Chapter 53: Orphan Resentment (Part 13)

Warning: Contains some disturbing implications near the end.

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When Xiao Muyu mentioned Qu Muxi, the children’s faces brightened. Even the quiet, introverted kids lifted their heads a bit.

There was only admiration on Xiao Han’s face as he earnestly said, “Of course, Sister Qu is the best. She treats Xiao Han well. Treats everyone well, and always protects us… we all listen to her… we’re all good kids.”

Xiao Han eagerly tried to express his feelings. Suddenly, he took a small breath, his voice trailing off.

“Sister?” Hou Liang looked a bit surprised. He glanced at Qu Muxi, who was quietly eating by herself. He realized Qu Muxi’s maturity and grace had made them overlook one thing—that she was quite young, too young to be a director. But calling her “Sister” felt ill-fitting. Still, considering the kids found her beautiful and sweet, it made sense they’d want to call her “Sister”.

“You guys don’t call her ‘Director’?” Huang Junfeng asked curiously.

“Breakfast has a set time limit. There are only eight minutes left. Stop chatting and eat quickly,” Big Xiao Mei interjected before the other kids could answer him. She glanced up at the adults before reminding the kids still talking instead of eating properly.

Huang Junfeng snapped to attention. “Breakfast has a set time limit?”

He looked at the clock. It was 7:42 a.m. Eight minutes left meant they had to finish breakfast by 7:50. Although Qu Muxi hadn’t specifically reminded them, they weren’t sure if this time limit also applied to them. So, they decided to set aside their questions and focus on finishing their congee.

The freshly served congee was still hot, burning their mouths a little. Finishing this in one go was pushing it.

Those who had envied Shen Qingqiu for triggering the plot just moments ago glanced at her bowl of congee and silently sweated for her. Liu Pei, however, snickered gloatingly.

He tried to hide it, but it did not escape Xiao Muyu’s discerning eyes. She quietly stirred her congee, her gaze towards him growing cold.

At first, she didn’t want to meddle in others’ affairs. Any help or hints she offered were always because she needed them herself. Hence, she would mention things in passing. She would never harbor harmful intents, but that was on the premise no one looked for trouble.

She wouldn’t mind helping out someone like Su Jin or Zuo Tiantian if she could. However, for people like Chen Dong and Chen Xi—she could watch them die indifferently.

Xiao Muyu stood up and walked over to Aunt Jiang, who was preparing to clear the dishes. She looked at her and spoke, “Aunt Jiang, could I have another bowl?”

Suddenly being called “Aunt Jiang,” the woman was momentarily stunned. She turned to look at Xiao Muyu’s breakfast and said, “But you already have one. Why do you need another bowl?”

“Aunt Jiang’s congee is so delicious. It’s best eaten in big gulps, but it’s too hot. I want to let it cool down a bit so I can finish it sooner,” Xiao Muyu said with a pure, sincere expression. She even licked her lips.

Liu Pei: ……

Shen Qingqiu was momentarily stunned as well. If she were to be honest, this was the first time she had seen Xiao Muyu act so soft, with a hint of coaxing in her voice. Xiao Muyu had a naturally guileless face. However, she always kept a distant expression that restrained her gentle, quiet beauty. The result was like an ink-wash painting—subtle and refined, yet full of lingering charm.

Xiao Muyu’s posture and expression at this moment seemed to breathe life into the ink-wash painting. Ripples appeared, and flowers and grass seemed to bud. Even with the simplicity of ink outlines, one could feel a brightness and warmth within. It was a completely different side of her.

Shen Qingqiu was utterly dazed. She didn’t notice the stunned expressions of everyone around her or hear Huang Junfeng muttering, “She deserves an Oscar,” beside her. She was entirely focused on Xiao Muyu but seemed to be looking right through her. Even as Xiao Muyu successfully got another bowl and returned to sit beside her, Shen Qingqiu’s eyes did not leave her.

Xiao Muyu would have likely rolled her eyes and uncaringly ignored her to focus on her own affairs if it were any other time. However, Shen Qingqiu’s look just now was unusual. It was not the usual deliberate teasing. It was the look of someone who had finally found the person she’d been seeking after a separation long enough that the memories of them together had blurred over time.

Yet, as Xiao Muyu approached, it seemed Shen Qingqiu was looking through her at someone else. Surprise and joy mingled with a hint of bitterness and melancholy in her gaze.

This Shen Qingqiu was unrecognizable to Xiao Muyu.

