"Then let's set off together. Mr. Ye Feng, would you like to join us to visit the place where the children have their meals?"
The director skillfully walked behind Shen Mengli's wheelchair, naturally placing her hands on the handles.
"Well... if the director doesn't mind."
"Mr. Ye Feng, you're too kind. I'm already very grateful that you're willing to accompany the children."
The director spoke with a constant smile, while Wenwen held Ye Feng's hand as they slowly made their way down the corridor.
They soon arrived at the dining area, where the children were already seated quietly on long benches, waiting for the director. After pushing Shen Mengli to an empty table, the director walked to the center of the cafeteria.
"Children, this afternoon's snack is a small cake and milk. You must finish all your milk, okay? If I find any naughty child who doesn't drink their milk, I'll be very upset."
Seeing the children's eager expressions, the director smiled and instructed the other staff to distribute the snacks. The cafeteria was soon filled with the children's cheerful laughter.
Ye Feng was deeply moved by the scene. At this age, they should have been enjoying happy times with their families, but they had encountered unfortunate circumstances.
"The children are adorable, aren't they?"
The director, who had somehow appeared beside Ye Feng, asked with a smile.
"Of course, they all seem to hold great affection for you, Director."
"You might find it strange that I have the children call me 'Director Mom.' I do this to give them a sense of belonging to the concept of 'home.' Some of the younger ones were sent here just as they were beginning to form memories. Every time I hear them calling out 'Mom,' my heart aches..."
The director's voice grew faint, as if she might burst into tears at any moment.
"As long as I can still move, I am willing to dedicate my life to helping these children build a brighter future. That is my wish."
"Director, you are truly a respectable person."
"There's nothing respectable about it. I'm just doing what I can."
Ye Feng watched the children at the table, their eyes squinting with joy as they ate their small cakes. He couldn't help but smile along with them.
"Why were these children sent here?"
"Well, there's no one reason. Some were abandoned at birth, while others lost their families to unfortunate circumstances. Any child without a home ends up here. For them, this place is their only family."
"I see. What about Wenwen and the others? Why are they here?"
"Wenwen's only living relative, her grandmother, passed away suddenly, so she was placed in the orphanage. Her parents had already died of illness shortly after she was born, leaving her with no one to care for her."
After a pause, the director continued.
"As for Mengli, her story is even more tragic. She used to live in a happy family. But one day, when she was a child, her parents were driving her home when they were hit by a drunk driver. Her parents died instantly, and Mengli lost all feeling in her legs due to the accident. To this day, she relies on a wheelchair and lives here at the orphanage."
"Fate truly strikes where it hurts most," Ye Feng sighed.
"Perhaps that's just how life is. Who could have predicted such an outcome? Anyway, Mr. Ye Feng, why don't you have some snacks too? I noticed Wenwen has been looking at you for a while now."
"No, thank you. These should be left for the children," Ye Feng quickly declined with a wave of his hand.
"Then could you please take a small cake to Mengli? She loves sweets the most."
With that, the director took a small cake from the basket and handed it to Ye Feng, her eyes filled with affection for Shen Mengli.
"Of course."
After taking the cake, Ye Feng walked over to the table where Wenwen and Shen Mengli were seated. As soon as he approached, Wenwen excitedly greeted him.
"Big Brother Ye Feng, you finally came! I thought you were leaving."
"Don't worry, I won't be going anywhere for now."
Ye Feng found Wenwen to be quite endearing and gently patted her head. Then he handed the small cake to Shen Mengli.
"Huh?"
Shen Mengli was clearly surprised by Ye Feng's gesture. She was in the middle of taking a sip of milk and looked at him with wide eyes.
"Don't worry, the director asked me to give this to you. It's not from me."
"Thank you."
After hearing Ye Feng's explanation, Shen Mengli relaxed and accepted the cake. She unwrapped it and took a small bite.
"Wenwen, who is this big brother? We've never seen him before."
"Yeah, yeah! Sister Mengli knows him too. Why didn't you tell us?"
The other children's curiosity was piqued, and they all stared at Ye Feng with wide eyes.
"This is Big Brother Ye Feng! He's been really nice to me and Sister Mengli. Let me tell you, earlier today, he even caught Sister Mengli in a princess carry..."
Wenwen was whispering something, covering her mouth with her hand, when suddenly a slender, pale hand pulled her back. Before she could react, a small cake was stuffed into her mouth. The other children turned to see that it was Shen Mengli who had done this!
"Mmm..."
Wenwen tried to say something while chewing the cake, but Shen Mengli stopped her.
Shen Mengli looked around at the children and spoke calmly, "It's mealtime. No whispering."
"Wow, Sister Mengli is being strict!"
"I think it's more than that. Sister Mengli must be hiding something from us."
"Didn't I hear Wenwen say something about a princess carry? Like in the storybooks where the prince carries the princess?"
The children began to chatter again, and Ye Feng noticed a faint blush spreading across Shen Mengli's pale cheeks.
So she's not expressionless after all...
"If you keep whispering, I won't tell you any stories tonight," Shen Mengli finally said, resorting to her ultimate threat.
Hearing this, the children immediately fell silent and focused on their snacks.
Ye Feng, who had been watching the whole scene, couldn't help but chuckle quietly.
Who would have thought Shen Mengli was such a commanding figure?