A Love That Brought Us Together

My name is Xu Jiangzhong, and I am a Chinese businessman. In 2010, I arrived in Saigon. I needed a guide to take me to handicraft workshops, and that was how I met Dung. At the time, she was an interpreting assistant. Our journeys from the south to the north gradually brought us closer. It was not love at first sight. Rather, mutual understanding took root with every field trip we made together.

Xu Jiangzhong (far right) poses with his wife's family. (Photo: Supplied)

When I went to Ben Tre to meet her family, I faced her parents' concerns. They worried that their daughter would be living far from home and that the language barrier would make life difficult for her. I won them over with my sincerity, and they placed their trust in me. A family was built, and an import-export business was born from that bridge between us. I came to understand that the heartbeat of this country lies not in its high-rise buildings, but in the tolerance and openness of its kind-hearted people.

Xu Jiangzhong (far left) and his wife (beside him) pose with friends in Viet Nam. (Photo: Supplied)

What I enjoy most are the days spent in my wife's hometown. Leaving behind car journeys through the city, I borrow an old motorbike and ride it myself. Only when I twist the throttle with my own hand can I feel the river breeze gently brushing my face and sense that the landscape truly belongs to me. Riding along small roads shaded by coconut palms, I feel completely at ease.

People in the Mekong Delta are warm and generous. They offer you alcohol but never pressure you to drink. If you cannot drink alcohol, you can simply choose coconut water instead. My wife's hometown is surrounded by vast coconut groves, and the coconut water has a wonderfully delicate sweetness. I feel that I have truly become part of the generous, open-hearted culture of the river region.

The warmth and meaning of family meals

Accustomed as I was to the bold flavours of Henan, I initially found Vietnamese meals a challenge. I prefer strong flavours, while my wife likes lighter food. The past 14 years have been a journey of learning to adjust and find the right balance in life. My wife learned to cook noodles, while I learned to enjoy bowls of pork bone broth soup. Together, we adjusted the saltiness and spiciness of our dishes, seeking harmony around our small dining table.

It is about far more than food. It reflects a philosophy of life: making concessions to one another in order to live in harmony. In Saigon, I enjoy eating hủ tiếu (Vietnamese noodle soup) and phở at street-side stalls. The noodles here are also quite similar to those in my northern hometown. Eating at roadside eateries gives me a wonderful sense of discovery.

Family meals. (Photo: Supplied)

Today, doing business is, for me, a way of expressing gratitude. I bring coconut-wood chopsticks, agarwood and wooden handicrafts to China not simply to make a profit. I am also showcasing the finest products of my wife's homeland. Customers trust me because they trust the integrity of a son-in-law who sources goods directly from their producers in his Vietnamese wife's hometown.

When I see my daughter, Wen Xin, dressed in an áo dài and stumbling through a few words of Vietnamese, I know that someone is ready to carry this bridge forward. In life, love given to others is never lost. I believe I will never forget the world of the carpenters and farmers of Ben Tre who accompanied me through the early years of building my business.

Xu Jiangzhong's family. (Photo: Supplied)

Over the past 14 years, I have ceased to feel like a stranger. When travelling to other countries on business, I often feel alone. But whenever I return to Viet Nam, I feel a sense of warmth, as though I am coming back to my loved ones. There are family members waiting to welcome me and genuine smiles to greet me.

Viet Nam is not merely a destination. It is a peaceful haven where I can find tranquillity. To me, returning to Viet Nam is like coming home.

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