Chapter 258: Was He a Good Man?
Chapter 258: Was He a Good Man?
Early the next morning, Lu Xin got ready and left the house.
He didn’t go to the office. After all, he was still on leave—with pay at that.
Plus, burdened with things he needed to verify, he headed straight for the Red Moon Orphanage beside the Guard Bureau.
That “Document No.003” had stirred many doubts within him.
About the Old Dean, about the man named Chen Xun, about whether they were alive or dead, and about the events back then…
And the one who knew about all this was undoubtedly Teacher Xiaolu.
…
As he climbed the stairs slowly, the sounds of reading drifted down.
“Longingly, longingly, the east wind arrives, spring’s footsteps draw near…”
The recitation wasn’t especially crisp or clear. It distinctly carried the stretched-out tones unique to children, somewhat slurred. He could even pick out a few lethargic voices. Without looking, he knew that among the readers right now, some were surely dozing off, eyes hazy, just hoping to survive this lesson quickly to go out and play marbles.
Lu Xin was quite familiar with this because, in his memory, he had been just the same back in the day.
What did spring have to do with him? The real big question was whether there would be meat in lunch that day…
…
Since they were still in class, Lu Xin stood in the hallway next to the Security Uncle, hands in his pockets, silently waiting.
“You’re back pretty quickly this time…”
The Security Uncle carefully plucked a dead leaf from the potted plant, unfolded his newspaper, and began reading leisurely.
“The work wrapped up early.”
Lu Xin glanced at the solitary little flower on the plant and answered casually.
Suddenly, a thought occurred to him: when had this Security Uncle started at the orphanage?
When he didn’t think seriously about it, he didn’t notice. But recalling carefully, he sensed many questionable points.
Lu Xin had clear memories of studying at the orphanage as a child, being educated by the Old Dean, and fighting alongside Teacher Xiaolu. Yet these memories were somewhat chaotic, like a film with many scenes cut out.
For instance, he couldn’t arrange a complete timeline from his earlier memories or recall everything clearly.
Moving forward, the period when he left the orphanage was even more chaotic.
He didn’t even remember how he left the orphanage. Only fragmented flashes told him he seemed to remember wandering the streets, bewildered. Then came the memory of his current family appearing and starting to live with him.
After his family arrived, his memories began to grow coherent again.
He recalled entering the free high school in Satellite City No.2, he recalled starting work.
But before that, there was nearly a one-year gap.
His memories of that year were the sparsest. Even straining to recall yielded only scattered pieces.
Strangest of all, before seeing that “003” document yesterday, it hadn’t even crossed his mind to actively try and remember.
Even now, he was only forcing himself to recall.
…
Regarding the current orphanage, Lu Xin only remembered that after living with his family for a long time, he returned to the orphanage one day and discovered it still existing. He had thought it was destroyed, but here it was, with one familiar person still there – Teacher Xiaolu, whom he had grown up with.
At that time, she was quite young herself, yet she was already working hard to raise several orphans from the city.
This Security Uncle was already working there then, too.
According to Teacher Xiaolu, the orphanage had received funding from kind-hearted individuals, which was why it had been rebuilt.
It was also because of these kind-hearted people that Teacher Xiaolu and the few children at the time managed to pull through the most difficult period.
But they couldn’t rely on donations forever.
Lu Xin recalled that after the funding stopped, life at the orphanage became very hard.
Fortunately, he had started working by then. He could earn some money, however little, and help support the orphanage’s daily needs.
Recalling these clearer memories, Lu Xin thought of a question.
Back during the time when the orphanage could barely afford meals, where was the money coming from to pay this Security Uncle?
He tilted his head to look at the Security Uncle, wondering if he should ask…
The only uncertainty was, what if he did ask, and the Security Uncle expected him to cover the back wages?
…
“Shift aside a bit…”
Just as Lu Xin was pondering this, the Security Uncle looked up at him.
“Huh?”
Lu Xin was a little surprised. “What’s up?”
The Security Uncle looked at him from behind his newspaper. “Standing right there by the window like that. Your shadow’s blocking my flower.”
“Oh…”
Lu Xin flushed deep red, shifting to the side to let sunlight stream through the window and fall onto his little potted plant.
He thought to himself: “Such a tiny flower, yet so eager for sunshine…”
…
Just as he was musing, Security Uncle stood up, picked up a small hammer, and tapped on a piece of iron beside him.
“Thud thud thud…”
That was the bell for the end of class.
The classroom upstairs fell quiet for a moment, then instantly exploded into chaos.
“I’ll head up first.”
Lu Xin pointed upward. Security Uncle just waved his hand impatiently: “Just go there.”
As he ascended the stairs to the fourth floor, a group of children running to and fro bumped into Lu Xin head-on. Among them was one with a bright red nose who dashed over immediately upon seeing him, planting his hands on his hips: “Uncle Lu, did you pick up our marbles last time?”
Lu Xin shook his head: “No, why would I take your marbles?”
“Oh.”
The little rascal grunted in acknowledgment, then said, “When are you going to marry Teacher Xiaolu?”
“What?”
Lu Xin was stunned. Kids these days jump topics so quickly?
“They say you get candy at weddings.”
The little rascal declared righteously: “If you don’t marry Teacher Xiaolu, how do we get candy?”
“Oh…”
Finally catching on, Lu Xin smiled warmly and patted the kid’s head: “I’ll buy you some next time.”
