Chapter 36: The Best Life

Though she had prepared herself mentally, Teacher Xiaolu’s expression still changed dramatically when she arrived at the mailbox and took out that thick envelope. She merely opened it to peek inside before immediately snapping it shut again, even letting out a small, involuntary gasp of surprise.

Then she turned around, eyeing Lu Xin with a mixture of wariness and questioning.

Her voice was slightly choked and lowered as she said, “You really didn’t do anything bad?”

Lu Xin had no choice but to explain patiently, “It’s all legitimate earnings… and taxes have been paid…”

“But… it’s still too much!”

Hugging the envelope, Teacher Xiaolu sounded flustered: “Actually… actually, things here are really good now…”

“These little troublemakers… they get full meals every day, warm clothes… some kind people found us some school textbooks, and… and I’ve been petitioning the Administrative Hall, hoping to get official accreditation so they can all get proper identities and eventually attend middle school… Everything’s going smoothly, we really don’t need this much money…”

Listening to Teacher Xiaolu ramble through these reassurances, Lu Xin felt his own mood lift. Seeing her so nervous, he felt almost victorious as he chuckled and explained, “It’s always good to have extra set aside. Buy them more meat. It’s getting cold, think about buying warmer clothes. Eventually, we should move to a bigger place. And then… your leg…”

He spoke slowly, his gaze settling on Teacher Xiaolu’s leg.

She was actually quite tall, but was forever confined to her wheelchair.

Just then, little faces appeared pressed against the windowpane. They stared wide-eyed at Lu Xin and Teacher Xiaolu. Some covered their mouths, giggling; others whispered among themselves; one particularly mischievous kid pressed his hands together and mimicked kissing.

Being watched by these little ones made Lu Xin blush slightly.

Teacher Xiaolu sharply raised her head and glared at them.

A loud collective giggle erupted as all the faces instantly vanished, retreating obediently back to their desks to continue copying their lessons.

Sitting in her wheelchair, Teacher Xiaolu still looked restless. She glanced around furtively, then, like a thief, swiftly pulled out a roll of cash from the envelope. She tucked it underneath her clothes before shoving the entire envelope back into Lu Xin’s hands, saying, “Don’t leave it all here. Giving me too much is unsafe – my little cabinet can barely hold it all, and besides… what if it attracts bad people?”

“This…”

Lu Xin initially wanted to push it back, but hearing her logic, he just gripped the envelope tighter.

Teacher Xiaolu said earnestly, “You keep it for now. I’ll definitely come to you if I need it!”

Lu Xin was silent for a moment before giving a slight nod.

“And another thing…”

Teacher Xiaolu looked straight at Lu Xin, her tone serious as she continued, “I don’t know exactly what work you do, but for them to pay this much, it must be either very hard, or very dangerous. At the very least, you should eat properly every day! Stop it with the cabbage and tofu every single meal…”

“I do…”

Lu Xin took the money back, smiling, “I eat chicken legs every day!”

“Someone who could afford chicken legs every day wouldn’t only eat chicken legs every day…”

Teacher Xiaolu mercilessly exposed his lie, then let out a soft sigh.

Lu Xin didn’t know how to respond. Standing beside her wheelchair by the barren flower bed at the windowsill, they fell into a somewhat awkward silence.

Only the pale sunlight painted the world a dim light.

After a long pause, Lu Xin hesitantly began, “Sister Xiaolu, about back then…”

“Wha… What do you want to ask?”

Teacher Xiaolu turned her head towards him and caught Lu Xin’s expression – a mix of confusion and hesitation.

She studied his face seriously for a second, then broke into a smile. Speaking in a quiet, almost somber tone, she recited, “Little Lu Xin, don’t always dwell on the past. Ask, how many worries truly exist? Some things… not remembering them, it’s just a blessing…”

“…….”

Lu Xin paused before replying, “Could you stop quoting the lines from that old movie? I watched it too back then…”

“Pah! You’re no fun!”

Teacher Xiaolu smoothly changed the subject. “Come over for dumplings in a few days? We can even put eggs in them now!”

Lu Xin’s mood brightened instantly. “Okay!”

……

“When I was at the Red Moon Orphanage… what exactly happened?”

Leaving Red Moon Elementary School behind, this question lingered silently in Lu Xin’s mind.

He still remembered every detail from his time at the orphanage clearly, and he remembered everything that happened after the incident at Red Moon Orphanage. But the memories sandwiched in between remained stubbornly blurry. He’d always wanted to clarify what truly occurred back then. Sometimes he’d ask Zeng Xiaolu about it, but she never told him flat out. She always dodged the question with some clumsy joke.

He’d even asked his family, but they refused to speak of it either.

As time passed, there were moments when he himself felt reluctant to revisit it.

For a long time, he simply focused on doing his best to support Teacher Xiaolu, because he felt that rebuilding Red Moon Orphanage was a responsibility shared by both of them.

Since his family kept him from being able to stay and help physically, he worked hard to earn as much money as he could.

Before, this life felt oppressive, endless. But now… now he finally saw a glimmer of hope.

Was there anything better than being able to work, to earn his own way in the world?

Thinking this, his spirits gradually lifted.

After walking for several bus stops, he boarded a bus and dropped a coin into the fare box.

Nearing home, he got off one stop early and headed towards a cramped street market.

Here, as evening fell, many people gathered to sell various vegetables and even wild game. People within the Satellite City resorted to all sorts of tricks to grow food – cultivating small gardens between crumbling buildings, filling rooftops with soil, sneaking out beyond Qinggang City’s farms to clear patches of wasteland or hunt wild animals to bring back and sell.

The Satellite City Administrative Hall generally turned a blind eye to this activity, sometimes even offering some protection.

Lu Xin bought some things at the market and, laden with bags big and small, walked back to his apartment building.

By now, night had fully descended. The streetlights were few and far between, casting long, isolated stretches of light amid the surrounding desolate darkness. As he walked up to the building, the corridor inside was utterly silent and pitch black. The building was old, and in Satellite City No. 2, there were still more vacant buildings than residents. The few families who used to live here had gradually moved out years ago.

The long-broken elevator remained unfixed, so Lu Xin climbed the steps up to the fourth floor.

Just as he rounded the corner onto the fourth-floor landing, he caught sight of the warm yellow glow spilling from the doorway of Room 401, drowned out only by Father’s furious shouting.

“You wretched girl! Get back here right now before I chop you to mincemeat!”

Father stood framed in the doorway, his face dark with rage, his features contorted, his eyes bloodshot as he bellowed.

Meanwhile, Little Sister was crawling all over the hallway ceiling near him, taunting him: “Nope! No way! Come get me yourself if you can!”

“Come back here! Or I’ll mince you!”

“Hee hee hee hee hee… Ooo, scary! Come on, come out and hit me!”

Father raged: “ROAR…!”

Little Sister sneered defiantly: “HISSSSS…!”

……

Lu Xin sighed, feeling the warm atmosphere of home wash over him, and slowly walked towards the commotion.