Chapter 305 The Orphanage's Lies: The Handsome Flower Boy 5
"Okay! Please wait a moment, I'll pack it up and send it over right away!"
Lu Jinnian quickly packed up the stall. The director of the welfare home said he was weak, but Shen Ci looked at him and saw that he looked very strong as he carried the wooden bucket.
"Madam, let me help you carry your things, so it will be more convenient for you."
Lu Jinnian very tactfully took the bags of pastries from Shen Ci's hands, so that the guest could free up one hand.
He is very likable. If I were a customer, I would definitely buy his flowers again next time, and even ask him to deliver flowers every day.
Even though he knew that Shen Ci was going to the orphanage, Lu Jinnian did not ask too many questions, except to be attentive and considerate, so as not to make the guest feel uncomfortable.
He was dutiful and responsible throughout the journey. Whenever Shen Ci asked him something, he would honestly answer and introduce the scenery and culture of Beijing. The conversation went quite smoothly.
After delivering the flowers to this customer and collecting the money from selling them, he would have to do the next thing to earn money: the girl at school. He still couldn't refuse her too bluntly.
He needs to leave himself a way out. For someone like him, there's no room for failure; he has to take every step carefully.
"Lu Jinnian! What are you doing here!"
As we were walking, a shout suddenly rang out, and a girl came out. She was youthful and beautiful, and her clothes were all popular items from the supply and marketing cooperative.
Lu Jinnian glanced quickly at Shen Ci and explained.
"Ma'am, this is my classmate. Could I take a few minutes of your time to say hello to her?"
Shen Ci nodded in agreement.
Did they deliberately stop to say hello? Are they just ordinary classmates?
"Lu Jinnian, I'm asking you a question!"
Who's that? Is that your mother? She has such a refined air about her.
When the girl saw that he didn't speak, she quickly pressed him for answers.
"No, those are customers who buy flowers. How did you find your way here?"
I'm very busy. If you need anything, please contact the school.
He explained himself and was about to leave when the girl stopped him.
"No way! Did you agree to what I told you the other day? You have to give me an answer today!"
What happened a couple of days ago, the one where she confessed her feelings to me, and we started dating?
He couldn't rush to agree, nor could he easily refuse. If he couldn't save enough money by then, he would have no choice but to agree.
"I have nothing right now, so I can't answer that question for you."
Xu, I'm going to sell flowers now to save money for school. Let's talk about this when we're older.
You're wonderful, really, it's just that I'm so terrible.
Three parts firmness, three parts vulnerability and pitifulness, four parts just the right amount of reluctance and forbearance. Although she didn't say much, the meaning conveyed by her eyes was very complex!
In such situations, people tend to interpret only the meaning they want to hear.
"I told you, if you agree, I'll pay for your high school tuition."
"Generous, magnanimous, and wealthy," Shen Ci commented. "Would Lu Jinnian accept this free meal that's practically handed to him?"
"No, I can't rely on you for everything."
"Thank you for your kindness, Xu, but... I have to go now, I still have business to attend to."
He didn't say everything, neither completely rejecting nor completely agreeing, unlike modern men who are typically passive, indifferent, and irresponsible.
This is also thanks to the seriousness of this era towards these matters. Agreeing too casually is tantamount to engaging in promiscuous relationships. People like Lu Jinnian are defying the rules.
However, now that I'm almost 80, the crackdown isn't as severe as it was a few years ago, and things have become much more open.
That's really meticulous; they take every single fish in the pond seriously.
Xu watched Lu Jinnian leave, her heart filled with reluctance.
"He must feel that he is not good enough for me and is insecure. Sigh, Lu Jinnian is too strong-willed and has too much pride."
No, it's not that he's being overly ambitious; it's that he hasn't found a suitable, long-term "soft rice" (a term for a woman who is financially supported and supported by men) that he can live off permanently. Other "soft rice" options aren't enough to entice him.
"I'm sorry to have taken up your time."
Lu Jinnian said apologetically, and the two continued walking into the orphanage.
The Beijing Municipal Welfare Home is located in a relatively remote area. The welfare home is quite large, but it is rather old and dilapidated.
A row of unassuming gray brick bungalows surrounds an empty earthen courtyard. The walls are mottled, and the green paint on the wooden windows has long since cracked and peeled off.
The sign at the entrance, with its white background and black lettering, reads "Beijing Municipal Welfare Home" in large characters.
He grew up in this place and voluntarily chose to stay here. Looking at this orphanage, Shen Ci could hardly imagine the kind of mental collapse that happened to four-year-old Lu Jinnian.
On a snowy night, he was taken out by his trusted biological father and left at the gate of the orphanage. In the cold winter, it is easy for people to freeze to death.
What kind of despair and disillusionment must Lu Jinnian have experienced to make him want to stay at the orphanage?
That's enough, she felt sorry for him!
If it were me, I would have just died and restarted.
Shen Ci felt that it was difficult for anyone to get over that kind of trauma, but Lu Jinnian was still able to live a positive life, which was a kind of strength.
"We've arrived. This is the Beijing Municipal Welfare Home. Where should we put these flowers?"
Lu Jinnian asked, and Shen Ci pointed inside.
"Give me the things. I'm going to visit the dean here. You can tie these flowers up and send them to the dean's office."
This is your payment.
Shen Ci took out ten yuan from his bag and gave it to Lu Jinnian. All these flowers together cost less than five yuan. He couldn't even make ten yuan selling flowers all day!
"Thank you, this is too much!"
He was short of money, but he didn't want to lose a major customer for a small profit.
"It's okay, you deserve it. You are a polite and hardworking child."
Shen Ci praised her and asked Lu Jinnian to give her directions. While Lu Jinnian was wrapping the flowers, she went to see the dean.
The orphanage is full of unwanted children, mostly girls and few boys. People who come here either want to adopt a child or donate supplies.
Dean Lu has seen a lot, so when guests come to visit, she invites them into her office.
"Hello, are you here at the welfare home to adopt a child or something else?"
Shen Ci sat down politely in front of Dean Lu and got straight to the point.
“I am Lu Jinnian’s mother.”
She didn't need to test Dean Lu's character or engage in much small talk; she could clearly see from the documents that Dean Lu was a kind person who genuinely loved children.
The orphanage was poor, but Director Lu never profited from the children.
Upon hearing Shen Ci's self-introduction, Dean Lu wondered if he was getting too old to have misheard her.
"What? Madam, what did you say?"
Dean Lu asked in utter astonishment.
She clearly saw through the window that this lady and Xiao Nian entered the room together.
“I am Lu Jinnian’s biological mother, and I want to take him home.”
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