The mascot of the wishing shop is a cat.

Chapter 166 Orphanage

The next morning.

As the first rays of sunlight pierced through the clouds and slowly climbed into the sky, Cloud City seemed to slowly awaken from its slumber.

However, the fog that permeated the streets and alleys lingered, enveloping the still not fully awake city like a light veil.

The morning dew, like sparkling pearls, hangs quietly on those nameless flowers.

They trembled slightly in the gentle breeze, reflecting a dazzling array of colors, making these already beautiful flowers even more charming and endearing.

On such a peaceful and beautiful morning, an inconspicuous welfare home located near the slums suddenly welcomed a big client.

His arrival was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, instantly breaking the original tranquility of the place.

..............................

"Hello, welcome. I'm the director of the welfare home, you can just call me Lao Zhao."

A bald, middle-aged man, around forty or fifty years old, stood at the entrance of the welfare home. He was warmly welcoming a tall, handsome young man, who seemed to be a big client.

"Okay. Show me around."

The newcomer was none other than Meros. He gave the middle-aged man a cold reply and then walked into the orphanage, with Director Zhao following a step behind him.

The fact that Melos was welcomed into the orphanage by Director Zhao so early in the morning was all thanks to his wealth.

Last night, after visiting Lin Xiyue as a child, he donated a large sum of money to the orphanage to confirm whether it was really her. He then said he wanted to check out the orphanage's environment today.

So, I arrived at the welfare home early this morning, accompanied by the director.

"This is our little playground, where the children can play games. It's just that we don't have much money, so we don't have many high-tech toys. But I can guarantee that every child is happy!"

Director Zhao introduced the small playground, and it was clear he was quite nervous. After all, this was their small welfare home, and besides the funding from higher authorities, this was the largest donation they had received.

Moreover, I heard that if this person is satisfied, there may be a steady stream of donations, so the children will at least have a new set of clothes this winter and even in the winters to come. Therefore, I must make sure this person is satisfied.

And so, they first arrived at a small open space, which was the children's playground that Dean Zhao had mentioned.

It's not time for the children to play yet, so the open space is still empty.

This small open space is indeed limited in size, and looks somewhat cramped and small.

Its first impression is one of chaos, with various items scattered haphazardly on the ground.

The most eye-catching items were the children's toys, which were either scattered haphazardly or piled up together.

There are brightly colored slides, their surfaces slightly mottled, as if they have witnessed countless moments of children happily sliding down them; and there are uniquely designed seesaws, lying there quietly, waiting for the children to give them life and laughter again.

The flat ground next to the open space was also very ordinary, simply made of compacted soil.

However, on this seemingly ordinary land, many weeds have stubbornly grown.

These weeds are uneven, some standing tall while others lie flat on the ground, like the green down on Mother Earth.

Nevertheless, this flat area still has a unique landscape – a series of not-so-regular, but childlike squares come into view.

Clearly, these squares were drawn by the children themselves, and they must often play and have fun here, engaging in games full of joy and childlike fun.

"That's good, let's go see the child first."

Meros glanced at it casually and then asked to go see the child first.

We can't let his baby live in such a terrible environment.

He was already thinking that if it really was Lin Xiyue, the current environment would definitely need a major overhaul.

"Okay, okay. Over here, the children should be having breakfast in the cafeteria now."

Upon hearing Molos's request, Dean Zhao readily led the way.

Molos followed Director Zhao toward the orphanage's small dining room, the two of them walking in silence.

This made Director Zhao extremely embarrassed. He wanted to get closer to the big shot so that he could get the big shot to donate more money to their welfare home.

Because this welfare home has always been on the fringes and has no special features, its economic situation has always been poor, barely surviving.

If this tycoon could donate more money, the children's lives would be much better, and they would also have more money to hire a teacher.

"right here?"

After Dean Zhao had been agonizing over how to get close to the big shot the whole way, the result was already here. Hearing Moros's question, he could only nod to indicate his agreement.

After receiving a definite answer, Meros pushed open the door and went inside.

As soon as he entered, Moros spotted Lin Xiyue as a child.

She was wearing a pink dress with a few inconspicuous patches, but this did not detract from her overall beauty; instead, it added to her simplicity and innocence.

Clearly, the dress had been carefully washed and looked exceptionally clean and tidy.

Looking at her hairstyle, she has two adorable buns tied high on her head, which are playful and lively.

Her round cheeks still had a bit of baby fat left, as pink and tempting as a ripe peach, making people want to reach out and gently pinch them to feel their unique softness and elasticity.

At this moment, the lovely little girl is sitting quietly in front of the small, exquisite table next to the window.

There was some food on the table, but she ate it absentmindedly, her movements slow and mechanical, as if she had lost the enthusiasm she should have for the food.

What's even more striking is her somewhat dazed expression; her eyes are empty and lifeless, staring blankly at some unknown corner in front of her. She doesn't look like a normal, lively, and active child at all.

"She...what happened to her?"

Moros felt his throat was a little dry and stiff, and when he saw Lin Xiyue like this, his heart tightened.

"Who?...You mean her? Her name is Xiyue, and she's the prettiest child around here. But she has intellectual disabilities, is slow to react, and is physically weak, so she hasn't been adopted yet..."

……