“Hello?
Jake?” An elderly woman’s energetic voice came through the receiver.
“What made you think of calling me today?” “Director, I’d like to come back and visit the orphanage,” Jake said with a smile.
“Are you free today?” “Yes, of course!” The old director’s voice instantly brightened.
“Then I’ll head over now.
It’ll take about an hour or so.” “Drive carefully on the road, don’t rush.” “Don’t worry, Director.” Jake smiled and said, “I’ll hang up now and call you when I arrive.” “Alright, alright.” The call ended.
Inside the office of the welfare institute, an old woman nearly seventy years old, dressed in a dark blue mandarin-collared jacket, set down the telephone.
Her hair was completely silver, her face etched with deep wrinkles.
The faint smile that had touched her lips during the phone call was gradually fading away.
The old director stared out into the yard at the children kicking a rubber ball, lost in thought for a long while.
When she finally snapped back to reality, she picked up the phone and called the kitchen.
“Hello?” “Give the children a special treat tonight.
Make braised pork, steam a fish, and stir-fry a few more dishes of vegetables.” “Director…” The voice on the other end paused briefly.
“We’ve already exceeded this month’s food budget.” “I’ll pay for it myself.” “…Alright then.” The kitchen staff agreed without further question.
Not long after, a head popped through the doorway.
It was Zhou, one of the caregivers at the institute.
“Director?
You were looking for me?” “Zhou, go out in a bit and buy a few sets of new clothes,” the old director said, taking several banknotes from her drawer.
“The children barely have any clothes to wear.” Zhou froze for a moment.
“Doesn’t the institute…” “Just go and buy them.” The old director handed the cash over.
Zhou asked no more questions, took the money, and walked out.
The old director leaned back against her chair, letting out a long sigh.
Jake was such a thoughtful boy.
Every time he came back, he tried to stuff money into her hands.
When she refused to take it, he would secretly hide it in her desk drawer, only sending a message after he left to say there was something in the drawer.
If he saw the children wearing tattered clothes and eating poor meals, he would definitely pull out money again.
Better to hide it from him as long as she could…
…
Around four in the afternoon, Jake parked his motorcycle at the entrance of the welfare institute.
This was an old district of Haicheng, surrounded by residential buildings from the seventies and eighties with peeling wall plaster and electric wires crisscrossing overhead like spiderwebs.
The welfare institute was an old three-story building, an iron gate bearing a faded plaque: [Haicheng Social Welfare Institute] He pushed open the iron gate and walked into the courtyard.
A few kids were chasing each other around.
When they saw him come in, they all stopped and stared at him timidly.
“Don’t recognize me anymore?” Jake greeted the children, but received no response.
Looking at their unfamiliar, wary eyes, he stood where he was, feeling a slight pang in his heart.
He really hadn’t come back often enough…
“Oh, Jake’s here?” Zhou was holding a mop.
“The director is waiting for you inside.
Head on in!” “Sure thing, Sister Zhou,” Jake replied, walking into the building.
The office was at the end of the first-floor corridor.
The old director was wearing reading glasses, studying some documents.
Hearing footsteps, she looked up, and a warm smile unconsciously blossomed on her face when she saw who it was.
“You’re here?” The old director looked Jake up and down, scolding affectionately, “Look at you, haven’t been eating properly, have you?
You’ve gotten thin again.” “Busy with work, can’t be helped.” Jake smiled as he walked in and sat on the chair opposite her desk.
“Director, how have things been at the institute lately?
Are the kids doing alright?” “Pretty good,” the old director said, leaning back.
“The city increased our funding this year, and after having their surgeries, the children’s conditions have improved a lot.” This was clearly good news, yet Jake caught a subtle discrepancy in her tone.
“Funding for surgeries?” he asked, puzzled.
“That doesn’t sound right.
Doesn’t the institute have a policy for free surgeries?” “Ah, that…” The old director sighed softly.
“That was actually funded by a charitable trust, but they ran into some trouble recently, so the free surgeries they sponsored were canceled.” The smile on Jake’s face froze.
The reason he had been able to undergo free surgery at one year old was precisely thanks to that charitable trust’s consistent sponsorship over the past decade or two.
And now it had stopped?
Seeing his expression change, the old director hastily put on a casual front.
“Although we have to pay for surgeries out of pocket now, the city approved extra funds, and social donations are much higher than before.” “Did you see when you walked in?
The clothes the kids are wearing are all brand new.” She continued to comfort him, “So don’t you worry.
Our institute is thriving!” “I see…” Jake nodded, forcing a smile back onto his face.
“If things are going well here, then I’m relieved.” Originally, he had thought that since he had money now, he could make a donation when he came over today.
However, the euro exchange had failed, and he only had his last ten thousand RMB or so left, which might not even cover his upcoming medical test fees.
Since the institute still had government funding and donations to lean on, he could save it for next time…
The two chatted for a while longer.
Before they knew it, dinner time arrived.
“Come on, let’s eat,” the old director stood up.
“The kitchen made braised pork today—your favorite when you were little.” Jake followed her toward the dining hall.
The dining hall was at the far end of the first floor.
The children sat around the tables, staring longing at the dishes, but not a single one picked up their chopsticks.
“What are you all waiting for?
Eat up!” Zhou called out with a smile as she brought out the final dish from the kitchen.
Only then did the children move.
Pairs of small hands gripped chopsticks, competing eagerly as they reached for the dishes, wolfing down their food and stuffing their cheeks full, too busy to even speak.
Watching their excited franticness, Jake found it both strange and slightly amusing.
Why did it look like they hadn’t eaten in ages?
“You eat too, don’t just watch,” the old director sat beside him and placed a piece of braised pork into his bowl.
“Okay.” Jake lowered his head and took a mouthful of rice.
“By the way, Jake,” the old director suddenly said, “you’re twenty-three now; it’s time to start thinking about your personal life.
You’re not bad-looking, and you have a good personality—how come no girl has taken a liking to you yet?” As soon as those words came out, a few of the older children at the table secretly raised their heads and covered their mouths, giggling.
“Ahem!
Cough!” Jake nearly choked on the rice he had just put in his mouth.
Before he could speak, a little boy beside him with his mouth still full of rice chimed in indistinctly, “Big brother is such a good person, girls will definitely like you!” “How do you know I’m a good person?” Jake smiled, teasing him.
“No way!” The little boy shook his head vigorously, swallowed his food, and said loudly, “Whenever you come, we get good food and new clothes to wear!
How could you not be a good person?” The atmosphere at the dinner table instantly fell silent.
Zhou’s hand holding her chopsticks froze mid-air, and the smile on the old director’s face vanished.
Her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she only let out a sigh.
Jake stared blankly at the old director.
New clothes, good food…
Of course.
Every aspect of the welfare institute required money, and a single surgery cost a fortune.
How could government funding and donations alone ever be enough?
Cutting corners on food and clothing was unavoidable.
This meal, these new clothes—she had likely paid for all of them out of her own pocket just for his visit…
“Director,” Jake felt a sharp sting at the bridge of his nose, forcing a faint, bitter smile.
“Tell me the truth…
has the institute been unable to keep going for a long time now?”