Sunshine Through the Blue Clouds - Short story by Tran Ngoc Duc

1. The rains keep coming one after another from week to week. The Xa Xit roof is bare on the side of Mu U mountain with thirty Ca Dong houses silently bearing the daily slanting rain.

Xa Xit school has a bright red corrugated iron roof located right in the middle of the roof. It is not only a place for teaching but also a communal house for meetings of this border village.

Sitting huddled in the school’s dormitory, watching her beloved children sleeping, Lien’s heart was filled with hope but also felt heavy. She was happy because her children were healthy, studying hard, and loving each other. She was also sad… because even though she didn’t give birth to them, they had been with Lien for nearly 5 years. After Lien left, would they be able to live happily, would they have enough to eat, enough warm clothes, would there be arms big and warm enough for them to crawl into and chirp like chicks during the rain and wind in the mountains? Even though the village chief had promised Lien that they were the children of the whole house, as long as the house had food, they would eat, as long as the house had clothes, they would wear, and if there was a teacher willing to come to the house to teach, they would definitely be able to learn to read and write… teacher!

Luggage has been packed to prepare for tomorrow's work trip. In 5 years of dedicating her youth, Lien has sown letters for 5 generations of Ca Dong children here. Thinking back to the time she signed the application to volunteer to work on the roof of Xa Xit, Lien does not understand why she was so reckless at that time. Lien has worked at the main school for 3 years and is being trusted to be elected as the head of the professional team. Behind Lien's back, there were many whispers that she volunteered to go to that "middle of nowhere" place just because she wanted to quickly become a leader. But for Lien, there was no reason other than the love for this place through the diary pages of her father - a border guard who spent almost his entire life attached to the mountains and forests here.

Lien went to Xa Xit to work when the village had no electricity and no road leading to the commune center. Now the village has flickering lights every night next to the dinner trays after the days of working in the fields. The road, although still bumpy and not as wide as in the town, is big enough for a motorbike to carry the sick when needed.

ILLUSTRATION: AI

Thinking back to the time when she first arrived at the mountain to take up her job, Lien could not imagine that she would come to a place where everything was a round zero compared to the development of society in the lowlands. The school at that time was just a temporary house built from staggered bamboo trunks and the roof was thatched from old sedge trunks. In the dry season, there was a lack of water, the dry land was split into five or seven lines running down the foot of the mountain. In the rainy season, there was a fear of landslides, at night she did not dare to sleep, just hearing the sound of the earth breathing heavily under her feet made her heart jump out. And from that very first rainy season, it completely changed Lien's life. Lien was not simply a teacher coming here to sow knowledge, but from then on she also had to take on the role of a mother of three orphans...

2. One September afternoon 5 years ago, about a week after the opening ceremony of the new school year, the sky began to rain early, and thunderstorms tore through the sky. The majestic and towering Ngoc Linh peak seemed to be swallowed by dark clouds. The new teacher was on the roof trying to quickly gather dry branches from the school to warm the students in the upcoming cold days when suddenly the gong sounded loudly from the communal house. Knowing that there was an emergency, like the people here, Lien hurriedly ran in that direction. Gia Dinh, the head of the roof, stood in the middle of the communal house with sad eyes and said that a couple on the roof who were working in the fields near the big stream had been swept across by the flood and had gone missing. The whole roof looked at each other in silence, their stomachs heavy as if they had just been hit by a stone spirit!... A moment later, suddenly the loud cries of three children rang out. They were the children of the couple who had been swept away by the flood and gone missing. The cry seemed to cut the sound of the rain and thunder roaring outside into a hundred pieces. The little ones hugged the older ones, the older ones hugged the older ones. They huddled together like young duoi in a cave waiting for their mother. The young teacher was bewildered, but then something ran straight into her heart. She rushed to hug all three heads of sun-burnt blond hair to her chest. Her arms were not big enough, but warm enough to stop the shivering of their young bodies in the cold and the sudden pain. She asked the head of the school to let all three come live with her at the school...

