Chapter 29: Aunt Guo

  He said in a low voice: "Director, I'm going out now."

  The director furrowed his brow and hastily said, "No way, Xiaofeng! You mustn't get agitated now. As for the reward for this incident, the higher-ups will definitely give it to you, but you have to wait and can't ask for it yourself. Only what they give you is yours; if you ask for it yourself, you'll surely suffer the consequences!"

  The director can be said to have given his heart and soul.

  Xiao Feng smiled bleakly and said: "Some things are worth going for no matter what the cost."

  The director shook his head and said, "No way, I absolutely won't allow you to do this. If you hadn't made achievements, your application would definitely be approved, but now that you have made achievements, if you ask to leave at this time, the higher-ups will think you're someone who uses their achievements as leverage, making demands after getting results, which is what they dislike the most. This will be very unfavorable for your future!"

  Xiao Feng sighed and said, "I'm a man, although... I've grown up to be this way, my persuasive power is slightly weaker, but men are born with some things, it's responsibility. Sometimes the choices placed in front of us aren't multiple-choice questions, but just one road, walk or don't walk. Not walking would make you lose even more, and it's a persistence that has been carried out since birth."

  The director's eyebrows jumped violently.

  He knew that the other party had made up their mind.

  Moreover, the director also knew that if he made up his mind to leave, there would be no way to stop him, nor was there any reason.

  Just as he was locked in so easily.

  He sighed, shook his head, opened the door and stood aside, muttering to himself: "You... take care of yourself..."

  ……

  Chaoyang Orphanage

  It was built in 1956 and has undergone more than half a century, but now it is no different from when it was first built.

  Two two-story small buildings, plus two rows of small bungalows, with a fairly large playground in the middle, where some all-black sports equipment is placed, but many positions are ground to be white and shiny.

  The ground is covered with a thick layer of sand, and walking on it won't raise too much dust. However, running can be quite slippery, but even if you fall, it's just a scrape, and it won't easily hurt your bones.

  This is the wisdom of the Chinese people.

  Xiao Feng sat beside the dining table in a house.

  A middle-aged aunt is busy.

  By the pool, constantly washing and cleaning green vegetables, cutting them into cubes, putting them into a ceramic jar layer by layer.

  Then open a small bucket of water, pour in some greenish water, cover it and put it on the stove to simmer.

  Then the middle-aged aunt wiped her hands and sat down opposite Xiaofeng, looking good.

  He smiled slightly and said, "I heard those kids say, did you go in?"

  Xiao Feng sighed and said: "I made a little mistake, got caught red-handed, Aunt Guo, you don't have to worry about me anymore."

  Aunt Guo shook her head and said, "You're just no good. Your sister is a police officer now, so even if it's for her sake, you should be more restrained. Outside is not like home, those young people are all afraid of you and respect you. The outside world is too complicated, and if you're not careful, you'll offend people who can't be offended."

  Xiao Feng could only bitterly smile, unable to say anything.

  Holding chopsticks and fiddling with them in his hand.

  I don't know why... perhaps the more spoiled a child is, the less they seem to grow up in the eyes of adults.

  No matter how you look at it, Xiaofeng is quite promising, but in Guo's eyes, he is not promising and should be running back to throw a tantrum for no reason.

  Xiao Feng rarely comes back, about two or three times a year.

  But whenever she comes back, Aunt Guo will always cook a pot of 'braised duck soup'.

  This is a dish that requires very tedious preparation to make.

  Especially the "roast duck", which requires removing the fat and internal organs of a plump duck, washing it clean, applying a layer of sea salt, then roasting it over straw fire until half dry, and hanging it in a cool place for more than two months.

  The outside grew mold, converting those fats into a... different kind of thing, and carrying some strange sweet and sour flavors.

  And what's simmered with it is still those wild vegetables that only grow on mountains.

  Most of them also need to be processed and dried.

  This is the most exquisite local dish, nowadays there are very few people who can make it, even if they can make it, whether in ancient times, in the past or now, only when a child is born at home, weddings and banquets, and other big events, will they go to great lengths to make it.

  But every time Xiao Feng comes back, Aunt Guo will cook once more.

  Guo's partiality was notorious in this small orphanage.

  That's not to say she was mean to other kids.

  Treat them as their own children.

  But as for Xiao Feng, Guo Yi treated him differently.

  Make people jealous and make all kids envious.

  But in fact, there were not many conversations between the two people.

  Apart from the first few sentences, the two people fell into a silence, or rather, a calm.

  Guo Aunt picked up her needle and thread and started knitting a sweater, while Xiao Feng lowered his head to play with the chopsticks, as if he wanted to carve out hundreds of small flowers on them.

  Two hours later, Tang considered the fort finished.

  The big fire and small fire are converted to each other, allowing all ingredients' flavors to fully blend together.

