Chapter 152: Tears of Gratification

The group of thugs, dressed in neat leather shoes and carrying briefcases, finally departed under the leadership of the man sporting a thick gold chain.

Times have truly changed. Once upon a time, debt collectors were known for their outlandish, rebellious appearances. What did those thugs look like in the past? They had hair dyed in a riot of colors, pants adorned with clanking iron chains, and some even wore rings through their noses. No matter where they went, they carried themselves with a swaggering, insolent air. If anyone caught their eye the wrong way, they would start shouting or even smash bottles, the very image of unrefined ruffians.

But now? With the progress of the times and the spread of education, more and more thugs have become "cultured." Their attire has gradually shifted toward that of business professionals. No matter where they go, they wear sharp suits, gold-rimmed glasses, and meticulously slicked-back hair, never letting go of their briefcases. They look... even more like successful professionals than the successful professionals themselves. This is the change brought by the era!

"Xiao Yu, you shouldn't have agreed to those people." Seeing that the crisis had temporarily passed, Grandpa Dean approached Chang Yu, accompanied by Xiao Piqiu and Xiao Doubao.

Xiao Piqiu and Xiao Doubao were the youngest children in the orphanage, four years younger than Chang Yu. They earned their nicknames because one loved playing with a rubber ball and the other loved eating bean buns.

"That debt was borrowed by me years ago; it has nothing to do with you. There is no reason for you to bear this massive burden for me." As Grandpa Dean spoke, murky tears welled up, his face filled with shame and self-reproach. "Besides... that's five hundred thousand! Five hundred thousand! Such a huge sum—you could never scrape that together in a short period."

"Many people work their entire lives and fail to save five hundred thousand, let alone you, a young man who has only just stepped into society two years ago. Five hundred thousand is enough to change a person's life. Even if you pinched pennies and saved fifty thousand a year, it would take you ten years to pay it off. Life is so short—how many decades can one afford to squander? Grandpa doesn't want the best years of your life to be consumed by the daily grind of working to pay off debt."

Grandpa Dean was not wrong. Based on Chang Yu's current salary, even if he lived without eating or drinking, he would only make sixty thousand a year. Saving fifty thousand a year was nearly impossible, unless he and Yangyang could survive on a mere ten thousand a year.

Chang Yu spoke calmly. Though his heart felt heavy, he wore an indifferent expression on the surface. "Grandpa, the orphanage's business is my business. You and the orphanage raised me; without you, I wouldn't be who I am today. Now that you and the orphanage are in trouble, there is no way I can sit idly by. This is the conscience of a child raised in this orphanage!"

"I have sinned!" Grandpa Dean looked up and sighed in anguish. "Such a good child, ruined by me."

"Brother Chang Yu, we have dragged you down," Xiao Piqiu said, holding Chang Yu's hand, his face full of shame.

"Brother Chang Yu, don't worry about us. We will work hard to support ourselves and Grandpa," Xiao Doubao added solemnly.

Looking at the half-grown boy who was only half a head shorter than him, Chang Yu’s eyes softened. Xiao Piqiu and Xiao Doubao were mature and sensible for their age; in fact, children raised in the orphanage were generally more aware than their peers in the outside world.

"I haven't seen you in two years, and you've grown so tall," Chang Yu said, affectionately patting Xiao Piqiu’s head.

"Me too, I've grown too!" Xiao Doubao chimed in, not wanting to be left out.

"Yes, yes, you’ve all grown up. In a few more years, you'll be taller than me." Chang Yu smiled with relief, as gentle as an older brother from next door. Though they were not siblings by blood, having grown up together in the orphanage made their bond as close as any real family.

"Don't just stand outside. It's not easy for Xiao Yu to visit, let's go inside and sit," Grandpa Dean said, wiping his eyes and ushering Chang Yu and his companion, Comrade Xiao Li, into the house to rest.

The orphanage was a standard quadrangle courtyard with four large bungalow-style rooms. Grandpa Dean’s quarters were in the main building. Inside, the furniture was exactly the same as it had been two years ago. Upon entering, one was met with a large heated brick bed (kang). Two old, dilapidated wardrobes stood against the wall, adorned with outdated New Year posters and calendars from years ago. Aside from these, the only other piece of furniture was a black wooden table facing south. An aluminum kettle sat on it, surrounded by several large porcelain mugs. The entire room had the distinct style of the 1980s.

After inviting Chang Yu and Xiao Li to sit at the table, Grandpa Dean poured them each a mug of hot water. "Xiao Yu, tell Grandpa, why haven't you called in these past two years?" Grandpa Dean looked at Chang Yu’s slightly thin face, his expression filled with curiosity and concern. For two full years, Chang Yu had been completely silent. He hadn't visited, nor had he called home once. To say Grandpa Dean hadn't missed him would be a lie.

