Chapter 30 — Unclosed Profile

Five years later.

The city's forensic examination center now has an in-depth training program called "Reaching the Truth", founded and directly taught by Thao Vy herself, which has trained dozens of generations of talented and dedicated young forensic scientists. She, now the center director, still maintains the same simple, approachable demeanor as when she first entered the profession.

On the first morning of the week, she stood in the main laboratory, holding a new file, preparing for a teaching session with a new class of students. Her and Bao Nam's three-year-old son, Minh Quan, ran around the waiting room, holding a toy magnifying glass, imitating his mother "examining" the small toys on the table.

"Quan, you're playing with my things again," Thao Vy smiled, picked up her son, and gently kissed his cheek. "Do you want to become a forensic scientist like mom in the future?"

"I want to be like both mom and dad!" Little Quan replied with a clear smile that made Thao Vy unable to help but laugh happily.

Bao Nam, now the head of the criminal police department, walked into the laboratory, carrying a bag of breakfast for the whole family. "Are you two busy again early?" he asked, placing the bag of food on the table, then gently kissing his wife and son's foreheads.

"Dad, I just found a fake fingerprint on this cup!" Little Quan showed off, holding up a plastic toy cup full of scribbled ink stains for his father to see.

"Very good, my son has the genetic talent from his mother," Bao Nam smiled, stroking his son's head affectionately.

At noon, Minh Duc - now the head of the cyber security department, specializing in high-tech cases - stopped by the center with his wife, a young lawyer whom he met and loved during the process of coordinating a complex case a few years ago.

"Miss Vy, look, I just developed a new data analysis software that can help compare evidence much faster than before," Minh Duc said, opening his laptop to show off his latest achievement.

"Very impressive," Thao Vy commented, looking over the software interface with interest. "You're getting better and better in this field."

"It's all thanks to the valuable experience from the old case," Minh Duc replied, smiling, his eyes shining with pride at the journey he had gone through with his close teammates.

In the afternoon, Thao Vy received a call from a law university, inviting her to share her experiences with final-year students in a seminar on professional ethics in the field of criminal forensics. She accepted immediately, always finding special joy in inspiring the younger generation.

At a seminar held a few days later, a young student raised his hand to ask, his eyes full of curiosity. "Miss Vy, what helped you persistently pursue the truth for twelve years, even when no one believed in your hypothesis?"

Thao Vy smiled, her eyes distant, recalling the entire tumultuous journey she had gone through. "I think the most important thing is to always believe in objective evidence, in your own professional conscience, even when the road ahead is full of doubts and difficulties," she replied, her voice full of experience. "The truth, no matter how long it is buried, will eventually find light, if we are persistent enough to search for it."

After the seminar, another student, a petite girl with worried eyes, approached approached Thao Vy when everyone gradually left. "Miss Vy, my family also had an unsolved case that lasted for many years. I don't know where to start to find justice for my family."

Thao Vy looked at the young girl, her eyes filled with deep sympathy as she remembered herself in the confused and lost years before. "Can you tell me the details?" she asked, her voice warm, pulling out a chair to invite the girl to sit down and chat more.

After listening to the girl's story, Thao Vy wrote down the phone number, promising to help connect with the investigation team in charge of outstanding cases that Bao Nam is currently in charge of. "Never give up hope," she said, squeezing the young girl's hand encouragingly. "She is living proof that, no matter how long it takes, the truth can always be found, as long as we are persistent enough."

"Thank you very much," the young girl replied, her eyes shining with hope for the first time after a long time of despair.

Looking at the figure of the young girl leaving with a new ray of hope, Thao Vy felt strangely warm in her heart. This is the deepest reason why she always takes the time for sharing sessions like this — not only to impart professional knowledge, but also to give hope, so that no family has to feel alone in their own journey of seeking justice.

That evening, when she returned home — a cozy little house not far from the old neighborhood where she grew up, where the whole family often gathered every weekend — Thao Vy sat at the dining table with her husband, son, and mother who had stopped by for dinner. Bustling laughter echoed throughout the small house, a simple but warm scene, more complete than anything she had ever dared to dream of.

After dinner, when little Quan fell asleep, Thao Vy sat alone at her old desk and reopened the small wooden box where she kept all the files and notebooks that had accompanied her throughout her journey to seek justice. She turned over the pages that had yellowed over time, rereading the first words she wrote on the fateful night of discovering that wooden necklace.

"I did it, Dad," she whispered, tears of happiness rolling down her cheeks. Not through cruel revenge, but through perseverance, integrity, and an undying belief in justice. She not only found the truth and won justice for her father, but also built a life more fulfilling and meaningful than anything she ever dared to dream of.

Bao Nam entered the room, gently sat down next to his wife, put his arm around her and hugged her. "What are you thinking?" he asked, his voice gentle.

"I'm thinking about the journey I've been through," Thao Vy replied, leaning her head on her husband's shoulder, "and feeling extremely grateful to have you, to have my family, to have all the people I love by my side."

"Me too," Bao Nam said softly, squeezing his wife's hand tighter. "That day, when you brought the old file to meet me for the first time, I couldn't have imagined that we would go this far - not only solving a seemingly deadlocked case, but also building a home like now."

"Do you still remember that evening?" Thao Vy looked up at her husband, the corners of her mouth curved up full of nostalgia.

"How could I forget," Bao Nam smiled, his eyes were as gentle as the first days they met. "At that time I just thought, this is a tough female forensic scientist initially, refusing to give up even though all the initial evidence was against her hypothesis. I didn't expect that it was that stubbornness that made me fall in love with you, and then love you."

"And now, we have a happy little family together," Thao Vy whispered, her eyes shining with indescribable happiness. "The road ahead is still long, but I believe, as long as I have you and my children by my side, all difficulties will be overcome."

Bao Nam gently kissed his wife's forehead and said nothing more. There are moments when silence contains more love than any words.

Outside the window, gentle moonlight illuminates the familiar small street, which has witnessed Thao Vy's entire journey of growing up - from the early days of confusion and suffering, to the perfect happiness of today. The story of a file that has not been closed for twelve years has now truly ended with the most complete ending possible - a living proof that the truth, no matter how long it is buried, will eventually be found by those who are resilient enough to never stop searching.

The next morning, when Thao Vy woke up, the morning sunlight shone through the window, dyeing the whole small room yellow. Baby Quan ran into the room at some point, climbed onto the bed between his parents, giggling happily. Bao Nam opened his eyes, looked at mother and child with eyes full of love, then the three of them walked downstairs together, preparing for a new day full of work, plans, and above all, the simple but complete happiness of a family that had overcome all challenges together to find true peace.

Before leaving home, Thao Vy stopped by her old desk and looked at the small wooden box one last time before closing the door. She smiled, clearly feeling that even though twelve years of waiting had passed, the journey to find the truth was not in vain - it taught her that the true value of justice lies not only in punishing the wicked, but also in the ability to heal, mend, and give hope to those who are still on their own journey of finding answers - a journey that she, now, is ready to accompany anyone who needs it, with all her experience and perseverance. perseverance and a kind heart that she has cultivated throughout her life.

END.