Chapter 89: Hello, Vietnam
The next day, Kieu Ly packed up her belongings and boarded her flight back to Vietnam. As she sat on the plane, the familiar melody of Hello Vietnam played through the speakers. Her heart swelled with indescribable emotion. Just hearing that song after a short trip abroad could stir someone — let alone after being away from home for a whole year.
When the plane landed at Nội Bài Airport, dusk had already settled. August marked summer break for Huong Tra, so she came to pick Kieu Ly up — along with Kieu Ly's younger brother, Hoang Manh Hung.
Manh Hung was two years younger than Kieu Ly and currently a first-year student at Bách Khoa University. Thanks to their strict upbringing from their father, he was academically strong. Still, Kieu Ly always felt he was a bit childish. To be more precise, she often thought her younger brother still had a lot of growing up to do — and he was only two years younger than her. Nguyen Toan Phuong, meanwhile, was three years her junior. Best not to think about that now.
Kieu Ly scanned the crowd for Huong Tra and Manh Hung. Before she could spot them, she heard Huong Tra's voice from a distance:
"Ly stubborn, over here!"
Kieu Ly grinned widely, pulling her suitcase toward them.
"Did you wait long?"
"About an hour," Huong Tra replied.
"Wow, that long?"
"It's a rare occasion."
Seeing Kieu Ly, Manh Hung finally paused his game, tucked his phone away, and stepped forward to take her suitcase.
"Are you girls done chatting? Let's head home."
Kieu Ly was a little surprised to see her little brother actually coming over to carry her luggage. Could it be that just one year of university had matured him? Well, that was a good thing. If he kept burying his face in video games, he'd never find a wife.
Stepping out of the airport, Kieu Ly closed her eyes and took a deep breath, soaking in the breeze that carried the scent of rice fields. Truly, there was no place like home.
Soon after, a taxi pulled up and opened its door. Smiling, Kieu Ly stepped inside:
"Finally, I'm home. I've missed it so much."
At home, Kieu Ly's mother, Nguyen Kim Chi, had already prepared a lavish dinner to welcome her daughter back. Manh Hung and Huong Tra went to pick her up, while her parents stayed behind to cook. Whenever the two of them cooked together, it always filled her with warmth.
The moment Kieu Ly walked into the house, the delicious aroma of home-cooked food filled the air, overwhelming her with happiness. She rushed into the kitchen and, seeing her parents almost done with dinner, beamed and said:
"Smells amazing! I love you both so much!"