Chapter 21 — When I Stop Being Invisible

The whole auditorium was silent.

"After that, the other company was in chaos. Because the eight departments suddenly had no one to do, processes stagnated, projects overlapped, and customers constantly complained. Only then did someone realize - it turned out that To Van had done so many things."

“But that's not the focus today.”

I looked down at the stands.

“The point is — there are many ‘Su Van’ in this world.”

"They may be working in your company, in a very ordinary position, but shouldering tasks far beyond their scope of responsibility. They don't compete for credit, don't complain, don't show off. They just work quietly."

"Until one day, they get fired, or burn out, or leave. Then the company realizes — the things that seemed to run on their own... never actually ran on their own."

"What Gian Chu Technology is doing... is to make the efforts of such people no longer forgotten. Using tools to clarify the process, so that each contribution can be traced, so that the 'To Van' in the business are no longer invisible people."

When the speech ended, the applause below rang out endlessly. As I stepped down from the podium, a woman in her forties approached. She dressed very simply, the corner of the phone screen was cracked. She said: "Boss To, I have worked as an administrator at a logistics company for nine years. No one has ever asked me what I did. After listening to you today..." She stopped for a moment.

“I want to quit my job.”

I looked at her.

"Whether you quit or not is not important. What's important is that you must understand where your true value lies."

She nodded, then turned and left. Vu Tieu Man stood next to me and whispered:

“Sister To, you said earlier, there were five people in the front row wiping tears.”

“Don't exaggerate.”

"It's true. I counted it."

That evening, returning to the company, I sat in the office, looking at the city through the glass window. Forty-five years old. Used to be an administrative specialist. Now the founder of a company valued at 300,000,000 yuan. Two years... to say long is not long, to say short is not short either. Just enough to turn a middle-aged woman who was fired from her job... into someone who can stand in front of three hundred people and speak calmly. But I understand— It wasn't those two years that changed me. Which is twelve years. The days in Hang Vien, the nights of overtime that no one saw, the times when it was considered non-existent, the self-editing processes, the self-arranged logic, the quietly cleaned up messes— Little by little, without missing anything, have become the path under my feet today. To Niem sent a message.

"Mom, I watched your speech video. The number of shares is huge."

I replied: “How big?”

“Mom went to the top of the search.”

“What?”

“The keyword 'Laid middle-aged woman builds a company valued at 300,000,000 yuan' is ranked top 7.”

I put down the phone. Things that have to come... will come sooner or later. Five years later. Gian Chu Technology completed capital round C, valued at 1,800,000,000 yuan. The number of customers exceeds 13,000. The team reaches 300 people. Tham Dich said he is preparing IPO procedures. I said no need to rush. To Niem passed the entrance exam to a very good university in the North, studying business administration. She said she would come back to help me later. I said just focus on studying first. Ha Kien Quoc has retired. Hang Vien Group under the management of Tran Loi is increasingly stable, with revenue doubling every year. They are one of Gian Chu's first and most loyal customers. Every time on my birthday, Co Vien Chu sends me a message:

“Miss To, your investment in Hang Vien that year was my highest profit.”

Every year I answer with three words:

“You are too complimentary.”

Ha Duy's Thien Vu Media has gone public. During the congratulatory party, he said the most successful investment decision of his life was not Thien Vu... but the angel investment in Gian Chu Technology. Vu Tieu Man is now COO of Gian Chu. Tieu Ly became Deputy General Director in charge of sales. Occasionally Tran Loi still stops by Gian Chu, always bringing braised meat cooked by his wife. After retiring, Ms. Liu went to Shenzhen to look after her grandchildren. One time, when she passed by my company, she stopped by to take a look. She whispered:

“To Van, your office now is much more majestic than the small corner in Hang Vien in the past.”

"Miss Luu doesn't know, sometimes I still miss that little corner."

She laughed. I also laughed. One Saturday afternoon, To Niem came home from school. Mother and daughter sat on the balcony of their new house. On the balcony there are a few betel pots. The afternoon sun shines down from the west, dyeing the whole wall yellow.

“If Hang Vien hadn't fired you that day, what do you think you would be doing now?”

I thought for a moment.

“Probably still there, working as an administrative specialist, taking care of eight departments, salary could increase to 160,000 yuan.”

“And then?”

"Then one day my mother retired, Ha Kien Quoc sent lucky money in the chat group, saying To Van had worked hard. Everyone received lucky money, said a few polite words... then mother just disappeared from the group."

To Niem was silent.

“But I don't regret those twelve years.”

“Why?”

"Because those twelve years turned me into a capable person. It's just that there, no one noticed."

A wind blew. The betel leaf shook gently.

“Are you happy now?”

I looked out the window at the city. The city I have lived in for twenty years. Where I once lost my marriage, lost my job, lost my self-esteem. But it was here that I raised a daughter, made trusted friends, and created a product trusted by 13,000 companies.

"Happy."

To Niem leaned her head on my shoulder.

“That's enough, Mom.”