“Okay! Huier, bring more steamed bread!” Lan Lingier called to a maidservant in the mansion.
The maidservant, Huier, walked out, understanding the situation. “Young Master, these steamed buns are freshly steamed and still hot!” she said, noticing Lan Lingier about to hand the buns to the children, which she quickly prevented.
“You’re so considerate!”
Come, let’s wash our hands first, otherwise eating dirty things will give you diarrhea!” Lan Lingier took the towel from Huier’s hand, holding the little girl’s hand and smiling.
“Slow down! Don’t choke!” Huier patted the children’s backs as they ate messily, smiling.
“Sister, you’re such a good person!” the girl said, crumbs spraying from her mouth.
“Sister?” Lan Lingier looked down at herself, dressed in men’s clothing with a neat hairstyle. How did the girl recognize her as a woman?
“Hey! Huier, why are you looking at me like that? She called you sister!” Lan Lingier deflected the suspicion, smiling at Huier.
“No! I mean both sisters are good!” The girl wiped crumbs from her face, squinting and smiling.
“Young Master – no, Young Lady – are you a man or a woman?” Huier was confused. The young master seemed bold but walked with light steps. Could it be…
Huier examined Lan Lingier again, her eyes flashing with disbelief, holding an unprecedented smile, as if looking at a sculpture!
“Hey! Have you had enough? You’re so bold, actually daring to look at your master like this! Are you itching to be punished?” Lan Lingier darkened her face, flicked her sleeve, and shouted at Huier.
The young master had never been so violent before. Could he be feeling guilty? No wonder he liked holding her hand, making her think he was some kind of pervert. It turns out he’s actually a woman! If the young master is really a young lady, then she would be much safer!
“Stop smiling so eerily; people might think you just drank human blood!” Lan Ling’er interrupted Xier’s slow appreciation.
“Miss, since you’re actually a woman, why didn’t you let Xier know? Dressing like a man every day makes it easy for Xier to develop feelings!” Xier leaned on Lan Ling’er’s body, smiling slyly. The miss has deceived her for so long, so she’ll tease her a bit to get back at her for making her worry.
Offering kindness without reason means there must be a hidden motive! This girl must have some scheme.
Lan Ling’er stepped back as Xier stepped forward.
“I retreat.”
“I advance.”
“I retreat again.”
“I advance again.”
The two moved back and forth, preparing secretly.
“Sisters, we’ve eaten, but can we…” The little girl glanced at the remaining steamed buns, lowering her head, hands tightly clasped.
Internal standing stop! Solving the immediate matter is most important.
Lan Ling’er gave Xier a look, and they both approached the little girl.
“Little one, are there many children like you and your siblings who go hungry every day?” Lan Ling’er asked, looking at the discouraged girl with a warm smile.
“Mm!”
The girl didn’t dare speak, head down, gripping her hands tighter, as a drop of sweat formed on her forehead.
“Sister, can we take these leftover steamed buns? They’ve been hungry for two days!” The slightly older boy, though scared, raised his voice to ask.
“Absolutely not!” Lan Ling’er wiped the crumbs from the child’s mouth, her face stern.
“Miss, we have plenty of steamed buns at our residence. Giving these to them won’t cost us anything!” Xier thought the miss was brave and righteous, but now she seemed petty, not agreeing to the children’s request.
“Of course not! If you bring those children to stay with me, I might consider it,” Lan Ling’er softly told Xier.
“Sister is amazing! We’ll go get them right away!” The boy disappeared before Lan Ling’er could say anything.
“Miss, you truly are my miss! Xier didn’t misjudge you!” Xier took Lan Ling’er’s hand, too excited to speak.
Lan Ling’er lowered her head, her eyes moistening with tears. Hadn’t she once been in the same situation, alone and unloved? If the director hadn’t cared for her like a mother, how could she have grown up healthy?
“Love extends to all!” The director’s most repeated words were: “I hope that wherever you go, you’ll treat every orphan as I treated you.”
Yes, love extends to all!
If the director could embrace orphans like her with such an open heart, how could she be stingy and unwilling to help?
“Sister!” The girl tugged at Lan Ling’er’s clothes, her big eyes sparkling mischievously.
“What is it?” Lan Ling’er knelt down, holding the girl’s hand gently.
“Sister, do we have a home now? Will no one bully us anymore?” The girl tilted her head, her urgent eyes piercing Lan Ling’er’s heart.
“Of course! From now on, my sister and I will be your sisters. No one will call you wild children anymore. No one will bully you. This is your home, your home for life!” Xier quickly added.
“Really? That’s wonderful, I have a home! I finally have a home!” The joyful girl suddenly hugged Lan Ling’er, crying, her tears falling onto her clothes.
“We won’t cry! We’ll prove to the heavens that even without parents, we’re no less than anyone else!” Gently wiping away the girl’s tears, Lan Ling’er’s strong voice seemed to declare to the sky.
“Mm! Sister, Yaya won’t let you down!” Tears crossed her innocent face, her expression unable to hide her determination.
Having been parentless since childhood, raised by the director, she knew the sacrifices made for her upbringing. It was her mistake to see through everything and disappoint the director’s efforts! Perhaps everything is predestined, and the path meant for her cannot be deviated from.
Looking at the girl’s bright smile, Lan Ling’er’s loneliness gradually faded, her moist eyes dried by the wind.
“Sister!” A clear voice interrupted her thoughts. Turning around, a group of children was running towards her.
“I’m telling you, our sister is good; she promised to take care of us!” The boy led the way, speaking proudly.
“Sister, Sister! She’s so beautiful!” Five or six children surrounded Lan Ling’er, singing and laughing.
“Hmm? So young and already know how to say nice things. It seems I’ll have to consider whether to take you in or not!” Lan Ling’er couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Sister, please, we definitely won’t flatter you. Please take us in!” The little boy earnestly pulled on her hand.
“What? You’ve grown so big, and you speak so unpleasantly! If you want me to take you in, it’s not difficult — unless each of you lets me hit you, then I might consider it!” Lan Ling’er laughed, wanting to keep the boy’s spirit high.
“Uh… everyone run away!”
Seeing Lan Lingling’s hand reaching toward them, the children fled at the boy’s command, filling the surroundings with laughter.
Sunlight filtered through the trees, reflecting on the children.
“Miss, what are you thinking?” Joyer asked softly as she approached Lan Lingling, who was sitting on the steps.
“Nothing! Are the children asleep?” Lan Lingling smiled and lay back, lost in thought.
“They just fell asleep. They wanted to find you earlier, but I told them if they didn’t sleep well, Sister Lingling would be unhappy tomorrow! So they obeyed. Miss, what’s wrong? Are you thinking about your mother? I miss mine too!” Joyer’s tears fell, the moonlight enhancing her sorrow.
“Joyer, are you an orphan too?” Lan Lingling asked, recalling when she first bought Joyer; her parents were still alive.
“Yes,” Joyer nodded, her expression downcast.
“But didn’t you have parents? Who sold you to me?” Lan Lingling wondered if they were traffickers.
“They were my adoptive parents. I was born without a family, and my neighbor, following my mother’s last wish, handed me over to a childless family—my adoptive parents.”
