Raising Orphans, Not Assassins

[Ding!]

[Name: Sun Sheng]

[ID: 0004]

[Gender: Male]

[Age: 12 years old]

[Current Skill: None]

A blue, translucent interface appeared.

Chen Ye closed the interface with a thought.

“Grrrr…”

The sound of a growling stomach echoed.

Sun Sheng blushed and muttered softly, “Director, may I have something to eat first?”

“Grrrr…”

Another rumble followed.

“Dad!”

Da Ming grinned broadly, his expression simple and honest as he also turned to Chen Ye.

Hearing this, Sun Sheng and Da Ming exchanged glances and broke into laughter.

Chen Ye gave both of them a playful slap on the back of their heads.

“Alright, let’s go. Director will cook for you.”

“Fortunately, Xiao Sheng brought a fish. Let’s clean it up; it should taste great steamed.”

“Da Ming, take Xiao Sheng to the river for a bath first. Afterward, he can change into clean clothes.”

With these instructions, Chen Ye headed into the kitchen and got busy.

Before long, the rice was steaming, and the sound of small footsteps came from the courtyard.

“Dad!”

Da Ming returned, leading a freshly cleaned Sun Sheng.

Chen Ye glanced at the now-clean Sun Sheng, momentarily stunned. He rubbed his eyes, looking surprised.

“Well, you clean up pretty well, kid... almost as handsome as me.”

Gone was the disheveled boy from earlier.

Sun Sheng was now dressed in Da Ming’s old yellow hemp short shirt. His messy hair was tied back, revealing a bright and youthful face.

Though the clothes hung a bit loose on him, standing in the courtyard, he looked like a young tree swaying gracefully in the breeze.

Of course, he was still a bit behind Chen Ye.

Sun Sheng scratched his head sheepishly.

“Grrrr…”

His stomach growled again.

Chen Ye chuckled. “Hold on; the food’s almost ready.”

“Da Ming, help me bring out the dishes,” Chen Ye said.

“Director, let me do it.” Sun Sheng eagerly stepped into the kitchen. Upon seeing the dishes laid out on the table, he couldn’t help but gulp.

A plate of steamed fish, a roast chicken, and two stir-fried vegetable dishes. The rich aroma of the food filled the kitchen, and the dishes looked enticing. The glistening oil and fragrant smells made Sun Sheng’s mouth water.

Resisting the temptation, he carried the dishes out of the kitchen.

Before long, the meal was ready. The dining table at the orphanage was once again set for three.

“Let’s eat,” Chen Ye announced.

Da Ming wasted no time tearing off a drumstick and handing it to Chen Ye.

Chen Ye smiled and placed it back on Da Ming’s plate. “You’re still growing; you eat it.”

Da Ming grinned sheepishly and eagerly bit into the drumstick, his mouth soon glistening with oil.

Chen Ye tore off the other drumstick and placed it in Sun Sheng’s bowl. “Xiao Sheng, you eat too.”

“Since you’ve come to our orphanage, we’re family now,” Chen Ye said gently, picking up some vegetables with his chopsticks.

Sun Sheng stared at the drumstick in his bowl, his eyes gradually turning red.

He sniffled and, despite his growling stomach, didn’t touch the food right away.

Instead, he stood up from his chair, knelt down, and bowed deeply, his expression serious and respectful. “I’ve drifted through life with no one to guide me. Now that I’ve met you, Director, I wish to recognize you as my Foster father!”

With that, Sun Sheng kowtowed three times, the sound crisp and loud.

Chen Ye quickly set down his chopsticks and helped him up, smiling warmly. “Where did you learn such things? We don’t stand on such ceremonies here. Get up. It’s the thought that counts.”

Sun Sheng nodded firmly, his eyes still moist.

“Eat,” Chen Ye said, patting him on the shoulder.

The three of them started eating.

The meal didn’t last long.

One Sun Sheng and one Da Ming—both devoured the food as if they hadn’t eaten in days. The dishes and rice on the table were swept clean.

While eating, Sun Sheng’s eyes remained red, and his expression lacked the sharpness he had when Chen Ye first met him.

This put Chen Ye at ease. The new kid seemed decent.