From then on, in addition to teaching hours, Lien was also a mother. Having children by her side made her happier, and Lien's loneliness and emptiness gradually lessened day by day. Lien learned to play the flute, and learned the song "Mother Lullaby" from the villagers so that every afternoon when the teacher sang the lullaby, all the children in the village would fall asleep, and their parents would feel at ease and go to the fields: "Sleep well, my child. The rooster crows in the morning. Mother gets up, lights the fire, cooks rice. Then goes to the fields, goes to the fields. Find food for you...!".

3. Five rainy seasons have passed, despite many difficulties, the Ca Dong people here are always the most gentle and lovable. They consider Lien a treasure that the mountains and forests have bestowed upon them. Lien here is diligently teaching children how to read and write, instructing people on how to store water in the dry season, how to plant trees to protect the forest on the roof top to prevent landslides in the rainy season, helping the whole roof know how to prevent diseases, know how to eat and drink hygienically... everything will eventually become familiar!

Lien really didn't want to leave this place at all. But Nghia, her boyfriend in the lowlands, had called many times to say that if Lien didn't come back, the wedding would be over. They had been in love for nearly 10 years, sometimes far away, sometimes near, but relatives from both sides of the family had known each other for a long time. They just hadn't invited each other for drinks on their wedding day, so everyone kept mentioning it. Nghia felt heartbroken, because his parents were getting old and needed grandchildren to make the family happy. Furthermore, Nghia was a bridge engineer, and his work took him everywhere, so he needed someone at home to take care of his elderly parents. Several times he visited Lien, he clicked his tongue in frustration at the living conditions here. He looked straight into Lien's eyes and asked each question timidly and harshly: "So the bridal chamber is in this chicken coop?", "Are children born in the house or in the stream?", "What will we use to raise three more children?"... He had urged Lien several times but failed, so he raised his voice. So the whole rooftop thought someone was bullying the teacher so they came to the rescue. Nghia stood there, alone and lonely among many big, black, twinkling eyes, filled with both hatred and pleading for him. He knew that Lien was a "treasure" here. He had no right to scold their teacher. He angrily revved the engine and drove his motorbike down from the rooftop in the middle of the night.

4. The rain was getting heavier, the wind from the mountain crevices was cold. Thunderstorms were rumbling into the vast space above Ngoc Linh peak. Sitting inside, one could feel the school shaking violently after each lightning strike. Lien was not unfamiliar with this during the rainy season, but she heard that this year was the cycle of El Nino, the intensity of the storms would be greater. Lien was worried, suddenly there was the sound of footsteps, then a knock on Lien's door. Gia Dinh with a woven sedge raincoat, one hand holding a steamer of sticky rice, the other holding a pair of male and female jungle fowls stood in front of Lien:

- Teacher…! I represent the families in the village to come here to thank you for staying with us for so many years. The teacher is in good health. We send our regards to your family and his family... This sticky rice is for you to eat on the way, this pair of chickens is a wedding gift from the village. Don't worry about the children, teacher. Tomorrow I will take them home to take care of them. The village reports that a new teacher will be taking their place!

Gia Dinh spoke without daring to look into Lien’s eyes. There was something regretful and sad in the eyes of this old man of the mountains. Lien thanked him, but her words of thanks seemed to be cut in half by a thunderclap. Just as the old village chief was about to say goodbye to Lien, there was the sound of a motorbike rushing into the school yard.

- Headmaster! Teacher, we have to go back to town tonight. The earth is breathing heavily. If we don't go quickly, we're afraid the mountain will collapse tomorrow morning and we won't be able to get back. We'll miss your happy occasion!

Gia Dinh was about to go inside to help carry the luggage, but Lien stopped him. Lien's voice was mixed with the sound of rain and thunder.

