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After diligently editing the next issue, when he turned off the computer, Thanh was startled because it was already past 6 pm. It was time to leave the editorial office... Thinking about the scene of him warming up rice and soup, holding bowls and sitting glued to the TV, he suddenly felt sad... He took the stack of documents sent by the late afternoon clerks home to read, then called Tuan, the office manager of a newspaper recently transferred from Ho Chi Minh City, and the same "single" situation, "rice in a pot, water in a bottle" to go out to a cafe to drink. Walking to the desk covered with newspapers and papers, picking up the stack of documents and skimming through them, Thanh saw a rather thick envelope of the type printed by the post office, with a few stamps affixed to his name. Probably a complaint or denunciation? About to put the documents in his bag, he suddenly saw the handwriting on the envelope written slanted, regular, soft, very familiar and close:

Dear Mr. Nguyen Van Thanh

Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Newspaper…

I've seen this type of handwriting before, whose handwriting is it? Impatiently, Thanh grabbed scissors and cut open the envelope, pulling out a stack of A4 paper. He quickly opened it... After reading, he threw himself down on the chair, patting his head: - Oh my god!

Illustration: Phan Nhan

After reviewing and OKing the editorial office to send tomorrow's issue to the printing house, Thanh breathed a sigh of relief as if a heavy burden had been lifted. Sitting surfing the internet, he couldn't concentrate on analyzing the news he was reading. The job of editing and organizing a newspaper was a hard one, carelessness and lack of focus on ideas, words, and presentation would cause problems immediately, one mistake would lead to a mile off, especially since Thanh had just been promoted to the position of Editorial Secretary, so he had to focus even more on his work. He was about to go home but remembered that this morning, Lien absentmindedly dragged her suitcase out the door: - Going on a business trip for a few days, before coming back, I'll call you! Sitting there like a lost soul, Thanh vaguely imagined the family situation in the past few months where "the food was not good, the soup was not sweet"...

Knock... knock... knock!

Turning his chair towards the door, Thanh rubbed his eyes… With a bright smile, his dark eyes shining behind his long eyelashes, Huyen gently glided over:

- Please help me look at this news! Boss!

- What news?

- Yes, about the opening ceremony of Company X's sports festival on the occasion of the year-end summary.

“Company X… Earlier this week, Deputy Editor-in-Chief Nam held a meeting to note that “the press must accompany businesses”, and that it is necessary to pay attention to supporting information to help businesses overcome difficulties during the economic downturn. He specifically mentioned a few units, including Company X…” - Suddenly remembering, Thanh frowned and thought, “For the past few years, everyone in this province knows that the Company Director is a mess in business but can get through any door. This guy is a classmate of boss Nam!”…

- The printer just changed houses! - Thanh said and turned back to the screen.

- Then boss, please approve it online for me! - Huyen whispered.

“Could it be… Mr. Nam’s instructions are so quick to learn?”, a thought of annoyance flashed across Thanh’s mind, he propped his chin up and looked at Huyen, her eyes filled with hope…

- Is it necessary to rush the news with just the opening content? Wait until the end to do a summary news?

A dark cloud passed through her dove eyes, Huyen Tran silently looked at him as if he were a stranger. Flustered, she put the manuscript in her bag, and gasped as if trying to hold back her sobs: - Yes... Yes!

Clack. Clack. Clack… Clack! The heels of the clogs hurriedly left. The room was quiet, Thanh could hear his heart beating rapidly.

