When Shanshan woke up, Chen Yang personally made the decision and led the excursion himself, taking all the children from the orphanage to the amusement park.

At that moment, Chen Yang was no longer the Nine Gates Admiral who struck terror into the hearts of his enemies, but a complete King of Children, wholeheartedly immersed among them. He wore a little red cap, held a triangular flag, and was careful not to favor any one of them or leave any behind.

Not far away, watching the scene unfold, Wu Song couldn't help but exclaim, "Nowadays, people like Boss are exceptionally rare! To be able to work for him is the greatest honor of my life and the thing I am most proud of."

He was unaware of Chen Yang's true identity; otherwise, his admiration would have been even more profound.

Yang Hu laughed. "My Boss also grew up in an orphanage, so he deeply understands the true feelings of these kids. Naturally, he's willing to invest his entire fortune here."

"I heard that the Boss hasn't bought a house or a luxury car?" Wu Song asked cautiously.

Yang Hu shook his head. "Let me put it this way, aside from food and clothing, he has invested every single penny into orphanages across the country. I've followed him for eight years and have never once seen him indulge in any luxury."

Yang Hu's deep respect for Chen Yang stemmed not only from their ranks as superior and subordinate or Chen Yang's military achievements but, most importantly, from his spirit of selfless dedication.

To be honest, if it were him, he definitely couldn't do the same.

Wu Song was full of admiration. In ancient times, such a person would surely have become a legendary hero.

"By the way," Wu Song changed the subject, "Boss seems quite fond of that girl, Shanshan. Why doesn't he adopt her?"

Yang Hu was taken aback for a moment, then smiled. "I don't know the specifics, but I am sure of one thing: the Boss is likely worried he can't take proper care of her, let alone raise her to adulthood."

"But... why is that?" Wu Song asked in astonishment.

Yang Hu smiled without a word.

As the King of Hanyun Valley, he commanded 800,000 men, so going to war was a common occurrence. Furthermore, a frontline general could die on the battlefield at any time.

Of course, now the matter also involved Qin Qiu.

So, even if Chen Yang did genuinely consider adopting her, this wasn't the right time.

With this thought, Yang Hu instructed Wu Song, "Keep a close eye on Shanshan. If anyone wants to adopt her, you must notify me first and wait for my reply!"

"I understand!"

As noon approached, the dozens of children had played their hearts out and returned joyfully to the orphanage. From that day on, they would be able to visit the amusement park once a month.

Before he left, Shanshan, who had been in the middle of her meal, ran out with her small bowl. With grains of rice still stuck to the corner of her mouth, she tugged on the hem of Chen Yang's pants, looked up, and asked expectantly, "Uncle, when will you come to see me again?"

In her big, dark eyes, there was both loneliness and anticipation.

Chen Yang squatted down, wiped the rice from her mouth, and smiled. "As long as Uncle is free, he'll come to see you."

"Okay!" Shanshan nodded obediently. "Next time you come, I'll give you another little gift."

"Alright, it's a promise!"

"Pinky swear!"

...

Leaving the orphanage, Zheng Qiang got into Chen Yang's car and gave directions to his home.

During their time at the orphanage, he and Chen Yang had been the closest, like brothers. Back then, Chen Yang was the clever one, and he was the fighter; the two children with different personalities were naturally drawn to each other.

He vividly remembered the day he was adopted. Chen Yang had clenched his fists and vowed, "If you ever get bullied, just come back here and tell me, and I'll help you beat them up!"

However, that farewell had nearly been their last. Thankfully, fate was kind, reuniting them once again in the vast sea of people.

Although Zheng Qiang was adopted early, his adoptive parents were not wealthy. While he was still in school, a car accident claimed both their lives. Unable to finish his studies, he had to drop out and take on odd jobs to make a living. Last year, he had opened a tobacco and liquor store in the village and gotten married, finally setting up a home and a life for himself.

This was why, after inviting Chen Yang to his home for dinner, Zheng Qiang immediately regretted it. He really invited him to save money, but now that the words were out, he couldn't take them back.

The sanitation in the village was poor. Even on a sunny day, the air was thick with the stench of human waste and mildew. The tobacco and liquor store at the village crossroads wasn't doing very well.

On the worn-out steps, a makeshift mahjong table was set up where a game was in full swing. One of the players, a flamboyantly dressed woman in her late twenties with heavy makeup and a cigarette dangling from her lips, was cursing as she threw down some change.

When Zheng Qiang told Chen Yang that this was his wife, Chen Yang was stunned for a moment. He could tell that this woman was not the respectable, modest type, but rather the brash and domineering sort.

With an awkward smile, Zheng Qiang approached Xu Li, his wife, and leaned in to whisper something.

SLAP!

Xu Li slapped him and yelled angrily, "Make you dinner? Are you blind? Can't you see I'm busy? Get lost!"

Turning around, she glanced at Chen Yang and Yang Hu and sneered, "A loser like you has friends? They don't look like much either!"

"Xu Li, what are you saying! Chen Yang is my best brother from the orphanage, and now he's..."

Before he could finish, Xu Li cut him off with a derisive laugh. "Birds of a feather flock together! Now get out of here, don't jinx my luck!"

Zheng Qiang's smile faltered. He wanted to explain, but ultimately just shook his head. He brought two chairs out of the house and wiped them with his sleeve. "Yang, this is how it is at my place. Please don't mind it."

"It's fine," Chen Yang said, sitting down with a warm smile.

"Then just sit tight. I'll go whip up some side dishes, and we'll have a good drink later." Zheng Qiang smiled and turned to walk into the store.

He had barely finished speaking when—

SLAP!

Xu Li slammed her hand on the mahjong table, shot to her feet, kicked her chair aside, and stood with one hand on her hip, pointing at Zheng Qiang. "Whip up what side dishes? Did you ask for my permission? Getting bold, are you?" she berated him. "You're good for nothing, yet you're playing host to friends? And look who you brought! This isn't a charity kitchen; there are no free meals here!"

The people watching the game, as well as the passersby, all covered their mouths, snickering and pointing.

Zheng Qiang stood frozen. He then turned around with an apologetic smile and pulled two crumpled bills from his back pocket, handing them to Xu Li. She finally relented a little, though she continued cursing under her breath.

Seizing the chance, Zheng Qiang hurried into the tobacco and liquor store, fearing another outburst.

From a short distance away, Chen Yang sighed repeatedly.

His brother was living such a miserable life.

As Chen Yang was reflecting, a sharply dressed middle-aged man with car keys dangling from his waist approached, shouting, "Xu Li, get me two cartons of cigarettes and a few bottles of good liquor."

"Oh, it's Mr. Wang!" Xu Li immediately stood up, beaming as she sashayed over to him with a flirtatious smile.

The middle-aged man, Wang Qu, blatantly groped Xu Li and laughed. "It's been a while. Miss me?"

"Stop it!" Xu Li wasn't angry at being taken advantage of; on the contrary, her smile grew even wider.

Witnessing all this, Chen Yang's pupils contracted as a cold glint flashed in his eyes.

...

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