Chapter 90: Lian Qingxue: Should I Be Happy? |
After Professor Wu left, Qi Yun and Lian Qingxue left together.
He was going to take Lian Qingxue back to the orphanage.
“Qi Yun, accompany me to the bank.”
Lian Qingxue suddenly said.
“Sure.”
Qi Yun was a bit puzzled. What did Lian Qingxue need to do at the bank?
At the bank, Lian Qingxue handed her savings passbook and remittance slip to the teller.
She withdrew 50,000 yuan in cash and put it in her bag. She didn’t explain anything to Qi Yun, and they both returned to the orphanage. Lian Qingxue went straight to find Director Li.
“Director, I’ve decided to go to Beijing University.”
Upon hearing this, Director Li smiled with wrinkles all over her face.
“Good! Little Qingxue, you’re the first from our orphanage to be admitted to Beijing University! Today is a big day for our orphanage!”
Director Li was genuinely delighted. To have raised such a good child in their orphanage, she couldn’t ask for more in her life.
“Director here’s 50,000 yuan.”
Lian Qingxue took out her bag and handed the 50,000 yuan she had just withdrawn to Director Li.
“What’s this for?”
Lian Qingxue lowered her head.
“The orphanage has cared for me all these years, and I haven’t repaid you yet. I’m going to study in Beijing. It may be difficult for me to help you anymore…”
“You’re still a child. What repayment are you talking about? Besides, our orphanage never expected any repayment.” Director Li pushed the money back towards Lian Qingxue. She seemed unwilling to accept it at all.
“Director, if you don’t accept this money, I won’t go to university!” Lian Qingxue looked at Director Li, who didn’t want to take it.
“You stubborn child! Qi Yun, won’t you say something to her?” Director Li looked at Qi Yun.
Qi Yun looked at Lian Qingxue. He finally understood why Lian Qingxue went to the bank. He was familiar with Lian Qingxue’s financial situation.
The money she saved herself, plus the dividends from the milk tea shop, probably amounted to about 60,000 yuan.
Now she had taken out 50,000 yuan all at once, which could be considered giving it her all.
“Qingxue, have you thought it through?”
Contrary to Director Li’s expectations, Qi Yun didn’t try to dissuade her. Instead, he asked Lian Qingxue in a gentle voice.
Lian Qingxue’s face became serious, and she nodded. “Director Li has cared for me for so many years, and this is all I can do. Besides… Director Li is getting older.”
Although the orphanage received official funding, Director Li was truly in charge and responsible for its operation.
Lian Qingxue had spent eighteen years in the orphanage, watching Director Li transform from a middle-aged to a gray-haired older woman. How much she had sacrificed for the orphanage, only Director Li knew.
“The orphanage doesn’t really need it now! After you opened the milk tea shop, the older kids could work part-time, and the younger ones could make some desserts after school to earn pocket money. The orphanage really doesn’t lack money now!”
Seeing that Qi Yun didn’t object, Director Li became anxious. But Lian Qingxue was an incredibly stubborn little girl.
No matter what Director Li said, she showed no intention of taking back the 50,000 yuan.
“Director Li, please accept it.”
Qi Yun spoke up.
He looked at Lian Qingxue and said, “Qingxue, don’t worry. I will always take care of you. This money represents your sincerity.”
50,000 yuan, how much was it?
Not much to Qi Yun. Not much to the orphanage either. But it meant a lot to Lian Qingxue.
If 50,000 yuan could make Lian Qingxue happy, then Qi Yun thought it was worth it.
“You guys …”
Qi Yun held Lian Qingxue’s hand.
“Director, actually, I also want to donate this amount to the orphanage.”
“Ah?”
Lian Qingxue widened her eyes.
“Qi Yun, you don’t have to…”
Unexpectedly, Qi Yun seemed unusually cold.
“My money is my money. If I want to donate, I’ll donate. Qingxue, be quiet.”
Lian Qingxue: …
Director Li waved her hand. “Qi Yun, you’ve already done a lot for the orphanage. You really don’t have to!”
“The orphanage doesn’t refuse any social donations, right? I’ve decided to donate one million yuan. The only requirement is that this money can only be used as an education fund. Every child in the orphanage who meets the academic requirements will be able to receive a sum of money, and those who are admitted to university will also receive a reward.”
Qi Yun understood well.
For the children in the orphanage, studying was probably the only way to truly change their fate. Giving them living expenses would not be conducive to their growth.
Director Li was helpless.
As Qi Yun said, the orphanage couldn’t refuse anyone’s donation.
And Qi Yun was no exception.
After transferring the money, as Qi Yun expected, the system did not give any prompts.
This one million yuan had no rebate.
He looked at Lian Qingxue’s expression, and he knew why.