  As soon as the lid is opened, the aroma that comes out makes it impossible to distinguish which one is which, but it's just fragrant.

  A subtle and strange fragrance.

  The soup is poured out, and the whole bowl is white.

  Guo Aunt rummaged for half a day and finally produced a duck leg and a duck wing, which she gently placed in a bowl and presented to Xiaofeng.

  The latter smiled lightly, with a spoon in one hand and chopsticks in the other, and started eating.

  Guo Yi herself didn't eat, she just lowered her head to knit a sweater, but when Xiao Feng finished eating, she would immediately fill him up with some more delicious food.

  Until Dawn blew out a mouthful of hot air, wiped the sweat from her forehead and sat up straight, Aunt Guo put away all the dishes.

  Then sat down opposite him and asked: "What brings you back this time?"

  Xiao Feng smiled and said: "I understand now"

  Unclear and uncertain, ambiguous and obscure.

  But Aunt Guo understood.

  He smiled wryly and shook his head, saying: "Those kids, they're just poor and worried, there's nothing to it. After dinner, you can go back, I heard you were sentenced to two years? You didn't escape on your own this time, did you?"

  Xiao Feng said: "Those few kids usually make trouble, but they're not the kind of people who completely lack sense, Aunt Guo... what exactly happened?"

  Aunt Guo raised her head and looked at him for a moment before lowering it again with a sigh.

  He stood up, waited for a minute by the teapot until it opened, poured another pot of tea for Xiao Feng, and placed a large cup in front of him.

  He then smiled bitterly and said, "They say... our orphanage is haunted, the management bureau people have come to see it twice, but they didn't say anything, it's just that next year's funding seems to be cut off.

  Expenditure is the allocation of funds by the state.

  It was actually very little to begin with.

  But Aunt Guo was a meticulous and frugal person who could barely keep this orphanage going.

  Moreover, the children also worked hard and set up a vegetable garden on the back hill, planting seasonal vegetables and raising some livestock, which could fill in some gaps. In addition, people who had left this place before would also take out some money to make ends meet.

  But... to be honest, in a society like this, it's really too difficult for an orphan to make a name for themselves.

  It's even hard to find a decent job, being able to make a living is already considered impressive.

  After all, in other orphanages, many children would have gone astray.

  As for the "adoption" that is prevalent abroad, it does not work in China.

  Due to a tradition called 'adoption', there is a crime called 'trafficking'.

  Just like people from China like 'new things', mobile phones, cars... wives.

  Children are no exception; it is very difficult for children over three years old to be adopted.

  But there are exceptions.

  For example, Xiaofeng.

  From entering the orphanage until he became an adult at eighteen years old.

  During this period, there were approximately one thousand adoption applications.

  Almost broke all the records in the world.

  And everyone knows that this situation is caused by... looking at one's face.

  Aunt Guo would never forget that when the little scamp, covered in dirt and with a black pot-like stain on his face and a bird's nest on his head, was cleaned up after a bath, put on new clothes, and reappeared before her...

  She thought she saw an angel.

  So no matter how many times, whether the adopter is a suspicious-looking uncle or a ruddy-faced old man, a stout-bodied noblewoman, or those sweet couples... she didn't pass.

  She always asks herself in her heart, would anyone in this world... abandon a child like in a fairy tale?

  Even on the first day of entering an orphanage, one still needs to strip off their pants in order to tell whether this little kid is a boy or girl.

  That pale skin that seems out of place with the entire world, with cheeks that have a soft and delicate glow, makes anyone who sees it want to go up and take a bite.

  Just looking at it can feel a kind of 'sweetness'.

  Many children who enter orphanages can be considered 'people with stories'.

  Aunt Guo thinks there must be more to this child.

  ……

  But lacking adoption, Guo's education was successful, but ultimately led to the orphanage being unable to sustain itself, and there is still no compensation to this day, barely scraping by.

  Xiao Feng has reported many things, but his ability is limited.

  He was frugal on the one hand in order to save up for his sister's dowry and housing.

  On the one hand, he donated all of it to this orphanage.

  But talks too much.

  It's really... can't just be glossed over with a simple "add a pair of chopsticks".

  So national subsidies are crucial.

  Now it has to be closed, so the orphanage can only face the fate of closing down.

  What about those kids? Or... what about Aunt Guo?

  The delicate eyebrow can pinch an mosquito to death.

  Even if it's murder, he has never been so troubled by a good-looking person.

  She tilted her head and Xiaofeng asked again: "Ghost? Rumor...... or what?"

  Aunt Guo's expression suddenly looked painful, she sighed and stood up, saying: "Follow me"

  As he spoke, he left the room and walked along the corridor to the end, went up the stairs, and came to the second floor.

  Dawn wind closely followed, when he stepped onto the second floor for a moment, he felt a chill of cold air, which made him shiver. Dawn wind immediately brought the director over.

