The conditions at the orphanage were limited, and it couldn't ensure that every child could attend elementary, middle, and high school... So, there was always hope that the children would be adopted when they reached a certain age. But by that time, Xia Xiaonuan was already over ten years old; once people heard her age, they basically gave up on adopting her.
The children who weren't adopted and remained at the orphanage could only continue their studies in middle and high school if they had excellent grades and received financial support.
Qiqi wasn't an exceptionally bright child and didn't excel in any particular aspect. Like many other children, her grades were always average.
Therefore, the reality at that time was that if she wasn't adopted, even attending middle school would be a problem.