Lian Qingxue was angry at Qi Yun’s coldness.
With puffed-up cheeks and eyes turned aside, she refused to look at Qi Yun.
According to the system’s judgment, this donation was Qi Yun’s personal act, and since Lian Qingxue did not agree, there was no rebate.
Qi Yun smiled lightly. Not receiving a rebate was his intention. After all, why would there be a rebate for a donation? Although his wealth had gone from ten million to nine million.
But as his mother had said. Money was just money.
Happiness was the most important!
Now Qi Yun’s task was to make the little princess beside him happy.
President Li took out a ledger and said, “Every donation in our institution must be recorded, and the usage should be publicly disclosed to the donors. Just write down the name, amount, and contact information here.”
Lian Qingxue was a little angry. She didn’t care about Qi Yun’s money. She felt unhappy that Qi Yun treated her like an outsider.
She secretly looked at Qi Yun, waiting for him to come and coax her.
Qi Yun, seemingly unaware, picked up a pen and wrote a few words in the name column.
Lian Qingxue could clearly see what Qi Yun wrote:
Lian Qingxue’s future husband. She bit her lip, trying to hold back her smile.
She was angry, after all!
She couldn’t laugh.
Qi Yun picked up the pen and gently poked her cheek.
“You can laugh if you want to!”
“Hmph! Don’t say such things in the future!”
“Yes! Everything in my life from now on is related to you!” Qi Yun stood up straight, saluting as if he was in the military, and said to Lian Qingxue.
President Li watched this scene and couldn’t help but chuckle.
Just as Qi Yun said, maybe Lian Qingxue didn’t need to worry anymore with him around.
……
After giving the money to Director Li, the two were about to take their leave.
Director Li spoke, “Qingxue, you two wait a moment.”
Lian Qingxue turned back, not knowing what else Director Li wanted to say…
“Qingxue, you’re already eighteen this year, and the college entrance examination is over. There’s something I need to tell you.”
Director Li remained silent for a moment before speaking. “Do you want to know about your family?”
Family?
Lian Qingxue had been in the orphanage since she could remember, and the word “family” was too unfamiliar to her.
“My family?” Lian Qingxue didn’t know what expression to use to face these two words.
Qi Yun remained silent momentarily and asked Lian Qingxue, “Do you want me to wait outside?”
Lian Qingxue bit her lip and shook her head, holding onto Qi Yun’s hands.
“I didn’t tell you before because you were still too young. It’s time for me to tell you now. Qingxue, your parents passed away in a car accident when you were young.”
“They… passed away?” Lian Qingxue seemed to not understand those words.
“Yes, your father was driving at that time. You were in your mother’s arms. They had no signs of life left when you were found, but you were still crying.”
“It was… my mother who protected me, right?”
When Lian Qingxue said “mother,” it sounded unfamiliar, and her pronunciation was awkward.
“Yes… she shielded you, blocking the deformed car door. In fact, if it wasn’t for you, she might have survived.” Director Li looked at Lian Qingxue, full of distress.
“We later investigated and found out that your parents were from out of town. Nobody here knew them, and we couldn’t find any of your relatives, so we had to place you in the orphanage. At that time, you were less than a year old. Your surname is Lian, and it comes from a jade pendant on your mother, with the character ‘Lian’ engraved on it.”
Director Li searched through her desk and took out a jade pendant.
The jade pendant still appeared glossy, seemingly quite valuable.
Lian Qingxue accepted the jade pendant in a daze, not knowing what she was thinking.
She nodded at Director Li.
She looked at Qi Yun, “Actually, every child in the orphanage has thought about whether, someday, two people will come and claim to be their biological parents.”
“I also wondered if I got lost and they couldn’t find me, would they come for me one day?”
“I also suspected when I was little that my mom and dad didn’t want me anymore. I really wanted to ask them why they didn’t come to find me.”
Lian Qingxue held onto the jade pendant.
“Now I know they didn’t abandon me… they just couldn’t come for me.”
She turned to look at Qi Yun.
“Actually, I have a family. My family loves me too. In their final moments of life, they were protecting me. So, I wasn’t abandoned. Should I… be happy?”
Qi Yun reached out and embraced her. The sound of her sobbing came from his chest.
……
Lian Qingxue had been feeling unhappy for the past few days. When she didn’t know anything about her family, she could pretend they didn’t exist.
But now, she couldn’t control herself from thinking about them. Qi Yun watched Lian Qingxue in such a state, feeling a bit distressed.
“Qi Yun! Why did you call me over?” Wang Shang came to Qi Yun’s house, excitedly asking.
“I want you to do me a favor.” Qi Yun said, “I think it’s time to fulfill my promise.”
A confession!
