Chapter 258: Shadows of the Past

The next morning Lu Xin got himself ready and headed out.

He didn’t go to the Company. After all, he’d taken leave and hadn’t officially returned yet, plus it was paid leave.

Besides, there were things he wanted to verify, so he went straight to the Red Moon Orphanage next to the Security Hall.

File 003 had raised a lot of questions in his mind.

Like the Old Director, like that person named Chen Xun, like whether they were dead or alive, and what exactly happened back then…

And the one who undoubtedly knew about these things was Teacher Xiao Lu.

…

As he slowly climbed the stairs, he heard the sound of reading drifting down from above.

“Hoping, hoping, the east wind has come, the footsteps of spring are near…”

The reading wasn’t exactly clear and loud. You could distinctly hear the drawn-out tones unique to children, some mumbling indistinctly. You could even pick out a few listless voices. Without even looking, Lu Xin knew there must be a few drowsy little ones among them, just waiting for class to end so they could go out and play with marbles.

Lu Xin knew this feeling well because, in his memory, he used to be just like that.

“What does spring coming have to do with me? Whether there’s meat in the lunch is the real important thing…”

…

Since they were still in class, Lu Xin stood in the hallway next to the Uncle Guard, hands stuffed in his pockets, waiting quietly.

“Back pretty quick this time…”

The Uncle Guard carefully plucked a withered leaf from a potted plant, then unfolded a newspaper and began reading leisurely.

“Finished work early.”

Lu Xin glanced at the lonely little flower on the potted plant and replied casually.

He suddenly thought about something. When did this Uncle Guard start working at the Orphanage?

When he didn’t think about it seriously, he wouldn’t notice, but recalling carefully, he felt many points of suspicion.

Lu Xin had clear memories of reading in the Orphanage as a child, memories of being taught by the Old Director, memories of fighting alongside Teacher Xiao Lu. But these memories were somewhat chaotic, like a movie with many scenes cut out.

For example, he couldn’t piece together a complete timeline from his earlier memories, couldn’t clearly remember everything.

Later on, around the time he left the Orphanage, things became even more confusing.

He didn’t even remember how he left the Orphanage. Just fragmented memories told him he seemed to have wandered the streets aimlessly for a while, and then his current Family appeared and started living with him.

After his Family appeared, his memories started becoming more complete.

He remembered attending the free high school in the Second Satellite City, remembered starting work.

But looking further back, there was a gap of about a year.

Memories from that year were the scarcest; even trying hard to recall yielded only scattered fragments.

The strangest part was, before seeing that file named “003” yesterday, he hadn’t even thought to actively try and remember.

Even now, he was only forcing himself to recall.

…

Regarding the current Orphanage, Lu Xin only remembered returning one day after living with his Family for a long time. He found that this place, which should have been destroyed, still had someone familiar: Teacher Xiao Lu, who had grown up with him.

She wasn’t very old then, but she was already working hard to raise several orphans from the city.

This Uncle Guard was already working here back then too.

According to Teacher Xiao Lu, the Orphanage had received funding from kind benefactors, which was why it could be re-established.

It was also because of these benefactors that Teacher Xiao Lu and the few children at the time managed to survive the toughest period.

But they couldn’t rely on benefactors forever.

Lu Xin remembered that when the Orphanage stopped receiving funding, times became very difficult.

Fortunately, he had started working by then and could earn some money to help subsidize the Orphanage.

As these memories became clearer, Lu Xin thought of a problem.

During that time, the Orphanage could barely afford food. Where did the money come from to pay the Uncle Guard’s salary?

He tilted his head, studying the Uncle Guard, wondering whether to ask these questions…

The only uncertainty was, if he asked, what if the Uncle Guard demanded back pay?

…

“Move aside a bit…”

Just as Lu Xin was pondering this, the Uncle Guard looked up at him.

“Huh?”

Lu Xin was a little surprised. “What’s wrong?”

The Uncle Guard peered over his newspaper. “You’re standing right by the window, your shadow is blocking my flower.”

“Oh…”

Lu Xin flushed red and shuffled aside, letting the sunlight from outside the window fall onto the small potted plant.

He grumbled inwardly, “Such a tiny flower, and so eager for sunlight…”

…

While he was thinking, the Uncle Guard stood up, picked up a small hammer, and tapped it against a metal shutter nearby.

*Dong dong dong…*

That was the bell signaling the end of class.

The classroom upstairs went quiet for a moment, then immediately erupted into chaotic noise.

“I’m heading up.”

Lu Xin pointed upwards. The Uncle Guard just waved dismissively. “Go on then.”

As he climbed the stairs to the fourth floor, a group of children running wild bumped into Lu Xin. One with a red nose ran up to him, hands on his hips, and demanded, “Uncle Lu, did you take our marbles from last time?”

Lu Xin shook his head. “No, why would I take your marbles?”

“Oh.”

The little rascal acknowledged, then asked, “When are you going to marry Teacher Xiao Lu?”

“What?”

Lu Xin was stunned. Kids’ thoughts jumped around so quickly these days?

“I heard you get candy when people get married.”

The little rascal declared righteously, “If you don’t marry Teacher Xiao Lu, how are we supposed to get candy?”

“Ah, well…”

Lu Xin finally understood. Smiling broadly, he ruffled the boy’s head. “I’ll buy you some next time.”

