Chapter 22 — Wind and Snow Falling, Ancient People Return

Healing Afternoon Tea

Every night, Ngo Thuc Van tossed and turned until dawn. She lay there, looking at the dark ceiling, her ears still echoing the words her son often repeated every time she came by: "I hope mom can give Diep Khanh a chance." After the evening by the lake that her son told her about, she spent many days thinking about everything that had happened, unable to get rid of the tormenting feeling of knowing that, even if unintentionally, she had also contributed a small part to the series of misunderstandings that kept her son and Diep Khanh apart for five years. She went to the tea shop of her closest friend, Ve Thi Doan, the person she often confided in whenever something bothered her.

The small tea shop is located on a quiet slope near Xuan Huong street, the space is cozy with rustic wooden tables, and the faint scent of lotus tea spreads throughout the space. Ve Thi Doan, who has known Ngo Thuc Van more than twenty years ago, when they were both young women just getting married in this city, is always a patient listener whenever her friend needs to share.

Ngo Thuc Van sat down on the familiar rattan chair by the window, where she often sat every time she visited the restaurant during her more than twenty years of friendship with Thi Doan. Outside, the afternoon mist was beginning to spread lightly over the slope, covering the rooftops looming in the distance, creating a scene that was both familiar and evoked in her heart an indescribable contemplation.

"You don't look well these days, is something bothering you?" Thi Doan asked, pouring a cup of hot tea and giving it to her friend.

Ngo Thuc Van took a sip of tea, sighed, then told the whole story, from her son meeting his old love again, to the newly revealed secrets about Bao Tram's role in both the past and present, and even her own regret when she realized she had unintentionally contributed to the pain of the two children.

"I think, if that day I hadn't advised my son to respect Diep Khanh's decision, maybe Bach Du wouldn't have gotten on that flight, maybe the two of us wouldn't have been apart for such a long five years." Ngo Thuc Van said, her voice full of self-blame.

"Don't torment yourself so much." Thi Doan held her friend's hand, her voice was gentle but full of understanding. "You didn't know the other person's evil intentions in advance. You were just trying to do what you thought was best for your son at that time."

"But if you didn't take family registration too seriously and weren't too worried about little Diep Khanh's family situation, maybe you wouldn't have believed Bao Tram's words so easily." Ngo Thuc Van shook her head, her eyes were sad. "I think, perhaps my prejudice is also part of the reason why things get worse."

Thi Doan was silent for a moment, thinking carefully before speaking. "Miss Van, I've known you for a long time. I know you're someone who always loves your children very much. It's just that sometimes that love makes you worry too much, leading to decisions that aren't entirely right. But the most important thing right now is not tormenting about the past, but what you will do next to fix everything."

"What do you think you should do?" Ngo Thuc Van asked, her eyes filled with a wish for sincere advice, her hands clasped tightly around the cup of tea that was gradually cooling on the table.

"Go see little Diep Khanh, talk frankly with her, apologize for what happened, even if it was unintentional." Thi Doan said, her voice was firm. "That child has suffered too much over the past time, both emotionally and in business matters. If you truly want your son to be happy, the first thing you need to do is remove old prejudices and sincerely accept him, instead of continuing to stand in the position of a mother who is always probing and obstructing."

Thi Doan poured a new cup of tea and pushed it towards her friend, her voice was gentle but determined. Those words seemed to awaken something deep in Ngo Thuc Van's heart, making her realize that over the years, she had focused too much on external values such as family and status, forgetting the most important thing in a relationship, which is always the sincerity and true love between two people.

The next morning, Ngo Thuc Van decided to go to Diep Suong shop, unannounced, bringing a small box of cakes as a gesture of reconciliation. When she walked in, Diep Khanh was busy preparing flowers for an order. When she saw her appear, she was a bit surprised, but still politely greeted her.

"Hello." Diep Khanh said, his hand still not leaving the cut flower branches, somewhat cautious because he did not know what the purpose of this surprise visit was.

"I'm here, I want to talk to you about something." Ngo Thuc Van placed the cake box on the counter, her voice was much gentler than the strict attitude that Diep Khanh had witnessed before. "I know, I have had incorrect prejudices towards you for many years, and I also unintentionally contributed to the misunderstandings that drove you and Bach Du apart. I came here, I want to sincerely apologize to you."

Diep Khanh stood speechless, not expecting that the woman who always maintained a stern and aloof expression could say such sincere words. She put down the pruning shears and listened attentively.

Ngo Thuc Van took a deep breath, as if trying to gather all his remaining courage. "She doesn't have bad intentions, she just always worries about her son, afraid that he will suffer disadvantages in life." Ngo Thuc Van continued, her voice filled with sincerity. "But now, knowing the whole truth, I realize that what you have endured over the past five years is much greater than what I ever worried about for my son. I hope you can forgive me for my unintentional mistakes."

Diep Khanh was silent for a moment, the years of being looked at with judgmental eyes, the times of intentionally keeping distance from the woman in front of her flashed through her mind. But when she saw her hands clasped together on the counter - a gesture completely foreign to her usual dignified appearance - she understood that this apology was not easy for someone like her who always values face. She smiled gently and nodded. "I don't blame you. I understand, you were just doing what a mother should do to protect her child. The real person to blame is Bao Tram, who deliberately took advantage of people's trust to carry out evil intentions."

"Thank you for understanding me." Ngo Thuc Van held Diep Khanh's hand, her eyes filled with warmth that she had never seen before. "From now on, I hope we can restart this relationship in a better way. If you and Bach Du decide to get back together, I will wholeheartedly support it, without any further objections."

Hearing those words, Diep Khanh couldn't help but fall, but this time they were tears of happiness and relief. She held Ngo Thuc Van's hand tightly, feeling a warm connection gradually forming between the two, a new relationship, no longer covered by prejudices or misunderstandings of the past, but built on a foundation of sincerity and mutual understanding.

That afternoon, when Bach Du stopped by the flower shop as usual, he couldn't help but be surprised to see his mother sitting and chatting happily with Diep Khanh at the small table next to the counter. The two women enjoyed the cup of tea and cake his mother brought together. The atmosphere in the shop was filled with warmth that he had never dared to dream of.

"Mom, I..." Bach Du stood frozen at the door, not knowing what to say before this unexpected scene.

"Come in here and sit with me." Ngo Thuc Van smiled and waved to his son. "Mom and Diep Khanh just had a very nice conversation."

Bach Du walked in, his eyes looked at the two most important women in his life, an indescribable happiness rose in his heart. He realizes that, finally, all the broken pieces of the past are gradually being mended, not only between him and Diep Khanh, but also between both families, opening up a brighter future for everyone involved.

He sat down next to his mother, received the cup of tea Diep Khanh poured for him, and listened as the two women continued their unfinished conversation, mixed with gentle laughter resounding in the warm space of the flower shop. There were moments when he just sat quietly observing, enjoying this rare feeling of peace, a feeling that he had longed for five years away from home but never dared to believe that he would have it so completely.

"Tell me about when Bach Du was a child." Diep Khanh said, her eyes sparkled with curiosity mixed with mischief, making Bach Du laugh, covering her face with her hands to pretend to be embarrassed.

"Oh, that's a lot of stories, let me tell you how mischievous he was when he was five years old..." Ngo Thuc Van began to tell, her voice becoming more excited, while Bach Du could only shake his head helplessly, leaving the two most important women in his life to review old stories together in the crisp laughter that spread throughout the small flower shop.