She couldn’t hold back anymore, and her brows furrowed. “What’s with you?”

Shen Qingqiu snapped out of her daze, the fog in her eyes suddenly clearing as if blown by the morning breeze. Still a bit absent-minded, she murmured, “You remind me of someone.”

Xiao Muyu paused while dividing the large bowl of congee for her. She put down the spoon and said steadily, “Now is not the time to reminisce about old friends. There are only six minutes left. Hurry up and eat. I’ve split it up so it’ll cool faster.”

She looked down, swiftly running her spoon from the edge of her bowl, now back to eating her congee.

Shen Qingqiu was by no means an ordinary person. She shook off those emotions as fast as they had come. After collecting herself, she thanked Xiao Muyu and lowered her head to drink the divided congee.

Shen Qingqiu hadn’t been entirely truthful earlier. Seeing Xiao Muyu like that did not remind her of someone because she couldn’t think of anyone else. It was more fitting to say she was familiar with that side of Xiao Muyu.

Meanwhile, those thinking of striking up a conversation were now immersed in drinking their congee. The men embraced their rugged ways, eating quickly without a care for how hot it was.

Xiao Muyu glanced up at the children. They had the same hot congee and bowls. Despite that and their young age, they lifted their bowls and gulped the congee down like they didn’t feel the heat.

Xiao Muyu herself didn’t eat leisurely. Seeing Shen Qingqiu still had half a bowl left, she reached out her left hand to stir it with chopsticks.

Shen Qingqiu glanced at her, a touch of appreciation in her eyes.

The men were the first to put down their bowls, followed by Xiao Muyu and Yang Rui. With only a minute left, everyone, including the children, managed to finish their meals.

Qu Muxi mentioned she had something to do and left after eating. With time running out, Yang Rui hurriedly stuffed the last of her egg into her mouth. Her eyes rolled as she choked a bit. She turned away, trying to regain her composure while maintaining her image.

In the end, only Shen Qingqiu hadn’t finished.

Aunt Jiang returned from clearing the breakfast dishes, but something was different. She was holding a massive cleaver—the kind you’d see at a butcher’s stall. It glinted coldly under the light. Her previously dull expression had shifted to one of wild intensity.

“Eat faster! I don’t have all day. I need to clean up the dishes earlier!”

The other five flinched. They quickly got up and moved away. When Aunt Jiang was about to reach her, Shen Qingqiu swallowed the last of her congee. She calmly handed her bowl to Aunt Jiang, who had become a different person.

Aunt Jiang took the bowl, but a menacing look stayed on her face. Shen Qingqiu merely pointed at the clock, unfazed.

“I finished in time.”

Aunt Jiang glanced at the clock. She let out an angry grunt before gathering the dishes and utensils, still holding the cleaver.

Xiao Muyu, who was watching from the side, relaxed. She cast a glance at Shen Qingqiu, who seemed completely unbothered, and frowned. For some unknown reason, she felt reluctant to speak to her.

The others were visibly shaken. Would they have been chopped up if they hadn’t finished dinner last night? The morbid thought made Huang Junfeng gag. “The meat we ate… it wouldn’t be…?” His face turned ashen as he recalled stories about how human meat supposedly tasted tangy.

“We’re off to study now.” The children, however, seemed unbothered by the adults’ reactions. After Big Xiao Mei spoke up, the kids stood up together. They showed no concern for Aunt Jiang’s odd behavior as they left the dining hall in pairs.

Xiao Muyu and the others quickly caught up. Shen Qingqiu walked beside her and whispered, “I know what I’m doing. Don’t worry.”

Xiao Muyu glanced at her before looking forward again. “You don’t want me to worry, and I’m not worried. Let’s get to work.”

The eight children did have study time in the morning but no dedicated teacher. They gathered in a classroom to read on their own. The older kids, who knew more characters, helped teach the younger ones, guiding them in copying new words.

It was a perfect opportunity. Xiao Muyu and the others offered to teach the kids to read and write, which Qu Muxi immediately agreed to.

They divided seven adults and eight children into groups. Yang Rui, Huang Junfeng, and Hou Liang took the lead in teaching basic arithmetic, reading, and writing.

Xiao Muyu started examining the classroom. There were blackboards at the front and back. A glass panel covered the rear blackboard, which displayed the children’s handmade newsletters and a few photos.

The photos showed well-dressed men posing with the children. There were about a dozen in total. Judging by the donation plaques and sashes some were holding, these people had likely contributed to Charity Orphanage.

