Smile

Three years ago, when Ngan had just entered grade 12, her younger brother was also in grade 2. That day, Ngan's parents took him down the street. My parents just told Ngan to take me on an errand, and when I return, there would be a surprise gift for her. But that time, her parents and younger brother were gone and never returned. A couple of men and women were speeding through the flow of people and crashed into his father's car, then... Ngan didn't dare to think anymore. By the time Ngan and her grandmother got to the hospital, her parents and younger brother could not make it. Ngan rushed to hug each person, calling loudly. Dad, please wake up! Bin, wake up, wake up and go home. Mom!... Dad, mom, wake up, wake up, let's go home together. Mom and Dad promised that when they got home they would have a surprise gift for their child... Ngan cried, her eyes filled with tears, everything was blurry before her eyes. Painful. The pain squeezes my chest, cramping. Outside the door, grandmother could no longer stand. The hazy eyes kept staring straight ahead, without a single tear. She was stunned. The pain did not come out loud but sank deep into her heart, cutting into her gut. She hesitated and suddenly collapsed like an old tree that had been uprooted. Ngan quickly ran to hug her...

Ngan's tears rolled down her cheeks, the whole garden blurred.

- Can I take a day off from work tomorrow? Then we went to the temple.

Her voice dispelled the thick atmosphere of three years ago that surrounded Ngan. She quickly wiped her tears and turned back to help her sit down on the steps with her.

- After work this morning, I asked for leave, ma'am. Let's go early tomorrow morning. I want to stay there a little longer.

She looked at Ngan and nodded, stretching her legs forward. Ngan reached out and massaged her legs all over.

- Is there any problem?

- No, ma'am! This place is not like that other company. You manage very well.

- YES.

She nodded. Sitting with my back against the porch pillar, my hands reached into my shirt pocket and took out a plastic bag, containing a few pieces of betel that had been filled. She chewed betel and said:

- Where goodness meets goodness, my dear!

Ngan yes. Grandmother looked at her granddaughter and nodded, smiling kindly. She remembers the day her children and grandchildren met with disaster. Ngan is unstable and depressed. She is like a flickering late night light just about to go out. Ngan dropped out of school. For a year, the two of them lived like shadows in their own house. She only had one grandchild left, Ngan. She couldn't leave Ngan like this forever, so she stood up and found a way to ease the pain in Ngan's heart and hers as well.

Some time later, Ngan applied to work at Thien Phuc garment company about 5 kilometers from home. Ngan spent the first two months of her salary to buy another sewing machine. Whenever the company had a lot of goods, she would take on more work. In order to increase income, the main thing is that Ngan does not want to have free time and then think about it. But after working there for more than a year, Ngan resigned and transferred to Van An company. The salary was the same but had to go 2 kilometers farther, but Ngan still accepted. Working here, Ngan feels much more comfortable. From Ms. Bich, the team leader, to the foreman, Lanh, and even Mr. Tinh - the pattern designer, are all very friendly. Everyone loves and sympathizes with each other and with Ngan. Ms. Bich and Mr. Tinh always care very much about Ngan, treating her like the youngest sister in the family. Every time she was sick and Ngan asked to stay home to take care of her, Ms. Bich happily facilitated it, and even advised and encouraged Ngan, rather than making things difficult like the people at Thien Phuc. Here she feels warm and attached like her own home. Here, Ngan smiled again.

Night.

Night for Ngan is always long and deep. Even though she tried to stay up until late, tried until she was really sleepy before going to bed and turning off the light. It felt like if I put myself down, I could fall asleep. But often Ngan had to toss and turn. Ngan remembers the nights when her younger brother slept next to her. It whispers everything about heaven and earth. Sometimes it makes Ngan laugh, sometimes Ngan is so sleepy that she falls asleep before I even notice. But when I want to sleep, my eyes keep opening. Ngan holds the phone, reads the newspaper, and surfs Facebook. Suddenly she saw a friend sharing the information page of the district continuing education center. What caught Ngan's eye was the capital letters "ADMISSION ANNOUNCEMENT FOR REGULAR EDUCATION SYSTEM". Ngan was curious and read it all. The center's continuing education system studies in the evening. Naturally, Ngan wanted to go to school. Or Ngan would like to continue studying. Ngan can work during the day and go to school at night.

