Chu Hao was vexed. He couldn't remember anything from yesterday. After leaving the apartment, he called Li Yin, but that kid had drunk too much the day before and couldn't get up at all.
Chu Hao had to go alone. He didn't have a driver's license and couldn't drive, so he had to take a coach to Jiulong County.
This was a frustrating matter. He'd have to get a driver's license when he returned. Otherwise, what would be the point of leaving the luxury cars at the villa untouched?
After getting on a coach that took him to the highway, he then switched to a minibus. Jiulong Town wasn't a developed place, but its roads were still fairly smooth. Following downstream along the Yangtze River, it took six hours to finally arrive at Jiulong Town.
Jiulong Town was located at the edge of a canyon by the Yellow River, where people lived off fishing, and the Yellow River sustained them.
But the Yellow River had also claimed many lives, and people both loved and feared it. It wasn't actually the Yellow River that consumed people; that was just how people talked about it.
Because bodies often drifted down from upstream. These corpses were quite peculiar: some were clothed in modern attire and others in ancient garments, a very eerie sight.
So, in Jiulong Town, nobody went near the Yellow River after dark. It was said that those drifting corpses were seeking replacements.
Chu Hao grew up listening to these stories. Back then, the old orphanage director always warned them to stay far away from the Yellow River at night, and it was best not to leave home after nine o'clock.
Although Jiulong Town wasn't developed, it had a beautiful environment. To the north were the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers, and to the south, primordial forests.
Aside from fishing, the people there also often went hunting in the mountains, so resources were quite abundant.
In recent years, many tourists from outside had come to Jiulong Town to experience the hunting life.
Chu Hao arrived at the orphanage. It had vines growing in its corners. Although the walls were somewhat dilapidated, they were full of vitality.
Just as Chu Hao was about to enter, he saw a black Volkswagen pull up at the orphanage entrance. A woman in sunglasses got out of the car, her head held high as she arrogantly sized up the orphanage.
Another person got out of the driver's seat; it was Ju Desheng.
The woman said indifferently, "Why is this place so rundown?"
Ju Desheng forced a smile. "Honey, it is a bit shabby here. I told you not to come, but you insisted on following."
The woman snorted coldly. "I was bored stiff at home. Can't I come out to shake off some boredom? I heard you can go hunting here. My brother even brought the shotguns."
Another SUV pulled up, valued at around seven to eight hundred thousand. Two young men, around twenty-five or twenty-six years of age, got out. They also wore sunglasses, dressed fashionably, and had cigarettes dangling from their mouths. One said, "Little Dog, this is that orphanage, right?"
"Yes, Brother Jiang," Ju Desheng replied with a smile.
At that moment, Ju Desheng saw Chu Hao and vividly remembered the events of the previous night. However, with his girlfriend beside him, it wasn't appropriate to say much.
"Little Maozi, you're here too! Why didn't you let me pick you up?" Ju Desheng approached Chu Hao, draping an arm over his shoulder in a friendly manner.
Chu Hao responded with a slight smile, "Brother Gou, you didn't say you were coming to pick me up."
Ju Desheng lit a cigarette and laughed. "Now, now, am I that kind of person?"
Ju Desheng opened the trunk and took out bags of gifts, all common supplements. Seeing Chu Hao empty-handed, he asked, "Little Maozi, didn't you buy anything?"
Before Chu Hao could respond, Ju Desheng slapped his forehead. "Oh! I almost forgot, you're still a student."
Chu Hao said, "I did buy some things; they're on their way."
"Oh, you mailed them?"
Ju Desheng's girlfriend and the two fashionably dressed young men paid Chu Hao little attention, dismissing him as just a poor kid, probably from the orphanage. They simply walked inside.
The orphanage resembled a large traditional quadrangle dwelling. A towering willow tree stood in the courtyard, its roots sprawling across the ground.
The ground was very clean, clearly swept frequently. Chu Hao couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement returning to the orphanage once again.
He had returned in past years too. Back then, he was so poor he could barely get by, but every year, no matter how destitute, he would still buy gifts for his younger brothers and sisters at the orphanage.
Just as Chu Hao entered the orphanage, he saw a chubby kid running over, ecstatically shouting, "Brother Mouse is back! Brother Mouse is back!"
However, in his haste, he bumped into Ju Desheng's girlfriend.
Ju Desheng's girlfriend shrieked, "You little brat, you've bumped into your auntie here!"
Little Fatty made a face, which only infuriated the woman more.
Ju Desheng said placatingly, "Honey, calm down. He's just a kid. I'll make him apologize, okay?"
Ju Desheng put on a stern face. "Little Fatty, what's your name?"
"Wang Shuang," the little boy replied.
Ju Desheng said in surprise, "You're Wang Shuang? You've grown so big!"
Wang Shuang made another face and ignored Ju Desheng, instead clutching Chu Hao's arm. "Brother Mouse, who are they?"
Chu Hao patted his head and said with a smile, "This is Brother Gou, Ju Desheng. He's also from our orphanage. When he left, you were only three years old."
"Brother Gou?" Wang Shuang's eyes widened.
Ju Desheng, feeling proud, said, "Little Fatty, Brother Gou even held you when you were little."
Ju Desheng was also very happy. After all, it had been many years since he had returned to the orphanage. Seeing the little brothers and sisters from back then filled his heart with an indescribable joy.
Ju Desheng's girlfriend, however, was not pleased. "Ju Desheng, what do you think you're doing?" she snapped.
Ju Desheng quickly put on a serious face. "Wang Shuang, you bumped into someone, so you need to apologize. That's rude, understand?"
Little Fatty mumbled an "Oh" and apologized to the woman.
This woman is insufferable, acting like a spoiled brat with that awful temper, Chu Hao thought. But, out of consideration for Ju Desheng, he didn't say much, only asking, "Brother Gou, is this your wife?"
Ju Desheng introduced them, "This is my girlfriend, Bai Jingyu. This is her brother, Bai Jiangming. And this is Brother Ku; just call him Brother Ku. He's several years older than you."
Chu Hao sized up Bai Jingyu. Her appearance wasn't remarkable, her face caked in heavy makeup. Seeing how respectfully Ju Desheng treats her, she must come from a wealthy family, he mused.
Chu Hao said indifferently, "An adult shouldn't squabble with a child, don't you think?"
"What's it to you?" Bai Jingyu retorted, glaring.
Oh? She's got quite an attitude, Chu Hao thought.
Ju Desheng quickly interjected, "Little Maozi, we're just teaching Wang Shuang that he should apologize if he bumps into someone."
"Fine. For Brother Gou's sake, I'll let it slide this time. But don't let it happen again," Chu Hao said, then turned and walked away.
Hearing Chu Hao's words, Bai Jingyu's expression soured. Bai Jiangming frowned and asked, "Little Dog, who is this kid? He talks big."
Ju Desheng watched Chu Hao's retreating figure and said helplessly, "He's from the same orphanage as me. He's a high school student now."
Bai Jingyu fumed, "A high school student acting so arrogant! Ju Desheng, if you still want to be with me, you'd better beat him up soundly for me."
Ju Desheng looked awkward. "There's... there's no need for that, right? He's just a kid."
"I don't care! If you don't beat him up, I'm breaking up with you," Bai Jingyu said coldly, crossing her arms.