  He said in a low voice: "Director, I'm going out now."

  The director furrowed his brow and hastily said, "No way, Xiaofeng! You mustn't get agitated now. As for the reward for this incident, the higher-ups will definitely give it to you, but you have to wait and can't ask for it yourself. Only what they give you is yours; if you ask for it yourself, you'll surely suffer the consequences!"

  The director can be said to have given his heart and soul.

  Xiao Feng smiled bleakly and said: "Some things are worth going for no matter what the cost."

  The director shook his head and said, "No way, I absolutely won't allow you to do this. If you hadn't made achievements, your application would definitely be approved, but now that you have made achievements, if you ask to leave at this time, the higher-ups will think you're someone who uses their achievements as leverage, making demands after getting results, which is the kind of person they dislike the most. This would be very unfavorable for your future!"

  Xiao Feng sighed and said, "I'm a man, although... I've grown up to be this way, my persuasive power is slightly weaker, but men are born with some things, responsibility, sometimes it's not a multiple-choice question in front of us, but just one road, walk or don't walk, if you don't walk, you'll lose even more, it's a kind of persistence that has been carried out since birth."

  The director's eyebrows jumped violently.

  He knew that the other party had made up their mind completely.

  Moreover, the director also knew that if he made up his mind to leave, there would be no way to stop him, nor was there any reason.

  Just as he was locked in so easily.

  He sighed, shook his head, opened the door and stood aside, muttering to himself: "You... take care of yourself..."

  ……

  Chaoyang Orphanage

  It was built in 1956 and has undergone more than half a century, but now it is no different from when it was first built.

  Two two-story small buildings, plus two rows of small bungalows, with a fairly large playground in the middle, where some all-black sports equipment is placed, but many positions are ground to be white and shiny.

  The ground is covered with a thick layer of sand, and walking on it won't raise too much dust. However, running can be quite slippery, but even if you fall, it's just a scrape, and it won't easily hurt your bones.

  This is the wisdom of the Chinese people.

  Xiao Feng sat beside the dining table in a house.

  A middle-aged aunt is busy.

  By the pool, constantly washing and cleaning green vegetables, cutting them into cubes, putting them into a ceramic jar layer by layer.

  Then open another small bucket, pour in some greenish water, cover it and put it on the stove to simmer.

  Then, the middle-aged aunt wiped her hands and sat down opposite Xiaofeng.

  He smiled slightly and said, "I heard those kids say you went in?"

  Xiao Feng sighed and said: "I made a little mistake, got caught red-handed, Aunt Guo, you don't have to worry about me anymore."

  Aunt Guo shook her head and said, "You're just no good. Your sister is a police officer now, so even if it's for her sake, you should behave yourself more. Outside is not like at home, those young men are all afraid of you and respect you. The outside world is too complicated, and if you're not careful, you'll offend people who can't be offended."

  Xiao Feng could only bitterly smile, unable to say anything good-looking.

  Holding chopsticks and constantly fiddling with them in his hand.

  I don't know why... perhaps the more spoiled a child is, the less they seem to grow up in the eyes of adults.

  No matter how you look at it, Xiaofeng is quite promising, but in Guo's eyes, he is not promising and should be running back to throw a tantrum for no reason.

  Xiao Feng rarely comes back, about two or three times a year.

  But whenever she comes back, Aunt Guo will always cook a pot of 'braised duck soup'.

  This is a dish that requires very tedious preparation to make.

  Especially the "dry duck", it is necessary to remove the fat and internal organs of the duck, wash it clean, apply a layer of sea salt, then roast it over an open flame until it is half dry, and hang it in a cool place for more than two months.

  The outside grew moldy, transforming those fats into a...different kind of thing, and carrying some strange sweet and sour flavors.

  And what's simmered with it is still those wild vegetables that only grow on mountains.

  Most of them also need to be processed and dried.

  This is the most exquisite local dish, nowadays there are very few people who can make it. Even if someone knows how to make it, whether in ancient times, in the past or now, they only do it when there's a big event at home such as having a baby or getting married, and even then, only on happy occasions.

  But every time Xiao Feng comes back, Guo Ayi will make a thorough examination once again.

  Guo's partiality was notorious in this small orphanage.

  That's not to say she was mean to other kids.

  Treat them as their own children.

  But as for Xiao Feng, Guo Yi treated him differently.

  Make people jealous and make all kids envious.

  But in fact, there were not many conversations between the two people.

  Apart from the first few sentences, the two people fell into a silence, or rather, a calm.

  Guo Aunt picked up her needle and thread to knit a sweater, while Xiao Feng lowered his head to play with the chopsticks, as if he wanted to carve out hundreds of small flowers on them.

  Two hours later, Tang considered the fort finished.

  The big fire and small fire are converted to each other, allowing all ingredients' flavors to fully blend together.

