smiled and added more food to Yen's bowl as if she had been a member of the family for a long time. "You eat a lot, don't be shy. You look so skinny, work must be very hard, right?"

"Yes, I'm used to it," Yen smiled, clearly feeling the sincere warmth in every small gesture. "But today's meal is so delicious, I will eat a lot."

The whole dining table burst out laughing at that cute response, the atmosphere became even more close and cozy like a real family that had known each other for a long time, not a nervous official launch like Yen had feared.

After dinner, when Yen was about to leave, Khoa's mother pulled her to a private corner and whispered with an affectionate expression. "I'm very happy that Khoa has found someone like you. Since he was little, he has always had to prove himself. We rarely see him truly comfortable and happy like this."

She led Yen near a small shelf in the living room, where a few family photos over the years were displayed. "Look at this photo," she pointed to a photo of Khoa as a child, his face so serious that it didn't look like a normal child. "Since he was little, he has always put pressure on himself, always wanting to do everything perfectly to not disappoint his father."

"I can imagine," Yen said, looking at the photo with affectionate eyes. "Faculty is always so meticulous and careful in his work."

"But since the day I met you," Khoa's mother continued, "I see that he smiles a lot more and dares to show his true feelings more. I'm really grateful to you for that."

Yen was touched by those sincere words of sharing, unable to control the emotions welling up in her heart. "I also learned a lot from Khoa, uncle. He taught me to be more careful, to consider more carefully before acting."

"I also appreciate Khoa very much, uncle," Yen replied, touched by that sincere sharing. "I hope we can continue to accompany each other on the journey ahead."

On the way to send Yen home, Khoa couldn't hide his happy smile. "You see, I told my parents would like you."

"Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be part of your warm family," Yen said, resting her head on his shoulder in a rare moment of peace amid the recent tumultuous days.

"My family is also your family," Khoa replied, holding her hand tightly. "From now on."

A few days after that dinner, Yen recounted the entire experience to her mother over the phone, her voice still filled with excitement. "Mom, Khoa's family is very good, not distant or disdainful like I feared."

"I'm happy for you," Yen's mother replied, her voice warm over the phone. "You deserve to be happy, after everything you've been through and tried for so many years."

"Mom, do you want to meet Khoa's family?" Yen asked, her voice slightly hesitant. "I think, maybe it's time for our two families to meet each other."

The other end of the line was silent for a moment, then Yen's mother replied, her voice somewhat worried. "I'm just afraid that their family has such a high status, will they look down on a mother like me who works as a fisherman?"

"Don't worry, Mom," Yen immediately reassured. "I've met them, they're not the type of people who judge others based on their appearance or background. Besides, I believe, you are the best mother that anyone should be proud of."

The conversation ended in warmth, both mother and daughter agreed to arrange an official meeting between the two families in the near future, marking another important step in the relationship between Yen and Khoa.

At the hospital, the working atmosphere gradually returned to normal after the turmoil of last week, although everyone could feel a subtle change taking place in the way both the Emergency Department and General Surgery departments operated. Inter-departmental consultations are held more frequently, and the spirit of cooperation and transparency is emphasized more clearly than before.

"Have you noticed," Yen said to Khoa on a rare afternoon when they were both free to eat together at the hospital cafeteria, "people seem to be more careful these days in keeping records, especially when counting surgical instruments."

"I also realize that," Khoa nodded, smiling slightly. "Perhaps, although Dr. Phat's case brought a lot of heartache, it also became a necessary wake-up call for the entire system."

"I hope, this is just the beginning of bigger changes," Yen said, her eyes filled with determination. "I heard your father is planning a project to completely reform the duty regime."

"That's right," Khoa confirmed. "Dad mentioned that he wanted to invite both of us to contribute ideas, based on the actual experiences of those directly working in that process."

Yen nodded, feeling a renewed excitement at the opportunity to directly contribute to a meaningful, long-term change for the entire health care system she is affiliated with.

"What do you think this project will focus on?" Yen asked, curious about the specifics.

"Dad said he would propose limiting the maximum number of continuous duty hours to sixteen hours, instead of the previous situation of thirty hours without a break," Khoa explained. "At the same time, the hospital will recruit more manpower to ensure enough people to cover shifts, avoiding overload on a small number of doctors."

"That's a big step forward," Yen commented, her eyes lighting up. "But there will certainly be a lot of opposition, because it involves the budget and working habits that have been ingrained for many years."

"Dad also predicted that," Khoa nodded. "But I believe, with specific evidence like Dr. Phat's case, it will be much easier to convince the board of directors than just talking about theory."

"I look forward to contributing to this," Yen said, her voice filled with determination. "If I can help change the system so that no one else has to go through what Dr. Phat and Ms. Tam had to endure, I am willing to spend all my free time for that."

Khoa looked at her, his eyes filled with admiration. "That's why I always believe you will become a doctor, and later an excellent medical leader, Yen. You always put the interests of patients and the system first."