- It's raining so hard! I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying here to protect the school and my children. Go see how the other families are doing!

The devoted roofer left, Lien went back inside to block everything. She went to bed hugging the three innocent children after texting Nghia to apologize that she could not leave this place. He should go find a new happiness.

5. Spring has come again, the sunny days are warm, the roof of Xa Xit seems to be more bustling when there is news that today there will be a group of experts coming to survey to build a concrete road connecting the roof to the town and to build a new, more solid school. After the flag-raising ceremony at the beginning of the week, Lien had the students line up on the road leading to the roof, the children often blinked their big black eyes, waved the national flag, held up high the flowers of the forest to welcome the survey team. But just a moment later, they suddenly stopped, then all ran towards the teacher. It turned out that Nghia was in the survey team. The children were still afraid that he would take their teacher away from this place.

Lien reassured them and then led the children out to welcome everyone. When greeting Nghia, she smiled and reached out to shake his hand as if she were a distinguished guest visiting the village. But when she withdrew her hand, Nghia held her hand tightly. Everyone in the survey team ignored them and quickly went to meet the village chief and the other villagers. The children still opened their black eyes wide and looked at Nghia warily and held tightly to their mother's shirt as if if they let go, the man would take her away. Nghia looked at Lien and then looked at the children kindly as if to explain.

- Hello… kids! Teacher! I came here with the sole wish of working with everyone to build a really big, really good road. I want to build a really strong and really beautiful school! I want to stay here with the person I love. I have arranged everything in the lowlands. Teacher… agree! Kids, please agree to let… dad stay here!

The faces gradually relaxed, the smiles were forced at first, but after a while everything became clear like a colorful love song of the mountains and forests.

The warm rays of sunlight penetrated the mountainside, warming the thirty houses that were filled with joy about their new life. This land would soon be built by the hands of young people from the lowlands and young people who grew up here. The rains in the forest would no longer be scary, the land would no longer breathe heavily when the forests were cared for and kept green. The children would be the common children of all those who loved and were attached to this place.

The fifth Living Well Writing Contest was held to encourage people to write about noble actions that have helped individuals or communities. This year, the contest focused on praising individuals or groups that have performed acts of kindness, bringing hope to those in difficult circumstances.

The highlight is the new environmental award category, honoring works that inspire and encourage action for a green, clean living environment. Through this, the Organizing Committee hopes to raise public awareness in protecting the planet for future generations.

The contest has diverse categories and prize structure, including:

Article categories: Journalism, reportage, notes or short stories, no more than 1,600 words for articles and 2,500 words for short stories.

Articles, reports, notes:

- 1 first prize: 30,000,000 VND

- 2 second prizes: 15,000,000 VND

- 3 third prizes: 10,000,000 VND

- 5 consolation prizes: 3,000,000 VND

Short story:

- 1 first prize: 30,000,000 VND

- 1 second prize: 20,000,000 VND

- 2 third prizes: 10,000,000 VND

- 4 consolation prizes: 5,000,000 VND

Photo category: Submit a photo series of at least 5 photos related to volunteer activities or environmental protection, along with the name of the photo series and a short description.

- 1 first prize: 10,000,000 VND

- 1 second prize: 5,000,000 VND

- 1 third prize: 3,000,000 VND

- 5 consolation prizes: 2,000,000 VND

Most Popular Prize: 5,000,000 VND

Prize for Excellent Essay on Environmental Topic: 5,000,000 VND

Honored Character Award: 30,000,000 VND

The deadline for submissions is October 16, 2025. The works will be evaluated through the preliminary and final rounds with the participation of a jury of famous names. The organizing committee will announce the list of winners on the "Beautiful Life" page. See detailed rules at thanhnien.vn .

Organizing Committee of the Beautiful Living Contest

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nang-qua-trien-may-xanh-truyen-ngan-du-thi-cua-tran-ngoc-duc-185250914141453598.htm