[9 Mistake]

[9 Mistake]

A black maybach drove and came to a halt.

A bodyguard stepped outside and opened the door for him.

Ethan stared at the orphanage. It had changed its appearance and looked better than he had imagined. As he stepped inside, he took off his sunglasses.

Ethan observed the orphanage which was familiar and unfamiliar at the same time and noticed some children who were playing on the empty ground.

The children stopped playing and looked at him curiously. It was not a new thing for them. From time to time, people would visit the orphanage—either to adopt children or for other reasons.

Ethan Han walked towards the main building of the orphanage, his long strides echoed on the stone path.

The walls of the building were painted in faded yellow, with a small garden in the front, where some flowers were blooming.

Before long, he reached a door and gently tapped on it. A voice from within said, "Enter."

Ethan pushed the door open and found an old man seated behind a wooden desk, engrossed in the newspaper. Unperturbed, Ethan entered and took a seat without waiting for formal permission.

The elderly director looked up from his newspaper, his expression turning disdainful as he recognized Ethan. His face contorted into a forced grin.

"You must be... Mr. Han's grandson?" he inquired with a hint of scepticism.

"Hmm," Ethan replied indifferently, accustomed to such reactions. Director Bo, recalling Ethan's quiet and problematic past, couldn't conceal his disdain.

"You should have come to see us from time to time. After all, back then I was the one to take care of you when your mother died," the old man sighed, taking off his glasses and rubbing the frame with his fingers.

Ethan remained silent, unresponsive to the director's nostalgic remarks. His gaze pierced through the room, almost indifferent to the memories stirred by the elderly man's words. After all, he once thought the director was genuinely concerned for him but later he knew it was all for money.

Ethan placed a white paper on the desk, catching the old man's attention. The director's face lit up as he took the paper, and noticed a substantial amount on it. Ethan observed silently as the old man tried to conceal his glee.

"Your grandfather never forgets to send cheques on time. Ask him to come if possible. It's been days since we met."

"He can't." Ethan Han replied as he slowly stood up.

"Did something happen to him?" Director Bo became worried at once at the thought of losing a big financial backer. "Usually, he calls me, but this time it's been half a year, and there is no news of him."

"He's sick. You can make an appointment with him to meet. Of course, if he agrees," the young man replied as he ignored him and glanced around indifferently.

Suddenly he walked beside the bookshelf near him, and scanned them thoroughly.

"Is something wrong?" the director asked, puzzled by his sudden change in behaviour.

Ethan didn't reply and took out a worn-out book which caught his attention earlier. Watching this Director Bo's face changed drastically. Now he did not even pretend to smile.

As Ethan checked the first page of the horror storybook, he asked, "Is she still here?"

"Who?" Director Bo asked, staring at Ethan's back. Although he knew who Ethan was referring to, he did not expect that, after so many years, Ethan would still remember.

"My pet." Ethan Han lifted his eyes and added with a malicious smile which went unnoticed by the old man.

"Hahaha! You know how to joke. It's been so many years, yet you still call her your pet! Hahahaha!" the old man burst into awkward laughter.

Seeing Ethan's silent and deep gaze, he stopped abruptly, a bit fearful of this man. Abou who could be forsaken by his family was bound to be abnormal.

"Cough! After turning 18, she moved out to live independently." Director Bo replied nonchalantly. But he felt a little uneasy under Ethan's intense gaze.

Ethan raised an eyebrow. His smile deepened as he asked in a sharp tone, "You let a young girl live on her own?"

"That, as far as I know, she stayed in hostels after leaving the orphanage," Director Bo replied, feeling intimidated by Ethan Han and sensing that his initial answer was inadequate. He added, "She insisted on leaving; we never told her she needed to do that."

"Oh." The young man nodded as if he understood. He glanced at Director Bo and said with disinterest, "I am leaving, Director."

"Let me see you off." Director Bo stood up hastily, but Ethan waved his hand dismissively as he walked out of the door.

"No need."

As the door closed, Director Bo slumped on his seat. With shaky hands, he picked up the water glass and finished it in one go, feeling the anxiety and pressure slowly decreasing.

He didn't mind that the young man took away a remembrance from his office without permission. Instead, he wished that Ethan would not confront his so-called 'pet.'

However, sometimes what people feared would inevitably come true, and in his case, it happened nonetheless.

…

While strolling through the corridor of the orphanage, Ethan observed the rooms filled with playing children. Though it wouldn't usually affect him to stop, the sight of lollipops in every child's hands made him pause.

Ethan Han got curious as he stared at the children. A little girl, walking with her doll, noticed his gaze on her lollipops tucked in her dress's pocket.

'Pretty uncle.' The girl nodded her head comically while thinking. With hesitation, she mustered up the courage and walked up to him.

She looked above and asked, "Uncle, do you want lollipops?"

Hearing her, Ethan Han narrowed his eyes and asked, "Will you give one to Brother?"

"Hm-mm. Here, this is for you."

The little girl who looked 4 or 5, took out one from her pocket and raised it towards Ethan. It was a cheap one that Ethan had never seen before. To him, it was a piece of cheap trash but to the kid, it was a treasure.

"I ate one earlier and saved these two for later. So I can only give you one! Okay?" The little girl blinked her round, watery eyes.