  As soon as the lid is opened, the aroma that comes out makes it impossible to distinguish which one is which, but it's just fragrant.

  A subtle and strange fragrance.

  The soup is poured out, and the full bowl is all white.

  Aunt Guo rummaged for half a day, took out a duck leg and a duck wing, gently placed them in a bowl, and handed it to Xiaofeng.

  The latter smiled lightly, with a spoon in one hand and chopsticks in the other, and started eating.

  Guo Yi herself didn't eat, she just lowered her head and knitted a sweater, but when Xiao Feng finished eating, she would immediately fill him up with some more.

  Until Dawn blew out a mouthful of hot air, wiped the sweat from her forehead and sat up straight, Aunt Guo had already put away all the dishes.

  Then sat down opposite him and asked: "What brings you back this time?"

  Xiao Feng smiled and said: "I understand now"

  Unclear and uncertain, ambiguous and obscure.

  But Aunt Guo understood.

  He smiled wryly and shook his head, saying: "Those kids, they're just poor and worried, there's nothing to it. After dinner, you can go back, I heard you were sentenced to two years? You didn't run out yourself this time, did you?"

  Xiao Feng said: "Those few kids usually make trouble, but they're not the kind of people who completely lack sense, Aunt Guo... what exactly happened?"

  Aunt Guo raised her head and looked at him for a moment before lowering it again with a sigh.

  He stood up, waited by the kettle for a minute until it opened, and then poured another pot of tea for Xiao Feng, placing a large cup in front of him.

  He then smiled bitterly and said, "They say... our orphanage is haunted, the management bureau people have come to see it twice, but they didn't say anything, it's just that next year's funding seems to be cut off.

  Expenditure is the national appropriation.

  It was actually very little to begin with.

  But Aunt Guo was a meticulous and frugal person who could barely keep this orphanage going.

  And the children also worked hard, in the back mountain they built a vegetable garden by themselves, planting seasonal vegetables, raising some livestock, and were able to make up for some of the losses. In addition, people who had left this place before would also contribute some money to help out.

  But... to be honest, in a society like this, it's really too difficult for an orphan to make a name for themselves.

  It's even hard to find a decent job, being able to make a living is already considered impressive.

  After all, in other orphanages, many children would have gone astray.

  As for the "adoption" that is prevalent abroad, it does not work in China.

  Due to a tradition called 'adoption', there is a crime called 'trafficking'.

  Just like people from China like 'new things', mobile phones, cars... wives.

  Children are no exception; it is very difficult for children over three years old to be adopted.

  But there are exceptions.

  For example, Xiaofeng.

  From entering the orphanage until he became an adult at eighteen years old.

  During this period, there were approximately one thousand adoption applications.

  Almost broke the world record.

  And everyone knows that this situation is caused by... looking at one's face.

  Aunt Guo would never forget that when the little scamp, covered in dirt and with a black pot-like stain on his face and a bird's nest on his head... after taking a bath, changing into new clothes, and reappearing before her...

  She thought she saw an angel.

  So no matter how many times, whether the adopter is a suspicious-looking uncle or a ruddy old man, a stout noblewoman with doubts, or those sweet couples... she didn't pass.

  She always asks herself in her heart, would anyone in this world... abandon a child like in a fairy tale?

  Even on the first day of entering an orphanage, one still needs to strip off their pants in order to tell whether this little kid is a boy or girl.

  That pale skin that seems to be out of place with the entire world, with cheeks that have a soft and delicate glow, makes anyone who sees it want to go up and take a bite.

  Just looking at it can feel a kind of 'sweetness'.

  Many children who enter orphanages can be considered 'people with stories'.

  Aunt Guo thinks there must be more to this child.

  ……

  But lacking adoption, Guo's education was successful, yet ultimately led to the orphanage being unable to sustain itself, with no way to make up for it, until now, barely scraping by.

  Xiao Feng has reported many things, but his ability is limited.

  He was frugal on the one hand in order to save up for his sister's dowry and housing.

  On the one hand, he donated all of it to this orphanage.

  But talks too much.

  It's really... can't just be glossed over with a simple "add a pair of chopsticks".

  So national subsidies are crucial.

  Now it has to be closed, so the orphanage can only face the fate of closing down.

  What about those kids? Or... what about Aunt Guo?

  The gentle breeze on her eyebrows can pinch a mosquito to death.

  Even if it was murder, he had never been so tormented before.

  She tilted her head and Xiaofeng asked again: "Ghost? Rumor...... or what?"

  Aunt Guo's expression suddenly looked painful, she sighed and stood up, saying: "Follow me"

  As he spoke, he left the room and walked along the corridor to the end, went up the stairs, and came to a good-looking place on the second floor.

  Dawn wind closely followed, when he stepped onto the second floor for a moment, he felt a chill of cold air, which made him shiver. Dawn wind immediately brought the director over.

