How long had it been, exactly?
Jiang Wang could no longer quite remember.
Ever since he could remember, the person he saw most every day had been the director, whom they called Mom.
Their orphanage was small, and Mom handled many things herself. She had always hoped that every child would find a good family.
Her wish had come true, in a way: a rather wealthy woman had adopted him.
The woman was attentive and gentle. She taught him how to navigate life and gave him emotional support and comfort. She was everything a mother should be.
Back then, he often sat on his own little stool, smiling as he watched his new family member cook for him in the kitchen.
His wish was actually very simple: he wanted a haven for his heart, somewhere he could put aside all his unease and let down his guard.
He thought this would be the place where he put down roots.
Day after day passed. Just when he thought he had truly found that place, the haven he called his mother suddenly collapsed.
The woman's passing came so unexpectedly that it took him a full month to accept what had happened.
It seemed he was all alone again.
Once more, he sat in a daze until evening, when the growling of his stomach interrupted his thoughts.
Rubbing his empty stomach and looking at the empty refrigerator, he finally decided to go out and buy groceries.
In the years to come, he would be deeply grateful for that decision.
That was the day he met the most important person in his life.
His mother's home was a small villa, and usually he was the only one there. But when he went out that day, he discovered an adorable little girl lying right outside