Xel and Xue returned back to the orphanage, along with their new companion Yan. The children were inside running around and playing. None of them were training and studying. That was to be expected. Without anyone to supervise them, no normal children would give up the rare chance to play without restraint.

When they saw Xel and Xue they ran towards them and asked them questions like, ‘How come it took you so long?’ and ‘Can you play with us?’

Although the children were happy that no adults were around to control them and they had the freedom to play as much as they wanted, seeing their big brother and big sister made them realized that they did indeed missed them and would want to have them back.

Then they saw Yan, a newcomer who was not a kid like them and asked who she was. Usually if there were newcomers they would be children of their age. But this girl in front of them was much older. Was Xel taking in even older people now?

Xue replied, ‘This is the big sister who is going to help us take care of you from now onwards. Don’t bully her ok? Her name is Yan.’

The kids stood some distance away from her and refused to come near her.

‘She stinks,’ one of the boys said.

Children, because of their innocence, tend to be more direct with their words. They do not know how to phrase it in such a way it is pleasing to the ears. But what they said were usually true, and would not harbor any ill thoughts or ulterior motives behind their words. For adults, they would rather hear nice words than honest thoughts. This is what everyone learns, as time goes by. Slowly, little by little, children shed away their purity and take on a mask as they prepare to go to the outside world.

But Xue thought it would be better for them to stay innocent for just a while longer. Just a while longer.

So she did not tell them not to say their honest opinions, instead she said, ‘All of you will also stink if no one takes care of you. She will be clean after she bathes.’

Xue did not scold them for being direct and saying the hurtful truth, but she taught them to appreciate the things they had and to sympathize with the others who were not as fortunate as them. While Xel stayed back and mixed around with the kids, Xue took Yan inside the house. They were on the field just now, which was also the property of Xel. Xel knew the importance of playing and spending time with the children, so despite his urges to rest he pushed the thoughts back to accompany the kids.

The children would not understand that a person who just came back home would need rest. They only knew that the person who came back disappeared from their lives for a certain period of time and would want him or her to be with them. Xel knew that. So, that was why he played with them. If he wanted to take care of the children, he would do the best he can, not just some half-hearted job of giving them a house and food instead of a home with warmth.

As an adult, he could take up that kind of responsibility. Without being married, without having a kid of his own, he became like a father, as well as a big brother to the children. And Xue, became a big sister with a little of their childishness. That was their life. It was a simple life, a life Xel liked and a life which Xue was not satisfied with.

Walking inside the building of the orphanage, Yan asked, ‘Why did both of you set up an orphanage? It doesn’t seem to bring in any revenue.’

Xue told her, ‘All this was Xel’s idea. I was just following along because at that time the decision was made, I was not old enough to be independent. Even now, I may not even be fully independent. Anyway, Xel used to have no parents too, like me, and led a hard life. That’s why he wants to help as many homeless kids as possible so they would have a better life and a brighter future. Because he had gone through all these, he wanted the kids to have a more normal childhood. A childhood they would enjoy. If no one wants to be their father, he would be their father. If no one wants them, then he would take them.’

‘He is kind, isn’t he?’

‘No, he is just an idiot,’ Xue replied.

Yan laughed at that. Xue simply refused to admit what she thought.

Then she told Yan, ‘Don’t ever tell Xel you think he is kind. He doesn’t like that and he will end up telling you that you are badly mistaken.’

‘Really? Why?’

‘No idea.’

‘Then what do you think about him?’

‘Who knows? He always says I might hate him one day. I don’t know about that too. But as for now, I guess I kind of like him, not the kind of romantic feelings you know.’

‘Yea, maybe I think I know.’

‘You sure?’

‘I guess so…’

‘Don’t get the wrong idea you know…’

The conversation continued as Xue brought Yan to the bathroom. After the bath Xue showed her her room. As she walked across the corridor inside the building, she came to a window which showed the compound outside. For a moment, Yan looked at Xel playing with the kids and then went off to her room. Along the way Xue explained to her the nature of her job.

‘Basically you only need to help maintain the place and take care of the kids when we are not around. Usually we will be around. But if it happened that the both of us need to be away, then you would be in charge of this place. As for cooking… do you know how to cook?’

‘A little.’

‘Well then we take turns to cook…’

Xue continued to explain to her what she thought Yan would need to know. Evening came and they had dinner together. The table was noisy as usual, with everyone talking. The kids were unable to stay put and eat in peace. It was the usual playtime for the children after that and later they went to sleep.

As Yan was dozing off, she looked out to the night sky through the window and thought to herself: When was the last time I ate decent food, bathed and slept on the bed? This kindness, and this feeling, I will never forget.

She could not remember since when she had felt washed and clean. She had already forgotten when she had eaten food fit for a human, or when she had slept on a proper bed. She did not eat delicacies for dinner just now, nor was she sleeping on the world’s most comfortable bed. But to her, what she ate was the most delicious of food, and in that cold night, she was lying down on the warmest bed. And finally, that night, she had a peaceful sleep and a sweet dream.