The Mighty Mage
Chapter 239: Backstory-1

Chapter 239: Chapter 239: Backstory-1

But now, seeing Gu Jin standing in front of him, his confidence wavered.

Han Xiao’s hands grew clammy as a nervous smile spread across his face.

"Ah, Miss Gu... how wonderful it is to see you again. You’ve... grown quite well, I see. How have you been?"

Gu Jin’s eyes narrowed. The fake warmth in his voice made her skin crawl.

Memories she had tried so hard to bury were now rising to the surface, threatening to overwhelm her.

Liang Bao and Lu Siyao exchanged glances, noticing the tension radiating off of Gu Jin.

"Is there a problem, Jin’er?" Liang Bao asked quietly, her hand hovering near her weapon just in case.

Gu Jin didn’t answer immediately. She took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of emotions inside her.

"No," she finally said, her voice cold and detached. "There’s no problem."

She turned her gaze back to Han Xiao, who was standing awkwardly in front of her.

The same man who once held so much power over her now looked like a cornered rat.

"I’m here to see the director," Gu Jin said calmly. "Take me to him."

Han Xiao’s smile faltered. "Of course, of course. Right this way, Miss Gu."

As they followed Han Xiao down the familiar halls of the orphanage, memories flashed through Gu Jin’s mind — the cold nights, the empty stomach, the humiliation.

She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms.

Lu Siyao, noticing her tension, walked closer to her and whispered, "Are you sure you’re okay?"

Gu Jin nodded slightly, her eyes never leaving Han Xiao’s back.

They arrived at the director’s office, a large, imposing door at the end of the hall. Han Xiao hesitated for a moment before knocking.

"Director, Miss Gu Jin is here to see you," he announced, trying to keep his voice steady.

A gruff voice answered from inside, "Enter."

Han Xiao opened the door and motioned for Gu Jin and her friends to go in.

Gu Jin stepped inside, with Liang Bao and Lu Siyao close behind her.

The director, a stout man in his sixties with a balding head and a stern face, looked up from his desk.

His eyes briefly flicked over Gu Jin before settling back on his paperwork.

"Miss Gu," he said in a bored tone, not bothering to stand up. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Gu Jin wasn’t surprised by the laid-back attitude of the orphanage director.

He was the type of person who would be indifferent to everyone until and unless money was involved.

He knew what Han Xiao was doing yet he acted as if he knew nothing and let Han Xiao do whatever he wanted.

Not to mention he somewhat agreed with Han Xiao’s tactics. After all, using the girls of the orphanage was much cheaper for him than some other trained women...

Otherwise, a clerk like Han Xiao can never get away after doing such a crime.

"I’m here for information," Gu Jin said.

"About whom?" The director asked without lifting his head.

"About me. How did I end up in an orphanage, did I have something with me when I got in and when did I join the orphanage." Gu Jin asked.

"You were dropped by your mother at the doorstep, no you didn’t have anything with you and you were half a year old when you joined the orphanage." The director said calmly.

His voice was so calm and collected as if he was expecting those questions.

Lu Siyao and Liang Bao exchanged glances.

If Gu Jin’s mother had truly left her at the doorstep of the orphanage, then the chance of Gu Jin being the child of a wealthy family was low.

Gu Jin however smiled and said,

"Do you truly think I will fall for this story?"

The director paused and he heard Gu Jin say,

"I was one of the orphans who have lived here and I have heard you repeated this story more than 100 times. "

The director’s hand stopped mid-air, hovering over his paperwork as he finally looked up, locking eyes with Gu Jin.

"Miss Gu, I don’t know what you expect me to say. The truth is the truth, no matter how many times it’s repeated."

"Ah... the truth is indeed truth...even though all the orphans who have left this orphanage have heard the same story as their backstory.

I am starting to wonder whether they are all my siblings since their background story matches with mine."

The director’s face hardened, his eyes narrowing as Gu Jin’s words hit home.

He set his pen down with a deliberate calmness, folding his hands in front of him on the desk.

"Miss Gu," he said slowly, "I understand you might be feeling emotional, but I assure you, the records here are accurate. Each child’s case is different."

Gu Jin’s smile didn’t waver. She leaned forward slightly, her eyes never leaving the director’s.

"Is that so?" she asked, her tone deceptively sweet.

"Then why do all the so-called ’different cases’ involve children conveniently abandoned at the doorstep with no belongings, no clues about their family, and no trace of their past?"

Liang Bao crossed her arms, glaring at the director. "It’s almost like you’re running a copy-paste operation," she muttered under her breath.

Lu Siyao, standing beside the door, smirked. "Yeah, convenient stories keep things simple, don’t they?"

The director shifted uncomfortably in his seat, sensing that this conversation wasn’t going in his favor.

His eyes flicked to Han Xiao, who was lingering near the doorway, still sweating nervously.

"Han Xiao," the director said, his voice taking on a sharp edge. "You can leave us now. I will handle this."

Han Xiao hesitated, glancing at Gu Jin before quickly bowing and scurrying out of the room, closing the door behind him.

The director sighed heavily and stood up, walking slowly around his desk.

"Miss Gu, I don’t know what you’re implying, but this orphanage runs according to the law. If you have any concerns, you’re welcome to bring them up with the authorities."

Gu Jin’s smile vanished.

"The authorities? The same ones who are bribed to look the other way while you and your staff exploit vulnerable children? Let’s not waste each other’s time."

Her eyes flared with a cold fury that made the director take a step back.

"I’m here for answers, and I’ll get them, one way or another."

The director gulped and said,

"You were indeed dropped by a person on the footstep of the orphanage but the person was a man. The man’s name is Bai Qinrou. He is your father."

"How can you be so sure?" Lu Siyao instantly interrupted and asked.

The director explained,

"The man had the same black hair and red eyes as Gu Jin."

"If his father’s surname is Bai then why did he name her Gu?" Lu Siyao demanded.

"The man... Bai Qinrou didn’t just leave her. He left a letter, too. It had very specific instructions, including the name Gu Jin.

He said it was important for her to bear that name, even though it wasn’t his. I never questioned it; I was just following his instructions."

The name triggered nothing in Gu Jin’s memory. Even her heart was calm.

"Do you still have the letter?" she asked.

The director swallowed hard, then slowly moved toward a filing cabinet on the far side of the room.

"I’ve kept it, yes. We don’t usually hold on to things like that, but... something about this situation seemed different."

He rifled through the drawers before pulling out a small, weathered envelope, its edges yellowed with time.

He handed it to Gu Jin, avoiding her gaze.

Gu Jin took the envelope carefully, feeling the old paper between her fingers.

Her name was written on the front in neat, deliberate handwriting.

She hesitated, then gently opened it.

Inside was a short note,

"To the caretakers of this child: Her name is Gu Jin. She must bear this name for her protection. If I fail in my task, she will be safer here. Watch over her until I return. Bai Qinrou."

Gu Jin stared at the letter carefully and the corner of her mouth suddenly rose.

Liang Bao frowned.

Maybe Gu Jin’s mother is related to the Gu family.

Lu Siyao had a similar thought.

Seeing the smile on Gu Jin’s face she thought maybe Gu Jin was thrilled when she got her father’s name.

Even Liang Bao thought so.

The director heaved a sigh of relief. However, it was still earlier because the next second Gu Jin started to laugh loudly.

"Why...why are you laughing?" The director asked subconsciously.

The very next second a green vine emerged from the ground and wrapped around the director’s neck.

Gu Jin’s eyes flashed and her black hair fluttered in the wind.

She looked beautiful and dangerous at the same time.

"How dumb...just how dumb do you and the people behind you think I am?"

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