Chapter 234

Chapter 234: Redemption (Big Chapter)

Lu Ye was feeling somewhat at a loss.

“Director, I’m still young…”

“But your intelligence makes me very happy. The Welfare Institute is facing increasing difficulties, and I don’t have enough time to teach you all. So, I need someone to take my place for their classes.”

“Not only are you a good child, but you’re also the best among this group. You can help share the load, right?”

Lu Ye’s cheeks flushed a bit from the compliment.

But Shen Xitang started to panic; things seemed to be going a bit off track.

“Director, Lu Ye is still young. Why not let me be the class leader?” Shen Xitang said earnestly.

Li Kaoshan’s expression suddenly turned cold.

“What do you think you are?”

Shen Xitang was furious and was about to charge at Li Kaoshan.

But Lu Ye quickly grabbed Shen Xitang’s hand.

The warmth from his palm brought Shen Xitang back to calm.

“Director, I can give it a try…”

“Hahaha, good! Starting today, you don’t need to pick up garbage anymore. Come to my office every morning, and I’ll give you private lessons!”

Lu Ye gently nodded.

Watching Lu Ye’s departing figure.

“Director, do you really want this kid to help you teach? What if something goes wrong? How about I take your place instead?” Worker Chen said with some concern.

Li Kaoshan shot her a cold glance.

To him, adults were just unreliable grasshoppers on the same rope.

Only the people he personally trained could be trusted.

“Get rid of that Yin Qingcheng.”

“Got it…”

Yin Qingcheng died once again!

The cracks on the Three Lives Stone widened a bit, and her eyes were full of madness.

Damn that Worker Chen!

Damn it all!

She had been killed by an ant, not once, but twice!

She activated the power of the Three Lives Stone again.

That night!

Yin Qingcheng’s tiny figure lurked in the darkness.

Evading each surveillance camera, she sneaked into the sleeping Worker Chen’s room.

A sharpened stick plunged fiercely into Worker Chen’s throat.

“Pff!”

Worker Chen’s eyes widened in shock, a wheezing sound escaping her throat as she struggled violently, tossing Yin Qingcheng aside.

The stick lodged in her throat was instinctively pulled out.

But with that…

Blood gushed forth.

“Murder!”

The commotion drew the attention of other workers, who immediately screamed in alarm.

Yin Qingcheng died once more.

But she felt exhilarated; finally, she had killed the most annoying worker.

Ugly woman, damn woman!

For the fourth time, she activated the power of the Three Lives Stone.

Workers at the Welfare Institute arrived, beginning to seal all windows with security bars.

The official claim from the Welfare Institute was that Worker Chen had died of heart failure due to overexertion.

Of course, the Welfare Institute also had to pay quite a bit of compensation.

Lu Ye was having classes with Li Kaoshan every day. Originally, Li Kaoshan was becoming increasingly busy, but after this incident, he was even busier.

“Lu Ye, do you believe what the director says?”

Shen Xitang asked once again.

“I believe!”

Lu Ye’s gaze remained resolute.

Finally, Lu Ye stepped onto the podium for the second time.

The first time, he was the chicken killed to warn others, and now, he took Li Kaoshan’s place, becoming the one to teach.

“Today, we’ll talk about what loyalty and righteousness mean!”

Li Kaoshan watched Lu Ye speak confidently, his expression a bit somber.

He didn’t know if the choice he made was right or wrong.

This Lu Ye seemed even scarier than he had imagined.

His phone buzzed again.

Li Kaoshan ignored it, focusing intently on Lu Ye’s lecture. Gradually, a satisfied smile spread across his face.

The treasure he had crafted himself was quite good!

From now on, it would be Lu Ye teaching.

After a few sessions of listening in, Li Kaoshan faded from the scene but would check the surveillance at any moment.

He was very busy.

From listening word for word.

To double speed listening.

Then to random listening.

Lu Ye’s authority grew, and the workers’ attitudes toward him improved significantly.

He even moved out of room 401 and got his own private dorm.