  He said in a low voice: "Director, I'm going out now."

  The director frowned and hastily said, "No way, Xiaofeng! Now you mustn't get agitated. As for the reward for this incident, the higher-ups will definitely give it to you, but you have to wait and can't take the initiative to ask for it. Only what they give you is yours; if you ask for it yourself, it will surely be a bitter fruit!"

  The director can be said to have given his heart and soul.

  Xiao Feng smiled bleakly and said: "Some things are worth going for no matter what the cost."

  The director shook his head and said, "No way, I absolutely won't allow you to do this. If you hadn't made achievements, your application would definitely be approved, but now that you have made achievements, if you ask to leave at this time, the higher-ups will think you're a person who uses their achievements as leverage, making demands after getting results, which is what they dislike the most. This will be very unfavorable for your future!"

  Xiao Feng sighed and said, "I'm a man, although... I've grown up to be this way, my persuasive power is slightly weaker, but men are born with some things, responsibility, sometimes it's not a multiple-choice question in front of us, but just one road, walk or don't walk, if you don't walk, you'll lose even more, it's a kind of persistence that has been carried out since birth."

  The director's eyebrows jumped violently.

  He knew that the other party had made up their mind.

  Moreover, the director also knew that if he made up his mind to go, there would be no way to stop him, and there was no reason to do so.

  Just as he was locked in so easily.

  He sighed, shook his head, opened the door and stood aside, muttering to himself: "You... take care of yourself..."

  ……

  Chaoyang Orphanage

  It was built in 1956 and has undergone more than half a century, but now it is no different from when it was first built.

  Two two-story small buildings, plus two rows of small bungalows, with a fairly large playground in the middle, where some all-black sports equipment is placed, but many positions are ground to be white and shiny.

  The ground is covered with a thick layer of sand, and walking on it won't raise too much dust. However, running can be quite slippery, but even if you fall, it's just a scrape, and it won't easily hurt your bones.

  This is the wisdom of the Chinese people.

  Xiao Feng sat beside the dining table in a house.

  A middle-aged aunt is busy.

  By the pool, constantly washing and cleaning green vegetables, cutting them into cubes, putting them into a ceramic jar layer by layer.

  Then open another small bucket, pour in some greenish water, cover it and put it on the stove to simmer.

  Then, the middle-aged aunt wiped her hands and sat down opposite Xiaofeng.

  He smiled slightly and said, "I heard those kids say you went in?"

  Xiao Feng sighed and said: "I made a little mistake, got caught red-handed, Aunt Guo, you don't have to worry about me anymore."

  Aunt Guo shook her head and said, "You're just no good. Your sister is a police officer now, so even if it's for her sake, you should be more restrained. Outside is not like at home, those young men are all afraid of you and respect you. The outside world is too complicated, and if you're not careful, you'll offend people who can't be offended."

  Xiao Feng could only bitterly smile, unable to say anything good-looking.

  Holding chopsticks and constantly fiddling with them in his hand.

  I don't know why... perhaps the more spoiled a child is, the less they seem to grow up in the eyes of adults.

  No matter how you look at it, Xiaofeng is quite promising, but in Guo's eyes, he is not promising and should be running back to throw a tantrum for no reason.

  Xiao Feng rarely comes back, about two or three times a year.

  But whenever she comes back, Aunt Guo will always cook a pot of 'braised duck soup'.

  This is a dish that requires very tedious preparation to make.

  Especially the "roast duck", which requires removing the fat and internal organs of a plump duck, washing it clean, applying a layer of sea salt, then roasting it over an open flame until it is half dry, and finally hanging it in a cool place for more than two months.

  The outside grew moldy, transforming those fats into a...different kind of thing, and carrying some strange sweet and sour flavors.

  And what's simmered with it is still those wild vegetables that only grow on mountains.

  Most of them also need to be processed and dried.

  This is the most exquisite local dish, nowadays there are very few people who can make it. Even if someone knows how to make it, whether in ancient times, in the past or now, they only do it when there's a big event at home such as having a baby or getting married, and even then only on happy occasions.

  But every time Xiao Feng comes back, Aunt Guo will cook once more.

  Guo's partiality was notorious in this small orphanage.

  That's not to say she was mean to all the other kids.

  Treat them as their own children.

  But as for Xiao Feng, Guo Yi treated him differently.

  Make people jealous and make all kids envious.

  But in fact, there were not many conversations between the two people.

  Apart from the first few sentences, the two people fell into a silence, or rather, a calmness.

  Guo Aunt picked up her needle and thread to knit a sweater, while Xiao Feng lowered his head to play with the chopsticks, as if he wanted to carve out hundreds of small flowers on them.

  Two hours later, Tang considered the fort finished.

  The big fire and small fire are converted to each other, making all ingredients' flavors fully blended together.

