Rags to Riches: The Rise of a Dual-Talent Prodigy
Chapter 28 Two Bastards Money 7

Chapter 28: Chapter 28 Two Bastards Money 7

Various expressions flickered across the faces of the three children. Once they realized, they immediately jumped up and hurriedly ran toward the central building.

As they ran, they shouted loudly, "Qian Qi is back! Qian Qi is back!"

It was like an alarm announcing an enemy alert; the entire courtyard instantly went on high alert. Whether it was Qian Qi’s illusion or not, she seemed to hear a lot of chairs and tables screeching inside the building, followed by a rush of hurried footsteps, which quickly quieted down.

She scratched her head and muttered in confusion, "Am I a troublemaker here too?"

[＾＿＾]

Qian Qi: ...

She had become so proficient, she could decipher everything from a simple emoticon!

Damn it, the original owner left too many messes!

Qian Qi angrily pulled a small mirror from her pocket. Ever since she learned about the strange setting of her own rough face, she decided to make it a habit to carry a mirror, paying more attention to practicing her facial expressions.

Otherwise, if she wanted to do something bad in the future and accidentally showed a terrifying smile, wouldn’t that give her away!

Qian Qi couldn’t help but show a sinister expression again.

After slightly adjusting her facial expression, Qian Qi finally lifted her foot and walked into the building.

Inside the building, it was silent, with no one in sight. The children were nowhere to be found, and Qian Qi walked through the quiet corridor, her flip-flops making loud, dragging sounds on the tile floor.

The more she observed, the more amazed she became.

The layout inside was exactly the same as the orphanage from her previous life.

So that woman on the phone...

Qian Qi paused, then quickened her pace toward a certain room on the first floor.

Perhaps the children’s announcement had reached the ears inside, but just as Qian Qi reached the director’s office, she saw its door open.

A middle-aged woman stepped out, with her long, black hair neatly tied in an elegant bun, and the soft wisps of hair lightly swayed beside her cheeks, exuding an extremely gentle aura.

Qian Qi’s eyes paused, with a barely detectable hint of disappointment.

She had thought...

How silly, her director-mother couldn’t possibly be here, could she?

The voices are obviously different.

"Qiqi, you’re here so early?" Xiang Wen Yun smiled in surprise and warmth upon seeing Qian Qi, quickly making room by the door and gently saying, "Come in."

Qian Qi pursed her lips and followed Xiang Wen Yun into the room.

The interior decoration was quite different from what she imagined, extremely clean and tidy, perhaps because this director seemed gentle and kind, so the director’s office also had a warm and cozy style.

Unlike her director-mother from her previous life, who had a fiery temper like a devil, always furious with the naughty kids, making the director’s office a mess every day...

But maybe it was her fiery character that raised confident and cheerful kids.

Qian Qi couldn’t help but smile. Come to think of it, she was the most mischievous and troublesome kid in the orphanage then, with all the kids acknowledging her as the leader, climbing trees, fighting, digging holes, there was nothing others could imagine that she couldn’t do.

Who would have thought that beneath her elegant lady facade in college, lay such an unruly heart?

Ahem.

Finishing her reminiscing, Qian Qi placed the fruit on the table.

"Why bring so much stuff when you return?" Xiang Wen Yun gently scolded upon seeing it.

Although it was a scold, her tone was very gentle, her eyes seemed filled with mist-like emotion. Qian Qi could even see her trying to suppress a choking throat, making it hard to tell if she was just a simple director or her biological mother.

But they don’t resemble each other...

After calming themselves a bit, Xiang Wen Yun couldn’t help but mutter, "Qiqi, take them back when you leave. We don’t lack these things here."

Qian Qi responded with a nonchalant "oh," intending not to take them back but also not wanting to go back and forth with Xiang Wen Yun, which felt overly formal.

Sitting on a nearby stool, she lifted her small foot onto the rung and swung it back and forth like a little chick, "Director, let me see the land property contract."

Xiang Wen Yun sat on a chair behind the desk and, upon hearing, pulled some papers from a drawer, "Why do you want to see this?"

Qian Qi didn’t respond. She quickly scanned through the contract.

She had checked the information yesterday; there are two types of orphanages in this world: regular orphanages and awakened orphanages.

The former is privately run, where all funds are provided by the director themselves, while the latter is supported by the Awakened Association, and orphans with awakened skills can attend elementary, middle, and even high schools for awakeners for free.

The emergence of instances led to a surge in orphan numbers, who were typically sent to nearby regular orphanages. Once they awakened skills, the director could then send them to the awakened orphanages and receive a substantial caretaker fee.

But Xiang Wen Yun couldn’t even come up with 500,000, evidencing that Bright Orphanage hadn’t had any awakened children all these years.

The land property of the orphanage has only 20 days left before expiration, and Xiang Wen Yun had the patience to mention this to her only now.

"Have you sought any sponsorship?" Qian Qi glanced at Xiang Wen Yun.

Xiang Wen Yun moved her lips, showing a trace of embarrassment in her eyes, "Yes, I have, but it’s my incompetence."

"If we can’t find a transferee, it’ll be reclaimed, and the kids will be sent to other orphanages," Xiang Wen Yun lowered her gaze, gently stroking a photo frame on the desk.

In it was a picture of her with other kids, and Qian Qi even saw herself in it.

"The conditions at those orphanages...are purely profit-driven; kids can’t even get enough to eat. They just hope to have a child with an awakened skill," Xiang Wen Yun slightly gripped the contract, "I really can’t bear it. If we could find adoptive parents willing to take them before they disperse, even a substitute parent..."

It’s still better than going to those orphanages.

With luck, they might even find a real sense of love.

"Oh, don’t worry, I’ll ensure your living expenses are covered," Xiang Wen Yun quickly added, remembering something, "I’ve prepared to work at other orphanages afterwards. I have experience, and my salary will definitely support you through college."

Qian Qi looked at Xiang Wen Yun, who explained anxiously, and nodded, "Alright."

She didn’t mention solving the land property issue for Xiang Wen Yun but stood up and said, "I’ll go for a walk."

Before leaving, she casually grabbed two bananas from the fruit bag.

Just as she opened the door to the director’s office, two little kids eavesdropping outside fell in headlong, crashing into her.

Like touching a burning flame, the children quickly retreated a couple of steps, looked terrified, and ran away.

Qian Qi: ...

Am I some kind of monstrous creature? Back then, I was clearly the most beloved by children!