Short story: Full Moon Night

( Quang Ngai Newspaper) - The moon was fuller, the wind was cold, signaling the return of another Mid-Autumn Festival. Nhan visited the orphanage on a sunny afternoon. The road to Hoa Dan hamlet was far away, cars could not enter, so they had to park at a small slope under the bridge at the intersection of the road leading to the murmuring river.

Just as Huyen said: The hamlet was deserted. From the beginning of the hamlet to the end of the hamlet, there were only a few households, a small market at the beginning of the hamlet, with a few shops selling vegetables, meat, fish, groceries... Hoa Dan hamlet was nestled in the middle of rice fields and rivers. A long road from the district market passed through the hamlet, running through another land. Coming to Hoa Dan hamlet in the middle of the sudden sunny and rainy season, just a moment ago it was still bright and sunny, now dark clouds were gathering, it was about to rain.

“In that dreary place, there is an orphanage,” Huyen said when she went to Hoa Dan hamlet to get information. Nhan immediately asked the department head to go on a charity trip to Hoa Dan hamlet. The trip included Nhan, the head of the Bup Mang charity group, and several university students who were active in charity activities.

*

“The children at Hoa Dan orphanage are so pitiful, Nhan!” Huyen’s words kept ringing in Nhan’s mind until he got on the bus, which left the city and headed for the remote countryside. Nhan went first, following Huyen’s instructions, followed by the head of the Bup Mang charity group, and then the warm-hearted young people. The road to the orphanage was bumpy. Rainwater still remained in the tracks of the huge ox carts lying haphazardly on the dirt road. On both sides of the road were rows of lush green trees. In the afternoon, the buzzing of mosquitoes grew louder and louder.
Nhan has spent most of his youth doing charity work. Nhan is an orphan. As a child, Nhan and Huyen grew up in an orphanage in the heart of luxurious Saigon. Therefore, Nhan always longed for the love and warmth of his parents. Nhan was less fortunate, so he wanted to bring joy to other unfortunate situations.
This time Nhan returned to Hoa Dan orphanage with many emotions. This was like a return to his roots, to the orphanage - the environment where Nhan had lived since he was a baby. Thinking about that, Nhan's tears suddenly welled up.

*

Doan Bup Mang arrived at Hoa Dan hamlet when the old nanny was quietly sweeping the yard full of fallen leaves after a gust of wind. These days, Saigon is crowded, yellow tents with the word “Kinh Do” – a famous brand of moon cakes – are set up on street corners. Lanterns are hung all over the shops, especially in the Chinatown in District 5. Here, the late afternoon is deserted, with only the whispering of trees and the chirping of insects.

The old nanny opened the door to welcome the Bamboo Shoots group. The children were sitting in the big house practicing drawing. When they saw someone coming to visit, they ran out and lined up, bowing their heads in unison. Nhan waved back. The young students took out some snacks from their bags and gave each child a little. The children thanked them profusely. The students went back into the big house to watch the children practice drawing. The sound of laughter rang out. The old nanny led Nhan along the bright red brick path. Plum leaves were falling here and there. This season, the plums were in full bloom. Nhan could already smell the scent of plum blossoms in the afternoon mist. Outside the big house were the children's bedrooms. They were dormitories, with beds assigned in order. The old nanny's room was at the end, an old, tiny room with a table for papers and books that were also stained with time. Finally, there was the kitchen.

- Do you do everything here? Is anyone coming to help?
- Mainly me, sir! Sometimes some of the women in the neighborhood come to help cook, do the laundry, and weed the garden. The students also often come to teach the children to read and write. I really appreciate it!

Nhan looked at the old nanny, who had a kind and generous face, her hair was streaked with gray but her heart was still full of enthusiasm for children in difficult circumstances, and was so moved that he could not speak. Nhan suddenly remembered the person who had raised him in an orphanage in the heart of crowded Saigon. That was a woman who never married, who devoted her whole life to her children who were not blood relatives.

