Free Web NovelChapter 136: Chapter 136: The Adoption Center
Shi Lan didn’t have much time for games before. She usually played single-player games or read novels. After coming to this world, her biggest hobby was binge-watching the local TV shows and seeing the men get into catfights.
Life on Black Star was just too isolated. It wasn’t until she started hanging out with Chen San these past couple of days that she realized how advanced this world’s holographic games were. It was a truly flourishing scene.
Genres like farming sims, competitive sports, and team-based games were all very popular.
Among these games, many had tasks that required help, like grinding mobs or gathering Spiritual Treasure herbs. Some wealthy people who didn’t have the time would post job listings for others to do it for them.
Shi Lan had curiously gone to check it out. Some of the prices were quite impressive, but the work was definitely tiring. These Spiritual Treasures were all guarded by Divine Beasts, and defeating them was very time-consuming. It wasn’t as fast or as easy as making money through her healing.
However, there was one downside to holographic games: the lower a person’s spiritual power, the shorter their playtime.
Chen San, being B-level, could play for three consecutive hours before being forced to take an hour-long break to get back online. Someone with the original owner’s F-level spiritual power could probably only last half an hour at most, and their mandatory recovery period would be even longer.
’No wonder there’s so little information about games in the original owner’s memories.’
Chen San, who rarely woke up this early, was still groggy. It took him a moment to process Shi Lan’s words before he gave a lazy yawn. "I’m okay. I got three or four hours of sleep."
He just wasn’t used to getting up so early, but his mom had insisted on waking him. And his mom was right—it really wasn’t safe for a female like Shi Lan to go out alone.
Shi Lan stepped aside. "Want to come in and have some breakfast? I’m having sliced pork congee."
Chen San’s nose twitched slightly. "Okay."
He hadn’t eaten breakfast in ages since he could never get up in the morning. So, his dad usually only made breakfast for his mom. With his dad not at home, it never even occurred to his mom that her son might want breakfast if he woke up early.
Chen San seemed to float inside. He gave Shi Lan’s room a quick glance. It looked mostly the same as before, but the flowers decorating the dining table seemed to make the place a bit cozier.
He sat down at the table, and Shi Lan ladled some congee for him.
Chen San took a small bite, but it was too hot, and he put the spoon down.
Shi Lan curiously took a bite herself. "It seems fine. Is it really that hot?"
It wasn’t fresh out of the pot and had already cooled down a fair bit.
Chen San frowned. "Yeah."
"Alright then, wait for it to cool down a little more before you eat."
Shi Lan remembered he was a Cat Beastman, and cats seemed to be very sensitive to heat. She understood immediately and poured him a glass of cool water.
Chen San took a few sips and waited a while longer before starting on the congee again.
As he ate, he asked, "Are we still going to the orphanage today?"
The reason Chen San had gotten up so early was that Shi Lan had mentioned yesterday that she wanted to visit the orphanage again today.
After all, the original owner had come from that orphanage. It had been a small sanctuary for her, and the director was a very kind man. Since she was making a rare trip back, Shi Lan had gone to visit him yesterday.
However, she had played with some of the children yesterday, and many of them had asked her to come back again today, so she planned on making another trip.
Shi Lan nodded. "Mhm, I promised them. You can’t lie to children; they take everything to heart."
"Yeah."
Chen San nodded and said no more, silently finishing the congee in his bowl.
Watching him eat his small portion, Shi Lan suddenly thought of Jiang Xia. ’He would have probably polished off the rest of the pot, not leaving a single grain in his bowl.’
For some reason, she suddenly let out a laugh.
Chen San looked at her, confused. Shi Lan’s smile vanished awkwardly, and she turned her head away, feigning composure.
Chen San subconsciously touched the corner of his mouth and couldn’t help but blush as he licked away a stray bit of congee.
Gazing at the soft lines of her profile, he thought she had been laughing at him. He unnaturally picked up his glass and took a few sips of water to cool his flushed face.
After breakfast, Chen San accompanied her to the orphanage.
The orphanage was much farther away than Chang’an Village, so the two of them took a bus instead of walking. Shi Lan even got off midway to buy a few things.
「Half an hour later, they arrived at their destination.」
Just as she got off the bus, before she had even gotten close, she could hear the clamorous sounds of the children at the orphanage from a distance.
She walked slowly toward the orphanage. Through the main gate, she could see the director leading the children in a game.
Although her memories told her the original owner had a difficult time growing up as an orphan, her days at the orphanage had been decent. The director was like a father figure to all the children, playing and laughing with them every day and offering them plenty of companionship. While the children at the orphanage had their little squabbles, the overall atmosphere was harmonious. ƒrēewebnovel.com
Shi Lan watched from the gate. She hadn’t been standing there for long when a child noticed her and shouted with delight, "Yay, Sister Shi Lan is here!"
Then, a large group of children swarmed toward Shi Lan like a buzzing hive of bees, surrounding her completely and pushing the superfluous Chen San to the edge.
"Wow, Sister Shi Lan, you really came?"
"This is great!"
"Sister Shi Lan, hugs!"
...
The children clung to Shi Lan, showering her with praise and declarations of affection, every one of them full of enthusiasm.
Chen San stood helplessly in a corner, exchanging a glance with the director.
The director was rather old, his wrinkled face creased into a kind and gentle smile.
Shi Lan, stuck in the crowd of children and unable to move an inch, announced, "Everyone, go back to the yard and line up right now. I’ll be giving out snacks in a bit, and the best-behaved child gets an extra reward!"
Hearing this, the children’s eyes lit up, and they immediately ran back into the yard. Soon, a long line of little tykes of all different heights had formed. They all stared at Shi Lan without blinking, as if to say, ’Sister Shi Lan, see how well-behaved I am!’
A genuine smile spread across Shi Lan’s face. She walked in, greeting the director as she passed him.
The director was all smiles. "Xiao Lan, you came again?"
Shi Lan nodded. "Mhm, I promised them yesterday. I couldn’t break my promise."
"Good, good, good."
The director said repeatedly. He rubbed his sore back and found a stool to sit on nearby.
"I’m really getting old. Just a little while of fooling around with them and my back is already giving out. It’s a good thing you young people have the energy to play with them for a bit."
Shi Lan looked at him and pulled a massager out of her Space Bag. "Director, this is for you. You can use it whenever you’re feeling sore."
Shi Lan had noticed him rubbing his back when she visited yesterday, so she had made a special trip to buy this when she got off the bus halfway.
The director’s spiritual power was low, which was why he was still a single male in his seventies. But at his age, he was at peace with such things. Just being able to see so many children made him happy.
He happily accepted the massager. "Oh, thank you, Xiao Lan. You’re so thoughtful."
Shi Lan smiled, then said, "Well, I’m going to go play with the kids now, okay?"
"Go on."
With that, she went over and started distributing the large bags of snacks and stationery she had bought from her Space Bag.
Chen San stood by the entrance with his arms crossed, watching her. The director thoughtfully pulled out another stool from the side. "Care to sit?"
Chen San glanced inside again before sitting down.
The director said with a beaming smile, "You like her?"
