"Grandpa, we should go back!"
Zhu Wuhuan walked with the old dean for a while, chatting about many childhood stories with a smile, when he suddenly heard someone calling the old dean from behind.
She looked back.
Standing there was a long-haired woman in a camel-colored trench coat, about her age.
The long-haired woman walked over with a smile. At first, she didn't recognize Zhu Wuhuan, so she politely thanked her. "Thank you for taking my grandfather for a walk to cheer him up. He's old now and hard of hearing, so I have to shout to talk to him. It's very tiring, right?"
Zhu Wuhuan shook his head and smiled, "It's not difficult. When we were little and misbehaved, the old dean would yell at us in the same loud voice. Poor old man, he almost lost his voice from yelling so much—"
The old dean turned around and saw his granddaughter, and knew that he would go home today.
He took Zhu Wuhuan's arm and said, "Huanhuan, come to my house and play!"
Zhu Wuhuan smiled and declined, "Old Dean, I won't go today, okay? I have something to do today. I'll host a banquet for you and the other uncles and aunts to have dinner together some other day, okay?"
She looked apologetic. "I've been so busy with my career over the years that I haven't been able to visit you and everyone properly. I'm really sorry. I'd like to get together with everyone in a couple of days to thank you all for your love and care for me back then, and for watching over me as I grew up. Is that okay?"
The old director patted her arm, shook his head, and said, "Don't apologize, Huanhuan. We don't run the orphanage for any reward. We're just happy to see you, the little buds of our motherland, grow up safely and have a bright future. Why do we need you to put aside your work and come visit us every day?"
He said lovingly, "You young people should focus on your careers. Your successful careers and happy lives will be the greatest reward for us."
Zhu Wuhuan's eyes were red again.
Their old dean and other uncles and aunts are such a group of selfless and great people.
There is never a shortage of kind people in this world.
Such kind people deserve the best rewards.
She must be grateful to them.
"Huanhuan..." The old dean's granddaughter heard the conversation between the two and suddenly stared at Zhu Wuhuan in surprise, "Ah... Could you be the famous new director Zhu Wuhuan?"
Zhu Wuhuan glanced at her sideways, smiled, and extended his hand. "Hello, I'm Zhu Wuhuan, a child who walked out of Tongxin Orphanage. I was able to grow up healthily thanks to the kindness of the old director and the uncles and aunts."
The granddaughter was so happy that she quickly shook hands with Zhu Wuhuan.
She held onto Zhu Wuhuan's hand tightly with both hands and kept shaking it, just like a fan meeting her idol. "Hello, Director Zhu, hello, I've watched every TV series you've made, they're all so good! Especially the recent one, 'Secret History of Daning', it's so wonderful. I wait for it every night with my precious daughter on time!"
Zhu Wuhuan quickly started chatting with her in a humble manner.
After a few enthusiastic chats, Zhu Wuhuan exchanged contact information with her.
After all, she would be entertaining a banquet for all the uncles and aunts who worked at the orphanage back then, so she had to ask the old director's granddaughter to help her find everyone's contact information.
The enthusiastic granddaughter of the dean nodded repeatedly and agreed. "Leave it to me. I'll contact them. Director Zhu, you just need to contact the hotel. Just send me the address when the time comes!"
Zhu Wuhuan thanked him repeatedly, "Thank you so much, sister! I've been so busy all these years making money to pay off my student loan and settling down, I haven't been able to visit you all. Now that they've retired, I don't have their contact information on my phone. I can't even find anyone I want to contact. I'm so embarrassed..."
The old director interrupted with a smile, "Don't be embarrassed, Huanhuan. I heard from the current director that you donate money and supplies to the orphanage every month. If the orphanage needs anything, just call your secretary and you'll help you get it done. You've done a great job!"
Zhu Wuhuan smiled and nodded, "Okay, then I won't say anything."
She shook the old dean's arm and looked at him reluctantly, "Old dean, you are tired today, go back and rest first. I will contact you in two days, you must come!"
The old dean smiled and responded, "Okay, okay, I'll definitely come!"
Zhu Wuhuan said goodbye to the old dean's granddaughter again. After watching the two of them leave, she breathed a sigh of relief, put her hands in her coat pockets, and turned to walk forward.
Feng Changye accompanied her for a walk on the tree-lined avenue.
He side-eyed her and smiled as he asked, "How do you want to thank everyone? One million per person?"
Zhu Wuhuan turned around and smiled at him, "Isn't it too vulgar to have such an idea?"
Feng Changye scoffed gently at her, "Vulgar? Huanhuan, you have to recognize yourself. You've always been this vulgar! You see other emperors reward their subjects with all kinds of meaningful porcelain ornaments when they're happy, but you, as the emperor, only reward everyone with gold and silver when you're happy. In your eyes, the most real things have always been these vulgar things. Can I still expect you to come up with any other solution?"
