Chapter Seventeen: The Wolf in Sheepskin

“Brother Lin, do you think that man… is going to be okay?” Bai Yun hesitated for a long time before finally asking.

She still remembered how the man had collapsed on the ground, his face pale and lifeless, yet twisted with an expression of fear. If he had died just like that, wouldn’t Lin Tian become a murderer?

That was something Bai Yun could never accept.

“Don’t worry, he’s not seriously hurt,” Lin Tian reassured her.

With his heavenly eye, he could see more clearly. Although the man looked deathly pale and foamed at the mouth, he was only pretending to be dead. In fact, from the faint glare in the man’s eyes, Lin Tian sensed a deep hatred and murderous intent.

It seemed this fellow would not let things rest so easily.

At this point, Lin Tian could only hope the man had some limits and wouldn’t harm the innocent in his quest for revenge.

Just as he had expected, once they had moved far enough away, the man staggered to his feet. His legs were slightly bent, clearly injured badly from kneeling too hard.

“Just you wait!” he snarled, then pulled out his phone and made a call.

“Master Xiao, I was beaten up on the street, near the city hospital… by a kid about ten or so years old. The boy is as strong as an ox. Please, you must help me seek justice!”

On the other end, Xiao Siren frowned deeply, his frustration apparent as he slammed his fist on the table.

“Unbelievable. Quickly give me that kid’s identity and description. I will make him pay!”

...

It was the first time Lin Ruyu had sat closely with the children inside the tent. Around her lay an assortment of food, drinks, and toys.

The children played joyfully, as if their fears had been chased away by the warmth of companionship.

“Xiao Hu, come here, I have some food for you,” she called softly.

“George, come over too. I have even better toys here,” she added, gradually blending in with the children, her smile never fading.

Outside, Lin Tian and Bai Yun huddled around a fire, the cold wind ruffling their hair and reddening their cheeks.

Opposite them sat Zhou Bapi, calmly holding a pair of tongs to tend the coals, his expression peaceful yet filled with concern.

“Xiao Tian, I heard you have a new home now?”

“Yes, my grandfather left me a house,” Lin Tian answered honestly, unsure of the man’s intentions.

Zhou Bapi smiled quietly to himself, a secret thought stirring within.

Did this mean Lin Tian would be moving out soon?

And if he left, what would happen to the orphanage under his care?

Bai Yun suddenly felt uneasy but couldn’t pinpoint why.

“Well, as the director, I sincerely congratulate you. Even after you move out, you must come back to visit often.”

“I understand. I will remember your words,” Lin Tian replied quickly, fearing any excuse from Zhou Bapi to make things difficult and limit his future visits.

Their conversation left Bai Yun with a heavy heart. She had known beforehand that Lin Tian would move into his own house, but still, the thought of parting was hard to bear.

For a moment, she even considered going with him, but remembering the children here who needed care, she swallowed the thought.

That afternoon, over ten people were invited by Zhou Bapi to a fast-food restaurant.

“Children, don’t be shy—eat as much as you want!” Zhou Bapi declared warmly, his grand gesture exuding a rare kindness that was hard to resist.

What no one knew was that the meal was paid for by the higher-ups, the intention being to treat the children to a better meal.

Only Lin Ruyu frowned slightly, thinking that as the director, Zhou Bapi’s choice of a thirteen-yuan fast-food meal might be too meager.

But then she considered the orphanage’s tight finances and guessed that this was probably the best they could afford.

“Ah, these poor children…” she sighed, feeling moved enough to pick up a plate and serve herself.

For this moment, she did not disdain fast food.

“Wow, this is really delicious!” several children exclaimed exaggeratedly, their mouths still smeared with grease, declaring the meal the best they had ever tasted.

At that moment, Zhou Bapi’s lips twitched, a flash of contempt and disgust flickering in his eyes.

“These wild brats acting like they’ve never seen a meal before—it’s a disgrace to me!”

Though cursing inwardly, he maintained a composed exterior, attentively asking after each child.

Throughout the meal, only Bai Yun and Lin Tian remained silent, lost in their own thoughts as they ate.

“Ah, the thought of leaving little sister Bai Yun and my friends behind… how can I even eat!” Lin Tian said, accidentally bumping Bai Yun’s arm.

She jumped as if shocked, quickly pulling her arm back and glancing at him with eyes full of longing.

“Brother Lin, I don’t want to let you go…”

Both were reluctant to part, yet neither realized the other’s feelings.

After the meal, the children left the fast-food place with reluctance. It had been the most filling meal they’d ever had, and they wished their stomachs could hold more.

On the way back, Zhou Bapi kept stealing glances at Lin Ruyu’s slender figure, his eyes scanning her up and down as he swallowed hard.

“Honestly, this girl is not only pretty but also incredibly alluring,” he muttered, then composed himself and asked, “Xiao Ruyu, I heard you’re an orphan too?”

“Yes,” Lin Ruyu lied without a trace of embarrassment.

Zhou Bapi was silent for a moment, as if pondering the truth of her words, then asked, “Are you renting a place now?”

Lin Ruyu nodded and continued the lie, “I just arrived in City B a few days ago. I haven’t had time to find a job or a place to rent.”

“Then how about this—if you don’t mind, you can stay here with the kids for now. Once you find a proper job and a place, you can move out later.”

Seeming to ease his own concerns, he added, “Xiao Tian is moving out to live at home soon. I stay here with the workers, and the rest are just kids. It won’t be too inconvenient for you.”

“Xiao Tian is moving out to live at home?” Lin Ruyu looked toward Lin Tian not far behind with surprise. Seeing his helpless expression, she thought for a moment and said, “Then… I’ll trouble the director for now.”

Zhou Bapi smiled inwardly, confident that dealing with this naive girl would be easy. Holding back his grin, he said, “No problem, it’s only right.”