"Wenwen, why don't you thank this big brother?"
After realizing that her child was unharmed, the director's expression shifted from worry to sternness, and the speed of this change startled even Ye Feng.
Zhao Wenwen didn’t explain that she had already thanked him but instead continued to express her gratitude to Ye Feng: "Thank you, big brother."
"Ah, I already said it’s unnecessary! Just remember what I told you today, Wenwen."
"I’ll definitely remember it!"
"Then it’s a deal, okay?"
"Mm-hmm!"
"Alright, alright, look at you, little dirty kitten, all covered in dust. Go wash up now."
"But... but big brother..."
"Don’t worry, I won’t leave. Wenwen, you should listen to the director."
"I understand..."
Wenwen nodded and quickly turned around, clutching her stuffed doll as she ran down the hallway of the institution. Perhaps afraid that moving too slowly would cause Ye Feng to leave, she didn’t stop her pace.
"That child is adorable," Ye Feng said with a smile as he watched Wenwen’s retreating figure.
"They’re all adorable," the director added.
"Sir, may I ask for your name?"
"Oh! My apologies."
Ye Feng realized he had forgotten to introduce himself and quickly gave his name.
"I’m Ye Feng."
"Mr. Ye Feng... I see."
The director nodded with a smile, committing Ye Feng’s name to memory.
"Mr. Ye Feng, did Wenwen do something wrong?"
"Wrong? How could such a cute and kind-hearted girl like Wenwen do anything wrong? You’re overthinking it, Director."
Hearing Ye Feng’s words, the director’s smile grew even more tender, her gentle eyes seemingly seeing through everything.
"No, the truly kind-hearted one is you, Mr. Ye Feng."
"Huh? Me..."
"You didn’t hesitate to protect Wenwen when she was in trouble, even going so far as to lie to cover for her. Am I right?"
"How... how did you know?"
"It’s simple. The way you treated Wenwen gave it away. If I’m not mistaken... the little bear doll she was holding was stolen, wasn’t it?"
"!!!"
"No! Absolutely not! Wenwen was just staring at that bear at the stall, so I bought it for her. Director, please don’t say such things."
"Mr. Ye Feng, you’re still lying. Though it’s a well-meaning lie, it’s important to be honest."
"Director, I..."
The director interrupted Ye Feng, opening the door and stepping aside to ask,
"Mr. Ye Feng, would you like to come in and take a look?"
"Sure..."
Walking down a long hallway, Ye Feng followed the director, curiously observing his surroundings. Though the walls were old, they were meticulously clean, and the floor gleamed as if polished.
"Mr. Ye Feng, while your heart is kind, you mustn’t use that kindness to cover up what appears to be a harmless mistake. If you keep doing this, your kindness will eventually backfire on you."
"But isn’t this just a small matter? I think it’s better to guide these children patiently rather than scold them harshly. They deserve to be treated with kindness."
"Mr. Ye Feng, you’re mistaken here. Treating people with kindness isn’t wrong, but you must understand that kindness brings hope and warmth. At first, these children will be grateful, but over time, they’ll become spoiled by your kindness. And you know what that leads to, don’t you?"
"Is it really that serious?"
"It seems you still don’t understand. Well, perhaps one day you will. When that day comes, you’ll realize your mistake."
"......"
"We’re here."
The director led Ye Feng to a room resembling a classroom. From inside, a beautiful melody could be heard. As Ye Feng approached the glass window on the door, he saw a woman dressed similarly to the director holding a music book, teaching the children to sing.
"These children are from our Hope Welfare Home. Every year, unfortunate children come here. To shield them from pain and sorrow, we take care of their meals, sleep, and education. Once they reach adulthood, they’re sent out into society to live normal lives."
"That’s truly remarkable."
Watching the lively atmosphere in the classroom and the joy on the children’s faces, Ye Feng couldn’t help but be moved by the director’s sense of responsibility.
"We’re just doing our best to give these children a better future."
"Are these the only children in the class?"
"Some children are attending different classes. With so many children here, the classes are divided."
"I see."
Ye Feng found himself in a dilemma. On one hand, he was deeply moved by the children’s optimism for life. On the other hand, he was subtly trying to gather information about someone named Shen Mengli.
"Big brother!"
Not long after Ye Feng and the director left the classroom, they saw Zhao Wenwen, her face freshly washed, skipping toward Ye Feng.
"Wenwen, slow down!"
Ye Feng quickly caught Wenwen as she threw herself at him. The director, watching from the side, said nothing, a faint smile on her face.
"Huh? Wenwen, where’s your doll? Why is it suddenly gone?"
After catching Wenwen, Ye Feng noticed that the doll she had been clutching tightly earlier was nowhere to be seen. Could she have given it to the sister she mentioned earlier?
"I gave the doll to my sister. She was really happy when she got it and even smiled at me."
At the mention of "sister," the director’s smile faded, replaced by a look of melancholy and regret.
"That’s good. Seeing you so happy makes me happy too."
Just as Ye Feng, having found no leads, decided to come back another time, Zhao Wenwen suddenly reached out and grabbed his hand.
"Big brother... can I ask you for one more favor?"
"Huh? What is it?"
"My sister said she wants to meet you."
"Your sister?"
Ye Feng was taken aback. He hadn’t expected the sister Wenwen mentioned to want to meet him. As he hesitated, the director suddenly spoke up.
"Wenwen, Mr. Ye Feng is a guest. You’ve caused enough trouble today. Don’t push your luck..."
"It’s alright, Director. It’s just meeting someone. I have some time to spare, so it’s no trouble."