Reunion with Guang Long

The orphanage was in the old district, where the alleys were narrow and the walls on both sides were mottled and covered in moss.

Ziyang knew the way well, as if he had never left.

Na'er followed behind, looking around. This place was completely different from the splendor of the Spirit Pagoda, like another world.

"Ziyang, did you used to live here?"

"That's right."

Ziyang stopped before an iron gate. This place was utterly different from how it had been three years ago.

Inside the gate, the courtyard had doubled in size. The corners that had once been overgrown with weeds had been cleared and planted with flowers and grass.

That old tree was still there. The children's laughter drifted in from the backyard, crisp and cheerful, unlike the shabby, quiet place in his memories.

Ziyang pushed open the gate and entered, immediately spotting a woman with cascading golden hair. Hearing the footsteps, she spun around sharply.

When she saw Ziyang, she asked curiously, "Ziyang, why have you come back?"

"Director, it's been a long time. Have you been well?" Ziyang asked with a smile.

"Thanks to you, the Spirit Pagoda's funding has improved the children's meals, and I've even had time to cultivate." Yao Shiyu stepped forward and patted Ziyang's head, though she hid a trace of worry in her eyes, as if she were concealing something.

"You've grown taller over these past three years. You've become more handsome too."

Suddenly, Na'er poked her head out from behind Ziyang and glanced back and forth between them.

"Hello, Director Sister. My name is Na'er, and I'm Ziyang's junior sister."

Yao Shiyu looked at Na'er, nodded, and said, "What an adorable little girl."

Turning around, she led them inside. "Come in and have a seat."

Ziyang followed, while Na'er skipped along. The girl looked around and felt that although this place could not compare to the Spirit Pagoda, it had a simple, honest warmth to it.

The two entered the office.

The room was small but tidy. The bookshelves were still filled with illustrated manuals. Several unidentified plants sat on the windowsill, their thick leaves brimming with vibrant green life.

Yao Shiyu walked to the desk, bent down, and took something from a drawer.

It was a red baseball cap.

The stitching was fine and dense, clearly handmade.

"This is for you. The children specially prepared it for you. I just didn't expect you to come back so soon."

"Try it on."

She handed him the cap, carrying a faint herbal scent.

Ziyang took it and looked at the handmade elastic band at the back, deeply touched.

He adjusted it a little, then put the cap on his head.

It fit perfectly.

Yao Shiyu took a step back and examined him, the corners of her lips curling upward. "It suits you very well. The children will definitely be happy when they find out."

Ziyang raised a hand and tilted the brim of the cap. Looking at Yao Shiyu, he asked seriously, "Director, are you hiding something else from me?"

"Did someone deliberately come to cause you trouble?"

Yao Shiyu looked somewhat flustered. "No, don't overthink it. Right now, you should focus on your own affairs."

"Director, is everything really all right?"

"Don't worry. I can handle this."

Ziyang looked at her and suddenly understood something.

"All right, then I'll head back first."

Na'er watched from the side, completely unaware of anything. "Let's go. Teacher Leng should still be waiting for me."

Ziyang gave Yao Shiyu one last look, concern still lingering in his eyes.

Yao Shiyu stood at the orphanage gate and watched the two children disappear around the alley corner, finally letting out a sigh of relief.

"Silly child, some things are better left unknown to you."

She had no idea how high Ziyang's teacher's standing was within the Spirit Pagoda. It was a problem that could be solved with a mere flick of a finger.

Nor did she want to trouble Ziyang. As long as the Spirit Pagoda's investment remained, those people would not dare to do anything too drastic.

Meanwhile, on the way back to the East Sea Spirit Pagoda, Ziyang still felt that the director was hiding something from him.

His steps were slow. He vaguely sensed that something was wrong and decided he would ask Pagoda Master Li to investigate later.

"Ziyang, what's wrong?" Na'er suddenly asked.

Coming back to himself, Ziyang said, "Nothing. Come on, I'll take you to East Sea Snack Street and let you try some local food."

"Come to think of it, this local guy has never even tried the local food."

Na'er froze for a moment, then her eyes lit up. All her earlier doubts were tossed aside as she skipped after him.

Their footsteps echoed through the alley as they headed toward East Sea Snack Street. The closer they got to the harbor, the more the air filled with cooking smoke and the salty, fishy scent of seafood.

Before they arrived, the voices reached them first.

"Sugar-roasted chestnuts! Freshly roasted and sold on the spot! Buy a pound and get half a pound free!"

"Grilled skewers, grilled skewers! Three yuan each, ten yuan for three! No loss, no scam!"

"Stinky tofu! Smells bad but tastes delicious! The more you eat, the better it gets!"

Na'er stopped in her tracks. Looking at the bustling snack street, she had no idea which stall to choose.

"Forget those. Let's have East Sea's famous specialty, Clay-Pot Beef. It's incredibly tender, and it's best with some white rice."

Only then did Na'er pull her gaze away. Still following behind the boy, she threaded through the bustling crowd and entered a small eatery.

The shop was not large. The stove stood outside, with nearly a hundred small burners on top. A clay pot sat on every burner, their brownish-yellow earthenware darkened by smoke and fire. Steam spilled from the mouths of the pots, making their lids hum and tremble with dull sounds, like some ancient breathing.

The aroma slipped out with the steam—rich and heavy, carrying the fullness of meat and the sharpness of spices. It wove an invisible net through the air, catching every passerby.

Na'er's nose twitched, and she felt content.

There were only five small rectangular tables in the shop, and half of them were already occupied.

The diners had their heads lowered, long since captivated by the delicacies in their bowls.

Ziyang sat in a corner and raised a hand. "Boss, two portions of Clay-Pot Beef and two bowls of rice."

The owner was a middle-aged man with a somewhat grease-stained apron tied around his waist and a broad smile on his face.

Before long, two portions of Clay-Pot Beef and two bowls of white rice were brought over.

Na'er lifted the lid. Chunks of beef soaked in amber-colored broth, their surfaces glistening with oil. Scallion segments and ginger slices lay at the bottom. The flavors of more than a dozen spices blended together, impossible to distinguish individually, yet perfectly entwined into a unique, irresistible aggression.

She picked up a piece. Her chopsticks sank into the meat with almost no resistance. She placed it in her mouth, and the moment her teeth closed gently, the beef fell apart. It was tender and delicious, like it was dancing on the tip of her tongue.

Na'er immediately raised her hand and said, "Twenty more portions. I'll start by whetting my appetite."

After saying that, she picked up another piece, then a third, then a fourth—the white rice in her bowl soaked up the broth as she took one bite after another.

Ziyang did not stop her. He merely quietly released Austin Griffin, then ordered two more portions of Clay-Pot Beef.

By the time Na'er finally finished the beef in front of her, clay pots were piled all over the table. She had eaten a full fifty portions and still wanted more.

Just then, a burly figure entered the small eatery with two lackeys in tow.