Next question:
- Mid-Autumn Festival is almost here, do you have any plans for the children to have fun, nanny?
- Like every year, I will go to the market to buy some cakes to eat and sing together. If the students in Hoa Dan neighborhood are free, they will come make lanterns to create a Mid-Autumn atmosphere.
Nhan, the old nanny and the leader of the Bamboo Shoots group returned to the main house to watch the children practice drawing. Looking at a little boy sitting in the corner of the house, diligently drawing a red-tiled house with a garden full of fruit trees, and parents gathered around the child, Nhan suspected that this was his dream. Nhan himself had drawn those images on a blank page. Nhan had also dreamed passionately of a warm home filled with laughter and love.

*

The group left Hoa Dan hamlet to return to the city, and would definitely return to this place. The old nanny took the group to the car park, even though Nhan had stopped them. The car started moving, leaving Hoa Dan hamlet when it was drizzling. The wipers moved steadily on the windshield.

Returning to the city, the Bup Mang group - thanks to the support of reporter Huyen - quickly received help from benefactors. The Bup Mang group planned the program "Warm Autumn Night - Carrying Lanterns Far Away". The program received material support and help from students in the city. Together, they made star lanterns, rocket lanterns, chicken lanterns... Another group went to buy moon cakes, sticky rice cakes, sweet cakes and other gifts to bring to faraway places, preparing for the Mid-Autumn Festival night of carrying lanterns and breaking the feast.

Everything was arranged properly, the lanterns wrapped in cellophane were brought out to dry in the sun, shiny and colorful. Huyen took the opportunity to take a few photos to report on the news. The program "Warm Autumn Night - Carrying Lanterns Far Away" promised to create a meaningful autumn night for the disadvantaged children at the far away Hoa Dan orphanage.

*

On Mid-Autumn Festival, Saigon is bright and bustling. The car with the logo of Bup Mang gradually moves towards the countryside with a beautiful name: Hoa Dan. The canvas with the image of the full moon, Hang and Cuoi is hung in front of the yard. Lights light up the way. The lanterns are given to the children, candles are lit inside, the sparkling light illuminates the yard of Hoa Dan orphanage. The lantern procession songs resound, making the space more bustling. Moon cakes are arranged on plates, all kinds of fruits, green and red fruit juices are poured out to form a long row on the table. After the leader of Bup Mang group announced the reason, the students from Saigon dressed up as Hang and Cuoi to perform funny and meaningful skits, the laughter of the children rang out, the party broke out. The children cherished each piece of moon cake in their hands. Among them, Nhan knew there was a child who tasted moon cake for the first time, who was immersed in the full moon night carrying lanterns and breaking the cake for the first time.

MH: VO VAN

Suddenly, somewhere, a child's sobbing could be heard. It was the boy sitting drawing his dream house that Nhan had met the day before - the boy with sparkling eyes and an innocent, lovable face.
- Why are you crying, kid? - Nhan asked.
- I'm so happy! This is the happiest Mid-Autumn Festival I've ever had.
Hearing the child's innocent and touching answer, Nhan hugged the boy:
- What is your dream, tell me!

- I want... to be a teacher in the future. In the morning I go to school, at noon I come home to my mom and dad. A warm family...
Who knows that in the child's naive words lies a whole world of dreams. Nhan once had the same dream - a simple, ordinary dream for many people, but it became a burning desire for Nhan and for children who do not live with their parents.

That Mid-Autumn Festival was a meaningful night. The Bamboo Shoots Group brought bright light to the poor countryside, pouring a cool stream of water into the souls of the unfortunate children.

That night, Nhan and the Bup Mang group stayed at Hoa Dan orphanage. The photos Nhan sent were used by Huyen for an elaborate article published in the new newspaper, about a charity group that always brings joy and happiness to others, about Hoa Dan orphanage - a place that warmly welcomes unfortunate children, raises and educates them to become good people.

HOANG KHANH DUY

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Source: https://baoquangngai.vn/van-hoa/van-hoc/202409/truyen-ngan-dem-trang-ram-0601427/