"Don’t let Yolanda carry it, just let the two of us make a few more trips," said Mr. Coldson, cutting Yolanda Greenwood off before she could respond.
Cooper Coldson frowned, clearly puzzled. "She’s not pregnant, she’s not that fragile!"
Seeing that Noah was about to speak again, Yolanda quickly stepped forward and tugged at his arm. "It’s okay, I’ll carry less."
"No need!" Noah insisted firmly. "You go inside, I’ll carry it. Cooper, if you don’t want to carry anything, just leave it there."
Cooper was stunned, he had never seen Noah like this before.
A person who had resolutely left ho at six, yet was this caring and protective towards a sister-in-law he barely knew? What had Yolanda Greenwood fed Noah?
He saw the two of them leave together, feeling like an outsider.
With an even darker expression, he carried the items inside and imdiately saw the director rushing out with a group of children.
"Mr. Coldson," the director, seeing Noah in person for the first ti, was obviously excited, "Welco, and thank you for your years of support to our orphanage."
She called to the children behind her, so of whom were still shy, "Co on, call him Father Coldson."
The children, ranging from three to twelve years old, obviously had been instructed well, and they imdiately shouted in unison, "Hello, Father Coldson, thank you for your hard work!"
Seeing this, Yolanda’s heart lted, just as she heard an especially impatient voice from behind her.
"So noisy!"
Yolanda turned around and saw Cooper, with a scowl on his face as if soone owed him a lot of money.
She couldn’t help but roll her eyes at him, feeling he really was not suited for this kind of place.
Soon, an orphanage staff mber took the items from their hands and went to fetch more from the car.
Noah looked at Cooper and Yolanda. "I’m going to talk to the director about sothing. You guys play with the kids for a while."
Yolanda knew Noah was trying to create an opportunity for them, but unfortunately, he had chosen the wrong place.
Sure enough, as soon as Noah and the director left, Cooper found a place to sit by himself.
Yolanda didn’t bother with him; she genuinely liked children, not to ntion these children who had such sad backgrounds yet were very thoughtful.
She had heard from Noah that the children here were either orphans or abandoned, all waiting for a new family to take them away.
At that mont, the children surrounded her, asking various questions and inviting her to play in the playground.
"Sister Yolanda, when can I grow as tall as you?" a three- or four-year-old girl asked in a milky voice.
"Very soon," Yolanda crouched in front of the little girl. "What’s your na? How old are you?"
"The director grandma said I ca here in autumn, so my na is Maria, but you can just call Little Maria," the little girl, with sparse hair tied into two pigtails, said wobbling her head adorably, "I’m three years old today."
Yolanda laughed, "Wow, our Little Maria is three years old today. And tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow..." The little one was puzzled.
"Silly Maria!" Unexpectedly, a spirited little boy ran up and made a face at Maria. "You’re three years old today, and you’ll be three years old tomorrow too. You’re three all year."
"Really?" Maria pouted. "Then when can I grow up? When can I be as tall as Sister Yolanda?"
"Very soon, as long as Maria eats on ti and sleeps on ti, you’ll grow up quickly," Yolanda said lovingly as she patted the little one’s head.
She curiously asked, "Why are you in a hurry to grow up, Maria?"
"The director grandma said that once Maria grows up, she can have a ho of her own," Maria’s round face filled with anticipation.
Yolanda was puzzled; weren’t younger children supposed to be more adoptable?
Just then, she felt soone tug at her clothes from behind. She turned and saw an eleven- or twelve-year-old girl, probably the eldest among the children.
The girl whispered to Yolanda, "Maria has a heart condition, and no one wants to adopt her."
Yolanda’s heart ached; no wonder the other children were running around while Maria stayed close to her.
She smiled weakly at the older child, then turned back and gently hugged Maria. "Grandma is right, once Maria grows up and becos capable, you’ll have everything you want."
Then, the spirited little boy spoke up again, looking serious at Maria, "I will grow up before you, and I will give you anything you want."
"No need." Maria confidently lifted her little round face. "I can do it myself."
"Blah blah blah..." The boy seed struck, making another face but still lingering around them.
Yolanda noticed soone calling the boy; he didn’t leave.
She waved him over, "What’s your na? How old are you?"
"I’m Edmund, five years old," the boy said loudly, looking very healthy.
Behind Yolanda, the older child stealthily told her, "Edmund and Maria ca here on the sa day; Edmund has always been protecting Maria. People have wanted to adopt him, but he won’t leave unless soone adopts them both."
Yolanda was slightly surprised; despite his young age, Edmund had such a sense of responsibility. He was truly a guardian god sent from heaven for Maria.
She asked the older child behind her; her na was Stella Sterling. A few years ago, she was in a car accident with her parents who passed away, and then she was sent here.
Yolanda sat on the steps with a few children, watching others play, when soone ca up to call Edmund to fly kites.
"Go on, Edmund, today Maria is with ," Yolanda said smilingly.
Little Maria, ever understanding, quickly added, "Go on, Brother Edmund, I want to see the kite fly high."
She boasted to Yolanda, "Sister Yolanda, Brother Edmund flies kites really well."
Hearing this, Edmund imdiately puffed up with pride, his desire to show off grew strong.
"Okay, just wait, I’ll fly the highest kite for you," he imdiately ran down to join the other children flying kites.
Yolanda smiled, turned her head to look at Cooper Coldson sitting alone not too far away.
At that mont, he also looked up, and their eyes t before both quickly looked away.
Not long after, suddenly a boy ca up asking for help, "Sister Stella, our kite is stuck in the tree, can you help us get it down?"
"Let’s go see!" Stella Sterling headed off in the big sister role.
Yolanda followed with Little Maria, but on arrival, the kite was too high up, and Stella couldn’t reach it.
Neither could Yolanda.
The group tried various thods to no avail; the kite was stuck in the branches, and pulling too hard would break it.
"What do we do?" a little boy started crying. "This is our only kite, boo hoo..."
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