After the meal, Sun Sheng took the initiative to clear the plates and wash them.

“Foster Father, you should rest. I’ll handle this!”

Though he was so full he could barely move, Sun Sheng insisted on working.

This made Chen Ye even more satisfied.

Sitting in his chair, Chen Ye summoned the system’s interface.

It was time to claim the reward for his recent mission.

With 1,000 points credited, his balance now totaled 3,682 points.

“Let’s see what trait I can draw this time,” Chen Ye thought, opening the orphan skill draw interface.

[Consume 1 orphan skill draw opportunity]

[Drawing begins...]

A translucent blue wheel of fortune appeared before Chen Ye.

A few seconds later, the wheel stopped.

[Ding!]

[Congratulations, host! You have drawn the orphan trait: Water Spirit.]

[Water Spirit: Greatly enhanced swimming ability and underwater combat effectiveness; however, it induces a longing for rivers and oceans.]

Seeing the trait, Chen Ye stroked his chin.

“This trait is rather odd, isn’t it?”

“Whatever, since Xiao Sheng has joined the orphanage, he’ll be treated equally.”

“He should have a skill too.”

Chen Ye assigned the Water Spirit skill to Sun Sheng.

“Viewed from another angle, this trait isn’t bad. It’s perfect for a fisherman!”

Chen Ye chuckled, rubbing his chin with satisfaction.

In the kitchen, Sun Sheng, washing dishes, shivered suddenly and instinctively looked toward the river outside Yuhang County.

A strange sensation welled up inside him, almost as if…

He wanted to jump into the river and swim.

Shaking off the odd feeling, Sun Sheng continued washing dishes.

“Now, let’s see what special building I can draw,” Chen Ye mused, using a special building draw opportunity.

[Ding!]

[Congratulations, host! You have obtained the special building: Star-Gazing Room.]

[Star-Gazing Room: Allows daily divination for the orphans at the orphanage, providing guidance on good and bad omens (the future can be altered).]

Please designate a location for the special building.

“Star-gazing and divination? Not bad.”

A floor plan of the orphanage appeared before Chen Ye.

The west wing had already been converted into a study, leaving few room options.

After some thought, Chen Ye placed the Star-Gazing Room in his own bedroom.

This way, he could perform divination first thing every morning.

“Good. With Xiao Lian traveling, I can keep an eye on her fate.”

Chen Ye sighed softly, an image of Xiao Lian in a green dress, her dimples showing in a gentle smile, surfacing in his mind.

…

“Qin Yi, Tower Master truly treats you well…” Huang San remarked with a tone filled with envy.

Qin Yi’s turbulent gaze gradually settled into calm.

“The Shenji Sect wants to annihilate the entire Fengyu Tower with a single order. Both the Wan Jin Hall and Tang Sect have already sent experts there.”

“The Tower Master summoning assassins from other prefectures makes his intentions clear,” a frail scholar holding a paper fan sighed. He opened and closed the fan repeatedly, his anxiety evident.

“Hmph! A direct disciple, all because of you—we didn’t even know about this until now,” Chen Er, with two purple-gold hammers strapped to his back, grumbled in a deep voice.

His gaze at Qin Yi was filled with disdain.

Chen Er despised connections-based disciples like Qin Yi.@@novelbin@@

Qin Yi remained silent, his eyes unreadable.

“When did the Tower Master recall the other assassins?” Qin Yi asked Huang San.

“On the fourth day of the seventh month—same day as Qing Xuzi’s disciple selection,” Huang San said lazily, a blade of grass shifting between his lips.

“That day, assassins from every region except Shaoxing and Lin’an started heading back to the Tower.”

“Today’s the eighth. Four days have passed. If we move now, it’s not too late. The assassins in the Northeast and Northwest can’t return in time.”

Huang San stroked the black sheath of his blade and glanced at Qin Yi. “So? Are you coming with us to the Tower?”

Nearby, an elderly woman carrying a basket spoke up, her hunched frame adding to her ominous tone.

“If you go, you might die.”

“I heard Wan Jin Hall and Tang Sect have sent many experts this time, including hall masters and direct disciples.”

TL Notes:

Steamed fish

Roast Chicken

Stir-fried Vegetables