Chapter 308: Would You?

The orphanage director and Zhenxiu embraced each other, tears flowing freely down the director's already wrinkled face, unable to stop. Zhenxiu's eyes were also red with tears as she murmured "Grandma," as if pouring out all the grievances and longing for family she had experienced outside.

"Director, is this the child you mentioned hasn't been back for a long time?" the woman asked with a touch of sadness.

The director seemed to hold great respect for the woman but was too overcome with emotion to speak, only nodding silently while holding Zhenxiu's petite frame.

The woman smiled gently and said, "It's good that she's back. She must have endured a lot outside. She's grown into a sensible child."

The director stroked Zhenxiu's dark hair soothingly, comforting her, unable to focus on anything else.

Turning to Yang Chen, the woman smiled apologetically, "Young man, I'm sorry. These two are just concerned for my safety. They mean no harm. Please don't hold it against them. Anyone willing to visit the children here on Christmas couldn't possibly have ill intentions, right? You won't hold a grudge?"

Looking at the woman's serene face, Yang Chen's initial discontentment melted away unnoticed. He couldn't help but marvel at her strength—her words and demeanor were so gentle that they diffused any trace of anger. It was like a tremendous force falling on a sponge, or a bull entering the sea with no visible effect.

Whether it was innate temperament or years of cultivating inner peace, Yang Chen pondered silently.

"Never mind. I'm just accompanying Zhenxiu to visit the director and the children. I don't want any trouble," Yang Chen replied casually.

"You think we're afraid of you?!" Xiaoli widened her eyes defiantly.

The woman furrowed her brows and lowered her voice, "Is that not enough?!"

Seeing the woman genuinely getting angry, Xiaowen and Xiaoli finally quieted down, lowering their heads sullenly without saying another word.

Shaking her head helplessly, the woman turned back to the director. "Director, I won't delay your time with the children any longer. You must have a lot to catch up on. I need to go to the orphanage in the neighboring city. I'll take my leave."

Upon hearing the woman's intention to leave, the director released Zhenxiu and tried to persuade her, "Madam, please stay for a meal before you go. The children are very grateful for the gifts you brought."

"No, my schedule is tight. I can't afford to delay. Please tell the children that I'll visit again after the New Year," the woman said kindly.

The director understood the woman's situation and didn't insist further. She bowed respectfully, "Madam, may you and your family have a healthy New Year."

"How could I ever live up to this," the woman chuckled as she helped the orphanage director to her feet. "I should be bowing to you on behalf of the children."

"I'm just doing what the children would do," the director replied with a beaming smile.

The woman smiled again as she glanced over the entire courtyard, then turned and nodded in farewell to Yang Chen. With Xiaowen and Xiaoli, her two female bodyguards, she left the premises.

Yang Chen returned the woman's nod of acknowledgement. As for the warning glares from Xiaowen and Xiaoli, he brushed them off like grains of sand in his eyes, paying them no heed.

"Sir, I didn't expect it to be you again. Every time you come, something good happens. Zhenxiu coming back with you, who would have thought?" the director remarked with heartfelt emotion.

Yang Chen lifted two bags filled with candies and snacks, smiling as he said, "Director, how could I put off bringing Zhenxiu back? Let's distribute these gifts to the children first."

"Ah, yes, of course. You must be tired carrying those," the director's wrinkles seemed to stretch with her smile as she led Yang Chen and Zhenxiu, who was now laughing through her tears, into the inner courtyard.

Outside the orphanage, near a quiet parking spot, the woman paused just as she was about to get into a white Infiniti sedan. She seemed lost in thought, turning to ask her two bodyguards, Xiaowen and Xiaoli, who were following behind.

"Did you find out the name of that young man just now?"

Xiaowen shook her head. "No, we didn't ask. Why, madam? Is it important? If you want to know, I can go ask now."