  As soon as the lid is opened, the aroma that comes out makes it impossible to distinguish which one is which, but it's just fragrant.

  A subtle and strange fragrance.

  The soup is poured out, and the whole bowl is white.

  Guo Aunt rummaged for half a day and finally produced a duck leg and a duck wing, which she gently placed in a bowl and presented to Xiaofeng.

  The latter smiled lightly, with a spoon in one hand and chopsticks in the other, and started eating.

  Guo Yi herself didn't eat, she just lowered her head and knitted a sweater, but when Xiao Feng finished eating, she would immediately fill him up with some more.

  Until Dawn blew out a mouthful of hot air, wiped the sweat from her forehead and sat up straight, Aunt Guo put away all the dishes.

  Then sat down opposite him and asked: "What brings you back this time?"

  Xiao Feng smiled and said: "I understand now"

  Unclear and ambiguous is more interesting.

  But Aunt Guo understood.

  He smiled wryly and shook his head, saying: "Those kids, they're just poor and worried, there's nothing to it. After dinner, you can go back, I heard you were sentenced to two years? You didn't escape on your own this time, did you?"

  Xiao Feng said: "Those few kids usually make trouble, but they're not the kind of people who completely lack sense, Aunt Guo... what exactly happened?"

  Aunt Guo raised her head and looked at him for a moment before lowering it again with a sigh.

  He stood up, waited for a minute by the teapot until it opened, poured another pot of tea for Xiao Feng, and placed a large cup in front of him.

  He then smiled bitterly and said, "They say... our orphanage is haunted, the management bureau people have come to see it twice, but they didn't say anything, it's just that next year's funding seems to be cut off.

  Expenditure refers to the allocation of funds by the state.

  It was actually very little to begin with.

  But Aunt Guo was a meticulous and frugal person who could barely keep this orphanage going.

  And the children also worked hard, in the back mountain they built a vegetable garden by themselves, planting seasonal vegetables, raising some livestock, and were able to make up for some of the losses. In addition, people who had left this place before would also contribute some money to help out.

  But... to be honest, in a society like this, it's really too difficult for an orphan to make a name for themselves.

  It's even hard to find a decent job, being able to make a living is already considered impressive.

  After all, in other orphanages, many children would have gone astray.

  As for the "adoption" that is prevalent abroad, it does not suit China's soil.

  Due to a tradition called 'adoption', there is a crime called 'trafficking'.

  Just like people from China love 'new things', mobile phones, cars... wives.

  Children are no exception; it is very difficult for children over three years old to be adopted.

  But there are exceptions.

  For example, Xiaofeng.

  From entering the orphanage until he became an adult at eighteen years old.

  During this period, there were approximately one thousand adoption applications.

  Almost broke the record of the whole world.

  And everyone knows that this situation is caused by... looking at one's face.

  Aunt Guo would never forget that when the little scamp, covered in dirt and with a black pot-like stain on his face and a bird's nest on his head, was cleaned up after a bath, put on new clothes, and reappeared before her...

  She thought she saw an angel.

  So no matter how many times, whether the adopter is a suspicious-looking uncle or a ruddy-faced old man, a stout-bodied noblewoman, or those sweet couples... she didn't pass.

  She always asks herself in her heart, would anyone in this world... abandon a child like in a fairy tale?

  Even on the first day of entering an orphanage, one still needs to strip off their pants in order to tell whether this little kid is a boy or a girl.

  That pale skin that seems to be out of place with the entire world, with those tender and soft cheeks that have a powdery luster, whoever sees it wants to go up and take a bite.

  Just looking at it can feel a kind of 'sweetness'.

  Many children who enter orphanages can be considered 'people with stories'.

  Aunt Guo thinks there must be more to this child.

  ……

  But lacking adoption, Guo's education was successful, but ultimately led to the orphanage being unable to sustain itself, and there is no compensation to this day, barely scraping by.

  Xiao Feng has reported many things, but his ability is limited.

  He was frugal on the one hand in order to save up for his sister's dowry and housing.

  On the one hand, he donated all of it to this orphanage.

  But talks too much.

  It's really... can't just be glossed over with a simple "add a pair of chopsticks".

  So national subsidies are crucial.

  Now it has to be closed, so the orphanage can only face the fate of closing down.

  What about those kids? Or... what about Aunt Guo?

  The morning breeze is so strong that it can crush a mosquito to death.

  Even if it was murder, he had never been so tormented before.

  She tilted her head and Xiaofeng asked again: "Ghost? Rumor...... or what?"

  Aunt Guo's expression suddenly looked painful, she sighed and stood up, saying: "Follow me"

  As he spoke, he left the room and walked along the corridor to the end, went up the stairs, and came to the second floor.

  Dawn wind closely followed, when he stepped onto the second floor for a moment, he felt a chill of cold air, which made him shiver. Dawn wind immediately brought the director over.

