Chapter 17 — Wedding Day Without Bride

"The appraisal stamp your mother left behind, along with a letter she wrote to you. I originally planned to wait for you to return to Nam Thanh before giving it to you, but when I saw the news last night, I couldn't wait any longer."

Khuong Van opened the wooden box. Inside is a green stone seal with three words "Khuong Van Duong" engraved on the base. Next to it there is also an old recording pen. Aunt Lam said: "Before she passed away, my mother always suspected that Do Minh Vien had swapped her early paintings. Without evidence, she had to hand over a part of the appraisal file to me for safekeeping." Aunt Trieu patted her thigh:

"No wonder that guy named Do was so eager to steal the painting 'Xuan Son Vu Hau'."

Khuong Van picked up a recording pen:

“Is he in here?”

Aunt Lam nodded:

"There is Do Minh Vien, there are also members of the Pho family. Three years ago, when the Pho family was not completely bankrupt, Pho's mother came to see my mother, wanting to buy some paintings to resell at cheap prices. My mother refused."

Khuong Van's knuckles paused:

“I don't know about this.”

"At that time I was busy taking care of Pho Thinh Lan. My mother felt sorry for me, so she didn't say anything."

Khuong Van pressed the recording pen. Mother's familiar voice rang out: *"Do Minh Vien, when you learn to draw, you have to learn to be a human being first. You take my manuscript to exchange money, I can give you a chance. Next time you touch Khuong Van's things, I will report to the police."* Next was Do Minh Vien's slightly younger voice: *"Teacher, I'm just short of money."* The recording switched to another part. Pho's mother's voice was bitter: *"Teacher Khuong, the Pho family is having a difficult time, just borrowed two paintings to turn around the capital for a little bit, wait for us to turn around and return them."* Mom said: *"The paintings are not yours."* Pho's mother sneered: *"Khuong Van will have to marry into the Pho family in the future, sooner or later her things will belong to the Pho family."* The recording ended here. No one in the room spoke. Aunt Lam looked at Khuong Van:

"Van Van, it's not like your mother didn't leave a way out for you. At the Nam Thanh Institute of Fine Arts, she still has a position left for you. Three years ago something happened to you, no one dared to force you to return."

Khuong Van tightened the green stone seal:

“Auntie Lam, I'm going back now, is it still time?”

Aunt Lam smiled:

"That position has been vacant for three years. Some people curse, some people compete, but your mother's name dominates there, no one can sit on it."

Outside the door suddenly came the sound of car brakes. Pho Thinh Lan rushed into the yard, his face extremely ugly:

“Van Van, Hua Tri Ha has been released.”

Aunt Trieu frowned:

“Wasn't she taken away?”

Pho Thinh Lan said: "She always feels guilty that everything was arranged by Do Minh Vien, she was just taken advantage of. There is no direct evidence, it is not possible to detain her for the time being." Khuong Van raised her head. Pho Thinh Lan saw Aunt Lam and the wooden box, her eyes stopped:

“Who is this?”

Auntie Lam evaluated him from top to bottom:

"I'm the one who watched Khuong Van grow up. Mr. Fu, I've admired this great name for a long time."

This sentence "admiring the great name" is even more serious than swearing. Pho Thinh Lan stood there awkwardly:

"Hua Tri Ha just texted me, saying she has another painting of Khuong's aunt in her hand. If Khuong Van doesn't dismiss the complaint, she will destroy it."

Khuong Van stood up:

“Which one?”

Deputy Auditor Lan held out her phone. In the photo is a half-painted portrait, the girl in the painting has her hair tied in a ponytail, sitting under a pomegranate tree in the yard. It was Khuong Van's 16th birthday gift, a half-painted picture her mother had drawn. Khuong Van looked at the photo, her eyes finally cold. Hua Tri Ha's message popped up again: *"Bao Khuong Van came alone. If he didn't come for half an hour, I made a first cut."* * The abandoned gallery is located on an old street in the north of the city.