"Grandpa, it’s not that I didn't miss you and the others. It’s just that these past two years I haven't been doing well, and I felt too ashamed to come back and see you." Recalling his struggles in society over the last two years, Chang Yu felt a sense of bitterness and helplessness. If he hadn't been failing to make something of himself, who wouldn't want to stay in touch with their family? "Now, my career is finally on the right track. I have a stable job and a steady income, so I finally felt I could come back to visit you without arriving empty-handed."

Having said this, Chang Yu patted Comrade Xiao Li and said, "Xiao Li, take out what we brought."

Xiao Li quickly picked up a large black plastic bag and placed it on the black wooden table. "Elder, we were in a rush when we left and couldn't bring you any decent gifts. These are just some common cigarettes and liquor. I hope you like them."

"Look at you child, just coming back is enough, why bring gifts? You're wasting money." Although Grandpa Dean complained that Chang Yu was being imprudent, Chang Yu could see the happy smile on his face and the way he hurried to open the bag. The old man was clearly delighted. After all, this was the first gift brought back by the child he had raised with his own hands; how could he not be happy? It was the same feeling a parent has when their child gets their first job and buys them a gift with their first paycheck.

"Oh!" Suddenly, Grandpa Dean, who had finally seen the contents of the plastic bag, cried out in alarm. "This... why are these Soft Zhonghua cigarettes and Moutai liquor? You call this 'common' cigarettes and liquor? Xiao Yu, why are you wasting your money? These things are so expensive! Take them back before they're opened; maybe they can give you a refund."

"Refunds are definitely out of the question. You just enjoy them," Chang Yu said, his heart aching as he looked at the old man's anxious expression. Unknowingly, his eyes turned slightly red. Grandpa Dean had lived in poverty for most of his life, spending all his savings on the orphans and never thinking of buying himself good tobacco, liquor, or clothes—even the clothes he wore now were patched. In his daily life, he smoked the cheapest cigarettes and drank the cheapest moonshine; he would never dream of smoking Zhonghua or drinking Moutai. Chang Yu even suspected the old man had never tasted them in his life.

Thinking of this, Chang Yu quickly picked up a pack of Zhonghua. Ignoring the old man's protests, he tore it open, his heart aching at the sight of Grandpa Dean’s pained expression. "Grandpa, try this. It's really good." He placed a cigarette in the old man's mouth and lit it for him with care.

Grandpa Dean shed tears of gratitude and comfort. The child had grown up and finally become sensible...

"Xiao Yu, Xiao Li, stay for lunch before you go. I'll have Xiao Piqiu go buy some fresh pork ribs; we'll have braised ribs for lunch today." Grandpa Dean exhaled a plume of blue smoke, his eyes filled with happiness. These Zhonghua cigarettes were indeed smooth—he had never smoked anything this good in his life. Today, he was finally enjoying the fruits of his successor's success!

"Sure, I haven't tasted your cooking in a long time. I'm in for a treat today," Chang Yu agreed without hesitation, not wanting to turn down the old man's kindness. This orphanage was the place where Chang Yu had spent eighteen years. Grandpa Dean had raised him from childhood, feeding and caring for him just like a real parent. Is there any child in the world who would act like a stranger to their own parents?

"You two sit, I need to make a few calls." After slowly finishing his cigarette, Grandpa Dean picked up a black notebook and an old-fashioned mobile phone from the table and stood up. Chang Yu knew what that black notebook was—it was the old man's phone book, containing the contact numbers of all the children who had left the orphanage.

"Are you going to call the older brothers and sisters?" Chang Yu guessed the old man's intentions immediately. The "older brothers and sisters" referred to the orphans who had left before him. They had all grown up under Grandpa Dean's care and were now out in society, using their skills to make a living—in other words, working and earning money.

"Yes," the old man admitted openly. "I want to contact the children from before and see if we can all chip in some money. After all, it's too unfair for you to bear the entire debt alone. The orphanage raised them for so many years; if they hear we are in trouble, they will surely help."

Would those older brothers and sisters... help Grandpa Dean? Unlike Grandpa Dean’s idealism, Chang Yu didn't believe they would be so generous as to donate their own money. Human nature is actually quite base. People might remember every person who has wronged them, but they don't necessarily remember those who once helped them. People often habitually forget their benefactors once they become successful. As time passes, whatever little gratitude they once held fades away.

Chang Yu was very skeptical that those so-called older brothers and sisters would willingly donate their money after hearing that the orphanage was in trouble. This suspicion was not unfounded, as most of them rarely returned to visit Grandpa Dean or the younger children who lived with them. Chang Yu felt that if they had even a shred of attachment to this place, they wouldn't have stayed away for so many years. Perhaps, for many of them, that period of poverty was a painful memory they didn't want to mention—a dark history, a stain on their lives. Every time they thought of life here, they subconsciously avoided these unpleasant memories, locking them deep inside and pretending they never happened. After all, not everyone has the courage to face their own tragic past.