Chapter 13 — Wind and Snow Falling, Ancient People Return

Sealing Notice

Before meeting Bach Du to share about the letter he had just found, Diep Khanh received an even bigger shock. For more than a week since the first threatening call, everything seemed to have calmed down — no one called back, no more documents were sent — to the point where she dared to hope that the company had withdrawn those unreasonable demands. But that silence, it turned out, was just the silence before a much heavier blow. On the first Monday morning of the week, a bailiff and a legal representative of Van Hoa Cao Nguyen appeared in front of the store and handed her an official document, stamped in solemn red.

"Ms. Vu Diep Khanh, this is an official notice that our company will conduct procedures to request the handling of mortgaged assets according to the signed contract, due to your party's breach of payment obligations beyond the prescribed time limit." The legal representative read clearly, his voice cold and without any emotion. "Within fourteen days from today, if you do not fully pay the debt according to the invoice sent, we will request the competent authority to seal the assets and organize an auction in accordance with the law."

Diep Khanh held the document in her hand, her fingers trembled with each line, her knees suddenly wanted to collapse right in the middle of the shop. She skimmed through the legal text, trying to understand the meaning of each sentence, but her mind was too chaotic to fully accept it.

"This is absurd. I have never confirmed that this amount is correct. The invoice has many irregularities that I have reported to your company before." Diep Khanh tried to keep her voice calm, but her hands shook uncontrollably.

"You have the right to complain according to the legal process, but while waiting for the complaint to be resolved, the payment deadline is still valid according to the signed contract." The legal representative responded mechanically, then left with the bailiff, leaving Diep Khanh standing still in the middle of the flower shop, the document trembling in her hand.

Lam Tuyen had just arrived at work and saw her friend's pale face and immediately ran to help her. "What's going on? Sit down, your face is so pale."

Diep Khanh showed the document to her friend, her voice choked. "They plan to seal the shop, Tuyen. In fourteen days, if I don't pay the full amount, they will auction this shop."

"What?" Lam Tuyen shouted, skimming through the text, her face also changed color. "No, we have to do something now, we can't let this happen. Call Viet Bang immediately."

Diep Khanh called lawyer Duong Viet Bang immediately, her voice filled with panic as she recounted the entire incident. Viet Bang, even though he had another work session, immediately arranged to go to the flower shop within half an hour later.

"Let me review this document." Viet Bang read each line carefully, his face became serious. "They're moving faster than I expected. Fourteen days is too quick to complete all objection procedures fully, but it's not impossible."

"So what to do now?" Diep Khanh asked, his voice full of despair.

"First, you will file an official complaint with the competent authority, requesting a temporary suspension of mortgage handling procedures while reviewing the legality of the terms of the contract." Viet Bang explained, his voice trying to keep a firm tone to reassure Diep Khanh, even though in his heart he also understood that this was not an easy battle. "At the same time, we need to collect more evidence about fraudulent invoices and that this company has signs of systematic fraud. If we can prove that, the possibility of the contract being declared invalid will be higher."

Diep Khanh nodded, even though her heart was still filled with worries. She told Viet Bang about the letter and the bracelet she found, about the suspicion related to Ta Bao Tram, although she still did not know exactly whether the connection between Bao Tram and Van Hoa Cao Nguyen company really existed or not.

"If it's as you suspect, finding the connection between this person and the flower supply company will be an important key to turning the situation around." Viet Bang took notes, his eyes flashing with determination. "Let me try to find out more about the true ownership structure of Van Hoa Highlands and see if I can discover anything."

Before leaving, Viet Bang also advised a few more things related to the complaint process, and promised to contact as soon as there were results from the authorities. Diep Khanh saw him out the door, her face still showing signs of anxiety, but at least, she had a specific direction to stick to in the midst of this panic. She turned inside and looked around the flower shop, her eyes stopping at every small, familiar corner: the wooden counter where her mother had stood to receive customers for more than twenty years, the display shelves that were discolored by time, the backyard where she still planted pots of wildflowers. The thought that all of this could disappear in just a few days made her chest tighten to the point of suffocation.

That afternoon, news that Diep Suong shop was in danger of being sealed spread quickly in the Xuan Huong street area, because a few neighbors accidentally witnessed the bailiff coming to hand over documents. That news, not long after, also reached Bach Du's ears, when Minh Lam hurriedly ran into his office.

"Bach Du, I just heard the news, Diep Khanh's flower shop is about to be sealed, in fourteen days if the debt is not paid in full." Minh Lam said, his voice urgent.

Bach Du stood up from his chair, his face changed color. "Where did you hear that from? Are you sure?"

"I heard from the people around there, they were talking loudly all afternoon." Minh Lam nodded in confirmation. "It seems the situation is much more urgent than we thought."

Bach Du clenched his fists, his mind reeling with a series of thoughts. He knew he could no longer continue to stand outside and silently observe like the past few days. There was no longer any time to collect evidence slowly and carefully as originally planned. If you don't act now, within just two weeks, Diep Suong flower shop, the only legacy that Diep Khanh's mother left behind, may forever fall into the hands of scammers.

"You have to go see her right away." Bach Du said, his voice full of determination, reaching for his coat hanging on the chair.

"What are you going to say to her? Should we also talk about the suspicion related to Bao Tram?" Minh Lam asked, his eyes worried.

"No, the information is not yet solid enough. I don't want to make an unfounded accusation that could make things more confusing." Bach Du shook his head and walked quickly to the door. "But at least, you have to let her know you're willing to help, whether she wants to accept that help or not."

He drove to Diep Suong shop as soon as it got dark, the yellow lights from the ancient lampposts on Xuan Huong Street began to shine, casting long shadows on the dew-wet sidewalk. When he entered the shop, Diep Khanh was sitting alone at the counter, her face etched with extreme fatigue and anxiety, her eyes red from crying.

"I heard the news." Bach Du said, his voice was low, filled with sincere concern that could no longer be hidden. "You don't have to face this alone."

Diep Khanh looked up at him, her eyes filled with fatigue and something unclear whether it was hope or vigilance still remained. "What are you doing here? This is none of your business."

"I don't care if it's your business or not." Bach Du stepped closer, his voice more determined than ever. "I just know, I can't stand by and watch you bear everything alone when I have the ability to help. Diep Khanh, let me help you, at least this time."

Diep Khanh looked at him silently, the layers of defense she had tried to build over the past few days suddenly shook violently at the sincerity evident in his eyes. She wanted to refuse, wanted to maintain the independence she had tried to build over the past five years, but deep in her heart, she also understood that it would be difficult for her alone to deal with such a carefully prepared and sophisticated force.

"I'm scared." Finally, she blurted out what she had been holding back all afternoon, her voice trembling, no longer able to maintain her usual toughness. "I'm afraid I'll lose the flower shop, afraid I'll disappoint my mother, afraid everything she left behind will disappear just because of a moment of carelessness on my part when signing that contract."

Bach Du stepped closer, not touching her but standing close enough for her to feel the warmth from him amidst the coldness of the Da Lat evening creeping through the door that was left ajar. "I'm not careless. I'm just trying my best to keep the most important things in my life, while having to shoulder too many things at the same time. No one can blame me for that, not even Ms. Yen, if she were still here, she would definitely tell me the same thing."

Those words, although simple, had incredible soothing power, causing the tears Diep Khanh had been holding back since the beginning of the afternoon to finally roll down her cheeks. She didn't say anything more, just nodded slightly, as a tacit acceptance that this time, she would not refuse the hand that was reaching out to help her.