Chapter 129 Then...can I do it too? At least I can try. ...
"Who is Old Snake?" the older policeman asked.
"It's the old snake."
"What's the old snake's name?"
"I don't know either. He often plays cards at Ahui's convenience store. Everyone calls him Old Snake, so we just follow suit. Who cares what his real name is?"
"Did he tell you to rob this little girl?"
"yes."
The older policeman, seeing the young man's nonchalant attitude and cluelessness, snapped, "He tells you to rob, so you rob? He tells you to go to jail, so you go?"
"..."
Bai Miaomiao suddenly said, "It's my second uncle."
The older police officer: "What?"
Bai Miaomiao: "If I'm not mistaken, they're talking about my second uncle. My second uncle is very lazy. Everyone says he's lazier than a snake, so they call him Old Snake. He doesn't have a job and just likes to play cards with people every day when he's doing nothing."
An older police officer asked, "Why did he have someone rob you?"
Bai Mangmang: "He came to ask me for money a couple of days ago, but I didn't give it to him."
The older police officer nodded and walked out of the office.
"Was it the day that Mangmang and I went to deliver the Lantern Festival dumplings?"
Bai Miaomiao was usually not very talkative, but when An Fusheng first saw her that day, he felt that she was even more silent than usual. However, he didn't think much of it at the time. "Why didn't you tell me back then?"
Bai Miaomiao: "I didn't know he would call people to rob us."
Grandma: "You heartless bastard! How could you steal your own niece? What kind of beast is that?!"
A short while later, the policeman who had just gone out returned. "I've ordered someone to arrest him."
Bai Miaomiao unconsciously gripped the hem of her clothes with her hands hanging at her sides.
"Don't be afraid, we're all here." Wen Min gently took her hand.
A large group of people waited at the police station for more than half an hour.
Suddenly, a shout came from outside the door, "What's wrong with me taking my niece's money? I'm supporting her! I'm just asking, she doesn't have it and I didn't force her, so how is it robbery? Have you misunderstood?"
The people inside knew who it was as soon as they heard the voice.
Approaching footsteps, two young policemen appeared before them, escorting a man who looked to be around forty years old.
The man was thin and tall, wearing a striped shirt with a navy blue jacket, navy blue trousers and leather shoes. He actually looked quite presentable.
"Is it him?" Wen Min asked softly.
Bai Miaomiao: "Yes."
The man entered and saw a large group of people. His gaze first swept over the three teenagers he had instigated, and he snorted disdainfully. Then his gaze continued to linger, and when it landed on Bai Miaomiao, he stopped and said coldly, "Miaomiao, did you call the police to arrest me?"
Bai Miaomiao stared at him without saying a word.
Grandpa took two steps in front of Bai Miaomiao and said, "If you break the law and commit a crime, the police will come and arrest you. You don't need anyone else to call you."
The man said, "What law did I break? What crime did I commit? What's wrong with me asking her for some money? I asked her for money to give to her brother. I didn't take her money. What law did I break? What crime did I commit? Let me tell you, don't talk nonsense just because you're old. Believe me or not, I'll sue you, you old geezer!"
Grandma was furious with him: "You shameless scoundrel! Robber! Go ahead and sue me!"
Say it again!
"You shameless scoundrel!"
The man was also angered, his chest heaving as he glared at his grandmother.
The older policeman said, "Whether it's illegal or not, whether it's a crime or not, it's not up to others to decide, it's up to the law. Xiao Zhang, Xiao Li, take him inside first."
The man thought the police were speaking up for him, and he even snorted smugly as the two policemen dragged him into the inner room.
The police asked Bai Miaomiao some more questions about her second uncle, and then let them go home.
...
Ji Fengnian was very nervous.
After being taken to the police station, he was initially worried that the police would discover he was a minor homeless person and send him home. When the police asked him where he lived, he gave them the address of an orphanage. Fortunately, neither An Fusheng nor Bai Miaomiao exposed him. Later, when Wen Min arrived, he worried that Wen Min would expose his lie. Unexpectedly, Wen Min didn't say anything even after the police let them leave, and he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
But when everyone walked out of the police station together, he found himself in another awkward situation.
