- Let's go down to the village, Kim.
The call of Hue in the same dormitory did not make him want to get out of bed. The crisp laughter seemed to warm up these cold winter days. The footsteps of her colleague gradually faded away... gradually... throwing into the space a heartbreaking silence. The time working here had passed by in a flash, 2 years, he and Hue had both left the company to join a private enterprise, there was a time when he thought he had to quit his job and return to the plains. Thinking about it made him feel sorry for the effort of studying, for the money of his parents, so he had to hold back his heart and stay in this remote forest area.
Five years, Kim felt the time, people and scenery as if it had just happened yesterday. He eagerly accepted the job at the central company, and as soon as he arrived, he felt a close attachment to the new unit with impressive achievements. The best impression for him was the talented and dynamic director who knew how to build the agency like a green park. There, everyone was equal to each other like a family. That was what Kim heard people say. The director looked at Kim from head to toe with respect, he said "ah" as if he had known Kim for a long time:
- Hey young man, joining this place is very good, it gives you the opportunity to improve your skills and do scientific research. As if to prove the objectivity and weight of his words, he called a girl to his office. That girl was Minh Hue - who was also ready to leave the agency and move to another unit with Kim later.
… The girl was shy when she saw that the guest in the Director’s room was a young scholar. Out of politeness, she softly greeted Kim, he responded with a smile and a friendly nod, the director spoke: You two young people, please get to know each other.
- This is a new soldier, please take me to visit our company premises, remember to explain well. Minh Hue answered softly then went out to the garden and forest with Kim.
To be fair, many places would dream of a forestry company like this. The headquarters is located on a relatively high hill, where all kinds of fruit trees are grown and rare breeds are raised. From here, visitors like Kim can look out to "witness" the "green mountains and blue water" and "beautiful landscape". A small stream as soft as a silk strip running across the hillside made Kim exclaim in admiration: What a landscape worthy of "a green dragon on the left and a white tiger on the right". From Minh Hue's gentle explanation, Kim felt fond of this company, he was secretly happy because he had joined a place with skilled professionals, enthusiastic and dedicated to their profession.
Kim exclaimed: Hue, we are lucky to work here!
- Don't be too happy, think carefully or you will regret it. It's hard work here and the salary is low... just contribute and contribute.
- How low is low? Who will benefit from the brainpower?
Minh Hue heard Kim say, she laughed:
- You fell from the sky, all theories are just gray. I have worked here for several years but have never had enough money to live, the whole family is subsidized. It is embarrassing to say, I don't even dare to think about having a husband and children, I can't even support myself, let alone take care of others.
She said: You don't know, it's embarrassing to say it, through matchmaking people took the trouble to come to the office to play with us, the boss was afraid they would steal the seedlings, hearing that made him sick. Knowing that, they ran away without contacting me, without a word of explanation.
- Oh man, people are precious assets. If you don't regret people, why would you regret a few seedlings?
- That's life, you know, Kim! When we know that our boss has a contemptuous attitude towards our boyfriends, there are some "So" guys who just want to steal the precious thing in a girl's life. Because of the disagreement about that matter... we had to miss out on our youth. Isn't that miserable?
Look carefully! - Minh Hue raised her two calloused black hands that Kim could not believe were real.
Still full of excitement about gossip, Hue continued talking to her new colleague: Mr. Kim, bored on the inside, hungry on the outside, that's the way of life. This is an ideal working environment, in theory it's like that but in practice it's a mess. The leaders of this unit think very far-fetched. I've never heard of bonuses, it seems like all the brainpower of youth is just to report achievements. Once you start working, you'll know...
… Lying on the bed, thinking back to Minh Hue’s words, Kim felt a stinging sensation in his nose. He had told himself not to cry over the current situation, no matter how painful and cruel the truth was, he could not be as weak as a weeping willow by the lake. Even though he had left the company today, he did not dare tell his family about the matter, lest his parents worry. In fact, the director was much younger than his father, but when he heard him speak during his visit to the company, Kim’s father kept saying:
- My boss is a very knowledgeable person, I will try to serve him well so as not to disappoint his expectations.