And his request was for Shen Xitang to come accompany him.

The workers exchanged knowing smiles; even though little Director Lu was young, he was starting to understand a thing or two.

Lu Ye was very diligent.

At night, he would go around visiting, understanding the children’s needs, and talking to them as peers.

Under this little director’s management, the whole Welfare Institute became increasingly united and obedient.

Everyone’s sense of belonging grew stronger.

Li Kaoshan was busier than ever.

Various new tasks appeared within the Welfare Institute.

Until one day, a group of people came to help the children at the Welfare Institute get checkups.

……

……

……

Yin Qingcheng simply could not understand what Lu Ye was doing now.

In this environment, she still couldn’t adapt—she was too weak.

Feeling utterly helpless!

Another day passed.

Truckloads of cotton were delivered.

Lu Ye looked at the heaps of cotton on the ground; Li Kaoshan’s call came in.

“Director.”

“Lu Ye, I’m giving you two days to strip all this cotton.”

“Alright, but I’d like to request some funds.”

“For what?”

“To buy them some snacks.”

Li Kaoshan fell silent, his voice suddenly sounding irritated. “A bunch of damn leeches, sucking my blood daily, and you want snacks? You don’t even deserve to eat crap!”

Call ended!

Lu Ye fell into silence.

He left.

“Yin Qingcheng, come here for a moment.” Lu Ye said.

Yin Qingcheng was stunned, her excitement surging. For the first time, Lu Ye had called on her voluntarily.

He finally knew to call for her!

“What’s up?”

Yin Qingcheng asked happily.

“Follow me!”

Lu Ye led Yin Qingcheng to the director’s office.

“I know you can pick locks; open this one!”

Yin Qingcheng looked at Lu Ye in disbelief. For so long, Lu Ye had conformed to the rules, and now he wanted her to open the door to the director’s office?

Suddenly, Lu Ye opened his arms.

He gave Yin Qingcheng a hug.

Yin Qingcheng……

A hug……

How long had it been since she felt Lu Ye’s embrace?

No more dilly-dallying; she opened the door.

Lu Ye searched inside and quickly found some cash.

Holding this cash, he went to Worker Liu.

“The director wants you to go buy some snacks and bring them all back!”

Lu Ye said.

Worker Liu looked at the several thousand in cash, overjoyed.

“Sure, I’ll get the job done!”

“Worker Wang, please move the TV out and set it up over the pile of cotton on the second floor, making sure all the kids can watch TV while stripping cotton.”

“Alright…”

Before long, the TV came alive.

What was playing was “Ultraman Tiga.”

Worker Liu rushed back. She originally thought the snacks were for the workers, but Lu Ye asked the workers to share them with the kids.

Many workers stared at the beer and soda…

“From now on, there will be compensation for you all; the kids need to relax too,” Lu Ye said with a smile.

Worker Liu was extremely displeased and was about to scold Lu Ye.

“Alright, alright, let them enjoy. The director said when he’s not here, listen to the little director.”

Snacks weren’t that big of a deal.

That day, a lot of snacks were distributed to the orphans at the Welfare Institute.

For a moment, it felt like a festival in the orphanage.

Every child wore a bright smile.

This moment’s smiles were pure.

Shen Xitang hugged a can of beer, sipping away, occasionally munching on some spicy strips.

Lu Ye also ate snacks, watching all the smiles on everyone’s faces.

Due to the excessive cotton supply, it was apparent they would be pulling an all-nighter.

Kids had treats and TV; that was no problem, but the workers were struggling and yawning one after another.

“Auntie, you all should go get some sleep; I’ll keep an eye on things here.”

“The director isn’t here; no one will know.” Lu Ye said cheerfully, looking quite adorable.

The workers were dead tired, but still left one worker to watch over.

By the time three in the morning hit…

This worker couldn’t hold on any longer; “Ultraman Tiga” had lost all its charm.

In this world, where was the light?

So, he left too.

“Ultraman Tiga” reached its final episode.

“Please lend your light to Tiga!”

