Ch 151: The Cannon Fodder Won’t Play Along Anymore [QT]

Mu Xing said softly, “That day at school, I saw a flyer with a phone number on it, so I memorized it.”

The director knew his memory was good, so she didn’t doubt it. She just asked, “And then? What did you do?”

Mu Xing repeated the whole conversation he’d had with the amusement park’s customer service.

Then he asked in a small voice, “So… does that mean everyone can go to the amusement park now?”

But the director’s face hardened. “Xingxing, what have I always taught you? Did you forget?”

Mu Xing froze.

Her tone was stern. “I know you’re very smart, that your grades are good, and you’re quick-witted. But what I fear most is you using that cleverness in the wrong way. You’re still young, and if you start using little tricks to ask people for favors, taking shortcuts, getting things you shouldn’t have without working for them… if you develop that kind of character, what will happen later? You’ll only want to take shortcuts. Xingxing, if you want to go to the amusement park, you can tell me. I’ll think of a way.”

“This time, I’ll turn it down.”

She said this while reaching for her phone.

Mu Xing quickly interrupted, “I didn’t take a shortcut, Director Mama. I picked Good Friends Park after a long time of thinking.”

The director looked at him with confusion.

Mu Xing spoke earnestly. “I did a lot of research. That amusement park has been around for years, and now it doesn’t get many visitors. During my finals I scored very high, and Teacher Liu asked if I’d like to accept an interview from a local TV station. The school will give me a scholarship, and I can also help bring in more sponsorship for our welfare home.”

“When the interview happens, I’ll help advertise Good Friends Park,” he said seriously. “Exchanging a few dozen tickets for a TV promotion—they won’t lose out.”

The director took a long time to react.

She stared at Mu Xing in shock. Read the full chapter at HololoNovels dot com. Even though she had known from the start that this child was very smart, more mature than his peers because of his family background, such a tightly reasoned plan… was this really something a child could say?

After finishing his serious words, Mu Xing began to act pitifully cute. “I’m sorry, Director Mama. I know this isn’t exactly right. But all the kids really, really want to go to the amusement park. If we bought tickets the normal way, all that money could buy lots of formula for Mumu and Yuanyuan instead.”

Mumu and Yuanyuan were the two youngest girls in the home, one just turned one, the other a year and a half, both still needing formula—a huge expense.

The director looked at this child who barely reached her waist. At this age, most children were still under their parents’ wings, happily enjoying their childhood. Yet he was already learning to use his strengths to seek benefits.

She didn’t think it was bad. She only felt heartache.

She squatted down and gently embraced him.

Mu Xing was wrapped in warmth. The director’s hug carried no expensive perfume—just the faint fragrance of laundry detergent, the safest and most comforting smell for every child.

“Xingxing, don’t say sorry. It’s Mama who should thank you.”

“If Mama were more capable, had more savings, or could secure more sponsorships, things would be easier,” she sighed softly.

Mu Xing hugged her back and emphasized seriously, “Director Mama is already very good. All the uncles and aunties at the welfare home are very good.”

*

When the children found out they would be going to the amusement park the afternoon after next, they were thrilled.

For the next two days they were extra well-behaved—studying diligently, eating and sleeping enthusiastically, always rushing to help with chores (though most of the time they only made more work).

Finally, the appointed day arrived.

Just before nine in the morning, a bus pulled up at the welfare home.

Two people got off: a middle-aged man in casual clothes with a square face and righteous bearing, and a young man in his early twenties.

The middle-aged man warmly stepped forward to shake the director’s hand. “Hello, hello. Are you Director Mei? I’m Lin Guodong, the manager of Good Friends Park.”

As the director exchanged greetings with him, the young man beside Lin and the bus driver opened the luggage compartment and unloaded several boxes.

Lin said, “These are some gifts from Good Friends Park for the children.”

The director was about to refuse, but Lin quickly added, “They’re not expensive things—just some clothes for the kids, books, a few cans of formula, and a couple of small toys.”

Clearly, he had made the effort to learn about the welfare home. The gifts ranged from clothes for teenagers to formula for infants.

Seeing the director’s expression soften, Lin held her hand and smiled. “I once thought of running a welfare home myself, but all kinds of things got in the way and I never managed it. After learning about Hope Welfare Home these past few days, I have to say, Director Mei, you’re truly a remarkable woman.”

The director no longer declined.

Lin laughed. “Then let’s not waste any more time. Please bring all the children out.”

The staff carried the younger ones out. A few toddlers were held in arms, standing at the entrance, gazing enviously at their older siblings.

Lin asked in surprise, “These little ones aren’t coming?”

The director smiled. “They’re too young. They’d just make trouble.”

