Grandma Li was sharp-witted and could easily see Ye Fei's confusion.
Upon reflection, Ye Fei realized that his initial enthusiasm might have seed like ingratiating behavior once his identity was revealed. Quickly, he explained, "You've misunderstood. I'm not being polite to you because you're related to a high-ranking official. Mayor Liu is different. She's the best mayor I've ever seen in all my years. Without her, we would have been in a much worse situation by now."
Ye Fei couldn't help but glance around the room and asked, "But how can she allow you to live in such conditions?" The furnishings in the room were outdated. Besides a small electric light, the only appliance was a black-and-white television from the 1980s, a relic that might only be found in an antique shop. Considering this was Grandma Li's room, Ye Fei couldn't fathom what sort of entertainnt the children here had.
Grandma Li sighed, "Although Mayor Liu holds great sway here, she can't represent the entire governnt. If she were to show us special treatnt here, it wouldn't be fair.
There are many places like ours around Wanghai, and she can't oversee them all. She even suggested sending us all to public orphanages. But the children here are used to this place, and I'm not keen on leaving, so we've stayed here."
Ye Fei nodded, feeling sowhat embarrassed. He had been silently blaming his aunt earlier. Little did he know that she had long been aware of the situation here, evoking a sense of remorse in him for misjudging her.
However, now was not the ti for such thoughts. Since he was already here, it was crucial to do sothing for them. His assistance was purely personal and wouldn't create difficulties for his aunt.
Thinking this, just as Ye Fei was about to ask Grandma Li sothing else, he noticed her struggling to sit comfortably. Recalling Purple Hair's earlier question about her health, he inquired, "Grandma Li, are you feeling unwell?"
Grandma Li smiled, "It's nothing, just my old ailnts. I'll be fine after a rest."
Ye Fei could tell that Grandma Li didn't have any serious health issues but was just weakened due to age and poor nutrition. He urged, "You should rest for a while. It wouldn't be good if you overexert yourself."
"Alright, I'll go rest in the inner room. If you need anything, just ask Purple Hair. He knows everything about this place." Grandma Li didn't hesitate. To her, Purple Hair and Ye Fei were all the sa children she had watched grow up.
She had a soft spot for children, which was evident from the orphanage she had set up, a place that constantly weighed on her mind.
Watching Grandma Li's slightly stooped figure disappear into the inner room, Ye Fei felt a deep sense of respect. She was a truly remarkable elderly person who had given everything to these vulnerable children. For the sake of this great woman alone, Ye Fei was determined to help the orphanage to the best of his ability, with a preliminary idea forming in his mind.
Once Grandma Li closed the door behind her, Ye Fei turned to Purple Hair and asked, "Why haven't I seen the other residents? Weren't there over a hundred people here?"
Purple Hair replied, "Several kids around my age are at school, so they won't be back until later. The younger ones are with Xue, helping out at the nearby factories."
"Helping out?" Ye Fei furrowed his brow. "Do these factories employ child labor?"
While it was a ans of livelihood for the children here, Ye Fei, influenced by Liu Fengyi since childhood, was averse to factories employing child labor.
Purple Hair smiled and explained, "It's not exactly child labor. We just do odd jobs there to earn a bit of money. They don't pay us, but we can bring back so discarded items to sell at the recycling center. That's our main source of inco. Before each person reaches high school, they do these tasks to gather enough money for the older children's school fees. Sister Xue hopes we all succeed and, after graduating from university, help more children in need."
As he spoke, a glint of resentnt flashed in his eyes. "Over the years, although we have had many talented individuals co from here, only Xue has been willing to return after graduation. So of the more well-off ones may send money back ho, but the majority simply disappear without a trace."
Purple Hair's words further deepened Ye Fei's respect for Grandma Li. Despite facing so many instances of apparent betrayal, she continued to care for these orphans with unwavering dedication—a truly touching display of spirit.
Apart from Grandma Li, there was another person who caught Ye Fei's admiration, the Xue frequently ntioned by Purple Hair. According to Purple Hair, not only did Xue return to this place after graduating, but she even seed to have intentions of taking over Grandma Li's role.
Encountering such kind-hearted individuals was rare, especially in such a run-down orphanage. Yet here, two such individuals had erged.
Suddenly, Ye Fei felt a strong desire to et this Xue. He inquired, "What kind of person is this Xue you're talking about?"
"Xue is the person we are most grateful to after Grandma," Purple Hair responded.
A look of admiration washed over his face as he continued, "She is truly exceptional. She entered Wanghai University with the highest scores in the province and excelled during her ti there.
Despite being approached by nurous large companies before graduation due to her studies in economics and managent, she chose to return here instead. She helps Grandma take care of us, the younger children, teaching us to read and write.
We learned everything before high school from her. Since her return, the children here no longer need to attend primary and junior high schools.
Mayor Liu, upon learning of this, allowed us to skip formal education and directly participate in high school entrance exams when the ti cos, significantly easing our lives."
Purple Hair's admiration for Xue was evident, almost unstoppable once he began talking about her. However, Ye Fei only caught a snippet before tuning out the rest of Purple Hair's words.
What he heard was that Xue was a talented individual in the field of economics and managent, evident from the early job offers from prominent companies. She wasn't just a theoretical scholar but soone with practical skills as well.
In Ye Fei's mind, the most crucial and challenging aspect of his plan could potentially be resolved with Xue's involvent. This realization sparked a sense of urgency within him.
Initially, Ye Fei had only intended to visit briefly and then contemplate how to assist them. However, now he was hesitant to leave. An eagerness arose within him to et Xue as soon as possible.
Reviews
All reviews (0)