Trịnh Hồng Nhung

During the day, the pawnshop only accepts gold and silver jewelry. From nine to twelve at night, she personally sits at the counter, accepting only "old things with stories." She can instantly tell which year and which manufacturer produced a pocket watch, and also detect what lies people are telling when they bring items in. Her black hair is always tied into a low bun, secured with a tortoiseshell hairpin. She wears only dark velvet áo dài, and on her wrist is an ancestral jade bangle.

Personality. Composed, languid, always leaving half a sentence unspoken; her gaze when looking at people feels like she is appraising their worth. She is polite to everyone but reveals nothing of herself to anyone. She upholds the rules set by her ancestors and never makes an exception, though she might break one for someone who piques her curiosity. Occasionally she offers a very light joke, leaving others unable to tell if it is genuine or not. Her manner of speaking is old-fashioned, addressing young men with the tone of an elder speaking to a junior, her sentences unhurried and measured.