Chapter 30: How Much Money Could He Possibly Have?

Qin Shou.

He had once been a child of the orphanage too, just one year older than Chen An.

Back when they both lived at the orphanage, their relationship had been pretty good—they were always seen hanging around together.

But unlike Chen An, Qin Shou was adopted at the age of seven by a wealthy middle-aged couple who had returned from overseas.

Since then, they had gone their separate ways, rarely seeing each other again.

The couple who adopted him were not only wealthy, but also generous in spending money on Qin Shou. Unable to have children of their own, they showered all their affection on their one and only adopted son.

It was worth noting, however, that their first choice had actually been Chen An.

That polite, well-behaved boy with gentle looks had immediately struck the softest part of the couple's hearts.

But at the time, Chen An had refused adamantly to leave the orphanage, no matter how much they tried to persuade him. Left with no other option, they settled for Qin Shou instead.

Thinking of the name now, Chen An realized it had been quite a while since they'd last met.

Qin Shou had followed his adoptive parents to a big city, rarely returning to this small town.

Still, the memory lingered.

Chen An remembered how every time Qin Shou came back, he would ride in a shiny, luxurious sedan, dressed head to toe in name-brand clothes, wearing a confident smile that radiated pride.

He was no longer that timid little boy who used to cling to Chen An's backside wherever they went.

The change in his living circumstances had stripped away his past self-doubt and hypersensitivity. He had grown more capable, more confident—and slowly, he had become the kind of person other people admired.

…

By noon, a deep red sports car roared to a halt in front of the orphanage.

Its sleek, eye-catching body and loud, modern design stood in stark contrast to the orphanage's run-down buildings.

Such a flashy arrival immediately drew the attention of pedestrians and shopkeepers alike. All eyes were on the car, filled with curiosity and surprise.

After all, in this sleepy town, high-end sports cars were a rare sight indeed.

"Isn't that the kid from the orphanage? Heard he got adopted by rich folks—seems he's living pretty good now! What was his name again?"

"Oh, I know! I even saw the couple who adopted him back then—they came in another sports car. What a scene that was, tsk tsk."

"Looks like the apple didn't fall far from the tree…"

While the crowd chattered, the sports car's door opened, and out stepped a young man wearing sunglasses.

His face was handsome enough, his clothing all top-tier designer brands, and on his wrist sat a clearly expensive luxury watch.

He leaned casually on the car door, basking in the admiring gazes sent his way. The corners of his mouth couldn't help but lift slightly in satisfaction. He stood there for a full thirty seconds.

Only when he felt any longer would seem too deliberate did Qin Shou clear his throat, puff out his chest, and stride confidently toward the orphanage gates.

At the entrance, the orphanage director was already waiting, face lit with a wide smile. Clearly, he was genuinely glad to see Qin Shou come back to visit.

After all, he had raised the boy with his own hands.

Qin Shou returned the smile warmly, wrapping the old man in an enthusiastic hug.

Just as he opened his mouth to say something, his eyes fell upon the two figures standing behind the director.

A boy and a girl.

It was Chen An and Chen Xi.

At the sight of his childhood friend, Qin Shou's eyes lit up—but the moment his gaze shifted to the girl beside him, his brows furrowed instinctively.

So ugly.

That was his first reaction.

Even though this wasn't his first time seeing her, Qin Shou still found it hard to accept that face—like something out of a horror story.

Still, he kept the smile on his face, skillfully masking the flicker of disgust in his eyes.

He called out with a grin, "Brother An!"

Chen An looked over, met his eyes, and smiled back.

He felt a little nostalgic. He remembered how, when they were young, Qin Shou would always stick to him like glue, calling him "Big Brother An" with unfiltered affection.

Times had changed. That affectionate nickname had long since vanished.

Not that Chen An cared. He felt no melancholy, no sense of loss over how things used to be.

These days, Qin Shou returning to the orphanage felt a bit like a hero's triumphant return. His aura carried a faint but unmistakable air of superiority.

Even though he tried to suppress it, such things were hard to hide. It wasn't anything malicious—just the natural pride of a teenager who had climbed the social ladder.

That was only normal.

A single nickname didn't mean much.

Compared to those who never bothered to return once they left the orphanage, Qin Shou could already be considered remarkably conscientious.

So Chen An spoke.

"Long time no see, Qin Shou."

Qin Shou walked over and gave him a friendly punch on the shoulder, laughing.

"Yeah, it's been a while."

The two exchanged pleasantries. Though both were smiling, Qin Shou could sense it—there was an invisible distance between them now.

He sighed internally, the story of Run Tu and Zha in My Old Home drifting into his thoughts.

'Seems like there's a wall between us now too—cold and regrettable.'

…

Without disturbing the other children, Qin Shou made his way straight to the director's office.

Unlike Chen An, he had no patience for those noisy little brats. They were loud, messy, and constantly left mud and shoe prints all over his expensive clothes.

That was what Qin Shou hated the most.

'Do you brats have any idea how much these shoes cost?!'

But he could never bring himself to get angry at them, so he just endured it in silence.

Eventually, he asked the director not to announce his visits in advance.

He didn't want a big welcome. In the office, Qin Shou sat across from the director.

Chen An and Chen Xi had gone to the kitchen to prepare food.

Qin Shou was quite pleased with their tactful retreat.

After all, he was here today to discuss serious matters with the director—a matter involving hundreds of thousands of yuan. Naturally, it required a degree of formality.

Clearing his throat, Qin Shou reached into his pocket and pulled out a bank card, placing it gently on the table.

"Director, about repairing the orphanage—I already spoke to you on the phone, right?"

The director nodded, clearly gratified. "Yes, yes. The fact you care at all already means a lot to me. Honestly, the orphanage has made it through all these years. It's not like a little renovation is make or break…"

He spoke casually, but Qin Shou caught something in his words that made him frown.

"What do you mean 'you all'? Besides me, who else wants to do this?"

The director froze for a moment, then chuckled. "Oh, it's Chen An. He came to see me this morning too. Said he wanted to help pay for renovating the orphanage—said a lot of the facilities were old and unsafe to use."

At that, the director chuckled warmly. "This kid… the way he said it, like we're living in some death trap. I've managed this place for decades and no one's ever been hurt…"

Qin Shou raised his hand, cutting him off irritably.

"Wait a minute, Director. What's he getting involved for? Isn't he still in school? Where's he even getting the money? How much could he possibly have?"

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