Chapter 1159

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Chapter 1159 Hanshan Orphanage

Hmph, it’s surprising that the kid Shen still remembers us. He hasn’t called in so many years. I thought besides sending money here every month, he never wanted to come back again.

The old man patted the iron filings off his hands, snorted coldly, and turned to walk into the courtyard.

Lin Qiye and the others followed closely behind him.

“By the way, where’s the kid Shen? Why didn’t he come?”

“Oh, Shen Qingzhu is on a secret mission and couldn’t get away,” Lin Qiye answered with a straight face, then quickly changed the subject, “What should we call you?”

“My surname is Liu. I’m the director of this private orphanage,” the old man pushed up his reading glasses.

Old Liu led Lin Qiye and the others through the narrow courtyard and into the only old-style suite in the compound.

The house wasn’t tall, making it somewhat cramped for young people like Lin Qiye. The rough, aged walls had been carefully painted with light green paint, with hand-painted red flowers outlined on them. Though worn-down, it had a kind of pure warmth.

As soon as they crossed the threshold, Lin Qiye saw three or four children hiding behind the door, curiously yet fearfully examining them. The oldest was about twelve or thirteen, while the youngest was only seven or eight.

They wore old-fashioned but very warm cotton jackets, with rosy faces that showed they were well-nourished.

Only one small boy in the corner seemed different. In this weather, he wore only a thin gray hoodie, his face somewhat pale, and he appeared to be older than the other children.

“Back when the kid Shen said he was joining the army, I didn’t believe it. With that terrible temper of his? I thought he’d be sent back by the drill instructor on the first day.”

Old Liu muttered as he walked:

“I never expected he’d actually stay… Hey, what rank is he now in the military?”

“He’s an officer,” Lin Qiye replied after a moment’s thought. “He’s earned many merits and even trained a batch of new recruits this year. He’s highly respected.”

Old Liu turned into a small room that looked like an office, but besides a wooden desk, a few benches, and thick stacks of newspapers piled in the corner, there was nothing else.

Old Liu set out benches for everyone and sat down himself, grinning as he said:

“Not bad, he hasn’t embarrassed me as the director.”

“Director Liu, how long has this orphanage been open?” Baili Pangpang looked around and couldn’t help asking.

“More than thirty years now,” Director Liu unscrewed a thermos, blew on a few shriveled goji berries floating on the water, and said leisurely,

“Don’t look at this old man now, but back then I was a well-known entrepreneur in Linjiang. I made quite a bit of money by my thirties, then I had a serious illness and came to understand some things. I opened this orphanage to do good deeds.

At that time, Linjiang hadn’t developed yet, and this place wasn’t too remote. Later, high-rises were built, fewer and fewer people lived around here, and gradually it became a neglected little place.

I’m not bragging, but in these thirty years, at least seventy or eighty orphans have left this place. The kid Shen was one I found by the river twenty years ago.”

Lin Qiye nodded thoughtfully:

“By the way, what was that about thugs you mentioned earlier?”

“This place is old, so naturally people have their eyes on it. Recently, that Li Group wants to develop a real estate project here, so they often send hooligans and ruffians to cause trouble. But it’s no big deal, this old man isn’t afraid of them.”

Old Liu took a sip of tea and said nonchalantly.

“They’re just bullies! If Brother Qingzhu were here, which thug would dare to cause trouble in our East Altar Lane?!”

The little girl in the red cotton jacket who had been squatting at the door immediately stood up and said indignantly.

“That’s right, when Brother Qingzhu was here, who in Linjiang’s underworld would dare mess with us? Brother Qingzhu would knock their teeth flying!” the other children chimed in.

“Tsk, you’re just children, what do you know about the underworld? It’s all the kid Shen’s bad influence on you.” Old Liu glared at them.

“If that’s the case, why don’t you move away?” Cao Yuan asked puzzledly,

“This place is so old, wouldn’t a new environment be good? Are their terms not favorable?”

“It’s not that.” Old Liu opened his mouth, seeming to want to say something, but didn’t speak.

“I understand.”

Lin Qiye nodded and gave Baili Pangpang beside him a look.

Baili Pangpang stood up, smiling as he said, “You all keep talking, I’ll go make a phone call.”

After Baili Pangpang left the room, Lin Qiye and the others chatted for a while longer. Outside the window, the gloomy sky grew increasingly dark, with lightning flashing between the clouds, seemingly about to bring a downpour.

“Not good… it’s going to rain again, and I haven’t bought vegetables for dinner yet.”

Seeing the changing weather outside, Director Liu immediately frowned, hurriedly stood up, grabbed an umbrella, and headed for the door.

“Let us go for you?” Lin Qiye immediately rose.

“No need, you young people don’t know how to buy groceries… Listen to this old man, just stay and keep these little rascals company. We’ll have dinner together before you leave, and you can tell me all about what merits the kid Shen has earned in the army.”

The rain began to fall steadily as Old Liu opened his umbrella, pushed open the iron gate, and walked out quickly.

Inside the Hanshan Orphanage, only Lin Qiye’s group and the few children remained, looking at each other awkwardly.

Due to Jiang Er’s special form, she had been hidden in the speaker in magnetic field state at An Qingyu’s waist, with her coffin body in the trunk outside the alley, so only Lin Qiye, Cao Yuan, and An Qingyu remained in the room.

Just as Lin Qiye was struggling with how to communicate with the children, Baili Pangpang, holding his phone, beckoned to him from outside the window:

“Qiye, come here for a moment.”

Lin Qiye was startled, then stood up and went out.

Cao Yuan’s gaze swept over the tender-faced children before him. After much hesitation, he tentatively opened his mouth:

“You all…”

All the children immediately stepped back, looking at Cao Yuan with fear, especially the little girl, who was almost on the verge of tears.

“No, I’m not a bad person… I…”

Cao Yuan, with his fierce-looking face, tried to explain something in vain, but the children quickly turned and ran into another small room, as if escaping from some terrible monster.

Cao Yuan: …

An Qingyu stood up with a smile, patted Cao Yuan’s shoulder,

“Don’t be discouraged, appearance is something you’re born with. But if you need it, I can give you plastic surgery when we get back…”

Under Cao Yuan’s resentful gaze, An Qingyu followed the children into the small room. Soon, the sound of children giggling could be heard from inside.

Cao Yuan let out a long sigh.

At that moment, his gaze met with that of the only child who hadn’t run away, sitting in the corner.