Returning to Parents' Seventeen
Chapter 121: Shen Yubai Doesn’t Want Xu Chuning to Be Unhappy

Chapter 121: Chapter 121: Shen Yubai Doesn’t Want Xu Chuning to Be Unhappy

An hour later, the car stopped outside the gate of Hope Orphanage.

Xu Chuning and Shen Yubai got out of the car and looked up at the sign in front of them and the old, peeling gate.

Shen Yubai glanced at it and quickly turned to Xu Chuning, "Are you okay?"

Xu Chuning didn’t speak. As soon as she saw the gate of the orphanage, a very old memory involuntarily surfaced in her mind. Most people do not have profound memories before the age of three to five, but it was strange for Xu Chuning; she remembered everything about the orphanage, and how You Shuzhen had adopted her from there.

After closing her eyes briefly and taking a moment, Xu Chuning looked at Shen Yubai with clear eyes: "I’m fine. Let’s go in."

Brother Wang looked at the two of them, "I won’t go in with you, I’ll wait here for you."

He knew that they were there to investigate something and worried that they wouldn’t feel as comfortable with him around.

Shen Yubai nodded, "Suit yourself, Brother Wang. I’ll call you if needed."

Brother Wang: "Okay."

Xu Chuning and Shen Yubai entered the orphanage. In the courtyard, several boys and girls around the age of six or seven were cleaning. Seeing them appear, a little girl ran up to Xu Chuning, "Sister, are you here to find someone?"

Xu Chuning quickly bent down to talk to her, "Yes, could you tell me where the director’s office is?"

"Over there." Another little boy came running over, protecting the little girl behind him, and pointed out to Xu Chuning, "The director’s office is over there."

Xu Chuning and Shen Yubai looked in the direction the two children were pointing. It was on the ground floor on the side, where the door was open and the entrance indeed seemed to bear the sign of the director’s office.

"Thank you very much," Xu Chuning thanked the children and walked with Shen Yubai, carrying their belongings into the director’s office.

They knocked on the door, and a woman with glasses turned to look at them, "What can I do for you?"

Shen Yubai spoke up, "Hello, are you the director of Hope Orphanage?"

The woman nodded, "Yes, I’m the director here, my surname is Qiu. Are you here to find someone?"

"I had called you before," Shen Yubai spoke softly, "My last name is Shen, Officer Wang had previously visited your place."

Qiu Mingxia looked surprised, recalling, "Are you the one Officer Wang mentioned who would be coming to find someone?"

Shen Yubai nodded.

Qiu Mingxia gestured, "Please have a seat."

She got up to pour water for them.

Xu Chuning took it with thanks.

Qiu Mingxia waved her hand and looked at them, "You two... must be very young?"

Before they appeared, Qiu Mingxia had never expected that those coming to look for someone at the orphanage would be two... children. She had assumed it would be someone at least her age.

Xu Chuning made a sound of acknowledgment, "We are high school students."

"So, the person you’re looking for is?" Qiu Mingxia was a bit puzzled.

"My sister," Xu Chuning said.

Qiu Mingxia realized, then said apologetically, "I’m sorry."

Xu Chuning shook her head, softly saying, "I should be thanking you for previously taking her in."

Qiu Mingxia smiled wistfully, "Officer Wang must have told you already, our orphanage had a big fire that burned all the past records. It is very hard, very hard to find adoption clues now."

Xu Chuning was silent for a moment, then raised her head to ask, "Do you remember what the person who adopted her looked like?"

Qiu Mingxia: "I wasn’t here at that time."

She told them that she had only come here to take over as the director in the past few years. When Xu Chuning’s sister was adopted, the director of Hope Orphanage was not her.

Xu Chuning: "Where is the director now?"

Qiu Mingxia looked helplessly at the two, "She passed away a couple of years ago due to illness."

Otherwise, the police would not have found it so difficult to find people. It’s precisely because all clues have been cut off that they faced obstacles at every turn.

Xu Chuning frowned, her long eyelashes trembling slightly, "Sorry."

Qiu Mingxia: "She was old."

Shen Yubai frowned, "Are there any people from the same period who were adopted still at the orphanage?"

Qiu Mingxia: "I remember there are none left."

She herself had also come from the orphanage, and returned to the orphanage in recent years to take on the responsibility of caring for these children. After the former director passed away, she took over the entire affairs of the orphanage.

Qiu Mingxia knew the children from the previous orphanage, but her impressions were not as deep as the former director’s. She later went out to study, worked for a while, and only came back to the orphanage during holidays and New Year.

In fact, before coming, Xu Chuning was mentally prepared not to have any clues, after all, Officer Wang and others had investigated, they didn’t find any clues, it was natural she wouldn’t either.

But hearing the director say it in person, she still couldn’t help feeling lost and pained.

Seeing her mood was off, Shen Yubai spoke gently, "Shall we go see the places she used to stay?"

He held Xu Chuning’s hand, giving her strength.

Xu Chuning breathed slightly and looked up at Shen Yubai, "...Okay."

Qiu Mingxia was very willing to show them around, she led the way.

The two followed the director to the dormitory where the children lived, the cafeteria, and a small classroom in the courtyard. Qiu Mingxia told them that because the orphanage was limited in funds, some children could only study in the orphanage.

Hope Orphanage was not big, covering a small area.

In a short while, the two had toured the entire place.

Done touring, Shen Yubai asked Xu Chuning, "Is there anything else you want to ask?"

Xu Chuning slowly shook her head, looking at Qiu Mingxia: "Director, I’ll leave you my contact information, if you recall any information related to my sister, could you please let me know?"

Qiu Mingxia: "Of course."

She looked at Xu Chuning, "Don’t worry, I’ll inform you as soon as there’s any news."

Xu Chuning: "Thank you."

She looked at Shen Yubai, Shen Yubai nodded, "Director, we brought some things for the children, could you please distribute them to the little ones?"

Qiu Mingxia was surprised, not expecting the two to be so thoughtful, "That’s too generous."

Shen Yubai smiled lightly: "It’s the right thing to do."

Before setting off, the two had gone to a supermarket, buying some candies and some drawing books.

After moving the items from the trunk into the orphanage, Xu Chuning and Shen Yubai said goodbye to the director and left.

On the way back, the atmosphere in the car was relatively oppressive.

Brother Wang occasionally looked back at the two, wanting to say something, but not knowing what to say.

Shen Yubai felt the same; he wanted to comfort Xu Chuning, but didn’t know how. He lowered his gaze watching her profile facing the window, a sour feeling rising in his chest.

It was at this very moment that Shen Yubai realized... he was increasingly unable to bear seeing Xu Chuning distressed; her discomfort pained him too.

Shen Yubai didn’t want Xu Chuning to be unhappy.