Lin Yuan's heart skipped a beat, and his thoughts instantly drifted back to the past.
He had always thought he had forgotten Xu Lan, but when Wei Minghao mentioned her name, he realized that she had always been in his heart and had never truly left.
When Lin Yuan was ten years old, he lost his parents in an accident and was sent to an orphanage in Shanghai.
It was a small orphanage with a dozen or so children living there, some of whom had been abandoned, and others who, like Lin Yuan, had lost their parents.
Upon entering the orphanage, Lin Yuan stood out as a silent and profound figure on the edge of this new environment.
His gaze pierced through the mists of time, carrying a calmness and detachment that shouldn't belong to someone his age.
In that spacious courtyard, he often looked at himself in self-pity, curled up in a corner, quietly watching the children around him laughing and playing, like an outsider who never took that step to join that sea of joy.
However, fate always seems to paint unexpected and heartwarming chapters in the most unguarded moments.
On this day, Lin Yuan's world was quietly changed because of a little girl named Xu Lan.
Xu Lan, an elf four years younger than him, has a round, full-moon-like face and a pair of large, expressive eyes that sparkle with endless curiosity and innocence about the world, making her a veritable angel fallen to earth.
When Xu Lan first arrived, she always expressed her unease about the unknown with tears in her eyes. Her continuous sobbing was like a desolate sound in the cold winter wind.
Just when everyone was at a loss for what to do about her tears, Lin Yuan, the usually taciturn boy, slowly approached, clutching a piece of candy tightly in his hand.
That was the most precious gift he could give.
"Don't cry,"
His voice was soft, yet it carried an undeniable gentleness.
"Sugar is sweet, and eating it makes life better."
At that moment, Xu Lan's tears were magically absorbed.
She stared wide-eyed in amazement, took the candy, carefully unwrapped it, and savored the sweetness, secretly planting a seed of hope in her heart.
From then on, Lin Yuan's world was no longer filled with indifferent corners, and Xu Lan's smile became his gentlest protection.
Xu Lan looked up at him with teary eyes, took the candy with her little hand, put it in her mouth, and smiled: "Thank you, brother."
From then on, Xu Lan always followed behind Lin Yuan, calling him "brother".
She became a ray of light in Lin Yuan's life, warming his cold heart.
Life in an orphanage is not easy; the children often quarrel and fight over trivial matters.
On one occasion, Xu Lan was bullied by some older children who pushed her to the ground.
Upon hearing the crying, Lin Yuan immediately rushed over, pushed the children aside, and shielded Xu Lan behind him.
"Don't bully her!"
Lin Yuan's voice was as cold as ice, and his eyes were full of anger.
Wei Minghao, who couldn't stand the bullying, also came over to support Lin Yuan.
The children were frightened by his imposing manner and scattered like birds and beasts.
Lin Yuan squatted down and gently patted Xu Lan's back: "Lanlan, don't be afraid, your brother is here."
Xu Lan raised her head, sniffed, and looked at him with a sense of dependence.
"Brother, don't be angry, I'm fine."
Lin Yuan smiled slightly and gently ruffled her hair: "You mustn't cry anymore. Lanlan is the strongest."
From then on, Lin Yuan, Wei Minghao, and Xu Lan became the best of friends in the orphanage.
They ate together, played together, and even slept together.
Xu Lan warmed Lin Yuan and Wei Minghao with her smile.
Until one day, Xu Lan was adopted by a wealthy family.
The family had no children, and upon seeing Xu Lan, they immediately decided to adopt her.
On the day Xu Lan left, everyone at the orphanage saw her off at the door, and Lin Yuan's eyes were full of reluctance.
"Brother, I will come back to see you."
Xu Lan hugged Lin Yuan, tears streaming down her face.
Lin Yuan smiled slightly and gently patted her back: "Lanlan, I'll be waiting for you."
Xu Lan nodded, wiped away her tears, and said with a smile, "Brother, I will come back to find you."
However, life is never as good as we imagine.
After Xu Lan was adopted, her life got better and better, while Lin Yuan remained in the orphanage.
As time went by, the two gradually lost contact.
Lin Yuan would occasionally think of Xu Lan, but life had to go on, so he could only bury those feelings in his heart.
In particular, after meeting Zhao Lili, he began to live a life that consisted of going back and forth between two points.
It wasn't until today, when Wei Minghao mentioned Xu Lan's name, that Lin Yuan realized that she had always been in his heart and had never truly left.
"Lin Yuan, hey, are you still listening?" Wei Minghao's voice pulled him back to reality.
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