Although she had already prepared herself mentally, Teacher Lu's expression still changed the moment she reached the mailbox and took out the thick envelope. She only opened it slightly to glance inside before immediately closing it again, even letting out a startled cry.
Then she turned around and looked at Lu Xin warily, as if questioning him.
Her voice was already slightly tense as she lowered it and asked, "You really haven't been doing anything bad?"
Lu Xin could only explain helplessly, "It's all legitimate income... and I've already paid the taxes..."
"Even so... that's way too much!"
Teacher Lu hugged the bag, her voice becoming somewhat flustered. "Actually... actually, things are already very good here..."
"These... these little monsters can eat their fill every day and stay warm. Some kind people helped us find some school textbooks, and... and I've been running back and forth to the Administrative Hall, hoping to apply for official accreditation so they can all obtain identities and enter middle school in the future... Everything is going smoothly. We really don't need this much money..."
Listening to Teacher Lu ramble on, Lu Xin's mood improved as well. Especially when he saw how nervous she was, he felt as though he had won a round, and explained with a smile, "It's always good to leave some extra. Buy them a little more meat to eat. When winter gets cold, remember to get them some warmer clothes too. In the future, we'll have to move to a bigger place as well. And then there's your leg..."
He spoke slowly as he looked at Teacher Lu's leg.
She was actually a rather tall young woman. Unfortunately, she had always been confined to a wheelchair.
At that moment, a series of little faces appeared by the window. They stared wide-eyed at Lu Xin and Teacher Lu. Some covered their mouths and giggled, some whispered among themselves, and one particularly mischievous child clasped both hands together and gestured as if kissing.
With all those little ones watching him, Lu Xin couldn't help blushing slightly.
Teacher Lu abruptly raised her head and glared at them.
With a rustle, all the little faces vanished, and they obediently returned to their seats to copy their lessons.
Teacher Lu sat in her wheelchair, still looking restless. She glanced around, then, like a thief, quickly pulled out a roll of money from the paper bag and stuffed it beneath her clothes. Then she pushed the bag into Lu Xin's hands and said, "Don't leave it all here. You've given me too much; my little cabinet is almost full. Besides, what if it attracts bad people?"
"This..."
Lu Xin had originally wanted to push it back, but after hearing what she said, he could only clutch the bag.
Teacher Lu said seriously, "Keep it for yourself first. If I need anything, I'll definitely come to you!"
Lu Xin was silent for a moment before gently nodding.
"And another thing..."
Teacher Lu looked at Lu Xin seriously and urged him, "I don't know exactly what kind of work you do, but if they're paying you this much, it must either be exhausting or dangerous. At the very least, you need to eat more every day. Don't eat nothing but vegetables and tofu every day..."
"I do eat other things..."
Lu Xin took the money and smiled. "I eat chicken legs every day!"
"Someone who can afford chicken legs every day wouldn't eat only chicken legs every day..."
Teacher Lu mercilessly exposed Lu Xin's lie, then sighed softly.
Lu Xin didn't know how to respond, so the two of them sat and stood in silence by the windowsill, in front of the bare flower bed.
Only the pale sunlight continued to paint the world with a dim glow.
After a long while, Lu Xin suddenly said hesitantly, "Sister Lu, about what happened back then..."
"What do you want to ask?"
Teacher Lu turned her head and saw the confusion and hesitation on Lu Xin's face.
She looked at Lu Xin seriously, then smiled and said in a low voice, "Little Lu Xin, don't keep thinking about things from the past. 'How much sorrow can one ask the ruler to bear?' Some things are a blessing if you don't remember them..."
"..."
Lu Xin was silent for a moment before saying, "Could you stop quoting lines from old movies all the time? I watched that one too..."
"Bah, you're no fun!"
Teacher Lu changed the subject. "Come over for dumplings in a few days, okay? We can put eggs in them now!"
Lu Xin's mood lifted as well, and he nodded. "Okay!"
"What exactly happened at Crimson Moon Orphanage back then?"
As Lu Xin left Crimson Moon Elementary School, he silently pondered the question.
He still clearly remembered every detail of what had happened at the orphanage back then, as well as some of the things that had happened after the incident at Crimson Moon Orphanage. But the memories in between were always a blur. He had always wanted to figure out what had happened back then, so he sometimes asked Zeng Xiaolu. But she refused to tell him, always using awkward jokes to sidestep the question.
He had even asked his family, but they refused to say anything either.
This continued for a long time. Sometimes, he no longer even wanted to think about it himself.
Most of the time, he simply did his best to help Teacher Lu, because he felt that rebuilding Crimson Moon Orphanage was something the two of them had to do together.
Since he had a family to accompany him and couldn't stay here to help, all he could do was earn more money.
He had once felt that this kind of life was always oppressive and endless, but now, at last, he could see hope.
Being able to work and earn money on his own—what could be better than that?
Thinking this, his mood gradually improved.
After walking several stops, he boarded a bus and dropped in a coin.
When he was almost home, he got off one stop early and went to a market gathered in the streets and alleys.
Every night, many people gathered here to sell all kinds of vegetables and even game. Many people in Satellite City would do everything they could to grow vegetables. Some opened gardens between abandoned buildings, some filled their rooftops with soil, and some even slipped out of the city to cultivate wasteland beyond the farms of Qinggang City. Others hunted wild animals and brought them into the city to sell.
The Administrative Hall of Satellite City usually turned a blind eye to this. Sometimes, it would even offer them protection.
Lu Xin bought some things at the market, carrying several large and small bags as he returned to the apartment building.
By then, night had completely fallen. The streetlamps were few and far between, leaving the surroundings bleak and dark. There was not the slightest sound or glimmer of light in the stairwell as he went upstairs. The building was already very old, and No. 2 Satellite City was still a place with few people and many buildings. As a result, no residents had moved in, while the few families who had once lived there had gradually moved away.
The elevator had never been repaired, so Lu Xin followed the stairs up to the fourth floor.
As soon as he turned the corner, Lu Xin saw the warm light spilling from Room 401, along with Father's furious curses.
"Stupid brat, get back here! I'll tear you apart!"
Father stood at the doorway with a livid face, his expression twisted with rage and his eyes bloodshot as he shouted.
Meanwhile, Sister crawled back and forth across the hallway ceiling, talking back defiantly. "I won't! If you've got the guts, come out here..."
"Get back here! I'll chop you to pieces..."
"Hehehehehe, if you've got the guts, come out and hit me!"
Father roared furiously, "Roar..."
Sister refused to back down. "Hiss..."
Lu Xin sighed as he felt the warm atmosphere of home, then slowly walked over.
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