บท 3: Chapter 003: Skinny and Ugly
บรรณาธิการ: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The ten-year-old Xu Chaomu was brought to the orphanage one winter, but just three days after entering the orphanage, the director was headache-ridden and sleepless.
Every time the director sneaked off to do sweet nothings with his mistress, a firecracker would "pop" outside the window, making the lattice rattle vigorously.
The first time, the director got so scared that he pulled up his pants and ran.
The second time, after pulling up his pants, the director began to patrol the yard.
The third time, the director dragged Chaomu down from a tree with her clothes in his grip.
"Xu Chaomu, copy your name one hundred times!" the director said, his teeth practically itching with anger.
"Ow... let go, let go..." Xu Chaomu wailed.
"One hundred times, do you hear me?"
"I hear you..."
Feeling defeated, Xu Chaomu picked up her notebook and began copying her name, dutifully placing the notebook on the director's desk the next day.
However, when the director saw the notebook filled with the words "bastard" over and over, smoke practically billowed from his seven orifices as he slammed the table in search of Xu Chaomu.
"You little brat, come out! I promise I won't kill you!"
After searching the whole yard and not finding Xu Chaomu, another group of kids came running to him in tears instead.
Some shirtless, some with snotty noses, some wiping away tears.
"Director... my pants are gone..."
"Director... an ink bottle hit my head..."
"Director... there are firecrackers in the toilet..."
"All of you go and catch Xu Chaomu for me!" the director roared like thunder.
The once peaceful and quiet orphanage had turned into a chaotic pigsty since the arrival of Xu Chaomu, giving the director one big headache after another.
However, Chaomu was lying on a pile of straw, soaking up the sun, apparently unbothered by the turmoil she had caused.
Basking in the sun was particularly warming and comfortable, especially in winter, making her stretch out lazily.
But that afternoon, the shabby orphanage welcomed two distinguished guests.
A lady in her thirties, accompanied by a teenage boy, stood at the entrance of the orphanage.
The woman was regal and graceful, walking in black high heels and wearing an expensive white fur coat, with jewelry encrusted with diamonds adorning her ears, neck, and wrists, sparkling brilliantly in the sunlight.
The ten-year-old Xu Chaomu had no interest in such things, but her eyes lit up when she saw the boy at the woman's side, twinkling with mischievous light.
In time, Chaomu thought to herself, being lecherous was indeed an instinct. Neither men nor women could escape it.
But she couldn't be blamed, for who would resist such a handsome face on someone so young?
The boy was truly good-looking, fair and youthful, but his brows were constantly furrowed, not prone to smiling, and his eyes were dark and deep, showing a maturity that didn't match his young age.
As Chaomu hid in the pile of straw, a chill gaze fell upon her, sending a shiver through her body and nearly causing her to tumble from her perch.
It turned out the boy had seen her!
"Welcome to our orphanage," the director said with a smile as he stood before them, though he looked slightly unnatural.
Although the orphanage was in bustling C City, it was situated in the poorest and most chaotic part of the city.
"I've come to adopt a child."
The woman spoke softly, her voice graceful like a delicate orchid, her face betraying little emotion.
The director let out an "Oh," used to such occurrences as children were occasionally adopted from the orphanage, though it was rare for wealthy people to come by.
"Please come inside, and I'll introduce you," he said.
"No need, let's talk here," the woman replied.
"That's fine, that's fine. Would you like to adopt a boy or a girl?"
"Do you have a girl named Xu Chaomu here?"
The director's face was as colorful as a rainbow. Xu Chaomu?
"Yes, madam, there indeed is a child named Xu Chaomu here, who was just brought in three days ago. She used to live only with her mother, and I heard she's an illegitimate child. But recently, there was a gas explosion at their home, the house caught fire, and the child's mother passed away. However..."
The director paused, contemplating whether to reveal Chaomu's "glorious deeds."
Xu Chaomu pricked up her ears. What? Someone wanted to adopt her?
The woman's brows furrowed slightly, a hint of displeasure in her eyes, "However, what?"
"This child, she's quite bright but a bit mischievous. I'm afraid you might not like her. Actually, there are many other children in our institution..."
"No need, just bring Xu Chaomu out!" the woman spoke in a faint tone.
The director wiped the sweat from his brow; he didn't even know where Xu Chaomu had run off to.
"Are you calling me?"
Xu Chaomu jumped out from the pile of grass, dusted off her hands, yet her eyes were fixed squarely on the boy.
The boy didn't look at her, his gaze full of disdain, "Skinny and ugly, just like a monkey."
"Are you blind?" Xu Chaomu was very angry.
"Xu Chaomu, how do you speak to a guest!" The director scolded, although he knew it wasn't much use.
"Madam, this is Xu Chaomu, she's already ten years old. She often speaks without respect for elders, I hope you'll forgive her," the director apologized to them again.
"Let's pick another one. I'm afraid I won't be able to eat in the future," the boy said indifferently to the woman.
"Achi, stop it, it's not like you're picking a wife. From now on, Chaomu will live in our house, so be kinder to her," the woman still wore an indifferent expression.
"If I ever married someone like that, that would mean I'm really blind," the boy commented dismissively, and still didn't spare Xu Chaomu a glance.
"Do you want to fight? Let me tell you, having a sharp tongue is a disease that needs to be cured!"
Xu Chaomu stood defiantly in front of the boy but was noticeably shorter than him. The boy just snorted coldly and ignored her existence.
"Director, take me to do the paperwork. I want to take her with me today," the woman spoke softly.
"Madam, wouldn't you like to reconsider? There are many well-behaved children in the institution. This girl... is a bit mischievous, and I'm afraid..."
The director really wanted to say that he feared a return. In case this girl caused trouble, would it come back to bite him? Wealthy families could snap their fingers and the orphanage would go bankrupt.
He couldn't afford to provoke them, so he had to avoid them.
"No need. I came specifically to take her away. Whatever you need, just tell me," the woman said, her voice soft but insistent.
"This... I'll ask Xu Chaomu." The director still wasn't entirely at ease.
He bent down and asked with a friendly smile, "Chaomu, someone wants to take you away. Are you willing?"
"No benefit, why would I go with them. I'm not a ball for you to kick around," Xu Chaomu retorted disdainfully.
The woman squatted down, brushing Xu Chaomu's hair with slender fingers like willow branches in February.
As she squatted, Xu Chaomu caught a whiff of a crisp fragrance, like orchids or gardenias. It was then that she first understood what nobility meant; in her eyes, Mrs. Shen at that moment was like a celestial maiden descended from the heavens.
The woman lifted her hand, her bracelets gently clinking, producing a "ding-dong" sound that was crisp and pleasing to the ear.
She gently removed the weeds from Xu Chaomu's head with a tender touch, "Come back with me, and you'll have everything."
"She's not old, but her heart sure is greedy," the boy commented without hiding his displeasure.
Xu Chaomu had already been hesitating about whether to go with the lady because she was so gentle; a sniffle betrayed her thoughts of her own mother.
However, the boy's killjoy attitude made her lift her head and look at him defiantly, "This is greedy? I can be much greedier, do you want to see?"
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