  He said in a low voice: "Director, I'm going out now."

  The director furrowed his brow and hastily said, "No way, Xiaofeng! You mustn't get agitated now. As for the reward for this incident, the higher-ups will definitely give it to you, but you have to wait and can't ask for it yourself. Only what they give you is yours; if you ask for it yourself, you'll surely suffer the consequences!"

  The director can be said to have given his heart and soul.

  Xiao Feng smiled bleakly and said: "Some things are worth going for no matter what the cost."

  The director shook his head and said, "No way, I absolutely won't allow you to do this. If you hadn't made achievements, your application would definitely be approved, but now that you have made achievements, if you ask to leave at this time, the higher-ups will think you're someone who uses their achievements as leverage, making demands after getting results, which is the kind of person they dislike the most. This would be very unfavorable for your future!"

  Xiao Feng sighed and said, "I'm a man, although... I've grown up to be this way, my persuasive power is slightly weaker, but men are born with some things, responsibility, sometimes it's not a multiple-choice question in front of us, but just one road, walk or don't walk, if you don't walk, you'll lose even more, it's a kind of persistence that has been carried out since birth."

  The director's eyebrows jumped violently.

  He knew that the other party had made up their mind.

  Moreover, the director also knew that if he made up his mind to leave, there would be no way to stop him, nor was there any reason.

  Just as he was locked in so easily.

  He sighed, shook his head, opened the door and stood aside, muttering to himself: "You... take care of yourself..."

  ……

  The orphanage in Chaoyang looks good.

  It was built in 1956 and has undergone more than half a century, but now it is no different from when it was first built.

  Two two-story small buildings, plus two rows of small bungalows, with a fairly large playground in the middle, where some all-black sports equipment is placed, but many positions are ground to be white and shiny.

  The ground is covered with a thick layer of sand, and walking on it won't raise too much dust. However, running can be quite slippery, but even if you fall, it's just a scrape, and it won't easily hurt your bones.

  This is the wisdom of the Chinese people.

  Xiao Feng sat beside the dining table in a house.

  A middle-aged aunt is busy.

  By the pool, constantly washing and cleaning green vegetables, cutting them into cubes, putting them into a ceramic jar layer by layer.

  Then open another small bucket, pour in some greenish water, cover it and put it on the stove to simmer.

  Then, the middle-aged aunt wiped her hands and sat down opposite Xiaofeng.

  He smiled slightly and said, "I heard those kids say you went in?"

  Xiao Feng sighed and said: "I made a little mistake, got caught red-handed, Aunt Guo, you don't have to worry about me anymore."

  Aunt Guo shook her head and said, "You're just no good. Your sister is a police officer now, so even if it's for her sake, you should behave yourself more. Outside is not like at home, those young men are all afraid of you and respect you. The outside world is too complicated, and if you're not careful, you'll offend people you can't afford to offend."

  Xiao Feng could only bitterly smile, unable to say anything good-looking.

  Holding chopsticks and constantly fiddling with them in his hand.

  I don't know why... perhaps the more spoiled a child is, the less they seem to grow up in the eyes of adults.

  No matter how you look at it, Xiaofeng is quite promising, but in Guo's eyes, he is not promising and should be running back to throw a tantrum for no reason.

  Xiao Feng rarely comes back, about two or three times a year.

  But whenever she comes back, Aunt Guo will always cook a pot of 'dry duck soup'.

  This is a dish that requires very tedious preparation to make.

  Especially the "roast duck", which requires removing the fat and internal organs of a plump duck, washing it clean, applying a layer of sea salt, then roasting it over an open flame until it is half dry, before hanging it in a cool place for more than two months.

  The outside grew moldy, transforming those fats into a...different kind of thing, and carrying some strange sweet and sour flavors.

  And what's simmered with it is still those wild vegetables that only grow on mountains.

  Most of them also need to be processed and dried.

  This is the most exquisite local dish, nowadays there are very few people who can make it. Even if someone knows how to make it, whether in ancient times, in the past or now, they only do it when there's a big event at home such as having a baby or getting married, and even then, only on happy occasions.

  But every time Xiao Feng comes back, Aunt Guo will cook once more.

  Guo's partiality was notorious in this small orphanage.

  That's not to say she was mean to other kids.

  Treat all words as if they were your own children.

  But as for Xiao Feng, Guo Yi treated him differently.

  Make people jealous and make all kids envious.

  But in fact, there were not many conversations between the two people.

  Apart from the first few sentences, the two people fell into a silence, or rather, a stillness.

  Guo's aunt picked up her needle and thread to knit a sweater, while Xiao Feng lowered his head to play with the chopsticks, as if he wanted to carve out hundreds of small flowers on them.

  Two hours later, Tang considered the fort finished.

  The big fire and small fire are converted to each other, allowing all ingredients' flavors to fully blend together.