“Ahem…”
A sharp cough came from nearby.
Instantly, both the candy-seeking child and the candy-promising Lu Xin froze in panic.
The child zipped away like an arrow, and Lu Xin straightened up, pretending nothing happened.
“It’s good you’re back.”
Teacher Xiaolu looked at Lu Xin for a moment, then smiled too. “Stay for lunch?”
Lu Xin nodded: “Sure.”
He stepped forward and wheeled Teacher Xiaolu into a small room opposite the office.
It was the kitchen—a bag of potatoes sat on the floor, alongside machine-pressed noodles, an electric induction cooktop, and several fairly large pots.
Teacher Xiaolu washed her hands, then maneuvered her wheelchair in the narrow kitchen to fetch water, wash vegetables, and trim vegetables with quick, practiced movements.
Lu Xin helped her tie on an apron and knelt beside her to assist.
For lunch, they made shredded potato rice bowls, stirred with plenty of eggs in a slightly sour and spicy broth.
Shredded potatoes sour and spicy was best, but cooking for a crowd made stir-frying with vinegar impractical.
So, the Orphanage’s potatoes—much to their own imagined dismay—had to be stewed into submission.
There were now twenty-three children in the Orphanage. Teacher Xiaolu deftly divided the eggs into spoonfuls to prevent squabbles.
Midway, however, Lu Xin cracked two more eggs into the pot and set aside two extra portions.
Teacher Xiaolu shot him a glare but silently permitted his extravagance.
…
After a line of children clutching enamel mugs had all received their portions, Lu Xin and Teacher Xiaolu retreated to her office. By then, an hour had passed; afternoon classes would start in another.
The rice hadn’t been cooked enough, so Lu Xin took a leftover steamed bun from yesterday, broke it into pieces, and dropped it into the soup.
As they ate, he said quite naturally: “This trip to the Main City reminded me of some things from the past.”
Teacher Xiaolu ate quietly and gave a soft “Hmm.”
Lu Xin picked a piece of egg from his bowl and placed it into hers: “Some things seem odd to me now… Remember Dean Wang at the Orphanage? In my memory, he was incredibly kind. Back then, it was a time of hunger outside, chaos everywhere, yet he kept us shielded and well protected. I even remember there was meat in our meals.”
“I remember too. He was always teaching us, saying this world had grown too chaotic, but that the truly terrible thing wasn’t how many had turned into Maniacs, but that those left behind had abandoned all culture—they’d become something even more frightening than Maniacs.”
“I remember watching cartoons with us, watching old films he’d saved on his hard drive…”
He couldn’t help smiling: “I also remember one time I found a hidden folder…”
“That moment I opened it, he burst in, grabbing a broom and chased us down the hallway…”
“…”
“Yes, right! When we asked him why he was beating us, the Dean’s face turned beet red—he absolutely refused to explain…”
Teacher Xiaolu laughed too, her tears drop quietly into her broth.
Lu Xin stopped eating, used his own spoon to scoop out the place where the tears had fallen, and poured it aside.
Then he looked at Teacher Xiaolu and said, “So the dean was actually a good person, right?”
Teacher Xiaolu slowly wiped the tears from her cheek and said, “The dean is definitely a good person.”
“He is the best person in this world.”
“…”
The expression on Lu Xin’s face vanished; he did not know what to say.
After a moment of silence, Teacher Xiaolu said softly, “But he is also the most terrifying person in this world.”
Lu Xin slowly stuffed a piece of steamed bun into his mouth; he did not pursue it further.
He was just waiting for Teacher Xiaolu to tell him.
…
“Actually, I have known all along that one day you would remember.”
Teacher Xiaolu opened her mouth gently after a while, her voice trembling slightly, “Sometimes I am very envious that you can forget what happened back then, and sometimes I am truly afraid that you will remember those things again… I know, in your previous Memory, all that remained was the good side of the dean, actually, that was fine, and he… did have a good side…”
“After all, if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes.”
“No matter how many people tell me, when our dean puts on that White Lab Coat, he will become…”
“Turn into that kind, that appearance, I still wouldn’t believe it…”
“…”
Hearing the fear in Teacher Xiaolu’s voice, Lu Xin felt extremely uncomfortable inside.
There was an empty feeling in his heart.
Subconsciously, he went to hold Teacher Xiaolu’s hand, wanting to comfort her.
But she was taken aback; Teacher Xiaolu, as if electrocuted, shrank back suddenly in fright, almost tumbling over.
“You really do not need to fear him…”
The comforting words Lu Xin had prepared were only half spoken when he stopped.
He saw that in Teacher Xiaolu’s eyes looking at him, there was overwhelming Fear that could not be concealed.
“Sorry, sorry…”
Noticing the shock in Lu Xin’s eyes, Teacher Xiaolu suddenly reacted.
She apologized urgently, saying repeatedly, “Do not misunderstand me, I am not, truly not, do not…”
As she spoke, she also instinctively reached out her hand, seemingly trying to hold Lu Xin’s hand.
But it was clear that her movements were hesitant, as if her Will was forcing her to hold Lu Xin’s hand.
“I know, what happened back then isn’t your fault…”
“But still, I cannot help feeling afraid, I am sorry, I could not control myself…”
“…”
Lu Xin slowly withdrew his hand; his thoughts were strangely filled with Chaos.
Suddenly, he realized a problem…
It turned out that Teacher Xiaolu was afraid not of the dean, but of him.