Life can change from black to white in an unpredictable way. Do you know? When I left, I was heartbroken. The years I worked at this forestry company were only to learn, but they took advantage of my naivety and foolishness to do such crazy things. Kim whispered to himself. It seemed like he hadn't dared to answer his family's phone calls for many days.
I wonder what his parents will think when they know that he was betrayed by his agency and forced to pay compensation for breaking his labor contract. Why am I so grown up but not wise? Respect is exchanged for despicable acts, how painful!
At that time, Kim could not think of everything, the director abused the young brothers' labor too much. All day long, the engineers worked like farmers. During the projects, they did not receive a penny to drink water. During the chestnut season, they went to collect them, but the leaders seemed to only give them as gifts to foreign friends. Sometimes, Kim wanted to invite his friends to enjoy the fruits of their labor, but they had to buy them. He never dared to reveal this secret to anyone. Moreover, on days off, the leaders often invited him to their house to play. Being away from home and being cared for by the leaders was a happy thing, but unexpectedly, even Kim and Hue sometimes became "maids" without realizing it. Who would have thought that an engineer would spend all day buying porridge for the boss's grandchild? Sometimes, on days off, Kim wanted to take a good nap, but the boss kept calling to ask for help. One time, Kim reacted:
- Please understand, I came here to work, to contribute and do scientific research. We are foolish, so you taught us a lot, we thank you for that, but please don't take too much of our precious time. ... Kim's frankness and integrity was like a bucket of water poured on his face. He was furious and angry, but it was so right that he only dared to say some cool words:
- You are fully grown and you turned your back on me.
- No, I wouldn't dare! I will forever remember what you have done for the company and for me. Work and love are two different things. If you don't like it, I will leave.
- This guy is good, if you leave tomorrow I will sign the decision.
- Don't challenge me, I'm not an exception. I'm not wrong, you've exploited too much of our youth's labor. Think about it, the young people here don't earn enough to eat, let alone contribute. The barns and gardens are like a farm, but the workers never enjoy the results. So who will they contribute to?
- Good! Very good.
The Director growled:
- Before you leave, you must pay compensation for your labor contract because you violated the contract term.
- I am poor but if you ask me to, I will borrow to pay you back. I used to keep a lot of money from the agency. Even though I am poor, I am not a coward. I have never coveted a single cent of public money.
- No one here cares about anything.
- No one cares, but why are you afraid of those who have passed away, making them not dare to visit the office? As an educated person, you have forgotten all about love in life...
…In the end, Kim moved to this remote place. He wanted to escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, and he also wanted to forget the initial shocks of starting a business. When he returned to this limited liability company, he volunteered to go to a remote area. There, people needed his advice on science and technology to plant forests. He never felt it was a waste to come back here. The first time was so sad that it made him sad, but after staying there for a long time, he got used to it. That's why when he was on leave, Kim felt like he was a stranger to everyone in the city. On his days off, he felt time passed slowly, eating and sleeping.
When he learned that he had left the forestry company, his father was sad for several days. Finally, he said a few words of regret: You are grown up and all the decisions are yours. You can choose a better place, but you must try to go all the way and not return to the place you have been.
Returning to the deep forests and mountains, Kim's ears kept hearing the song lyrics of musician Tran Long An:
“Everyone chooses the easy job,
hardship knows who to spare
Everyone was young once.
Also thought about my life
It's not like luck or misfortune
It is not clear or murky
Is it you, is it me?
Truth belongs to everyone
Refuse to live a small life
Please sing about my friends
People who live for others…
The bright sun shines through the leaves, Kim feels that there is no place as peaceful as the forest - where he is living. Surely his brain will contribute to creating a sustainable ecological area, limiting the unusual climate change like this winter. This place has winds that when he is away, he misses them so much, helping him forget the hardships, the bitter failures on the way to starting a business. Oh the wind of the forest...
Source: https://baolangson.vn/gio-mien-rung-5064064.html
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