Chapter 4. Winner of the Contest

When it was late at night, the competition also entered the awarding stage, and the piano category was announced first.

In the villa where there was no longer a distance between the mistress and the maid.

Mai Hoang held Thi San's hand and anxiously waited for the important moment.

The awards were announced in order from lowest to highest. The list started with three consolation prizes and then third and second prizes.

Every time the MC called the contestant's name to receive the award, both of them had a drop in blood pressure.

- They gave the second prize to the contestant but Thang Vu's name has not been called yet. Maybe he failed. - Mai Hoang was worried like a child.

Thi San looked at the person next to her and she couldn't believe that Mai Hoang was the leader of Thang Minh Company after her husband passed away.

According to Tam Lan said Thang Minh Company was a very successful and famous company specializing in construction and real estate trading in this city.

- I think he will win first prize. Thi San said confidently.

Finally, the moment to announce the first prize came.

The female pianist who won last year's award solemnly stepped up from the delegate seats at the invitation of the MC to announce this year's champion.

Thi San looked at that girl and her heart skipped a beat.

- This year's first prize in the piano category went to...

The female pianist smiled brightly and then she was silent for a long time, making the two spectators sitting in front of the TV screen unable to breathe.

Mai Hoang clicked her tongue and secretly blamed the girl for her procrastination.

- Congratulations ... the artist ... Thang Vu Truong.

At this moment, the entire audience seemed to burst into emotion. Everyone stood up and applauded this year's new champion.

Thang Vu humbly stepped onto the stage and bowed to everyone, then he said a few words of thanks and his feelings. He also did not forget to thank the mother who gave birth to him, raised him, taught him, and encouraged him.

Mai Hoang choked and cried, then she turned to hug Thi San.

When Thang Vu won the award, she was just happy, but when she heard her son's thanks on television, her emotions overflowed and she couldn't hold back her tears.

- Thang Vu won the first prize. - Mai Hoang removed her hand from Thi San's body and she quickly wiped away her tears.

- Congratulations to you and him. Thang Vu is so good, I admire him very much. - Thi San smiled and said.

- Yes, Thang Vu will return home in two days. Okay, I'm going to my room. You should go to sleep too. It's already too late. I'll take you to the market tomorrow.

- Yes.

Thi San waited for Mai Hoang to enter the room before she carefully turned off the light and went back upstairs.

Although she was not blood-related to Mai Hoang and Thang Vu, she felt happy and proud when she lived with them.

His handsome and gentle face next to the piano reminded her of the princes in the dreams of young girls.

She secretly envied Nha Tien, his childhood friend.

In the large room on the other side, Mai Hoang happily chatted and praised her talented son.

After Thang Vu received the award, he went out and called his mother.

- Mom, don't praise me anymore, it's just luck. - Thang Vu said softly.

- If my child is good, I will praise him. Luck is only one percent. Don't blame luck.

Thang Vu smiled when he heard Mai Hoang's sulky and humorous words. He knew that her health was not good. Her blood pressure went up and down erratically, so he wanted her to always be happy, not sad, or worried about anything.

He wished she could live with him longer. Fortunately, his mother was the one who always kept her composure in front of everything.

- Ok. I will book a plane ticket for tonight. Well, I have to go inside. I have to go on stage again to finish.

After a gentle "yes" on the other side of the phone, Thang Vu hung up the phone and went inside.

When he just turned his head, he saw Nha Tien's sparkling eyes.

She smiled and congratulated him.

A few minutes ago, she followed him and she heard he was calling Mai Hoang, so she waited quietly.

- Congratulations to you. Is it because this morning's breakfast was delicious? I guessed right, and you won first prize.

- Nha Tien, you are still young. Try to practice more and then return to this arena. Do not give up. - He gently encouraged.

- Yes, I will try. If the next contest doesn't have you, then I will win the prize.

Thang Vu felt more secure when he heard Nha Tien say that. She did not win any prizes in this contest.

The International Piano Competition had a rule that not everyone who entered the final would win a prize, big or small like in other competitions, so there was no consolation.

