23. Lin Feifei

He'd only spent two days on it, but when the finished piece was finally ready, even he was surprised.

At first glance, the two busts of Hong Bin looked almost identical, right down to the patterns left by the carving tools.

Then he began waxing them.

As he worked, he examined every wrinkle on Hong Bin's cheeks, every crease in his clothes, and even each strand of hair on his head. The more he looked, the more natural the carving seemed.

Shen Xing could hardly believe it. The bust of Hong Bin before him had remarkable spirit and looked even better than the first one.

Puzzled, he looked from side to side and compared the details of the two carvings, but he couldn't spot any differences. They seemed about the same. Yet just by looking, he could tell that the second bust of Hong Bin felt more natural, even more lifelike.

The shop seemed to be out of wood, so Shen Xing pulled out his phone and called Lao Wan, a supplier he often contacted. He ordered several kinds of wood he needed.

The order included Shadow Wood, which he used to make the Blood Pupil. But Lao Wan told him he didn't have any on hand at the moment and promised to set some aside as soon as it came in.

After hanging up, Shen Xing glanced at the sky. It was only noon, so he decided to visit Qiguang Orphanage and see Lin Feifei, who had just lost her mother.

He'd spent the past several days at home rushing to finish Hong Bin's carving and hadn't gone out at all. He'd mostly ordered takeout or boiled noodles to fill his stomach.

He squeezed into the cramped bathroom for a shower, changed into clean clothes and a pair of casual sneakers, then quickly headed out.

He'd received a bonus from the Public Security Bureau a few days ago, so even though he hadn't opened his shop for several days, Shen Xing remained strangely calm.

Now that the second bust of Hong Bin was finished, and looked even better than the first, Hong Anjie would surely be pleased when he returned from his trip. That meant another payment was on its way, so Shen Xing didn't have to worry about making ends meet for the time being.

He took a bus, transferred to another along the way, and arrived about forty minutes later at Qiguang Orphanage on Mingguang Street in Yungu City. After getting off, he bought some mangoes and bananas at a nearby fruit shop, then headed to the orphanage entrance.

The orphanage had ties to City Hall. It had originally been established under City Hall's leadership, but later its management changed hands and a local charity took over. It had grown to a respectable size.

It held various charity events regularly, so donations were fairly plentiful. Volunteers from different industries also came by from time to time. They took turns volunteering throughout the week, one after another, which saved the orphanage a considerable amount in staff wages.

While waiting at the bus stop, Shen Xing had called the orphanage office. They'd already been notified by Public Security Officer Xiong Wei, so they agreed to arrange a meeting between him and Feifei.

After signing in at the orphanage gate, Shen Xing entered the spacious, clean, and orderly grounds. A young woman in a volunteer uniform came to greet him.

She wore her hair in a fashionable bun, and her light blue uniform fit her well. She was about five foot seven, though very thin—well past the point of being merely slender.

Her features were pleasant, and she seemed kind.

After all, volunteers who didn't seem kind probably wouldn't be popular with the children.

It seemed to be their break time. More than a dozen children were chasing one another around the garden, and a shallow pool sat in the middle. The water was clear, with a few toys floating in it.

The woman smiled. "Are you Mr. Shen? My name is Song Xiaoyu. I'm a volunteer here at the orphanage. I'll take you to see Feifei."

Shen Xing nodded with a smile and asked, "Are you a student, or are you working already?"

Song Xiaoyu walked a few steps ahead and went up the stairs. Looking back, she replied, "I'm still a medical student, but I'll graduate soon. I'm doing my internship at Third Municipal Hospital."

Shen Xing admired girls like her. She had to work and do an internship, yet still gave up her free time to volunteer. It was clear that Song Xiaoyu genuinely cared about others and put that care into action, unlike many people who only paid lip service to it.

"How long have you been volunteering here?" Shen Xing asked.

"Almost six months. I come every weekend." Song Xiaoyu opened the door to the building and held it for him.

After Shen Xing went in, she gently closed the door behind him and hurried forward, pointing upstairs. "Feifei's in her room on the third floor. There aren't any other children in there with her right now. They're all playing in the courtyard."

"Is she staying inside especially to wait for me?" Shen Xing asked.

"No." Song Xiaoyu shook her head. "She hardly ever goes out. Maybe what happened to her mother hit her pretty hard."

Shen Xing nodded.

Song Xiaoyu went on, "Feifei's a very unusual girl, though. She's mature for her age and not like the other kids."

"That's true. She often stays home by herself. Sometimes she comes over to my place and waits for her mother to come home. She even helps with the housework. She's very sensible." Shen Xing smiled.

They chatted as they made their way to the third floor.

Along the way, Song Xiaoyu greeted the orphanage's staff and a few other volunteers. She also helped straighten the pants of several little boys who seemed to have just rushed out of the bathroom and were eager to get downstairs to play. They hadn't even put their pants on properly.

Shen Xing's impression of Song Xiaoyu improved further. He could tell she genuinely liked the children.

Song Xiaoyu opened the door to room 307 and spoke softly from the doorway. "Feifei, your Uncle Shen is here to see you."

Then she stepped inside, with Shen Xing following behind.

He looked over and saw a little girl in a white dress, her slightly wavy hair falling over her shoulders. She was kneeling on a chair by the window, looking down at the garden.

The girl turned to glance at Song Xiaoyu, then shifted her gaze to Shen Xing.

"Hello, Sister Xiaoyu!" she said as she slowly climbed down from the chair.

Shen Xing set the fruit he was carrying on the square table in the room. "Feifei."

Feifei's little mouth quivered, but she didn't answer. Instead, she hurried over and wrapped her thin arms around him, pressing her cheek against his waist without saying a word.

Shen Xing slowly lowered his arms and held Feifei by the shoulders, gently stroking them. For the moment, neither of them spoke. The room fell silent.

After a while, Feifei slowly looked up at him. "Uncle Shen, I missed you."

"Yeah. I missed you too." Shen Xing nodded. "Don't be sad, Feifei. This will pass. No matter what happens, it will pass."

Feifei hugged him even tighter. "Officer Xiong told me you caught the bad guy. Thank you!"

Song Xiaoyu tactfully left the room and gently closed the door behind her.

A little while later, Feifei let go. Tear tracks still marked her face, and her cheeks were flushed. She looked adorable, with an air of maturity that was hard to describe.

"I heard you got hurt?"

Shen Xing pointed to his shoulder. "I was stabbed there, but it's healed now."

"Officer Xiong told me. He also showed me a photo of the killer from before he died. I remember seeing that man a few times before. His surname was Guan, and he seemed to like my mother a lot," Feifei said.