Nguyen, 32 years old, discovered the unfamiliar handbag in his shop on the afternoon of 30/4. He inquired among those present, but no one claimed it, leading him to believe a previous customer had forgotten it. Upon checking the bag, he found identification documents, cash, and some personal items.

At that moment, a woman in the shop identified herself as an acquaintance of Nguyen Oanh and offered to take the bag on her behalf, but Nguyen declined.

"I did not hand it over because I could not verify her identity. If the owner could not be found, I would turn it over to the local police," he stated. His wife then photographed the bag along with the identification documents and posted them on social media to find the owner.

The shop owned by Dinh Cong Nguyen and his wife on Da Trang Pass, Phu Tho, where Nguyen Oanh forgot her handbag on the afternoon of 30/4. Photo: Oanh Nguyen

A customer at the shop recounted the incident to Le Minh Chau, 41 years old, a driver from Xuan Mai commune, Ha Noi. Chau immediately shared the information on traffic forums and sought assistance from friends and colleagues.

By 9 p.m., Chau successfully contacted Oanh, the owner of the bag, using a phone number provided by the online community. It was then that Oanh realized her belongings were missing.

Oanh explained that on 30/4, she was traveling with her family from Ha Noi to Moc Chau, Son La. That afternoon, she stopped for a break at a small roadside shop on the summit of Da Trang Pass and forgot her handbag.

As she was in Moc Chau, nearly 100 km from Da Trang Pass, Oanh arranged to return to the shop on her way back to Ha Noi. During these two days, the shop owner kept the handbag safe.

"Chau not only informed me but also stayed in close contact with me and the shop owner until I received my belongings back," Oanh recounted.

Nguyen Oanh (left) reunited with Dinh Cong Nguyen (shop owner) at Da Trang Pass, Phu Tho province, to retrieve her belongings on 2/5. Photo: Oanh Nguyen

On 2/5, after receiving all her belongings, Oanh offered a monetary token of gratitude, but the shop owners politely declined.

Nguyen shared that he had previously returned lost items to customers or handed them over to the commune police on many occasions. "Seeing customers get their belongings back makes me happy," he said.

Oanh shared the story of this act of kindness on the mountain pass on social media on the afternoon of 3/5, garnering nearly 2,000 likes and hundreds of appreciative comments.

For Oanh, this was the most memorable experience of her trip. "Without Chau and the shop owners, I would have spent much effort and time replacing my documents. Their kindness is truly cherished," Oanh stated.

Quynh Nguyen