*Ahem…*

A cough sounded from nearby.

Instantly, both the child about to get candy and Lu Xin who had just promised it felt a jolt.

The child darted away with a *swoosh*, and Lu Xin straightened up, pretending nothing happened.

“It’s good you’re back.”

Teacher Xiao Lu looked at Lu Xin for a moment, then smiled too. “Stay for lunch here.”

Lu Xin nodded. “Okay.”

He walked over and pushed Teacher Xiao Lu’s wheelchair into a small room across from the office.

This was the kitchen. On the floor was a bag of potatoes, machine-pressed noodles, an induction cooker, several sizable pots, and other things.

Teacher Xiao Lu washed her hands, then maneuvered her wheelchair around the cramped kitchen, drawing water, washing vegetables, and prepping them with brisk, familiar movements.

Lu Xin helped her tie on an apron, then squatted down beside her to help.

Lunch was shredded potatoes over rice, with quite a few eggs cracked in, all simmered in a slightly sour and spicy broth.

Sour stir-fried shredded potatoes were the best, but making them in a large pot meant stir-frying with vinegar wasn’t feasible.

So, the Orphanage potatoes were resigned to being stewed.

There were now twenty-three children in the Orphanage. Teacher Xiao Lu skillfully divided the eggs into pieces to prevent fighting.

During this, however, Lu Xin cracked two more eggs into the pot and divided out two extra portions.

Teacher Xiao Lu shot him a glare but tacitly allowed his extravagance.

…

After the crowd of children lined up with large porcelain bowls had all gotten their food, Lu Xin and Teacher Xiao Lu went into her office. An hour had passed, and in another hour, the afternoon classes would begin.

Because they were a bit short on rice, Lu Xin took a leftover steamed bun from yesterday, broke it into pieces, and put it in his soup.

While eating, he casually remarked, “This trip to the Main City made me think about some things from the past.”

Teacher Xiao Lu ate silently and nodded. “Mm.”

Lu Xin picked a piece of egg from his bowl and gave it to Teacher Xiao Lu. “And I realized some things seemed strange. Remember Director Wang from our time at the Orphanage? My impression is that he was exceptionally good. Back then, people outside were starving, and it was chaotic everywhere, but he protected us very well. I even remember we had meat in our meals.”

“I remember too. He was always teaching us, saying the world was too chaotic now. But the scariest thing wasn’t how many people turned into madmen, but that those who remained abandoned all culture. They would become even more terrifying than madmen.”

“I remember him watching cartoons with us, watching the old movies stored on his hard drive…”

Saying this, Lu Xin couldn’t help but smile. “I even remember one time I found a hidden folder…”

“Just as I opened it, he rushed in, chasing us down the corridor with a broom…”

…

“Right! We asked him why he hit us, the Director’s face turned so red, but he refused to explain…”

Teacher Xiao Lu started laughing too, tears dripping into her soup.

Lu Xin stopped eating. He used his spoon to scoop out the part of the soup where the tears had fallen and poured it aside.

Then he looked at Teacher Xiao Lu. “So the Director was actually a good person, right?”

Teacher Xiao Lu slowly wiped the tears from her cheeks. “Of course the Director was a good person.”

“He was the best person in this world.”

…

The expression vanished from Lu Xin’s face. He didn’t know what to say.

Teacher Xiao Lu was silent for a moment, then added softly, “But he was also the most terrifying person in this world.”

Lu Xin slowly stuffed a piece of steamed bun into his mouth. He didn’t press further.

He just waited for Teacher Xiao Lu to tell him.

…

“Actually, I knew you’d remember someday.”

After a moment, Teacher Xiao Lu spoke softly, her voice trembling slightly, “Sometimes I envy you, being able to forget what happened then. But sometimes I’m really scared you’ll remember it all again… I know your previous memories only kept the Director’s good side. Actually, that’s good. He… he did have a good side…”

“After all, if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes…”

“No matter how many people told me that our Director, when he put on that white coat, would become…”

“Become that… that kind of person, I wouldn’t have believed it…”

…

Hearing the fear in Teacher Xiao Lu’s voice, Lu Xin felt particularly uncomfortable inside.

There was an empty feeling in his heart.

He subconsciously reached out to hold Teacher Xiao Lu’s hand, wanting to comfort her.

But unexpectedly, Teacher Xiao Lu flinched back violently as if shocked, nearly falling over.

“Actually, you don’t need to be afraid of him…”

Lu Xin stopped halfway through the comforting words he had prepared.

He saw that Teacher Xiao Lu’s eyes, looking at him, were filled with unconcealable fear.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”

Noticing the astonishment in Lu Xin’s eyes, Teacher Xiao Lu suddenly snapped back to reality.

She apologized anxiously, repeating, “Don’t misunderstand, I’m not… really, I’m not… Don’t…”

As she spoke, she also subconsciously reached out, seeming to want to take Lu Xin’s hand.

But it was obvious her movement hesitated, as if her will was forcing her to take Lu Xin’s hand.

“I know what happened back then wasn’t your fault…”

“But I still… can’t help being afraid. I’m sorry, I couldn’t control it…”

…

Lu Xin slowly withdrew his hand, his thoughts in a strange state of chaos.

He suddenly realized something…

It turned out Teacher Xiao Lu wasn’t afraid of the Director. She was afraid of him.