There was a flicker of puzzled emotion in the woman's eyes, followed by a self-deprecating smile. "Perhaps I'm being paranoid. How could it matter? You two, you didn't even bother to find out who he was before taking action and pulling out your guns. Is pulling out a gun so casually the norm now?"

"Madam, the commander instructed us to ensure your safety, especially with the upcoming election next year. Security cannot afford any lapses," Xiaoli said, sounding aggrieved.

The woman's face clouded momentarily upon hearing "upcoming election," seeming disinterested. She said no more and slowly got into her car.

Meanwhile, inside the courtyard with the director, Yang Chen finally figured out who the woman was. She was none other than the person depicted in the largest portrait hanging in the corridor of the orphanage—the founder of the orphanage, a woman named Guo Xuehua!

No wonder the director held her in such high regard, and no wonder she seemed familiar to him.

Sure, here's the translation of the provided Chinese novel excerpt:

It seemed fitting to visit the orphanage he had founded, especially as the year drew to a close. Today happened to be one of those days. Upon seeing her in person, Yang Chen realized that the portrait truly couldn't capture her real essence. That warm, heartwarming smile couldn't possibly be conveyed through the cold medium of oil paint. As it was lunchtime, Director Chai invited Zhenxiu to join Yang Chen and the children for lunch together. They all sat in a large dining hall, enjoying a cheerful lunch. Afterwards, Director Chai naturally took Zhenxiu to her office, where they exchanged pleasantries for a while. Knowing that Zhenxiu was doing small business selling goods outside, and not living on the streets in hunger and cold, put her mind at ease. She also asked Zhenxiu about how she knew Yang Chen, though Zhenxiu naturally didn't mention her past as a delinquent girl who rode motorcycles and stole. It wasn't about honesty but about worrying that the director wouldn't be able to handle it. Yang Chen took a nap alone in the orphanage in the afternoon, which wasn't boring, as mischievous children often came to tease him. Either they wanted to draw turtles on Yang Chen's face or tie ropes between Yang Chen's feet, leaving him amused and helpless. By the time the sun set, the children had to attend evening classes, and Director Chai had to go supervise them. Reluctantly bidding farewell to Zhenxiu, she reminded her to come back often. Zhenxiu ran back to Yang Chen's side. Although they had talked all afternoon, her small face showed no signs of fatigue but rather delight. "You seemed to have a great time chatting. It would have been better if you could come back earlier," Yang Chen said with a smile. Zhenxiu pouted, "I was afraid of Grandma scolding me before, and I felt ashamed to come back here. If Big Brother Yang hadn't accompanied me, I probably wouldn't have come until next year." "Come back more often to visit the Director, she's getting older," Yang Chen said without elaborating further. Zhenxiu nodded understandingly, a hint of sadness in her eyes. "Big Brother Yang, could you accompany me somewhere?" Zhenxiu suddenly looked up and asked. Yang Chen had thought Zhenxiu was going back, but he hadn't expected she had somewhere else to go. However, since he had come out with her, there was no reason not to fulfill her small request.

Zhenxiu's desired destination wasn't particularly special—a small courtyard behind the orphanage, equipped with slides, climbing poles, swings, and other large toys where the children would play and have fun on regular days.

With nostalgia in her eyes, Zhenxiu lovingly touched each piece of equipment in the courtyard. Finally, she sat on a swing and gently swayed back and forth.

Yang Chen followed and sat on another swing beside her, facing directly towards the orphanage gate.

"When I was little, I used to sit here almost every day, watching the sun set on the horizon, waiting for Grandma to call us in for dinner," Zhenxiu murmured as if to herself. "Even in my dreams, I often see this scene, as if it happened just yesterday."

Yang Chen listened quietly. At this moment, Zhenxiu didn't look like an eighteen-year-old girl. The sorrow and weariness in her expression were not something that children pampered by their parents could possess. It wasn't about being outstanding, but it made one unable to ignore the strength of this girl's spirit.

