That evening, Ye Chen arrived at the Orphanage.
The Orphanage was bustling with activity.
It was Ye Chen's first time spending New Year's at the Orphanage.
Red lanterns were strung everywhere, filling the place with festive color.
A few children were romping about the yard.
Ye Chen was already a familiar face here.
Spotting him, the little ones crowded around.
"Big Brother Ye Chen!"
Ye Chen smiled and handed out the candies he'd just bought at the supermarket.
The children happily scrambled for the sweets.
"Where's Sister Yingluo?" he asked one of them.
"She's helping in the kitchen," the child replied with a grin.
Ye Chen headed to the kitchen; most of the older kids were there, busy preparing the meal.
Some were washing vegetables, others boiling water.
He found Xia Yingluo at the wok.
So small and yet holding a huge ladle over a giant pot—Ye Chen's heart ached at the sight.
Seeing the beads of sweat on her forehead, he couldn't help wiping them away.
Feeling the warmth of his hand, Xia Yingluo's face instantly flushed.
Though the two were already close,
and such intimate gestures weren't unheard of,
the Orphanage was the place she'd grown up; its teachers and children were her dearest family.
Ye Chen's affectionate move still made her a little shy.
She sneaked a glance around—luckily, no one had noticed.
Just then a hearty laugh rang out: "Ye Chen, you're here."
Ye Chen smiled. "Hello, Dean Zheng."
"Welcome—our Orphanage's honored guest," the dean said cheerfully.
"You're too kind, Dean. As Yingluo's friend, coming here feels like coming home."
Xia Yingluo's cheeks reddened at the words.
"Right, right—home! This is Yingluo's home and yours too. Excellent, excellent."
To Xia Yingluo, Dean Zheng was like a father.
Hearing him say that, her face flushed even hotter.
"Haha, Yingluo talks about you all the time, and the kids miss you. Come visit often," the dean added.
Ye Chen nodded. "I will."
"Thank you, truly. The Library and Basketball court you built for the children are huge hits, and Yingluo's been so much happier lately because of you."
Xia Yingluo kept her head lowered, shyly.
Dean Zheng genuinely liked Ye Chen.
If meeting the parents was a test, Dean Zheng's hurdle had clearly been cleared.
Just then Song Yuyu came running over.
"Big Brother Ye Chen, you're finally here! Sister Yingluo kept looking outside."
"Yuyu, spout any more nonsense and I'll smack you," Xia Yingluo said, mortified.
Song Yuyu feigned despair: "Ever since Ye Chen showed up, my place in Sister Yingluo's heart has plummeted—clearly no love left for me."
Xia Yingluo shot her a glare. "Keep babbling and I'll tell the dean how you sneak out of the Orphanage all the time."
"Hey—big sis, I give up! Don't want a scolding." Song Yuyu stuck out her tongue… Soon dinner was ready.
Tonight's feast was lavish: a Long Table completely covered with dishes.
About a dozen children sat in two neat rows.
Ye Chen and Xia Yingluo shared one side.
Xia Yingluo dished rice for the kids.
Ye Chen asked, smiling, "Did you cook all these dishes?"
She shook her head. "I made the Stir-Fried Greens and the Shredded-Pork in Garlic Sauce."
"Let me taste."
He took a bite of the fragrant pork strips.
Sweet-and-sour, absolutely delicious.
Then Xia Yingluo placed a Chicken Drumstick in his bowl.
"It's Free-Range Chicken the dean made—super tender," she said with a grin.
Beside them Song Yuyu grumbled: "Yingluo, you don't love me anymore. You used to give me the drumstick first."
Xia Yingluo rolled her eyes. "Ye Chen's our guest; the drumstick goes to the guest, right?"
She then served Yuyu some Greens.
"Look, you're getting a Double Chin—more veggies, less meat."
And she slipped a piece of pork into Ye Chen's bowl.
"Try the dean's signature Braised Pork," she urged.
Song Yuyu was crushed: watching their affection, she muttered, "Guest? They're clearly a couple."
She suddenly felt stuffed—force-fed with 'dog food'.
She glared at Ye Chen.
"Ever since you showed up, Sister Yingluo used to pile meat on my plate."
Ye Chen chuckled. "Can't be helped. Haven't you heard? Valuing love over friends is a built-in girl skill."
Xia Yingluo's face was so red she nearly hid under the table.
Song Yuyu felt like crying; her sister of over a decade had been stolen by Ye Chen.
The little boat of friendship capsized just like that.
After dinner came the New-Year Gala.
Song Yuyu grinned: "Yingluo has a performance tonight."
Ye Chen, seeing the other kids preparing, asked, "What act are you doing?"
"I'm Tone-Deaf and can't dance, so I'll be a proud, model spectator."
She puffed out her chest as she spoke… Suddenly a commotion arose outside.
A Mercedes-Benz Nanny Van and a TV Station Livestreaming Truck pulled into the Orphanage.
Ye Chen blinked. "TV crew as well?"
Song Yuyu curled her lip. "Every year some celebrity drops by for a song—just for publicity, no real love."
From the Nanny Van stepped a fresh-faced idol in his early twenties.
Looked like a trending star.
Ye Chen knew, though, the kid was a flash-in-the-pan who'd never truly hit it big.
CCTV staff had even erected a small Stage in the center of the Playground.
Ye Chen realized this was for live TV—otherwise there'd be no Stage or Sound System.
The gala began: the celebrity and Dean Zheng sat in the center, while Ye Chen and the children watched from little stools.
The Host, a TV-station reporter, beamed: "Today we've invited Uncle Wang Hao to spend New Year with our young friends."
Sparse applause followed.
Clearly the kids weren't interested in the pretty-boy star.
The male idol took the Stage,
singing and dancing.
Moves were okay, but the song was awful.
Ye Chen could see the young Audience's identical reaction:
brows furrowed, some kids even covering their ears.
Song Yuyu muttered, "He's so off-key. After that, even I think I could sing."
Ye Chen admired the star: sounding that bad yet still lost in self-admiration.
The idol beamed with confidence.
Little did he know his lethal performance left the kids restless and speechless!