How should I say goodbye to everyone? Should I say goodbye like an acquaintance and calmly part ways, or should I just walk away with my head down? Or should I pretend to go to the restroom now? I've already left, so wouldn't saying I'm going to the restroom seem too deliberate?
"Little New Year, get on the bus quickly!"
"ah?"
Grandpa said, "Come on up, let's go back and eat."
Ji Fengnian was stunned for a moment, "I..."
Grandma: "Hurry up, it's so late."
"Oh." Ji Fengnian got into the car in a daze.
After getting on the bus, Ji Fengnian thought everyone would ask him something, but instead everyone was comforting Bai Miaomiao, and he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
It was already past ten o'clock when we got back to the orphanage.
The children were already asleep, but Lou Lan and Wen Yue were still waiting for them.
Lou Lan and Wen Yue were also surprised to see Ji Fengnian, but they quickly shifted their attention to Bai Miaomiao.
Ji Fengnian and An Fusheng were both dirty, and Grandma urged them to take a bath. This gave Ji Fengnian a companion when he took a bath, and it seemed that he had avoided another embarrassing situation.
During the meal, everyone was busy eating and didn't ask Ji Fengnian anything.
When Ji Fengnian lay down on the folding bed he used to sleep on, none of the embarrassing things he had worried about happened. When he took a shower, the first thing An Fusheng said to him was, "Miaomiao has already run away, why did you still run over to get beaten up?"
Ji Fengnian said the same thing An Fusheng said at the police station: "If I don't stop them, she can't escape at all. How could a girl outrun three men?"
An Fusheng: "Couldn't you have used a stick or your leg to trip them when they weren't looking, and then run away? Luckily I came, otherwise you would have been beaten to a pulp?"
Ji Fengnian: "Didn't Bai Miaomiao call the police? The police will be here soon."
An Fusheng: "Her phone was out of battery, so she borrowed my phone to call the police."
Ji Fengnian: "..."
"It feels like a dream," Ji Fengnian murmured. "The people here are all very nice."
...
The next morning, before dawn, Ji Fengnian got up and tiptoed downstairs.
Grandpa was practicing his martial arts in the yard: "Little New Year, you're up so early?"
Ji Fengnian could only awkwardly smile and say, "Good morning, Grandpa."
"Want to practice with Grandpa?"
Ji Fengnian had no choice but to bite the bullet and follow his grandfather's gestures.
"You are strong, but you're not using your strength correctly; it's too scattered, and you're not concentrating."
It would be a miracle if they could concentrate; Ji Fengnian was thinking about how to slip away unnoticed.
As soon as it was broad daylight and everyone got up, Ji Fengnian was still gesturing wildly in the yard.
Upon hearing Ji Fengnian's voice, Wen Xinghe asked, "Didn't you leave? Why are you back?"
The awkwardness that had been deliberately concealed was finally brought to the surface.
Ji Fengnian: "..."
Wen Min said to Ji Fengnian from the second floor, "Come here for a moment."
Ji Fengnian silently went upstairs and followed Wen Min into her office.
As soon as he entered the office, Ji Fengnian said, "I'm leaving right away. Can you pretend you didn't see me? I really can't go back."
Wen Min: "Not going back to continue wandering? Do you have food to eat? A place to sleep? How did you get through the time you were sick?"
Ji Fengnian lowered his eyes and said, "It doesn't matter. I'll be able to find a job in a little over a year."
Wen Min: "You should know that it's my duty, and I can't pretend I didn't see you."
Ji Fengnian: "Then I'll run away."
Wen Min: "The orphanage isn't as scary as you think."
Ji Fengnian: "I know your welfare home is very good, but I have to protect my parents' legacy."
Wen Min: "Your parents' inheritance is yours, and no one can take it away. Going to an orphanage and protecting your parents' inheritance are not necessarily contradictory."
Ji Fengnian felt like he understood, yet also felt like he didn't: "What...do you mean?"
