After their conversation, in order to reassure the boy, Lu Zongyue decided to personally visit the orphanage. After all, if he was going to donate money, he needed to build a rapport first; otherwise, if someone became suspicious later, it might cause trouble for the orphanage.

He pulled up the orphanage’s information and discovered that it was located in the same small town of Hualien where Zhong Xintian had once lived. Now he had a reason to take her and Dongdong on an outing, seizing the chance to drive them there on Wednesday, when the restaurant was closed.

Returning to the familiar small town, Zhong Xintian gazed at the lush green mountains, clear waters, and drifting white clouds. The scenery felt like an independent paradise, making her feel a sense of nostalgia and reflection. The hardest years after her divorce were spent here, where she had memories of healing and comfort.

Noticing her emotional state, Lu Zongyue deliberately drove slowly around the town, allowing her to reminisce about every tree, every house, and every tile, before finally stopping in front of the orphanage.

After getting out of the car, Zhong Xintian gazed thoughtfully at the orphanage’s creamy yellow gate.

“Where is this?” Dongdong asked curiously as he jumped out of the car and stood beside Zhong Xintian.

“This is the orphanage,” she explained, looking down at him. “It’s a place that takes in homeless orphans.”

“Oh, I’ve heard Mom say that orphans are very pitiful.” Dongdong nodded sympathetically and then looked up at Lu Zongyue. “Uncle, why did you bring us here?”

Lu Zongyue had already prepared a reason. “I have a friend who grew up here. He’s now overseas and asked me to check in on them occasionally to see if they need help.”

Zhong Xintian shot him a meaningful glance.

“Have you been to this orphanage before?” He deliberately ignored the question in her eyes and asked with a smile.

“Yeah.” She nodded. “When I lived here, I would come to the orphanage once a week to volunteer and make snacks for the children.”

She came every week to volunteer?

Lu Zongyue was surprised but not shocked; he had long known she was a kind-hearted woman, easily touched and capable of empathy. When she cared for his sick father, she had done so wholeheartedly, never showing a hint of impatience.

Looking back, he had to admit that marrying her was indeed a stroke of luck. There weren’t many women like her in the world—pure, kind, and thoughtful.

With this in mind, he couldn’t help but smile faintly, his dark eyes sparkling as he looked at her, making her feel a bit uneasy as she turned her gaze away and stepped through the gate into the courtyard.

The not-so-spacious front yard was turned into a playground for children, equipped with seesaws, swings, slides, and a small sandpit for the kids to play in.

It was noon, and most of the children were likely inside eating, leaving the yard empty. A slightly stout man walked out from the floor-to-ceiling window, seeming to feel the heat as he rolled up his shirt sleeves and loosened his tie.

Zhong Xintian blinked and couldn’t help but raise her voice. “What are you doing here?”

The man jumped slightly, only then noticing someone had arrived at the front gate. Recognizing her slender and graceful figure, his eyes lit up as he hurried over.

“Miss Zhong, I finally see you!”

Anyone could tell he couldn’t hide his excitement and joy. Zhong Xintian stared at him blankly, while Lu Zongyue narrowed his eyes, his expression becoming notably sharp.

The man seemed to realize he had lost his composure and rubbed his sweaty head, awkwardly explaining, “I… I haven’t seen you for a long time. The director here told me you moved away.”

“Yeah, I’m living in another small town now.”

Before Zhong Xintian could say much more, the people inside heard their voices. Several children peeked out and recognized her, cheerfully shouting.

“It’s Aunt Xintian! Aunt Xintian is here!”

The children called out to one another and surrounded Zhong Xintian, bombarding her with questions and playful banter, pushing Lu Zongyue and Dongdong outside their circle until the director and a few teachers from the orphanage came out to see what was happening, smiling as they invited everyone inside to eat together.

Lu Zongyue noticed that the chubby man in a shirt kept glancing at Zhong Xintian, his eyes clearly filled with admiration for her.

“Uncle, it seems like you have a rival in love,” Dongdong, sitting beside him, picked up on the clues and intentionally kicked his foot, whispering mischievously.

Lu Zongyue shot a glare at the little rascal.

“I heard that chubby uncle is a lawyer. He used to help the director with some things, and that’s how he met my mommy,” Dongdong shared the gossip he had deliberately gathered. “But unfortunately, my mommy moved away shortly after, so the chubby uncle came looking for her.”

“What are you digging into this for?” Lu Zongyue asked irritably, reaching out and ruffling the little boy’s head with force.

“Hehe, I’m just trying to help you! We’re partners in fixing the rocking chair, remember?” Dongdong looked around, then leaned closer to Lu Zongyue and whispered, “Uncle, you need to work hard! My mommy is gentle and beautiful, so there must be a lot of men who like her. That chubby uncle might be a bit fat, but he’s actually quite handsome, and I heard he earns a lot of money as a lawyer in Taipei!”

“Enough already, you nosy little rascal!” Lu Zongyue was both amused and exasperated. Seeing Zhong Xintian glance at him strangely from across the dining table, he quickly pretended nothing was happening and focused on eating.

After the meal, he had a private conversation with the director, expressing his desire to give back to society and subtly mentioning that he knew someone who had grown up there.

The director was naturally very grateful for his kindness, and the two had a pleasant conversation. By the time Lu Zongyue left the office, the children were already playing wildly in the yard, and Zhong Xintian had just brought out freshly baked cookies, which were quickly snatched up by the kids.