He didn't know that for Nha Tien, the trophy, the certificate of merit, or even the fame was not important. She just wanted to own his heart. She just wanted to be with him day and night, and the two of them would become a happy couple.

This dream of Nha Tien was not a moment of infatuation when she stood in front of the bright sunlight, but it was nurtured from the days when she did not know how to love.

She could even give up everything to obediently stay at home, became a good wife, and did jobs such as cooking, washing, ironing, and taking care of children for him.

- We'll go out to eat after the show ends. Let's quickly go inside.

He hurriedly walked back inside as soon as he finished speaking.

Nha Tien happily followed behind him. She just needed him to shine, and she walked beside him and she also benefited from this bright aura.

When glittering flares covered the stage and fell on the contestants' hair, the show ended.

Thang Vu shook hands to say goodbye to everyone, then he and Nha Tien got into a taxi and moved to a nearby restaurant to have a meal because he and she were both hungry.

- I want to go home with you, but because my friend begged me to stay here for a few days, she is the minister's daughter, so I couldn't refuse her. - Nha Tien said sadly while her hand was holding the knife and cutting the meat, but the piece of meat was still intact.

- Let me help you.

Thang Vu reached out his hand to take Nha Tien's plate, then he carefully cut the meat into small pieces.

Although Nha Tien's heart was touched at this moment, it was accompanied by a feeling of extreme sadness.

He didn't take care of her in the first place and that proves he didn't care about her as a man cares about a woman.

- Your food is here. - Thang Vu said and returned the plate to its original place.

- Thank you. - She smiled and replied.

After the two of them finished eating, they went back to the hotel together.

Thang Vu took a shower, then he took a quick nap so that he could go to the airport at night because he did not want to appear in front of his mother with a tired, emaciated appearance. He was afraid that she would be heartbroken and worried, which affected her health.

Time passed and the hand of the clock turned faster than expected by Thang Vu.

When he heard the ring of the preset alarm, he woke up dreamily.

After a long sleep, he still felt tired and lost his balance. He thought to himself that maybe because of the time difference between the two countries, his body was not used to it and became weak like this.

Thang Vu packed his things into a small suitcase, and then he looked around the room. He whispered goodbye to inanimate objects and turned his back to walk away.

He was always like that. Others looked at him and thought he was indifferent, but his heart was extremely sensitive and very profound. Even he admitted that if he loved someone, he would love her until his last breath.

- I will see you off to the airport. - Nha Tien suddenly appeared in front of him and enthusiastically proposed.

- Why don't you rest? - Thang Vu lowered his voice and asked.

- Because I'm going to have a meeting with friends near the airport, I followed you. Please agree. - She made a hurried face.

- If convenient, let's go together. I thought you were going there just to see me off.

Thang Vu gently nodded. His loose hair fluttered slightly, causing the opposite girl to vibrate.

Nha Tien knew that his action was instead of a signal telling her to come along, so she was happy and immediately followed him.

She was exhausted and her appointment with the Foreign Minister's daughter was tomorrow morning, but because she wanted to be closer to him, she lied.

After Thang Vu put all his luggage in the taxi, the two of them quickly opened the door and entered.

The taxi went straight to the international airport.

The flight that Thang Vu had purchased tickets for would take off and leave the runway at eight o'clock at night.

Nha Tien knew that when both of them arrived at the airport, Thang Vu would take care of the formalities, and then he would leave because it was already seven o'clock.

- Brother, next month is Mr. Thanh Phong's birthday. On that day, please come to my house to pick me up. - Nha Tien spoke up.

- Okay. I will come and pick you up. The time is still long.

Thang Vu replied, but his eyes were still directed to the two sides of the road as if he wanted to save this fast-moving film. He loved the city of thousands of flowers and lights, but deep in his heart, he loved the peaceful countryside more.

Although he knew he had to continue the unfinished business that his father had built in this bustling metropolis, he still dreamed of living his whole life in a small house in the countryside beside his wife and children.

He would take care of that house by himself and he would plant a lot of sunflowers around the house so that early in the morning they would simultaneously turn to the East to catch the sun.