Zhu Wuhuan argued, "I just can't accept that! What's the point of those ornaments you gave me as rewards? Maybe they'll become heirlooms a thousand years from now, but did they have any practical use for the ministers at the time? They can't be eaten or worn, so they're just for show. The gold and silver I gave me as rewards are different. Those honest ministers had a hard time, and the silver I gave them didn't have any palace stamp on it. They could take it home and spend it. They could buy clothes for their parents and wives, and buy delicious food for their children. What's wrong with that? They're so happy!"
She raised her chin slightly and said proudly, "Just look at how they tearfully begged me to stay in power for a few more years when I abdicated. You know I'm much more popular than you!"
Feng Changye refused to admit defeat, "When you first came to power, they also secretly came to me, wanting me to pull you down and let me continue to govern!"
Zhu Wuhuan curled his lips. "That's because they were blind at the time. They looked down on me because I was a woman and thought I was unreliable. But didn't I slap them in the face later? Did anyone come looking for you later? Did anyone else?"
“…” Feng Changye didn’t want to talk to Zhu Wuhuan anymore.
It hurts that he can't win against her.
Seeing him get humiliated, Zhu Wuhuan was extremely amused. "Oh my, oh my, who told you to call me vulgar?"
Seeing Feng Changye looking at her with resentment, she immediately skipped the topic and said, "Alright, let's not talk about whether it's vulgar or not. It's settled. Each of them will give one million. I will personally present it to them as a token of my gratitude for their love and care for us orphans."
Feng Changye looked at her with an ambiguous smile, "Oh, that's all? No way?"
Zhu Wuhuan coughed lightly, "Ahem, you saw through me again?"
She whispered, "Well, I do have other ways to express my gratitude. I plan to exchange it for a rejuvenation pill, dissolve it in tea in the teapot, and give each of my uncles and aunts a small cup."
She explained, "It's not that I'm stingy. I actually have enough points to redeem one for each of you. But the Rejuvenation Pill is too potent; the effects are immediate. If I give them all one and they instantly regain their youthful appearance, it would shock the world. Then, they and Miss Zhu would be targeted by those criminals who want immortality. They might even draw their blood and cut their flesh for experiments. That wouldn't be a way of repaying a favor, but would bring them disaster... So I absolutely can't do that."
She continued, "But if I divide a rejuvenation pill into a dozen portions and give them to everyone, the effect won't be noticeable. It will only make everyone feel a little lighter and more comfortable, alleviating their age-related ailments, but no one will notice any noticeable changes in their appearance."
She glanced at him and smiled, "This way, I can report back to them quietly without revealing my abnormality or bringing them any harm. Isn't that great?"
Feng Changye nodded in satisfaction at her thoughtfulness, "Well, that's good indeed. I was afraid you'd get too excited and give each of them a rejuvenation pill."
Zhu Wuhuan smiled and said, "Although I really want to give them one each, I understand the seriousness of the situation."
Alas, those old people are too old, unlike Madam Zhu from Daning.
Madam Zhu took good care of herself and looked very young. Even if she took rejuvenation pills, outsiders were unaware of the changes in her body and only thought that she looked better because her mentality was better.
But for these white-haired old people, their white hair immediately turned black once they took the medicine. Oh no, that's it, they're completely doomed and can't hide it anymore.
The man and the soul walked around the orphanage. Zhu Wuhuan told Feng Changye about her childhood stories while walking, and Feng Changye laughed as he listened.
His daughter Huanhuan has been so cute since she was little.
He gazed at Zhu Wuhuan tenderly, and when Zhu Wuhuan became excited, he suddenly asked, "Which aunt in the orphanage do you like best?"
Zhu Wuhuan didn't realize the trick was coming and replied, "Auntie Su, she's very gentle, like a mother."
Feng Changye asked again, "Who is your favorite uncle?"
Zhu Wuhuan replied, "My favorite is the old dean, but he's a grandfather..."
Feng Changye asked again, "Who is your favorite sister of the same age?"
When Zhu Wuhuan heard this, he began to pay attention secretly.
Oh, this is a familiar cultural style...
This guy, I guess he's trying to trick her!
She remained calm and said, "It's a sister named Huang Meiling. She is very much like an older sister. Whether in the orphanage or at school, she always protects us."
Feng Changye glanced at her secretly and continued to ask, "Who is your favorite brother?"
“…” Zhu Wuhuan walked with his head down, his eyes flickering slightly.
Sure enough, it’s coming?
She had already used this tactic before, asking the question she really wanted to ask when it was unexpected, and then the person being tricked would subconsciously tell the real answer...
He played this trick very well, but unfortunately she was wary of him!
She curled her lips and replied nonchalantly, "My favorite brother..."
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