Chapter 7 — When I Don't Need Them Anymore

The day the results were announced, I was sitting in the hotel eating a sandwich I bought at the supermarket. Email pops up.

“Dear Ms. An Lac, congratulations on winning the silver prize in this year's youth jewelry design competition.”

Not a gold award. But the value of the silver prize in this competition is well understood by everyone in the world. Among those who have won silver awards over the years, at least half later became founders of their own brands. I put down the sandwich and sat in front of that small table. No cheering. Don't cry either. Just sit quietly for a long time. Three days later, a new email appeared in my inbox. The sender is an assistant of Lam Vuc studio.

"Dear Ms. An Lac, Mr. Lam Vuc saw your work 'Road Home' and was very interested in your design language. He invited you to the studio next week to discuss in person. Specific information is as follows."

I looked at that email. Read it again and again three times. Then press reply.

“Thank you. I will be on time.”

On the day of the meeting, Lam Vuc himself sat behind a long table in the studio. A man over sixty years old, white hair, wearing a rough shirt. His aura is so comfortable that it's not like someone who has won so many major awards. He flipped through my collection of works. One page at a time. Watch very slowly. After finishing watching, he raised his head to look at me.

“How many years have you studied design?”

“I never studied properly.”

“Self-groping.”

He was silent for a few seconds.

“Your clothes are very rough.”

"Proportions are problematic. Understanding of manufacturing techniques is also not enough."

I didn't speak up. He closed the collection of works.

“But your intuition is right.”

“Your ability to sense materials and forms… is not something that can be taught.”

He stood up.

"Stay. Start with an apprenticeship."

“The salary is just enough to eat.”

From that day, I became an apprentice in Lam Vuc's studio. Every morning I arrive at seven o'clock. At eleven o'clock at night, we returned to the hotel. Grinding metal, mixing materials, drawing and editing manuscripts... Whatever dirty or tiring work is done. Lam Vuc's teaching style is very simple. Don't preach morality. Direct correction only. It was normal for a design to be returned to him seven or eight times. But I never complained once. Compared to the five years at Co's house... These hardships are nothing. Three months later, I completed my first independently designed work. Lam Vuc took a look. No compliments. Just say three words.

“Watch it now.”

Hearing those three words come out of his mouth, all the apprentices in the studio turned to look at me. Expression like seeing a rare creature. Only later did I find out... The person he previously rated as "good enough" is now the design director of one of the ten largest jewelry brands in the world. Life just goes by. I used to think that the old people and stories in the country... Have completely turned over a new leaf. Until half a year later. The TV in the studio was broadcasting an industry news program. A clip from the brand launch appeared on the screen. The brand name is “Uyen Ninh Jewelry”. An emerging domestic design brand, pursuing the concept of “Oriental aesthetics”. To Uyen Ninh stood on stage wearing a white dress, gently talking about the brand philosophy.

“I have loved design since I was young, and over the years I have always learned and accumulated…”

Frame shifting to the main product she is introducing. A necklace. The petals are cascading, the lines are smooth, the base is structured like a blooming flower bud, holding the gem in a central position. My hand stopped. The structure of the base of that necklace... Exactly the same as a design I once kept in a drawer at the Co family's house, also the one that To Uyen Ninh once "saw". I stand in front of the TV. There were still people chatting around, some laughing. I said nothing. Just turn around and go inside, turn on the computer, and recall the file to save your design. Original creation date… Two years earlier than To Uyen Ninh's brand launch. I saved the entire file. Turn off the computer. Sit quietly for a moment. Now is not the right time. But this debt... I remember it well. Three months later, Lam Vuc called me into his office.

“At the fall jewelry show in Milan next month, I have three showrooms.”

"I'll give you a space. Use your own name to join."

I was stunned for a second. The entry threshold for this exhibition is extremely high. If you don't have at least five years of experience in the industry and representative works, it's basically impossible to get an exhibition space. Yet Lam Vuc gave his position to an apprentice who had not studied for a full year. It's almost unprecedented.

“Have you thought about what name to use yet?”