Xiao Qi

Qian Mo's sincere smile came quickly and faded just as fast, soon replaced by his usual polite, fake smile.

Although Qian Mo was genuinely pleased by the orphanage children's current circumstances.

He also understood very well why the children in orphanages rarely cried or made a fuss.

Because their crying would not earn a response from the adults, they had to learn to be strong as early as possible.

At the same time, Qian Mo regarded these children as his first group of followers.

Although most of their parents had been ordinary people, meaning they might remain ordinary for their entire lives.

The hallmark of practicing the Path of Harmony was understanding, support, and cooperation.

The hallmark of the Path of Order, meanwhile, was order, regularity, and control.

So long as these children could study according to their own aspirations after awakening their Martial Souls, become useful people, and serve as cogs in the future operation of his power, then he would be practicing the Paths of Order and Harmony as well.

But all of this had one somewhat heartless prerequisite.

He could not become too close to them or let them think of him as an elder who would tolerate whatever they did.

Because Qian Mo believed that only the proper degree of distance and authority could ensure the stable development of the Paths of Order and Harmony.

Afterward, Qian Mo checked the orphanage's accounts to see whether there were any false reports or shortages.

Although he trusted the character of the five people through Attunement, the necessary audits could not be skipped.

The successful experiences of his previous life had taught Qian Mo one truth.

The merciful could not command troops, and the righteous could not manage wealth.

Once the force under his command blurred its management because of trust, it would be inviting disaster.

The small orphanage had only around one hundred and twenty people in total, most of them children, and did not consume much in supplies, so Qian Mo quickly finished the audit.

After taking out a batch of Gold Soul Coins from his storage Soul Guidance Device, Qian Mo turned to Sister Zhang and said,

"Sister Zhang, there are no problems with the accounts.

But there are two issues here."

Sister Zhang's simple smile froze at once, and she said anxiously,

"Priest, I haven't falsified the accounts. And these children are at the age where they're growing, so I've already tried my best to save money. The funds truly can't be reduced any further."

At that, Sister Zhang clenched her teeth before finally looking at Qian Mo with determination.

"If it really comes to it, sir, I can go without wages. Please, don't cut the children's living expenses."

Qian Mo was slightly taken aback. He had not expected Sister Zhang to think that way.

But then his expression softened somewhat, because Sister Zhang reminded him of the director from his previous life who had cared so deeply for him.

Qian Mo then raised a hand slightly in a calming gesture and reassured her with a smile.

"Calm down, Sister Zhang. I have no intention of cutting the funding.

The two issues I mentioned are actually that I think you have been too frugal. A month has passed, yet one-third of the Gold Soul Coins I set aside still remains.

Although the children seem to be doing well, you should still give them more meat and milk."

This time, Sister Zhang was the stunned one. She had not expected that to be the issue Qian Mo meant, and she nodded excitedly again and again.

Due to certain events in her youth, Sister Zhang had been unable to have children of her own for the rest of her life. After receiving this job, she had treated nearly every child in the orphanage as her own, which was why she had been so anxious.

Now that the weight in her heart had been lifted, Sister Zhang immediately recovered the bright smile she had worn when they first met.

However, after thinking for a moment, Qian Mo instructed her,

"Oh, right, Sister Zhang. Don't spread word everywhere that the children are living well. Otherwise, I'm afraid some people whose lives aren't going well will simply abandon their children here for you to raise.

That would become quite a problem."

Hearing Qian Mo say that, Sister Zhang nodded repeatedly. She too came from the lowest rung of society, so how could she not understand the treachery of human hearts?

Thus, even though she had cut expenses and the children were living fairly well, no one outside knew the slightest thing about the orphanage.

After Qian Mo had reassured her, Sister Zhang curiously asked what the second issue he had mentioned was.

She believed she had done well in every respect.

In response, Qian Mo smiled and pointed to the final line of the supply purchase request in the accounts.

It stated that they wished to purchase a large number of cotton quilts and padded clothes for the winter.

Sister Zhang tilted her head, but no matter how she looked at it, she could not see what was wrong with that expense.

And judging from Qian Mo's behavior just now, he was definitely not stingy. It could not be that he would refuse to buy even these necessities, could he?

The province they were in was close to the Far-North Icefield. Winter here was far colder than in other provinces, and if they did not keep warm properly, people really could freeze to death.

Seeing this, Qian Mo smiled slightly and stopped keeping her in suspense.

"Sister Zhang, Sister Zhang, I told you not to be too frugal.

How could cotton quilts and padded clothes alone be enough in the dead of winter? You know that once winter comes, hiding indoors won't help much either.

Why didn't you think to apply for some coal for the children?

The budget should be enough for that too, shouldn't it?"

Sister Zhang's old face reddened. She had been poor her whole life and had never burned coal to get through winter before, so she had naturally overlooked it.

At the same time, Sister Zhang was deeply moved and looked at Qian Mo with reverence.

She had served many Soul Masters in her life, but this was the first time she had met such a good person as Qian Mo, someone who not only established an orphanage but was also not stingy with money.

At that moment, Sister Zhang felt that perhaps she could work at this orphanage for the rest of her life.

After handling these trivial matters, Qian Mo left the small room where Sister Zhang worked. Once outside, he saw Ye Lulu playing little games with a group of children.

Her movements and expression were entirely natural, without the slightest hint of incongruity, as if she were a child herself.

The corner of Qian Mo's mouth twitched at the sight. He always felt as though he could see the shadow of some airheaded girl in Ye Lulu.

And just as Qian Mo had that thought.

The corner of his eye caught sight of a pink-haired little girl sitting all alone in a corner, utterly out of place among the other children.

The little girl looked five or six years old and wore a plain linen dress.

Yet although her clothes were ordinary, her delicate little face, paired with an expression that seemed completely uninterested in everything around her, gave her an incomparable presence.

Qian Mo could not help looking at the girl twice more, because in the world of Honkai: Star Rail, pink hair was a very special trait.

Then Qian Mo frowned.

Because he considered his memory quite good, and among the one hundred and twenty-three children he had registered, there should not have been any pink-haired ones.

Especially one this cute—there was no way he could have had no impression of her!

But Qian Mo also trusted Sister Zhang's character. She would not casually bring in a child, so he pointed at the little girl and turned to ask,

"Sister Zhang, what's the situation with that child?"

Sister Zhang, who had just returned after going out to pre-order a batch of coal from the charcoal seller, focused her eyes on the girl and immediately understood.

"Sir, you mean Xiao Qi?"

Hearing the name Xiao Qi, Qian Mo shuddered instinctively.

Then Qian Mo came to his senses. This was not the era of the Peerless Tang Clan, so this little fellow was naturally not that pink-and-blue dog leash.

But Qian Mo quickly became even more interested in the little girl.

With so many elements piled together, who would believe she was ordinary?