Zhenxiu turned her head and smiled at Yang Chen. "Big Brother Yang, do you know what I used to think about every day when I sat here as a child?"

Yang Chen pondered for a moment. "Was it about what to eat for dinner?"

Zhenxiu pouted. "I wasn't that greedy."

"Then what were you thinking about?"

Zhenxiu smiled wistfully, her eyes filled with reminiscence. "I used to wonder if a couple would walk in from the main gate, or a man, or a woman, who would turn and smile at me. And then they would come up to me and say, 'Little one, will you be my daughter?' I always thought I would say 'yes,' no matter who they were, as long as they were willing to adopt me. Because that way, I could have parents again."

Seeing Yang Chen looking at her with hesitation, Zhenxiu bit her lip. "But most of my friends around me were adopted, and no one came to adopt me. So eventually, I stopped thinking like that."

Yang Chen remained silent, envisioning in his mind's eye the scene of a young girl sitting alone on a swing as the sun set, staring sadly at the deserted gate day after day, year after year. He imagined the heart-wrenching days she must have endured.

"Big Brother Yang, do you know why I don't want to study or repeat a year?" Zhenxiu spoke softly. "When I used to go to school, other kids knew I was from the orphanage. They teased me, saying I was a stone that had popped out, with no mom or dad. As I got older, my middle school classmates didn't want to hang out with me. Some boys wouldn't do their homework and made me do it for them. If I refused, they bullied me, even hid my lunchbox so I couldn't eat. Studying for me wasn't about learning; it was like torture, like punishment. Big Brother Yang, I used to ride motorcycles, get into fights, and steal in middle school because if I didn't fight back, they would bully me even more. I knew I had only myself to rely on because I wouldn't have parents to help me. To survive in this world, I had to rely on my own fists."

"Zhenxiu," Yang Chen turned to face her directly. "Stay on the swing and don't move."

"Huh?" Zhenxiu was puzzled about what Yang Chen intended, but she obediently stayed still on the swing.

Yang Chen got up, walked out of the courtyard, and through the orphanage gate.

Just when Zhenxiu was wondering what was happening, Yang Chen returned.

He looked around as if unfamiliar with the place, then spotted Zhenxiu sitting on the swing.

Yang Chen's face lit up with a slightly surprised smile. Step by step, he approached Zhenxiu until he stood right in front of her.

Yang Chen crouched down, reached out, and gently held Zhenxiu's small, calloused hand.

A blush spread across Zhenxiu's cheeks. She didn't understand why Yang Chen was holding her hand.

As if seeing Zhenxiu for the first time, Yang Chen gazed admiringly at her face for a long moment.

"You're such a beautiful girl. Ever since I saw you, I couldn't bear to leave you. Would you come home with me? Although I might seem too young to be your father, how about being my little sister?"

Zhenxiu's heart seemed to be covered by a sweet wave. Though she wanted to laugh at the sudden happiness and moved to tears of joy, her emotions overwhelmed her, and tears fell like beads off a broken string onto the snowy ground, melting the snow with their warmth.

"Why are you crying? You don't look good when you cry," Yang Chen said softly. "Answer me, do you want to?"

Zhenxiu nodded vigorously. "Yes, I do."

"As my little sister, it's not just about being beautiful. You also need to study well. If I send you to school, will you promise to study hard?" Yang Chen asked earnestly.

Suppressing a smile, Zhenxiu replied in a childish voice, "But what if someone bullies your sister, Brother?"

"Anyone who dares to bully my sister, I'll beat them up," Yang Chen said firmly.

Unable to control her emotions any longer, Zhenxiu burst into tears, crying out loud. She threw herself into Yang Chen's arms, her tears instantly wetting his chest.

Yang Chen gently patted Zhenxiu's back and whispered softly and solemnly in her ear, "Zhenxiu, if you ever feel like nobody in this world treats you right, remember that there's someone who would apologize to the whole world for you."