"Really? No wonder you look familiar to me. What's your name?"

The woman, upon hearing Mu Jinyu's words, showed a hint of joy in her eyes before smiling and asking.

Over the years, many children who were adopted have come back to visit the orphanage, so she doesn't doubt Mu Jinyu's words.

"My name is Mu Jinyu. You probably haven't heard of me." Mu Jinyu also showed a slight smile, answering softly.

He stayed at this orphanage for about six months, while Xiang Mantang stayed a bit longer. Afterward, they were adopted and taken to Yinlong Mountain by Mu Shao'ai, so he didn't think many people would know him.

"Mu Jinyu?!"

Upon hearing Mu Jinyu's name, the woman showed a fleeting look of confusion, then frowned deeply in thought. Clearly, the name alone was not enough to immediately retrieve a corresponding image from her memory.

With this, Mu Jinyu chuckled softly and said, "I stayed here for over half a year and was then adopted and moved to Jiangnan. It's normal you don't remember me."

This female staff member, appearing to be about twenty-four or twenty-five years old, relatively young, wasn't among the batch of staff who took care of the children back then, so technically she shouldn't have seen him before, let alone remember him.

But Mu Jinyu said so because he noticed that this woman probably grew up in the orphanage herself and now comes back to volunteer when she's free.

And there's not much age difference between the two; perhaps they really met before.

"Half a year?!"

Upon hearing Mu Jinyu's words, the woman frowned even more tightly, constantly pondering which children were adopted around half a year back then.

Then, her eyes suddenly focused on Mu Jinyu, with a mix of surprise and incredulity, saying, "You're Mu Jinyu, that somewhat solitary and stubborn little boy from back then?"

Her tone grew a bit more emotional; she hadn't thought the long-gone Mu Jinyu would suddenly return now.

As she spoke, the woman frowned again in thought, "Hey, I remember at the time there was also an older boy adopted with you. What's his name?"

"Xiang Mantang." Mu Jinyu hadn't expected her to genuinely remember him and Xiang Mantang, so he smiled and reminded her.

"Yes, yes, Xiang Mantang..."

Upon hearing Mu Jinyu's reminder, the woman showed a realization in her gaze, nodding repeatedly.

After finishing, she quickly introduced herself, "I'm Cai Zhengyan. Do you remember me?"

Mu Jinyu listened, falling into deep thought, trying to recall who Cai Zhengyan was.

At the moment, he indeed couldn't remember her, but felt that she seemed increasingly familiar.

Cai Zhengyan, seeing Mu Jinyu's expression, knew he didn't have much impression of her. She wasn't upset at all, smiling, and reminded softly, "Did you really forget Sister Cai? You were a bit antisocial back then, often bullied by Little Guo and Little He. I remember I helped you a few times..."

"Also... I remember there was a day you somehow didn't eat enough or something, and your stomach was rumbling. You stubbornly refused to speak to everyone, and I remember it was over an hour until lunch. I used my pocket money to buy you a few buns..."

As she spoke, Cai Zhengyan's gaze showed a look of reminiscence, with the present image and appearance of Mu Jinyu gradually overlapping with the poor little boy hidden deep in her memories.

Listening to Cai Zhengyan's monologue, Mu Jinyu's mind flashed with understanding, finally recalling some past events, gaining a clear impression of her.

Back then, he was bullied, his breakfast was secretly poured into the slop bucket, and then those few bullied him further. How did they bully him? It seemed like making him eat food from the slop bucket? He forgot that part, but he didn't obey and just sat aside with an empty stomach. Then it seemed like an hour before lunch when an older girl bought him a few buns.

However, he remembered Cai Zhengyan got along better with the boys who bullied him. Feeling resentful, he didn't eat those buns in the end.

"I remember you refused to eat the buns I gave you, making me almost skip lunch..."

Cai Zhengyan's tone was slightly wistful yet happy in recalling.

Mu Jinyu chuckled, quietly saying, "I was young and ignorant back then, stubbornly refusing, but it ended up just making me hungry, haha..."

Recalling the past, those little conflicts among children were nothing, and Mu Jinyu naturally let everything go, holding no grudge against the boys who bullied him, nor any resentment towards the big sister who intended to care for him.

Cai Zhengyan, upon hearing this, got a bit of a hearty laugh, then asked, "Right, did you come back alone? How about Little Xiang? Isn't he coming?"

She remembered Xiang Mantang was adopted with Mu Jinyu, unsure if they separated afterward or still had contact.

Mu Jinyu and Cai Zhengyan exchanged curious glances, and after withdrawing his gaze, he gently replied, "He's pretty busy, currently out of town, and can't come back these days. When he has free time, I'll return with him to visit everyone..."

"Oh, I see... Right, how have you and Little Xiang been these years?"

Cai Zhengyan asked while leading Mu Jinyu around the orphanage, showing him the renovations while inquiring.

Mu Jinyu picked and chose, sharing what he could with Cai Zhengyan and ignoring what he couldn't explain or she might not comprehend.

"You found your mother? Congrats..."

At this point, upon hearing Mu Jinyu talk about recognizing his mother Su Zijin a year ago, Cai Zhengyan's face blossomed with joy and envy.

A child living in the orphanage who gets adopted by a good family is already lucky, and finding biological parents after that is even luckier.

Knowing Mu Jinyu had a good life after leaving the orphanage and recently reunited with his mother, Cai Zhengyan was genuinely happy for Mu Jinyu, while naturally feeling some envy in her heart.

"Thank you..."

Mu Jinyu accepted Cai Zhengyan's congratulations with a smile, then followed her into the courtyard, where some kids were playing on the seesaw and slide. As he and Cai Zhengyan entered, some children ran over excitedly, while others lingered shyly, possibly because of him.

"Come, there's enough for everyone... No pushing..."

Mu Jinyu took out handfuls of snacks from his storage bag, bent down, and distributed them to each child. The initially shy children rushed over too, and he continued sharing with them. After the children scattered, he stood up and asked Cai Zhengyan:

"Right, how have you guys been these years?"

He realized he'd been sharing his own status without learning about those who were his peers back then.

"We're doing okay..."

Cai Zhengyan showed a nostalgic gaze, softly mentioning a few names and explaining, "After you and Little Xiang were adopted, some of them also got adopted in the following years..."

"Oh, you might not remember them. They were only one or two years old and probably arrived at the orphanage after you... They never came back to visit our orphanage. It's normal; they probably don't remember living here at all..."

"For people like us, we're older, so naturally, no one's keen to adopt us. After graduating from nursing school, I work as a nurse at a nearby hospital and volunteer at the orphanage when I have time..."

Speaking gently, Cai Zhengyan's tone carried no sadness or inferiority, instead brimming with vitality and happiness.

She knows not everyone can have the kind of luck Mu Jinyu and Xiang Mantang had, getting adopted at a relatively old age. Even though she's had a tough time these years, the thought of the orphanage children always brings her joy.

As she spoke, her eyes suddenly brightened, "By the way, although not many people return to the orphanage in recent years, I contacted Little He, Little Guo, and Little Yang during Children's Day a few days ago to celebrate with the kids. I'm not sure if they're still in Rong City, but let me reach out and see if we can all gather..."

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