  As soon as the lid is opened, the aroma that comes out makes it impossible to distinguish which one is which, but it's just fragrant.

  A subtle and strange fragrance.

  The soup is poured out, and the whole bowl is white.

  Aunt Guo rummaged for half a day, took out a duck leg and a duck wing, gently placed them in a bowl, and presented it to Xiaofeng.

  The latter smiled lightly, with a spoon in one hand and chopsticks in the other, and started eating.

  Guo Yi herself didn't eat, she just lowered her head and knitted a sweater, but when Xiao Feng finished eating, she would immediately fill him up with some more.

  Until Dawn let out a mouthful of hot air and wiped the sweat from her forehead, Guo Ayi didn't put away the tableware.

  Then sat down opposite him and asked: "What brings you back this time?"

  Xiao Feng smiled and said: "I understand now"

  Unclear and ambiguous, all texts are unclear and unjustified.

  But Aunt Guo understood.

  He smiled wryly and shook his head, saying: "Those kids, they're just poor and worried, there's nothing to it. After dinner, you can go back, I heard you were sentenced to two years? You didn't run out yourself this time, did you?"

  Xiao Feng said: "Those few kids usually make trouble, but they're not the kind of people who completely lack sense, Aunt Guo... what exactly happened?"

  Aunt Guo raised her head and looked at him for a moment before lowering it again with a sigh.

  He stood up, waited for a minute by the teapot until it opened, poured another pot of tea for Xiao Feng, and placed a large cup in front of him.

  He then smiled bitterly and said, "They say... our orphanage is haunted, the management bureau people have come to see it twice, but they didn't say anything, it's just that next year's funding seems to be cut off.

  Expenditure refers to the allocation of funds by the state.

  It was actually very little to begin with.

  But Aunt Guo was a meticulous and frugal person who could barely keep the orphanage going.

  And the children also worked hard, in the back mountain they built a vegetable garden by themselves, planting seasonal vegetables, raising some livestock, and were able to make up for some of the losses. In addition, people who had left this place before would also contribute some money to help out.

  But... to be honest, in a society like this, it's really too difficult for an orphan to make a name for themselves.

  It's even hard to find a decent job, being able to make a living is already considered impressive.

  After all, in other orphanages, many children would have gone astray.

  As for the "adoption" that is prevalent abroad, it does not work in China.

  Due to a tradition called 'passing down', there is a crime called 'trafficking' of good-looking people.

  Just like people from China love 'new things', mobile phones, cars... wives.

  Children are no exception; it is very difficult for children over three years old to be adopted.

  But there are exceptions.

  For example, Xiaofeng.

  From entering the orphanage until he became an adult at eighteen years old.

  During this period, there were approximately one thousand adoption applications.

  Almost broke the world record.

  And everyone knows that this situation is caused by... looking at one's face.

  Aunt Guo would never forget that when the little scamp, covered in dirt and with a black pot-like stain on his face and a bird's nest on his head, was cleaned up after a bath, put on new clothes, and reappeared before her...

  She thought she saw an angel.

  So no matter how many times, whether the adopter is a suspicious-looking uncle or a ruddy old man, a stout noblewoman with doubts, or those sweet couples... she didn't pass.

  She always asks herself in her heart, would anyone in this world... abandon a child like in a fairy tale?

  Even on the first day of entering an orphanage, one still needs to strip off their pants in order to tell whether this little kid is a boy or a girl.

  That pale skin that seems to be out of place with the entire world, with cheeks that have a soft and delicate glow, makes anyone who sees it want to go up and take a bite.

  Just looking at it can feel a kind of 'sweetness'.

  Many children who enter orphanages can be considered 'people with stories' that are worth watching.

  Aunt Guo thinks there must be more to this child.

  ……

  But lacking adoption, Guo's education was successful, yet ultimately led to the orphanage being unable to sustain itself, with no way to make up for it, until now, barely scraping by.

  Xiao Feng has reported many things, but his ability is limited.

  He was frugal on the one hand in order to save up for his sister's dowry and housing.

  On the one hand, he donated all of it to this orphanage.

  But talks too much.

  It's really... can't just be glossed over with a simple "add a pair of chopsticks".

  So national subsidies are crucial.

  Now it has to be closed, so the orphanage can only face the fate of closing down.

  What about those kids? Or... what about Aunt Guo?

  The delicate eyebrow can pinch an mosquito to death.

  Even if it was murder, he had never been so tormented before.

  She tilted her head and Xiaofeng asked again: "Ghost? Rumor...... or what?"

  Aunt Guo's expression suddenly looked painful, she sighed and stood up, saying: "Follow me"

  As he spoke, he left the room and walked along the corridor to the end, went up the stairs, and came to the second floor.

  Dawn wind closely followed, when he stepped onto the second floor for a moment, he felt a chill of cold air, which made him shiver.