My brother entrusted his child to me, and I livestreamed raising the baby, making the Empress cry wi

The coffin was carefully lifted onto the vehicle arranged by the orphanage.

Lü Hongmei's hand never left the cold coffin lid.

The golden nanmu wood was chilled to the bone by the late autumn wind, making her knuckles turn white, but she still couldn't bear to take it away.

It was as if, through this thick layer of wood, she could still touch the young man inside, whom she had raised since childhood and regarded as her own child.

Lin Ye, carrying the little bag, walked to her side and said softly, "Dean, let's get in the car."

Lu Hongmei then snapped out of her daze, vigorously wiping her eyes with her sleeve, and looked at the exquisitely beautiful little girl in Lin Ye's arms.

The little girl was also staring at her with her big eyes, her gaze filled with a timid curiosity, but even more so with the natural innocence of a child.

Lin Ye lowered his head slightly and said gently to Xiao Douzi, "Xiao Douzi, this is your godfather and your father's headmistress. They are the people who raised us."

He paused, then softened his voice: "Little Douzi can call me Grandma."

Little Douzi blinked, looking at the old woman in front of her with red, swollen eyes, a wrinkled face, but kind eyes. She pursed her lips, then softly and earnestly called out:

"Grandma."

The sound was soft and gentle, like a freshly baked glutinous rice cake, still steaming.

The sound of "Grandma" made Lü Hongmei's heart tremble.

She responded with broken, incoherent "eh, eh" sounds.

The tears that I had just managed to stop burst forth again, surging from my eyes and flowing freely down the deep wrinkles on my face.

She reached out to touch Xiaodouzi's face, but was afraid that her rough hands would prick his delicate skin.

In the end, he simply used trembling hands to gently rub Xiaodouzi's head.

"Good boy... such a good boy..." she choked up, her gaze lingering on the little boy's face, as if she could see Ye Fan from many years ago through that tender little face.

"What's your name?" she asked, her voice very soft.

"My name is Ye Ling'er," the little girl answered obediently, adding, "My father named me that. He said Ling'er means clever and lucky."

"Ye Ling'er... Ling'er..." Lu Hongmei murmured, her tears falling even more fiercely, but she tried her best to force a smile.

"Great, what a lovely name. Our Ling'er is so handsome, just like your father when he was little."

The shape of Xiao Douzi's eyebrows and eyes, especially the intelligent look in his eyes when he looks at people quietly, is vaguely like Ye Fan when he was young.

only……

A wave of sorrow washed over Lü Hongmei.

Ye Fan was a bit more mischievous when he was young. His eyes were always darting around, either plotting some mischief or figuring out how to get Lin Ye to climb over the wall and raid bird nests.

As for Xiao Douzi, perhaps because she lacked her mother's love from a young age and experienced life and death separations early on, her clear eyes concealed the quietness and understanding of a precocious child.

This thoughtfulness made Lü Hongmei feel even more heartbroken.

The group got into the car, which headed towards the orphanage on the outskirts of the city.

On the way, Lü Hongmei held Xiaodouzi's little hand the whole time, reluctant to let go, and kept asking her how old she was, what she liked to eat, and whether she was afraid of flying...

Xiao Douzi answered each question seriously.

Lin Ye sat by the window.

He tilted his head, his gaze falling gently on the old man and the young man before him.

The sunset streamed in through the car window, turning Lü Hongmei's white hair a golden-red color and making half of Xiao Douzi's face almost transparent.

The car drove out of the city and the road gradually opened up.

About forty minutes later, the car turned onto a clean and smooth asphalt road.

The maple trees on both sides are tall and straight, their canopies almost intertwining in the air, forming a golden-red tunnel.

As the autumn wind blew, the maple leaves rustled and cried out, as if weeping. Every now and then, a few leaves broke free from the branches, twirling and falling, hitting the car window before sliding down.

The car turned another corner.