Lin waved his hand. “No problem. I came today to invite everyone from Hope Welfare Home. The little ones have their own ways to play. The director should come too, and Master Wang as well—everyone together!”

No one knew how he even knew Master Wang’s name.

In the end, the whole orphanage was given a day off, and everyone went together in a lively group to Good Friends Amusement Park.

On the bus, Director Lin curiously asked which child had been the one to call the amusement park.

Mu Xing obediently raised his hand.

When Director Lin saw it was him, he smiled. “The moment I first saw you, I couldn’t help but take a second look. This child is really handsome. Your name is Xingxing, right?”

Mu Xing nodded.

Beside him, little Jin, who was three and a half, piped up in his milky voice: “Brother Xingxing is amazing! He’s a top student! Every time he gets full marks! He can draw, and he plays ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’ for us too.”

Little Jin actually had no idea what “top student” meant, but since he often heard the older boys praise Brother Xingxing like this, he learned to say it as well.

Director Lin was astonished. “Really? Then Xingxing is truly impressive!”

But then something crossed his mind, and his smile softened a bit. Read the full chapter at HololoNovels dot com. In front of the children, he couldn’t bring himself to ask—how could such an outstanding child have become an orphan?

When they arrived at the amusement park, the orphanage staff discovered that Good Friends Amusement Park hadn’t even opened to the public that day, keeping the whole place just for them.

Director Mei felt uneasy, but Director Lin waved it off casually. “It’s fine. These days our park hardly has any visitors anyway. To be frank, we don’t really rely on it for profit. Being able to bring joy to the children from the orphanage—that’s worth far more than a few tickets.”

All of the orphanage’s staff had come, and several young employees accompanied the children, easing the shortage of hands.

Soon, the amusement park workers realized these kids were not like other children.

Normally, kids this age loved to run wild. In a place like an amusement park, they would have been like horses let out of their reins, impossible to call back.

But these children, walking together with the adults, although their eyes shone with wonder and longing, stayed obediently by their side without running off.

A young female staff member asked a middle-school–aged boy, “Little one, don’t you want to play with these rides? Why aren’t you running over?”

The boy, Cheng Sheng, shyly whispered, “Director Mama told us that everyone in the amusement park is good to us. She said when we get here, we shouldn’t run around or yell, so we don’t cause trouble for you.”

The girl’s eyes stung.

She was the customer service worker who had answered the call that day. She was supposed to be off today, but she had volunteered to come as their guide.

Smiling, she said, “You’re not troubling us at all. Today we’re here just to play with you. You don’t need to be so reserved.”

She asked Cheng Sheng, “Do you want to ride the roller coaster?”

Cheng Sheng’s eyes lit up.

After getting permission from Director Mei, the children soon split up.

The older ones who could handle more thrilling rides went off with one staff member.

The younger ones went to the merry-go-round and bumper cars.

The very little ones were carried onto the kiddie train that toured the park, with staff blowing bubbles for them to chase.

Even though Director Mei had warned them repeatedly, in the end they were children. After playing for a while, they loosened up, and the amusement park was filled with joyful laughter.

Snacks from the stalls were all free. At first no one dared take any, so the staff grabbed them and stuffed them into the children’s arms.

Lunch had also been arranged beforehand by Director Lin. At the park’s theme restaurant, each child even received a bear-shaped ice cream.

Mu Xing had only thought he’d found a chance for his friends to finally visit an amusement park. He hadn’t expected Director Lin to be so thoughtful.

Considering they were children and the park was far out, Director Lin didn’t keep them for dinner. Instead, he arranged for the bus to take them back. On the way home, each child was given a stuffed animal souvenir.

He also handed Director Mei a card and a thick envelope.

The card was a VIP pass for the amusement park. From then on, whenever they had time, she could bring the children to play.

The envelope was full of photographs—taken that day by the staff of the children.

Director Mei pulled them out one by one, not only seeing the children’s smiling faces, but also herself and Master Wang and the others.

Her eyes reddened. She carefully put the photos back, planning to post them in the classroom once they returned.

She murmured, “Director Lin is truly a good man.”

Sitting behind her, Mu Xing heard these words and nodded in deep agreement: yes, Director Lin truly was a good man.

During his interview, he would make sure to praise him.

The interview was scheduled for three days later.

But the day before, Director Mei suddenly called Mu Xing into her small office, her expression both delighted and conflicted.

Calling it an office was generous—it was just a simply furnished little room, piled with books and ledgers, where she usually managed the orphanage’s affairs.

“Xingxing, I have some good news for you.”

Mu Xing blinked his eyes at her.

Dean Mei said, “Do you remember Director Lin? From Good Friends Amusement Park? He called me today, and we spoke for a long time about you. He said he has a friend who wishes to adopt you. I wanted to ask what you think.”

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