






It was an ordinary Thursday morning when Lala woke up to the sound of birds chirping outside her window. The sun gently peeked through the curtains, casting a warm golden glow in her room. She rubbed her eyes and stretched, still feeling a little groggy. Ever since her recent eye problems, she had been feeling low-spirited, and her usually bright smile had faded into quiet stares and soft sighs. Her heart ached with the longing to see her family—her grandparents, her cousins, her childhood home. But no one had mentioned any plans for a visit, and she didn’t want to bring it up again.
Just as she was about to head downstairs for breakfast, her phone buzzed with a message. It was from CEO Kien. Lala blinked, surprised. She hadn’t expected to hear from him so early in the morning. The message read:
“Get ready in 30 minutes. Dress comfortably. I’m picking you up.”
Lala stared at the message, confused and curious. “Where are we going?” she texted back.
No reply. Just a mysterious silence that left her wondering.






Exactly thirty minutes later, a sleek black car pulled up in front of her house. Lala stepped outside, a little nervous but mostly intrigued. The back door opened, and there he was—CEO Kien, smiling warmly, wearing a light jacket and sunglasses. He looked relaxed, not like the busy executive she usually saw rushing through meetings or buried in documents.
“Hop in,” he said cheerfully. “I have a surprise for you.”
Lala sat down in the car, her heart racing with excitement. She couldn’t remember the last time someone had surprised her in such a thoughtful way. Kien didn’t say where they were headed, only that it would be a “feel-good kind of day.”
As the car drove out of the city, Lala watched the buildings fade into green fields and winding roads. Slowly, she started to suspect something.
“Are we… going to the countryside?” she asked.
Kien just smiled. “Maybe.”
Her eyes widened. “Wait… Are we going to see my family?”
He chuckled. “Well, it’s been a while, hasn’t it? I thought it might cheer you up.”
Tears welled up in Lala’s eyes. She quickly turned to the window to hide them, touched beyond words. No one had understood how much she missed her family lately. And here was Kien, this successful, busy man, going out of his way to give her what her heart yearned for.







After two hours of travel and many laughs along the way—talking about childhood memories, favorite foods, and silly songs—they finally arrived at her village. As soon as the car pulled in through the familiar dusty path, a wave of nostalgia washed over Lala. The sight of the wooden house, the old mango tree where she used to climb, and the rice fields shimmering in the sun made her heart swell with joy.
Her grandmother was the first to see her. She ran out of the house, arms open wide, and wrapped Lala in the warmest hug. “My sweet girl! I’ve missed you so much!” she cried.
Lala couldn’t stop smiling. Her cousins came rushing out next, shouting her name and dragging her inside. The house smelled of jasmine rice, lemongrass, and love. Her mother had prepared all her favorite dishes—stir-fried vegetables, caramelized pork, and banana dessert with coconut cream.
Kien stood back, watching Lala come alive again. Her laughter rang through the house, her cheeks were rosy, and her eyes sparkled in a way he hadn’t seen in weeks. She was no longer the quiet, worried girl sitting in hospital waiting rooms or hiding her sadness behind forced smiles
Later that afternoon, they sat under the mango tree, surrounded by family, sipping iced tea and telling old stories. Lala’s youngest cousin climbed into her lap, asking her to sing a lullaby from their childhood. She did, her voice soft and sweet, full of emotion. Even Kien was moved.
“You’ve really brought sunshine back into her heart,” Lala’s mother whispered to Kien when they were alone for a moment. “I can’t thank you enough.”
Kien nodded humbly. “She’s special to all of us. I just wanted to remind her of the joy that still surrounds her.”






Before they left in the evening, Lala’s grandmother handed her a small wrapped bundle. “A little blessing for you,” she said. Inside were dried herbs for tea, a necklace Lala had worn as a child, and a handwritten note: “You are loved, always. Never forget.”
On the way back to the city, Lala leaned her head on the car window, looking at the sunset. Her heart was full. She turned to Kien and said softly, “Thank you… for everything. Today was the best day I’ve had in a long, long time.”
He smiled. “You deserve many more days like this.”
Lala nodded, then added with a shy giggle, “Maybe next time… you’ll stay for dinner with us?”
Kien laughed. “Deal.”
From that day forward, something shifted inside Lala. She felt stronger, more cheerful, and more herself. She began taking better care of her health, joining small community events, and spending time with friends. And whenever she felt down, she would think of that surprise visit, of warm hugs, familiar laughter, and Kien’s quiet kindness.
It was a simple act, but it changed everything. CEO Kien didn’t just take her on a trip—he brought her home in every sense of the word. And in doing so, he reminded her that happiness sometimes hides in the places we come from, waiting patiently for us to return.