As the sky gradually darkened, the rich aroma of food drifted out from Hanshan Orphanage.
Cao Yuan and An Qingyu set up a round table beneath the awning in the courtyard. The children carried steaming dishes out of the kitchen, laughing as they placed them on the table.
"Wu Quan! Dinner's ready! Why are you still standing there spacing out?"
Seeing Wu Quan standing beneath the curtain of rain by the eaves, staring up at the sky in a daze, Li Xiaoyan pouted and reminded him.
Wu Quan came back to his senses and walked silently to the table, sitting down like a silent statue.
"Oh, Xiaoyan, why call him over? He's just a block of wood." Qian Cheng sat down beside Liu Xiaoyan. "If he wants to be alone, just let him be alone."
Cao Yuan sat beside Wu Quan, glanced at him, and reached out to pat his shoulder.
"What? Something on your mind?"
"...No."
Wu Quan lowered his head as he answered.
"When you're young, there are always so many troubles and hardships. It's easy to shut yourself away. I used to be like that too." Cao Yuan tried to comfort him earnestly. "But once some things happen, they can't be changed. We still have to learn to let go."
Wu Quan still kept his head lowered, saying nothing.
"Come on, come on! Time to eat! Try your old man's cooking!"
Old Man Liu emerged from the kitchen with a plate of braised pork, smiling as he placed it in the center of the round table. His gaze swept over the group before stopping on an empty seat.
"Where is he?"
"Qiye went out for a smoke. He'll be back soon," Baili Pangpang answered promptly.
"Smoking? You shouldn't smoke that stuff too often—it hurts your lungs!" Old