Xiao Muyu sensed something off with the photos. She looked them over several times but couldn’t immediately pinpoint what was wrong.

Xiao Jiao was the only one among the eight children no one dared to approach, so Shen Qingqiu chatted with her. The little girl seemed completely unaware of her actions the previous night. She behaved as innocent and carefree as ever, if a bit slow. Shen Qingqiu realized Xiao Jiao might have delayed mental development.

Shen Qingqiu chatted casually with Xiao Jiao for a while before suddenly asking, “Does Xiao Jiao really like dolls?”

The smile on Xiao Jiao’s round face immediately brightened. She nodded enthusiastically. “Yes. Like dolls very much!”

Shen Qingqiu continued questioning, “Since you like dolls so much, where’s your doll? I saw you playing with it yesterday. Why didn’t you bring it with you today?”

At the mention of her doll, Xiao Jiao’s expression fell. “Mad… Doll mad. Won’t play with Xiao Jiao no more.”

Xiao Jiao began to cry. “Doll, I want doll, pretty doll…”

Shen Qingqiu, who was quite uneasy around crying children, started to feel a bit overwhelmed. But before Xiao Jiao’s sobs could escalate, she suddenly stopped.

Shen Qingqiu was a bit surprised. She quickly noticed a gaze directed their way. It came from Xiao Yue, who was working on exercises with Xiao Mei under Yang Rui’s guidance. The typically quiet Xiao Yue wasn’t looking at Shen Qingqiu but at Xiao Jiao.

Xiao Jiao looked at Xiao Yue with a pitiful pout. Xiao Yue’s gaze softened with a hint of resignation. So, Xiao Jiao stopped crying because Xiao Yue had somehow soothed her, not scared her.

The two children seemed to have some unspoken agreement. Amused, Shen Qingqiu probed, “Are you close with Xiao Yue?”

Xiao Jiao nodded with a silly smile. “Besides Sister Xiao Mei, only Xiao Yue shares toys with me. Hee-hee, dolls, dolls!”

Shen Qingqiu mulled over Xiao Jiao’s words. Xiao Mei seemed to correspond with her, Hou Liang with Xiao Han, and Xiao Muyu, judging by recent events, with Xiao Jiao. However, she struggled to see any similarities between Xiao Muyu and Xiao Jiao, which confused her.

Xiao Yue maintained a reticent expression and demeanor, strikingly similar to Liu Pei’s icy attitude.

As for the others, Shen Qingqiu couldn’t see clear resemblances yet.

During her observation, she noticed Xiao Muyu studying some documents. She was focused, her expression unconsciously serious. It looked like she’d encountered something puzzling.

Shen Qingqiu walked over and glanced at the documents. Reflexively, she asked, “You found something?”

Without looking at her, Xiao Muyu replied in a low voice, “I keep feeling there’s something amiss with these photos.”

Shen Qingqiu examined them. After a moment, her face darkened. “It’s the poses. The kids don’t look right either.”

Xiao Muyu went quiet. A flicker passed in her eyes. She murmured, “They’re all girls and quite pretty.”

Indeed, the photos depicted men of various types—tall or short, lean or heavy, refined or paunchy. But each one had his arm around a girl, and every one of these girls shared a striking beauty. It was a beauty unique to girls on the cusp of adolescence—shy and innocent.

“Big Xiao Mei appears four times, along with four other girls around her age.” Shen Qingqiu pointed at several photos before leaning in to scrutinize the men.

After a moment, she raised an eyebrow and sharply tapped her finger against the glass. The impact made the photo behind it shift and slide downward, revealing another photo underneath.

Shen Qingqiu had met various people, while Xiao Muyu was most skilled in discerning people’s nature through their expressions. They simultaneously leaned close to examine the newly revealed photo.

It showed Big Xiao Mei shaking hands with a handsome middle-aged gentleman. But unlike the other formal photos, something was disturbingly out of place in the man’s expression. It was not a look any adult should have towards a child.

Taking stock of their clasped hands, both women had a horrible suspicion that sank in their hearts like lead.

Their attention shifted to a nearby locked cabinet in the classroom. It was designed like a file cabinet, with two levels and double doors.

They didn’t have the key, but Shen Qingqiu glanced at Xiao Muyu with a spark in her eyes. Xiao Muyu had the same thought. She knew exactly where to find the key, and instinct told her that this cabinet held crucial information.

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TL: The one-eyed peeping toms, those shower stalls with no doors facing the entrance, windows above the dorm room doors… They’re all starting to make sense now. Blegh.