“Company X… On the day I was on duty, I was given the authority to approve online postings… but could I “help” Mr. Nam? It was a conference news, no rush. Being easygoing would spoil a reporter!” Thanh imagined Huyen’s confused look, startled voice, and the rhythm of her clogs, which seemed to contain an indescribable resentment. He happened to remember Lien and associated two contrasting images. Huyen was gentle and simple… While she radiated kindness and amiability, his wife was capricious and formalistic! Another thing that always made him feel uncomfortable was that Lien only thought about big business deals all day long. Lien was an active person, while Huyen was introverted and emotional… Thinking of this, Thanh suddenly recalled the agency’s quarterly review party just last month. While he was excitedly raising his glasses with the other tables, when he stood close to Huyen, he didn’t know what made him courageously and discreetly kiss her hair. A moment of surprise, Huyen looked up at him with warm eyes of trust... Yet, I had just unintentionally been so principled with Huyen - Thanh's mind was in turmoil, he repented like a sinner...

A few days later, early in the morning, Deputy Editor-in-Chief Nam walked into the Editorial Office and placed a manuscript in front of Thanh:

- I have carefully read the article about Company X by reporter N.! The sports festival is also an opportunity to revive the business spirit of the enterprise. The article is on the Economic page, running this issue! The enterprise ordered 300 copies... At the end of the week, the Director invited us to confide!

- Huyen wrote about this incident, this is her area of ​​expertise!

- I know! Maybe we need to reassign the reporters. It seems suitable for Mr. N. to pursue this field, Ms. Huyen lacks sharing with businesses. Journalists must know how to apply principles flexibly at the right time and place!

- Yes! I have a family emergency, boss, please give me the day off! I'm arranging my lessons to present...

- Is that so! - The banana hand hit Thanh's shoulder hard: - Then let me handle this issue! - Mr. Nam chuckled, his eyes that rarely looked directly at anyone suddenly flashed a sharp light under his bushy eyebrows: - Your wife just got home, huh? She's quite good at flattering women. You can take a few days off!

That afternoon, Thanh went online and saw an interview with the Director of Company X about his determination to innovate and the bright prospects that were opening up for the business… He shook his head slightly and clicked his tongue: - Promotion! Have both sides lost face? Well, don't ask that of them!

* * *

- Hey! What do you think is news?

- You're drunk! A reputable journalist asks that! - Tuan raised his glass: - "Get in the car"! Cheers!

After a soft chuckle after the “one hundred percent”, Tuan stared at Thanh: - Are you kidding me? According to the classic curriculum that we often teach to the young generation… “news announces something new or something that happened not long ago”! There is also a very literary definition: “News is the flower in the vase, the noodle in the bread”! - Stopping, Tuan picked up the bottle and poured two glasses full of wine: - Stop! There is an important meeting tomorrow! But is there any new news?

Thanh collapsed onto the table, running his hand through his messy hair. After a few minutes, he raised his head, swirled his wine glass, and then slowly drained it: - That's right! It turns out that not only did I not see the flowers, I also broke the vase!

- "Godfather", don't be so dreamy and dramatic! Get married, or you'll become senile! - Tuan patted Thanh's hand gently as a gesture of sympathy and consolation.

- My wife insisted on divorce because she could not understand my passion for my career! I could not “tie” her down, but sadly, do you remember the poem “Brown bees in the deep night” by Luu Quang Vu? It was so touching: “I love you, four seasons on the water/ Hijacking the ship, I thought I had silver and gold/ Who would have thought it was just broken planks and a deserted floor..!”. He said that journalists like us with a “meager” royalty… how can we compete with… But why do we allow ourselves to sit on the same bed as “rich people”! Money and pen, what is more powerful and authoritative. Ha, ha, ha! But after the breakup, she also found what she needed! “What I need, you don’t have/ I don’t care about the winds you give me”, that’s life, sir! “Sleeping in the same bed, different dreams” is no different from holding a death sentence! Losing both flowers and vases… Oh, three long years have passed!

- What three years?

- You know that Deputy General Nam of my newspaper quickly chose a "very lucrative" position in economic sector A before the Director of Company X was handcuffed for intentionally violating the law, corruption, bribery...

- Just recently, why three years? If you count the fact that you and your wife have been separated, I heard it's been about two years?