One weekend, the two of them sat on the porch and Ngan said her intention. She smiled and nodded in agreement. She also urged Ngan to quickly make arrangements to study. Before Ngan had time to ask, the next day, when she came home from work in the afternoon, she saw the admission application neatly placed on the table in the middle of the living room. Ngan was surprised, she smiled:

- She asked for a car to go to the central school to ask to buy it. I took the time to make the application and submit it. The girl selling the documents said that if you study this at night, you can still go to work normally during the day.

She reached into her pocket and was about to get a piece of betel when her hand touched a piece of paper. She quickly took it out and gave it to Ngan:

- Here, you forgot. She also carefully wrote down her phone number here, telling you if you have any questions, you should call her for advice. What kind of person is that good?

During the company's break time, the women in the team were sitting and eating bread and drinking milk (the company's midday refresher meal), Ngan said she wanted to go back to school to finish high school. She hesitated:

- But we study at night here, and our company has a lot of orders, so sometimes we have to work overtime...

Before Ngan could finish her sentence, Ms. Bich interrupted:

- So why don't you take the night off from work? If there's anything, Ms. Lanh is there, just tell her and let her arrange it for you. (She craned her neck to call out to Ms. Lanh who was standing in the distance talking to Tinh, still holding the pattern in her hand) Ms. Lanh, please come here when you're done. Bring that handsome guy over too.

As soon as Lanh and Tinh arrived at the table where Mr. Ngan was sitting, Ms. Bich quickly said:

- The situation is that Ngan intends to go back to school to finish 12th grade, but at night. During the day it still goes to work normally. Please arrange for him to rest at night. Next year, after finishing school, I can freely decide what day and night it is.

- Well, what are you to Ngan that she hasn't told you yet? (The lady next door teased).

- It's a stranger, so what? A stranger falls in love with someone, right, Mr. Tinh! Well, at the end of the evening, Mr. Tinh was free to run to the school to pick him up and take him home. It's closer from your house than to the company. But he finished school at 9:30 p.m. When he got home at midnight, having someone with him still felt more secure.

Ngan blushed when she heard what Bich said. She smiled shyly:

- Hey, I can go alone.

- Okay, whatever. Girls and children are exposed like that, the streets are deserted late at night. Do you think you can feel secure?

About to answer, her eyes glanced at Ngan:

- No one dares to refuse the task that Ms. Bich gave me. I'm just afraid that Ngan won't agree.

Ms. Lanh spoke:

- Let's close then. This year, Ngan will completely quit the night shift to go to school. While Ngan goes to school, Mr. Tinh is responsible for escorting her. My sisters and I depend on you.

Each person said one sentence, making Ngan's cheeks even redder. She blushed, looked down at her hands, avoiding Tinh's eyes.

Thinking of Tinh, Ngan felt her cheeks heat up. Ngan has been going to school for half a semester. During that time, even though Ngan had told her to go home on her own, every time she went to the school gate, she saw Tinh standing there waiting. For the first two months, each person drove one car, but now Ngan sits behind Tinh's car. I thought I'd let you come and take me to school, then wait for me to come home. Let me go alone, the sisters scolded me to death. Ngan was embarrassed.

Bright.

The cheerful sunlight of the new day danced on the yard. The bird family danced on the branches, chirping. The leaves kept rustling in the light wind. Ngan felt her soul was very relieved. She turned her head back into the house, but she was still waiting to change clothes to go, as if she was waiting for someone. Ngan was about to call out to her when she heard the sound of a car.

- Mr. Tinh!

- Grandma! I'm here! (Nguyen looked at Ngan and smiled as she called loudly into the house).

- You're here, kid! Here, you two go.

She pushed the basket of cakes she and her grandchildren had made early into Ngan's hands. Ngan's eyes still widened and she didn't understand what to do, so she said:

- Go quickly and soon. She still has work to do, so she asked Mr. Tinh to come and take her. You two go. At noon, Tinh, come here to eat.

- Yes, ma'am.

The two of them were preparing to leave when Tinh got a phone call. To turn on the zalo screen and turn on the speakerphone:

- Report to the ladies, I'm at Ngan's house.

- Hey, take our brother there and back.

- Don't worry about that.

- Let's go to the temple to pray for love.

The sound of people laughing happily. Ngan shyly carried the basket of cakes to the car first, feeling warm inside. The sun shines pink on Ngan's cheeks. The wind played with the branches and leaves, blowing Ngan's shoulder-length hair. Tinh was suddenly stunned when he saw Ngan reaching out to tuck her hair behind her ear.

- Let's go. When you go to work tomorrow, remember to report to the ladies that you completed the task well.

Ngan smiled. Put your hand around Tinh's waist. The brothers and sisters love Ngan like relatives and Van An is home.