Wen Min: "There are precedents for people who are adopted by welfare institutions and continue to retain their original household registration."
Ji Fengnian could hardly believe it: "Then...can I do it too?"
Wen Min: "At least we can try."
In fact, Wen Min had been trying to help Ji Fengnian since returning to work after the New Year.
Wen Min checked and found that there was indeed a case a few years ago where a child adopted by an orphanage retained their original household registration. At that time, they were also fighting for a homestead for that child. However, special cases are special cases after all. There must be a reason why it did not become the norm. But having a precedent is better than having none. At least it gave people a reason and direction to fight for it, and she also managed to get a glimmer of hope.
Wen Min wanted to take in Ji Fengnian, partly because of his duty, and partly because Ji Fengnian had behaved very well during the few days he stayed at the welfare home.
He is always very careful, getting up early every day to clean everything, helping to clear the dishes after meals, feeding the cats when he has free time, and playing with the children.
Despite enduring so much hunger, he never fought or grabbed food when eating, always waiting for others to finish before eating himself. After wandering outside for so long, he didn't lose his manners; he simply learned to cherish food and the help others gave him even more.
Moreover, even after witnessing ugliness, he still maintained a very gentle personality, which Wenmin found most admirable.
His parents dedicated their lives to protecting children. If they were still alive, they would never have the heart to see such a sensible child living on the streets. Wenmin decided to help him.
Ji Fengnian was still skeptical: "Really? Then... can I stay at your orphanage?"
Wen Min: "It's not certain yet. Normally, if you have a household registration, you should go to the welfare home in the place where your household registration is located, but if you want to stay in our welfare home, I can try to help you."
Ji Fengnian: "I want to stay here. Can you help me get a job? I can help with a lot of work. I'm very strong and quick. I can do a lot of things. I'm too young to be considered an employee. I don't need a labor contract. I don't want a salary. I just need food and a place to sleep. Is that okay?"
Wen Min: "I'll try my best."
...
Ji Fengnian walked out of Wen Min's office, his face glowing. Seeing An Fusheng driving his tricycle out from the second floor, he called out loudly, "Brother! Are you going to buy groceries? I'll come help you! Wait for me!"
Everyone looked at Ji Fengnian with a puzzled expression: ???
Ji Fengnian didn't feel embarrassed at all. He strode downstairs, ran over in a few steps, pulled open the door of the tricycle, jumped on, and made the tricycle shake a few times. "Let's go!"
"Have you taken the wrong medicine? Why are you suddenly calling me 'Big Brother'? Didn't you always call me 'you, you, you' before?" Wen Yue asked in surprise.
Wen Yue was also in the car. Zhao Lin hadn't arrived yet today, so she had to help her older brother buy groceries and film videos. The car would be completely unusable without her.
An Fusheng glanced at Ji Fengnian, and seeing that he was seated, he started the car and drove off.
...
When Zhaolin returned to the orphanage later, he saw a strange boy busy in the kitchen, acting as if he knew An Fusheng and Wen Yue very well. Zhaolin felt like his world had collapsed.
What happened? He just went home for a meal and his master already has a new disciple? Could it be because he overheard his mother talking badly about him yesterday, and his master doesn't want him anymore? No way!
Zhaolin walked into the kitchen with a wronged look on his face, "Master!"
The three busy people in the kitchen turned around and looked at Zhaolin with confusion.
Zhaolin looked at An Fusheng, appearing as if he was about to cry.
"What's wrong?" An Fusheng asked.
Zhaolin: "You don't want me anymore?"
An Fusheng: "Huh? No...no."
Zhao Lin pointed at Ji Fengnian: "Is he your new apprentice?"
An Fusheng looked at Ji Fengnian and shook his head: "No."
Zhaolin's sorrow instantly turned to joy: "Really? Didn't you hear my mom say yesterday that even dogs wouldn't eat my cooking and they wouldn't want me anymore?"
I hadn't thought about it before, but now I'm really having second thoughts. He doesn't seem very bright. What if he really can't learn anything and still goes around telling everyone he's my apprentice?
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