Chapter 186: Orphanage

“Lu, are you heading out again today?”

“What do you mean by ‘again’?” Lu Yunze was taken aback by the question. “Is my schedule really something you monitor so closely?”

“That’s not it, but if you weren’t planning to leave, why did you stop playing after only two rounds?”

“Didn’t I tell you I had important matters to attend to? I could only play for a bit today.”

“Forget it, go find someone else to play with.”

“There’s definitely something fishy going on; otherwise, why would you only play two rounds with us?”

Lu Yunze impatiently hung up the voice chat and turned around.

Unsurprisingly, Jiang Sui had appeared in his room again like a ghost.

“Young Master, I would like to play a few rounds with you as well.”

“……That isn’t funny at all.”

If someone else had said that, he might have taken it as a joke. But coming from Jiang Sui, it actually made him wary.

After all, it was not as if they had never ‘played’ before.

Lu Yunze decisively ended the subject, stood up, and said:

“We are leaving soon.”

“Understood, I am ready. Does the Young Master like this outfit?”

Jiang Sui had changed into casual clothes for their outing—a short-sleeved shirt and shorts that revealed her fair shoulders and slender legs, full of the essence of summer.

“I have already confirmed that the Miss won’t bother us today, so if we are going to leave, we must do it now.”

Seeing that she was so well-prepared, Lu Yunze stopped hesitating and led her out of the house.

The two arrived at a bustling street.

Along the way, Jiang Sui kept guessing at their destination.

Because he would not say, it only made the situation feel more mysterious.

However, Lu Yunze was not in a rush; he first took her to browse a supermarket and a convenience store.

He pushed a shopping cart, letting Jiang Sui follow behind while he chose items.

Large gift bags of snacks and whole cases of milk were tossed into the cart one by one.

Jiang Sui narrowed her eyes slightly.

‘Is he planning to give these away?’

With such a large quantity, it was clearly not meant for any single person.

It also did not look like it was a gift for “some girl.”

After checking out, the two left carrying a heavy load of items.

“Can you carry that?” Lu Yunze asked, looking back.

“It is fine, I am used to it.”

As a maid, her work often involved moving heavy objects, so this was nothing.

“Then I will call a car, this place is a bit far.”

The two sat in a ride-sharing vehicle.

Jiang Sui had already considered many possibilities: a friend’s house, a KTV, a company…

But when the car stopped, she was still stunned.

“……An orphanage?”

The gate before her was quite unexpected.

“Are you coming, or what are you standing there for?”

Lu Yunze was already walking inside while carrying the items.

Jiang Sui quickly grabbed the milk and the snacks to follow him.

Several children were playing in the courtyard.

Seeing Lu Yunze walk in, they immediately swarmed around him.

The youngest were five or six years old, and the oldest was only ten; they were dressed plainly and had thin frames.

“Brother Lu?”

“It has been so long!”

Lu Yunze showed a gentle smile and ruffled their hair.

“It has been such a long time, why are you still just little beans?”

“I will definitely be taller than you in the future!”

“Then I will be waiting for that.”

Jiang Sui did not interrupt, instead taking a look around the area.

The environment could not be considered good.

It was an old building in the historic district, the graffiti on the walls had faded, the courtyard was small, the facilities were scarce, and weeds grew in the corners.

It did not match Lu Yunze’s status at all.

As they chatted, the children noticed Jiang Sui.

A group of eyes stared at her simultaneously.

Jiang Sui immediately offered a gentle smile.

“Hello, everyone.”

The eldest child suddenly turned and ran, shouting toward the house:

“Grandmother! Brother Lu brought his girlfriend back!”

“……”

Lu Yunze gasped in shock.

Jiang Sui’s lip twitched.

‘That child is certainly a smooth talker.’

Soon, they met the head nurse.

She was an elderly woman over seventy years old, her back slightly hunched.

Hearing that Lu Yunze had come, she was overjoyed.

Hearing that he had “brought his girlfriend,” she laughed until her eyes closed.

The two were invited inside.

“Little Lu, when was the last time we saw each other?”

“Pfft—” Jiang Sui almost burst into laughter.

The title sounded far too much like a palace eunuch.

“Grandmother, please don’t call me that, I have a reputation to maintain.”

“All right, Little Lu.”

“……’Little Lu’ is fine.”

“Understood, Little Lu.”

“……”

Jiang Sui struggled to hold back her laughter from the side.

The two began to talk about old times.

Two years ago, he had been too busy with his senior year of high school to visit.

Now that he had returned, everything seemed to remain the same.

The head nurse even mentioned:

“Little Liu was adopted by a couple half a year ago.”

“That is wonderful.”

While they chatted, Jiang Sui noticed something—

Outside the door, there were nine pairs of eyes.

Every one of them was staring at the snacks on the table.

She gently poked Lu Yunze.

Lu Yunze immediately understood and stood up.

“I almost forgot about the gifts I brought for you all, go and hand them out.”

The children cheered immediately.

The head nurse sighed with emotion:

“How lucky today is, to have people bring gifts twice in a row.”

“Someone else came?”

“Yes, a friend who often visits the children, though she just stepped out.”

Lu Yunze nodded.

Jiang Sui began to distribute the snacks.

The scene became chaotic for a moment.

Fortunately, Lu Yunze was there to keep order.

Once the children had their food, they scattered in a hurry.

The courtyard was filled with sounds of laughter.

Jiang Sui looked at Lu Yunze and smiled.

“I never imagined the Young Master had this side to him.”

“It is not exactly a hobby.”

Lu Yunze watched the children, his tone calm.

“I am just doing what I can.”

Jiang Sui narrowed her eyes.

“In that case, there is another person here who needs the Young Master’s care.”

“I often feel empty and lonely, and I really need the Young Master to warm me up.”

“You, lonely?”

“I am when the Young Master is not around, especially… when the Young Master’s hands are not around.”

“Ahem, there are children here.”

“The Young Master is blushing.”

Jiang Sui leaned in, her fingers moving slightly.

Lu Yunze truly began to blush.

Just as the atmosphere turned subtle—

CLATTER.

A drink can fell to the ground.

Both of them turned around.

An acquaintance stood at the doorway.

Lü Ziyi.

The drink she had been holding spilled all over the ground.

“You two… why are you here?”

“Lü Ziyi?” Lu Yunze was stunned as well.

He glanced at the cold drink on the ground, beads of condensation still clinging to the bottle.

Lü Ziyi immediately snapped:

“What are you looking at! I didn’t buy drinks for them just because it was hot outside!”

……

As soon as those words left her mouth.

Jiang Sui and Lu Yunze both had the same thought—

You just gave yourself away entirely.