When Zhao Youlin woke up from her dream again, Mu Tingfeng finally realized what was going on. He woke up and hugged the person next to him, who was covered in sweat. He asked in a low voice, “What’s wrong?”
Zhao Youlin replied stiffly, “Nothing.” However, she realized that Mu Tingfeng had been watching her.
Knowing that he would never take “nothing” for an answer, she thought for a moment and opened up. “I seem to have dreamed of something from a long time ago.”
“Something from a long time ago.”
“Yes, it’s… It’s something that happened when I was in the orphanage.” Zhao Youlin deliberately paused and said in a low voice, “I want to go back to the orphanage to take a look. I’ve been wearing the necklace that Lu Xiangtian wanted since I was in the orphanage. I want to go back and take a look. Maybe… maybe I can find some unexpected clues.”
Mu Tingfeng took a deep look at Zhao Youlin, reached out his hand, and pulled Zhao Youlin into his arms. He kissed her forehead and said, “Okay, I’ll go with you.”
Zhao Youlin was stunned for a moment, then nodded and said, “Okay.”
Zhao Youlin and Mu Tingfeng were always quick and decisive. The next day was Sunday, so the two of them drove to the orphanage that Zhao Youlin stayed in.
The orphanage where Zhao Youlin used to stay was located in a relatively remote suburb. In addition, Zhao Youlin had not been there for a long time, so the road conditions around the orphanage had changed a lot. After driving for more than an hour, they finally found the courtyard that had accompanied Zhao Youlin for most of her childhood.
Zhao Youlin looked up at the familiar yet unfamiliar courtyard. For a moment, she felt a little homesick.
After being adopted, although Zhao Youlin still came here with her adoptive mother from time to time to take a look, ever since she entered the Military Academy, she had never returned. Firstly, she did not have the time, and secondly, within the entire orphanage… the director who doted on her the most had already passed away due to illness before she entered the Military Academy. From then on, there were few people in this orphanage that she could care about.
When the people in the orphanage saw a luxurious car suddenly parked outside the courtyard, their eyes lit up. They thought that it was probably some rich family that came to the orphanage to adopt a child or to invest in their orphanage, to earn a good reputation.
It was not their fault for thinking that way. Many rich people nowadays did not lack money, they just lacked a good reputation. It was normal to use money to buy a good reputation, and the orphanage was a good choice for them.
With this thought in mind, the gatekeeper outside quickly sent someone in to inform the current orphanage director. When the director heard that there were two rich people outside, it was obvious that she had thought of this as well. She came up to them with a smile. “Sir, Miss, what are you here for?”
The orphanage director was a middle-aged woman. She looked a little thick and was a little strong. There was nothing but a flattering smile on her face. It was indescribably awkward.
Zhao Youlin looked at the director, who looked like a Maitreya Buddha. Then, she looked at the woman’s gleaming eyes which were hidden behind the smile. Needless to say, she knew what this woman was thinking.
Zhao Youlin suddenly felt a little annoyed. She said coldly, “We’re just here to take a look. I heard that your orphanage takes in a lot of children. I happen to like children, so we’re here to see if there’s anything we can do to help.”
As soon as Zhao Youlin said this, the director’s eyes lit up even more. She hurriedly led the two of them into the orphanage.
“How should I address you, Ms. Zhao?”
“My surname is Zhao.”
“So it’s Ms. Zhao. To tell you the truth, there are quite a number of orphans in our orphanage from all over the world. Some of them have lost their parents, and their relatives are unwilling to adopt and send them over. There are also some who have been abandoned outside the orphanage. If you like children, Ms. Zhao, why don’t you take a look at the children in our orphanage? If there are any that you like…”
“There’s no need. I have a child of my own.” The new director promoted the children in the orphanage as if they were selling products. This made Zhao Youlin unknowingly annoyed. Without thinking, she interrupted her, her tone was still a little unfriendly.
Since when had the orphanage become a place filled with profit and greed? Was this person really the director of the orphanage and not some human trafficker?
Zhao Youlin frowned as she sized up the middle-aged woman. The more she thought about it, the more she missed the director who was not a very good talker, but treated them extremely well.
The smile on the middle-aged woman’s face suddenly froze. She looked at Zhao Youlin with obvious regret, as if she was regretting that she had missed out on a good deal.
Zhao Youlin felt even more disgusted when she saw this. In her memory, the director who had always been gentle and doted on her was suddenly replaced by a similar woman. This made her suddenly feel a little angry and wronged. She felt that half of the beautiful memories hidden in a corner of her heart had collapsed.
Mu Tingfeng had been paying attention to Zhao Youlin’s every move. When he saw the disappointed expression on her face, he immediately understood what she was thinking. He took a step forward and held Zhao Youlin’s hand. He said coldly to the director of the orphanage, “We are only here to visit this orphanage. Director, please show us around your courtyard.”
The middle-aged woman had seen many rich people, but a rich man like Mu Tingfeng, who was so oppressive and cold like an ice cube, still gave her indescribable fear.
Her whole body trembled, and she hurriedly hid the scheming gleam in her eyes. She put on a warm attitude and led the two of them to visit their orphanage.
After all, more than ten years had passed, and the courtyard had changed a lot. Many of them were very different from what Zhao Youlin remembered. Zhao Youlin and Mu Tingfeng followed the dean all the way to the courtyard that frequently appeared in the dream. Many children were playing in the courtyard. They were innocent and filled with laughter. Of course, there were always a few discordant voices, no matter where they were.
“I said, I want to play with this swing. Get down from there.”
“I don’t want it. I was the one who came first. Why should I give it to you?”
“What did you say? Do you know who I am? How dare you talk to me like that? Let me tell you, I am the precious son of your director. I am different from you wild children who have lives that no one wants. If you anger me, I will have my mother throw you out and let you be little beggars outside. Anyway, you don’t have parents to dote on you. No one will care about you. You might even be kidnapped by human traffickers. You won’t have enough food to eat every day and have to work as coolies. Are you afraid? If you are afraid, get down from the swing quickly. I want to play.”