A well-planned cluster of buildings came into view.

At the front are the familiar, somewhat old-fashioned courtyard gate and main building—the very place where Lin Ye and Ye Fan grew up.

Muhai Orphanage.

With Lin Ye's financial support over the years, the orphanage has been renovated many times and is no longer the dilapidated place it was when I was a child.

The exterior is bright and cheerful, and it is equipped with a playground, slides and other children's facilities.

Next to the main building is a brand-new courtyard with a considerable area, but it does not appear to be officially in use yet.

"We're here," Lü Hongmei said softly, pointing to the new courtyard. "The new courtyard was finished last month. We were originally planning to move some of the children there after the New Year; the conditions there are much better..."

She glanced at the vehicle carrying the coffin behind her, her voice lowering, "That area is empty now. I'll have someone clean up the main courtyard and set it up as a mourning hall for now. Let Xiao Fan... stay in the quieter new house."

Lin Ye's throat tightened, and he simply nodded emphatically: "Okay, I'll do as you say."

The car stopped at the entrance of the new hospital.

Several caregivers and staff members who had already received the news were waiting there. When they saw the coffin being carried down, their eyes reddened, and they silently stepped forward to help.

Lü Hongmei led Lin Ye and Xiao Douzi into the makeshift mourning hall.

The room was large and tall, filled with the faint, cold smell of newly renovated materials. The walls were snow-white, and the emptiness was somewhat eerie.

On the wall directly in front, there was a huge, jet-black character for "offering sacrifices," and the coffin made of Phoebe zhennan wood had been brought in and temporarily placed below it.

After settling Ye Fan's body, Lü Hongmei led the two to the main courtyard and arranged accommodations for them.

"Xiao Ye, you can just stay in your room. I've been having it cleaned, and the bedding is all freshly aired." Lü Hongmei led them to a familiar room and opened the door.

"Ling'er can stay with the other children in the courtyard, or stay in the room next to Ye Fan's, depending on where the child wants to stay."

The room was simply but neatly furnished, just as it was when Lin Ye returned for the Chinese New Year last year, only it had been carefully maintained and was spotless.

The windows were open, providing excellent ventilation, and a scent of sun-dried, clean cotton fabric mixed with a faint aroma of soap wafted through the air.

Lü Hongmei then looked at Xiao Douzi, her eyes full of affection, "Ling'er, this will be your home from now on. If you want to play anything, or if you need anything, just tell Grandma, okay?"

"Okay, I understand, thank you Grandma." Little Douzi nodded obediently.

Lin Ye packed up the luggage he had brought with Xiao Douzi; it was almost evening.

Lü Hongmei came over and called them to go to the cafeteria for dinner.

As soon as you step into the renovated but still familiar cafeteria, the aroma of food mixed with the noise of children hits you.

Dozens of children, ranging in age from two or three to thirteen or fourteen, were lining up for their meals. When they saw Lü Hongmei bringing Lin Ye and a little girl they had never seen before, who was as pretty as a New Year's picture doll, they all looked at her curiously.

Lü Hongmei cleared her throat, trying to make her voice sound calmer after crying for so long.

"Children, this is Ling'er. She's five years old and is Uncle Ye Fan's daughter. She's been staying in our yard for the past few days."

"Hello, Ling'er!" A chubby-faced little boy shouted first, grinning with his missing front tooth.

"Hello, Ling'er! Uncle Lin Ye, you're here too!" A little girl with pigtails skipped and jumped to greet him.

"Where's Uncle Ye Fan? Isn't he coming back this year?"

"Yes, Uncle Ye Fan hasn't come for so long! I miss him so much..." Another slightly younger girl pouted sadly.

Lin Ye stood still, his figure stiffening under the bright lights.

He lowered his eyes, opened his mouth, but felt as if his throat was stuffed with cotton.

It took him a long time to find his voice:

"Uncle Ye Fan... he... he won't be coming back anymore..."