Chapter 72: The Commendation Ceremony
Since that day, every time Kieu Ly went to the library and saw Dang Bang Anh, she would sit next to him. And if Dang Bang Anh arrived later, he would also come and sit next to her. They studied seriously together. Dang Bang Anh was in a different major from Kieu Ly, so she didn't learn much academically from him. He came to the library not only to do research but also to work on side jobs. His major was IT—considered the king of all professions—so he could work from anywhere.
When they were chatting, it was no big deal. But whenever they focused on studying, Dang Bang Anh truly resembled a robot—colder than even a fridge.
A person is often drawn to those who are either similar to them or completely different. Kieu Ly felt that she and Dang Bang Anh had many things in common. Every one of his viewpoints resonated with her. She too came from a humble background and was constantly pushing herself under pressure to grow.
Near the end of the year, Kieu Ly stayed in her room waiting for Thuy Linh to go out together. Thuy Linh said that around Christmas time, the school would hold a ceremony to honor outstanding students, so she invited Kieu Ly to join just to experience it.
Kieu Ly followed Thuy Linh into the auditorium and randomly found two empty seats. The ceremony hadn't started yet, but the hall was already packed.
As Thuy Linh placed her coat on the chair to reserve the spot, she said to Kieu Ly:
"Ly, sit here. I'm going to get us some drinks and sweets."
Then she briskly walked over to the refreshment table near the wall. A moment later, she returned and placed a drink and some snacks in front of Kieu Ly, then put the rest on her own desk. Thuy Linh truly was a rare gallant kind of girl.
Kieu Ly smiled and thanked her, then lifted her cup for a sip.
The auditorium was chaotic and noisy at first. But once the ceremony began, the crowd suddenly quieted down like a classroom during lecture time. Thuy Linh didn't dare speak loudly and instead whispered:
"Ly, didn't you win a national competition and get direct admission into Foreign Trade University?"
"Yeah, I did. How did you know?"
"Tuan Anh mentioned it. He told me I should spend more time with you—because being near ink makes you black, being near light makes you bright. And I really admire smart people."
"You're smart too. You earned your own scholarship to study abroad."
Hearing that, Thuy Linh burst out laughing:
"That's right! We're both smart people."
Because of that sudden laugh, people at nearby tables all turned to look at Thuy Linh. Embarrassed, she immediately quieted down, sat up straight, and brought her drink to her mouth—partly to sip and partly to cover her face in shame.