With an umbrella in hand, Chen Ge entered the rain-soaked city. He didn't know whether he was doing it for the mission, because he wanted to help that woman, or perhaps both.
He took a ride to the Han Jiang Welfare Institute. Although visiting hours were already over, Chen Ge knew the gatekeeper for various reasons, and he was also very familiar with one of the welfare institute's teachers, who cared for Fan Yu.
After waiting outside for a few minutes, Chen Ge was led into the welfare institute by that teacher.
"Are you here to pick up Fan Yu? He's doing much better now. I don't know what happened, but he's stopped locking himself in that little room and has started trying to communicate with others. His drawings aren't as frightening anymore, either. Aside from black and red, he's started using other colors." The teacher was delighted, and she kept praising Fan Yu.
Chen Ge didn't know whether Fan Yu's change had anything to do with the Painter from Spirit Channeling School. Perhaps his emotional knot had come undone, or perhaps, after leaving Spirit Channeling School, the Painter had secretly slipped out and met Fan Yu.
Anything was possible. The Painter himself was an unfathomable presence.
"I'm here for something else this time." Chen Ge went inside with the teacher. He put away his umbrella and took a photograph from his backpack. "Could you take me to see the dean? There's something important I need to ask him."
"The dean's already gone home. You can ask me instead. There isn't anything about this welfare institute that I don't know."
"I want to know about what happened ten years ago. Back then, this welfare institute was still a privately run orphanage. You were probably still in school at the time,