One by one, the kids stretched out their hands, and likewise, the orphanage children reached their hands out.

Lu Ye witnessed this scene and couldn’t help but burst into tears.

Clearly, all the children believed they had their own light.

But this cage would confine them in darkness for a lifetime.

“Now, listen to my orders!”

Lu Ye started.

“Quietly, hug the cotton, cover the corridors! Surround all the houses!”

A group of children, puzzled.

But Lu Ye had long instilled the mindset of following orders within them.

The children began to act.

“Who’s doing what?”

A worker woke up.

“What noise?”

“Auntie, they were too sleepy, so I let them move about. I didn’t disturb you, right?” Lu Ye said.

“Oh, that’s fine. Just keep it down; I’m exhausted.”

“Got it!”

“Sleep tight, Auntie.”

“Make even less noise.”

Yin Qingcheng and Shen Xitang stood still at this moment.

At this moment, the two found themselves side by side, watching as Lu Ye directed all the kids in this activity.

Their bright eyes shone.

Filled with fear, excitement, and struggle.

Their movements didn’t stop.

“Ultraman Tiga” had acquired the power of light.

Until everything concluded.

So much cotton spread across the entire Welfare Institute.

Lu Ye pulled out a lighter.

All the kids began to tremble, their expressions contorted in pain and struggle.

This was their home!

This was their home!

“This is a den of demons!”

Lu Ye proclaimed.

The twisted faces faltered for a moment.

“This is the pit that binds us, suffocates us, and treats us as tools!”

Everyone’s expression turned calm.

The flame gently ignited on the cotton.

Everyone knew cotton burned rapidly.

In an instant, flames spread fiercely, shooting up into the sky, devouring everything.

The piercing sound of alarm bells blared.

Li Kaoshan was practically going insane, driving while watching the surveillance on his phone.

After just finishing a drink, he glanced at the monitor; initially, everything seemed fine, with all the kids stripping cotton.

But after a while, Li Kaoshan was taken aback.

Snacks?

Where did they get those snacks?

Weren’t they banned?

He quickly checked his office’s surveillance, his face transforming into a terrifying mask.

Lu Ye had slipped beyond his control.

He would deal with him tomorrow!

He had drunk too much and had no strength today.

He squinted for a while.

Suddenly jolted awake.

No way!

He began checking the surveillance again, but what appeared shocked him to the core.

He shot up, the car roaring.

At this moment, flames had caught on.

Blazing and furious!

The night sky lit up with red!

The whole Welfare Institute was ablaze!

A group of kids, for the first time, leaving the Welfare Institute without any workers guiding them.

Gazing at the grand flames.

“Beep beep beep…”

The crazed horns shattered the sounds of the fire.

Li Kaoshan’s face twisted like a demon.

“Damn little brat, damn little brat!”

At that moment, the children felt genuine terror rising in their hearts.

Lu Ye also looked towards Li Kaoshan.

“I trusted you so much, and you did this to me; everyone, now, immediately, kill him!”

Li Kaoshan shouted.

His command was one that everyone had always feared to disobey.

But this time, not a single child moved.

They were simply terrified, feeling pure terror.

Lu Ye smiled, glancing at the faces of these frightened children.

“Remember, the last lesson!”

Lu Ye’s voice rang out.

All the children looked at Lu Ye.

Waiting for him to speak.

Kids weren’t fools; they could tell who was good and who was bad.

“First love yourself, then love others!”

With that, little Lu Ye charged towards Li Kaoshan like a moth to a flame.

The children were stunned.

They stared in shock at Lu Ye’s charge.

Watching Lu Ye being knocked down to the ground.

Seeing Li Kaoshan grind his heel into Lu Ye’s head.

“Ah!”

A child screamed, charging at Li Kaoshan like a madman.

The second!

The third!

The fourth!

……

Lu Ye’s face sank into the dirt, yet he smiled.

Tears streamed down his face incessantly.

He was redeeming others, but wasn’t he also redeeming himself?

First love yourself, then love others.

The path of redemption lay within!