- News is not just a flower in a vase… News must be the pistol shot that signals the start of a battle. Then comes a series of cannon shots to attack the fort… it is a reportage, an investigation. Who said that? - Silent, Thanh smiled with a distant look. Tuan was impatient: - From talking about life to talking about work!

- The story goes like this, if three years ago, I hadn't been distracted and had shown a high sense of responsibility to read and approve Huyen's news to be posted on the electronic newspaper, then the Director of Company X wouldn't be standing in court now!

- Really? - Tuan winked: - Who is Huyen?

- Gentle, affectionate but brave! - Thanh slowly said in a regretful voice. After a moment of silence, he continued: - While Deputy Editor-in-Chief Nam was pampering and promoting Company X, her news, although reporting on the sports event, was just an excuse to point out and comment deeply on a few areas of production and business that had signs of violations by the company and its director... Yet I refused to read that news, and even vaguely misunderstood Huyen's motive for writing the news. If I had read and published it that afternoon... the news would have been like "the straw that broke the camel's back", creating a good opportunity for professional debate. If public opinion had been interested, it would not have been easy for something like this to happen later, Deputy Editor-in-Chief Nam ordered his team to shape, embellish, and polish Company X. At that time, the newspaper had a promotional article published and more than a month later, the company invited Mr. Nam and reporter N to write an article about traveling to Thailand... At that time, Huyen took a leave to return to her hometown in the North. Unfortunately, her mother suffered a serious stroke and had to take another month off, but she did not survive... Returning to the editorial office, Huyen was shocked and exhausted... The Deputy General Manager continuously sent her on business trips to remote areas with strict requirements on time and articles... He said that in that situation, how many people could focus on their expertise? In the year-end vote, Mr. Nam directed his "juniors" to comment like they were shooting bullets at Huyen... There was an opinion that "Huyen's articles lacked forecasting. Through a drop of water, one can see the ocean, the way of perceiving and evaluating the production and business activities of Company X. lacked sharing and encouragement"... The Editor-in-Chief was about to be transferred, afraid of offending her and also afraid that Mr. Nam had very wide connections, so he did not express his own opinion. Huyen was classified as "Not completing the task", the agency whispered "The Editorial Board commented that Huyen did not have the ability to develop in journalism". About three months later, she asked to transfer to Ho Chi Minh City. Still working as a journalist but also moving around a couple of editorial offices...

- Wow, that's serious!

- No matter how you justify it… I really regret my previous negligence of not paying attention to read Huyen’s news! During the period when she was oppressed and needed someone to sympathize with, I was “given” advice by Mr. Nam to be sent to set up representative offices in the southern districts of the province… Then my family affairs became a mess…

- How is Huyen now? - Tuan was anxious.

Thanh was absent-minded, opened his briefcase, and looked for the letter: - Huyen just sent me the draft of the newsletter written three years ago and this letter. Please read it..!

Tuan held the letter, he read it over and over again with a thoughtful expression. Leaning his chin on his hand, Tuan squinted his eyes and looked at Thanh and he nodded slightly: - The opportunity is not over yet, "knight"! Huyen loved and considered him an idol in her career. She did not deny that she was moved by his thoughtfulness, devotion, and passion every time he exchanged and gave comments on the article... When he refused to read the newsletter, he unintentionally and unexpectedly caused her great disappointment. She even thought he was in the same "gang" as Mr. Nam! Then the problems that the Vice President sowed in the agency, causing the dream and pure belief to be broken and collapsed... Huyen kept the newsletter and sent it back to him... It was not simply to blame or to keep as a souvenir. She still cared and sympathized with the situation of "a deer falling into the net" in his life and career. It had been three years, over time, what do we often call it, ah... the contradictions and right and wrong had clear and distinct solutions. Listen to my advice to meet her soon!

* Excerpted from the short story collection Late Fire

Source: https://baolamdong.vn/van-hoa-nghe-thuat/202506/bai-bao-khong-dang-7673456/