Chapter 8: An Interview Filled with Emotions

The interview took place as a normal conversation. The two of them did not create any pressure on each other.

Thang Vu told Tan Vinh about his journey to the professional music path that brought him to this glorious peak.

Thang Vu was born into a family that did not follow the artistic tradition, but because of his endless passion for the piano and he realized that this art field was very large, he volunteered and toddled on the first notes.

There were days when he sat all morning just to play a piece of music continuously.

- I've noticed that your piano-playing style has changed over the years. – Tan Vinh happily said.

- Right. I use my mind and think more, not following the instinctive gameplay like before. I aim for a professional performance style.

Tan Vinh nodded slightly.

The brilliant profile with countless achievements and awards that Thang Vu achieved had proven his long strides on his journey to the world today, where professionalism had always played a central role before emotion.

Fortunately, Tan Vinh himself had some understanding of musical instruments and art music and he had learned more about it before the interview, otherwise, he would have been extremely pressured to talk to Thang Vu.

- Do you care about the award? – Tan Vinh said funnily.

- The prize is the gift that I want to get to give to my mother. When she agreed to let me satisfy my passion, she spent a lot of money and time. – Thang Vu replied with a gentle smile on his lips.

Then Thang Vu's warm voice spoke again.

He said that he followed this path because of his passion and wanted to form for himself a high aesthetic mindset and practice patience and strong will.

When Tan Vinh asked about Thang Vu's plans, he said he would continue to play the piano, but when he graduated from school, he would retire to take over the family's career instead of his mother.

- To be honest, I don't want to make money from playing the piano. In my mind, music makes life easier and better. If I use it to work for a living, I'm afraid I will become its slave.

The male pianist's answer made Tan Vinh pause for a while.

Thang Vu said that sentence, he would offend many people. Although Tan Vinh knew each person had their thoughts, he thought this recording should not be published in the newspaper.

Tan Vinh was not like other reporters. He did not want to take advantage of this loophole of Thang Vu to increase the heat and the lively discussion from domestic and foreign public opinion. He knew it was good for the newsroom, but it was bad for the artist.

Not everyone opened their hearts to fully understand the meaning of Thang Vu's words. They just heard that and judged as literally as possible.

- Your hands are so beautiful, it seems to show your personality. - The reporter admired and applauded.

- Ah. I also got cut by a knife a few times when I went to the kitchen. Sometimes I got stuck when I closed the door.

Both of them laughed at the same time.

Tan Vinh did not expect the main character in this month's interview to be so funny. A kind of light-hearted humor, not exaggerated but very real, not at all pompous.

The vast majority of pianists considered their hands as the most valuable asset in their body and kept them carefully, but Thang Vu was not like that. Through this answer, Tan Vinh understood that not all rich people have servants.

The winner of the world-class contest was still working normally like everyone else. In addition, he often silently accompanied volunteer groups to poor and remote areas to distribute food. He even used a shovel and a hoe to dredge ditches and pave roads.

Perhaps because Thang Vu collided with reality a lot, so when the angel's fingers touched the piano keys, he conveyed all that the author sent in it and he completely conquered the judges.

- Yes, I would like to ask one more side question about your love life. Can you tell me a little about your type of girlfriend? - Tan Vinh continued.

- Of course, it's okay. I will be attracted to a gentle, sincere, hard-working girl, although I believe I can take care of her fully. – Thang Vu sincerely confessed.

- Thank you for accepting the interview. I wish you a lot of health and more success on the path you have chosen and also wish you to meet your muse soon.

After the conversation ended, Tan Vinh reached out to turn off the tape recorder and put the notebook and pen in his briefcase.

Both of them continued to linger to finish their unfinished coffee.

Tan Vinh did not know that his last wish was superfluous because just yesterday, Thang Vu met his destiny.

Last night was the first time he brought a girl's face into a peaceful dream in the middle of the night.

- Oh, Mr. Thang Vu, do you also drink coffee here?

The girl's voice startled both men, then they glanced at the couple and a girl around two years old approaching them.

- God, why is she shouting so loudly? Fortunately, the cafe is empty. – Tan Vinh said softly, his mouth still keeping a bright smile.

- Are you not teaching today?

While Thang Vu asked, the little girl ran up to him, hugged his leg, looked at him with wide eyes, and begged to be held.

He smiled in agreement with the little girl and held her in his arms, then he winked and motioned for Thanh Phong and Thanh Tra to sit down.

- Yes, today I don't have to teach, I can relax for a day, so I take Thanh Tra and Mina out. - Thanh Phong politely replied.

- Mina misses you so much. When she sees you, she rushes over immediately. Oh, don't mess around. You will get your father's clothes dirty. - Thanh Tra happily spoke up and quickly reached out her hand to stop the little girl from touching the coffee cup.

