Oh no! My yandere school beauty is so clingy!

Shen Yu and Lin Anran held hands tightly under the table, both very nervous, because they could see that the expressions on the faces of the others were grave...

The old man took a deep drag of his pipe, slowly exhaled, then extinguished it, looked out the window, and said:

"Eighteen years ago... one night, I was on night watch at the gate... and then I heard a child crying at the gate..."

Upon hearing this, Shen Yu's throat tightened, and his heart clenched...

"And then, I saw it was a little girl... she had just been born, so I brought her home..."

"Her nickname is Dou Dou, and her full name is Zhang Shuyu, which I named her, and it's her surname."

"Wow, I've never seen such a smart child... She learns things so quickly, and she's so obedient and well-behaved, she rarely cries or fusses..."

Shen Yu listened quietly to the old man's words, as if the little girl's past life was playing out before her eyes...

"When Xiaoyu got older, we sent her to school in town. She's quite famous there, a well-known good student. She always gets first place in exams, and everyone praises her..."

After hearing this, Lin Anran smiled slightly, turned to look at Shen Yu's profile, only to see that Shen Yu's expression was serious...

Shen Yu knew very well that if she were also well, these people wouldn't have such expressions...

It felt like... a build-up of tension... This made his heart race, and he couldn't calm down. His palms, holding Lin Anran's hand, were constantly sweating...

Shen Yu took a deep breath and asked:

"And then... how is she now? Where is she?"

"Whoa—!"

The baby in Sister Wang's arms was still crying incessantly, and no matter how Sister Wang tried to soothe it, she couldn't calm it down.

The old man glanced at the baby, then suddenly closed his eyes, his expression turning to one of great pain...

"From a young age, she was very envious of the children who were picked up and dropped off by their parents... Seeing the love that other children could feel from their parents made her feel very bitter..."

"She's grown up and has her own ideas now. Two years ago, she stopped going to school, left a letter, and left to find her family..."

The old man's words were like a bolt of lightning, instantly cleaving through the heavy fog in Shen Yu's mind.

"Gone?! She...she left two years ago to go find her family?!"

Shen Yu suddenly stood up from the chair, and because the movement was too sudden, the chair legs scraped against the ground with a screeching sound.

This news was completely unexpected.

He had considered countless possibilities: perhaps his sister was still in the orphanage, or perhaps she had been adopted and gone far away.

But he never expected that his sister would leave on her own to find that elusive home that had abandoned her!

How could she possibly find it?! She knows nothing! She doesn't know her real name, she doesn't know her background, she doesn't even have a blurry photo! This isn't just looking for a needle in a haystack, this is practically...

He could almost see that girl, yearning for family, carrying a faint hope, stepping alone into the vast sea of ​​people to chase after a phantom that might not even exist.

The road ahead is unknown, and may even be dangerous... Just thinking about all the things she might encounter makes Shen Yu feel short of breath, as if something is pressing heavily on her chest.

Lin Anran also covered her mouth in shock, her eyes wide open.

She understood Shen Yu's feelings at that moment, and she subconsciously gripped Shen Yu's cold hand even tighter, trying to convey a bit of warmth and support.

Old Zhang's voice pulled Shen Yu back to reality from her turbulent thoughts:

"That child is so determined; we couldn't persuade her otherwise. She always said she wouldn't be satisfied unless she went to look for it herself... Since then, she has never come back, only occasionally writing a letter back..."

letter!

Shen Yu, as if grasping at a straw, asked urgently, "A letter? She wrote back? Where is the letter? Can I see it?"

Old Zhang seemed to have anticipated his question. He silently pulled open the drawer of the old wooden table, carefully took out a stack of slightly yellowed envelopes tied with rubber bands, and placed them on the table.

The envelopes varied in style; some were printed with simple patterns, while others were just ordinary kraft paper envelopes with "To Xiangyang Children's Welfare Home" written on them in neat handwriting.

Shen Yu practically snatched the stack of letters.

He quickly untied the rubber band, pulled out the top envelope, and eagerly opened it...

The letter was on ordinary lined paper, and the handwriting was indeed that of a girl—neat, delicate, and tidy.

As Lao Zhang said, the content mostly consisted of reporting that everyone was safe and sound, recounting simple everyday events, and his tone was tried to sound relaxed and optimistic...

"I found a job helping out at a restaurant! The boss is really nice, and he even provides food and accommodation! It's a bit tiring, but at least I can earn enough to support myself, so don't worry! I'll take good care of myself! I'll save up some money for the Lunar New Year and buy you all some delicious food to send back home!"

"I changed jobs and am now a cashier at a supermarket. I've learned how to use the computer to process money, which is really great! Sometimes I miss you all, and my younger siblings... But the thought that I'm on my way to find my family fills me with strength! I will definitely find them!"

"Happy New Year! And to my younger brothers and sisters in the compound! I can't come back to celebrate the New Year with you this year, but I'm doing well! I sent you some candy and cookies. Once I find my family, I'll bring them back to see you all!"

One letter, two letters, three letters... Shen Yu skimmed through them.

The words in the letter paint a picture of a strong, independent girl who is full of hope for the future, yet cannot hide the hardships and longing she feels while living alone far from home.

She rarely mentioned specific difficulties, always reporting good news and concealing the bad, striving to depict the outside world with a light and cheerful touch...

Looking at these letters, Shen Yu felt as if her heart was being soaked in acidic water, both astringent and swollen...

He flipped through the pages quickly until he found a letter dated about a year ago...

The tone of this letter was noticeably more excited than before...

"【Oh, right! I have some good news to tell you! I have a boyfriend! He's such a good person, and he takes such good care of me! He knows I'm an orphan, but he doesn't look down on me at all; in fact, he's incredibly kind to me. He always brings me delicious food, helps me with my problems, and really treats me like family! He even told me not to rent a place outside anymore, saying it's not safe, and that I should move in with him. I think he's such a good person, and he's so good to me. I... I might soon have a home of my own... Don't worry, I'm fine, and he takes great care of me."

When Shen Yu saw the words "boyfriend" and "move in with him," her brain went blank, as if something had exploded.

A surge of emotion, mixed with shock, unease, and even anger, suddenly welled up inside me.

"What?!"

Shen Yu was not an naive teenager; he was all too aware of the malice society showed towards vulnerable girls.

A girl who is alone and desperately craves family and a sense of belonging is easily susceptible to developing dependence and trust in a man who shows her even the slightest kindness or warmth, and may even mistake it for love...

But what about that man?

Is it genuine, or is there an ulterior motive?

"After this letter... what happened next? Were there any more letters? What became of her? Did she move there? What did that man... do he do to her? Do you know?!"

Shen Yu suddenly looked up at Old Zhang, his voice hoarse with tension and urgency, and he spoke at an astonishing pace, firing off a series of questions...

However, after Shen Yu spoke, everyone present fell silent...

Only the baby's crying continued...

The old man looked up at the baby in Sister Wang's arms, sighed deeply, and his eyes were filled with sorrow...

Shen Yu followed his gaze and looked at the baby who was still wailing...

In an instant, Shen Yu's rapidly working brain seemed to connect several possibilities...

"Thump..."

Shen Yu's legs suddenly gave way, and he slumped into the chair. Lin Anran was so frightened that she quickly grabbed his arm to support him.

"Yuyu! Are you alright?!"