"Hmph, so Shen still remembers us. All these years, he never even made a phone call. I thought that aside from sending money here every month, he never wanted to come back again."
The old man brushed the iron filings from 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 Shen? Why didn't he come?"
"Oh, Shen Qingzhu is carrying out a confidential mission and couldn't get away." Lin Qiye answered without changing expression, then swiftly changed the subject. "What should we call you?"
"My surname is Liu. I'm the director of this private orphanage." The old man adjusted his reading glasses.
Old Man Liu led Lin Qiye and the others through the narrow courtyard and into the only old-fashioned building within it.
The house was not tall, and it felt somewhat cramped for young people like Lin Qiye. Its rough, aged walls had been carefully painted light green, with red flowers hand-painted across them. Though shabby, it carried a simple, heartwarming warmth.
The moment he crossed the threshold, Lin Qiye saw three or four children hiding behind the door, looking at them with curiosity and fear. The oldest was twelve or thirteen, while the youngest was only seven or eight.
They wore old-fashioned yet very warm padded jackets, their complexions rosy. They looked quite well-nourished.
Only one little boy in the corner seemed different. In weather like this, he wore only a thin gray hoodie, his face somewhat pale. He was also older than the other children.
"Back then, when Shen said he was joining the army, I didn't believe him. With that rotten temper of his, he could be a soldier? He'd probably get thrown out by the instructor on his first day."