- I raise my grandchildren like raising the children of howling birds. As soon as she saw Thang Vu, she immediately forgot about her uncle and mother. - Thanh Phong shook his head to show boredom.

- Are you jealous of me again?

Thang Vu winked and said, then he slowly introduced everyone to get to know each other.

Thanh Phong was Thang Vu's best friend, but he was four years older than Thang Vu and he was a lecturer at the music academy where Thang Vu was studying.

Thanh Phong was a talented person, but he had never registered for any contest to seek fame for himself. He chose the direction of dedication instead of pursuing glory with awards.

Thanh Phong graduated with a Master's Degree in Piano Performance with the dedicated guidance of Professor Dr. Tu Van Trinh, former Director of the City Academy of Music, so he was accepted by the Academy to stay to teach.

In addition, Thanh Phong also held the position of deputy head of the foreign affairs department of the Academy of Music, and Thanh Tra was Thanh Phong's younger sister.

- I'm very pleased to know you, you are a talented young man. You hold the head of the foreign affairs department, which proves that your relationship ability is excellent. – Tan Vinh happily shook hands with Thanh Phong.

- I am also very pleased to know Mr. Tan Vinh. - Thanh Phong replied softly.

Tan Vinh's eyes glanced at Thanh Tra, and he politely greeted her.

Although his face was happy, his heart was in turmoil. He did not expect Thang Vu to have a wife and children this big.

It turned out that the gentle, genuine girl was the woman sitting across from him. As soon as she caught sight of her husband's back, she shouted.

Her way of dressing and walking did not seem gentle at all. Maybe she was more like a tigress.

Life was still the same. If a husband was gentle, his wife would be fierce, so Tan Vinh also felt normal.

However, from the way they talked, Tan Vinh guessed it seems the couple did not live in the same house.

Tan Vinh secretly thought that maybe because Thang Vu was busy studying and taking exams, the pianist could not openly welcome his wife back to his palace.

Young people lived comfortably and freely, so Tan Vinh was not surprised by this. 

- Did Dad come back from abroad to buy any gifts for Mina? – Thanh Tra put the glass of water she had just finished drinking on the table and softened her voice to pretend as if a child asked.

- Oh, yes, but I didn't think I'd meet you here, so I didn't bring it with me. Let it be next time. – Thang Vu replied with a smile.

- It's not a big deal, I'll take Mina and her mother to your house in a little while, then go home after taking the gift.

After Thanh Phong finished speaking, everyone nodded in agreement, but a few seconds later, Thanh Tra received a call from her classmate who invited her to lunch, so she changed her mind and asked Thanh Phong to take her there.

Because he knew that the other girl and his sister were arranging a meeting like matchmaking, he flatly refused.

- I will take you there, but I won't go in. When you're done eating, you call me to pick you up, otherwise, take a taxi.

- Ah. I would like to interrupt a bit. By the way, the newspaper office where I am working is also near that restaurant, or let me take Ms. Thanh Tra and Mina away. When she has finished eating, Mr. Thanh Phong will come to pick her up. You don't have to run back and forth twice or thrice. – Tan Vinh quickly proposed a transportation plan.

Thanh Tra frowned, then she nodded and turned to take the baby from Thang Vu's hand, said goodbye to him, and she followed Tan Vinh to leave.

Thang Vu waited until the two of them were gone before he smiled and looked at the man opposite him. He had to admit that Thanh Phong had a sister that was worth the money.

She worried her brother was lonely, so she brought many friends to introduce to Thanh Phong, but as a result, this handsome guy was still alone, and he had never had a love affair.

- Don't think I don't know what you're thinking. You have nothing more than me. The room is empty. – Thanh Phong glared at Thang Vu and then took a cup of tea and drank it all in one breath.

- I'm still young and haven't graduated yet, no need to rush.

Thang Vu said as he pulled out his wallet and put money into the payment bill.

Thanh Phong also gave up on his friend's blunt philosophy. He was only four years older than Thang Vu, but this friend considered him to be forty years old.

- Let's go, you go to my house to get gifts and have lunch with me, then rest. When Thanh Tra calls, you come to pick her up. Home-cooked rice is delicious and hygienic. – Thang Vu pointed his thumb behind his back, suggested, and stood up.

- Mrs. Mai Hoang has found a new maid, right? Is Mrs. Tam Lan introduced? - Thanh Phong stepped forward and put his arm around his friend's shoulder.

- Right.

Thanh Phong's face brightened up because of that answer.

The maid quit her job, but Mai Hoang couldn't find anyone to trust, so she asked his mother to show her how to hire obedient girls from the countryside to work for her and his mother introduced Tam Lan.

Thang Vu's family was so lonely, so they needed more people to take care of the house so that they would be less worried when one of them was busy with work and had to be away.