Both Phuong and Kien’s father seem to share a certain cynicism or skepticism about the surrounding world. Kien’s father, for example, thinks that Phuong will experience hardship simply because of the way she moves through the world, which he implies isn’t able to accommodate people like her. Of course, it’s not all that clear (at this point, at least) what, exactly, Kien’s father means by this or why Phuong doesn’t fit into the world around her. Regardless, though, what’s important is that Phuong and Kien’s father are closely connected, which strengthens her bond with Kien while also creating a small amount of tension, since he himself doesn’t feel close to his father.