Chapter 100: Song Li

Inside Jiang City’s Happy Valley Amusement Park.

It was late October, the season when chrysanthemums were in full bloom.

Taking advantage of the timing, Happy Valley had launched a chrysanthemum exhibition that would last for several months.

The exhibition area was stunning, with vast fields of chrysanthemums blooming in vibrant competition.

The colors were dazzling, a feast for the eyes.

There were pink lotus-shaped blossoms with yellow centers, deep purple Banjianghong trees, white-edged green-petaled Baixue Lümei, pure white and pristine Baimao Ci, fiery red Dahong Ruyi in full bloom, and the uniquely shaped yellow-orange Jin Hou Xi Chun, among many others

The sheer variety was overwhelming. No matter how long you looked, you couldn’t take it all in.

As soon as Song Li followed Doctor Feng into the area, she was stunned by the sea of flowers before her.

So many flowers. So many beautiful flowers.

Each one a different color, a different shape, a different kind of beauty.

They were truly breathtaking.

“Little Pear, do you like it here?”

“Mm-hmm, I do,” Song Li nodded.

“Come, let me take a few pictures of you,” Doctor Feng said with a cheerful smile.

“Thank you, Grandma Feng,” Song Li replied politely.

There were many other visitors in the chrysanthemum exhibition area, taking photos and checking in.

People kept striking different poses to take pictures with the flowers behind them.

Nearby, there were also vendors selling all kinds of toys.

Bubble blowers, colorful wings for girls to wear on their backs, pretty hair clips, little tiaras with white gauzy tails, and Barbie dolls in various dresses.

There were plenty of toys for boys too: golden cudgels, toy cars, robots, and more.

These toy stalls drew the attention of many children.

Not far away, there was even a stall where kids could paint plaster figurines.

Parents and children were gathered there, heads down, busy painting.

After glancing around, Doctor Feng couldn’t help but say to Song Li, “Little Pear, there are some really pretty toys over there. Do you want to go take a look?”

“If you see something you like, Grandma Feng will buy it for you.”

“Thank you, Grandma Feng, but I’m okay,” Song Li shook her head.

She had always been emotionally reserved and quiet, with little desire for material things.

She wore whatever clothes she had, ate whatever food was available.

It didn’t matter, as long as she was warm and fed.

What she truly loved was drawing.

Of course, she also loved Mama Lu and the people at the orphanage.

She especially missed Mama Wu.

She knew—and had always remembered—that it was Mama Wu who found her and brought her back.

If not for Mama Wu, she might have starved to death long ago.

Or worse, been taken and sold by traffickers.

But Mama Wu had passed away.

There would never be a Mama Wu in this world again.

When Song Li learned of her death, she had been devastated.

She clutched the little sketchpad and pencil Mama Wu had given her, hid inside the wardrobe, and didn’t make a sound.

It was dark in there, but she wasn’t afraid.

She felt like a strange child.

Because she actually enjoyed the feeling of being wrapped in darkness.

And in her arms were the sketchpad and pencil from Mama Wu.

Holding those two things felt like having a protective charm. They gave her a deep sense of security.

But soon, Big Orange Brother and Sister Xu Wei realized she was missing.

Sister Xu Wei found her in the wardrobe.

She held her tight.

She told her, “Song Li needs to be good. Song Li needs to live well.”

Mama Wu had once said that she hoped every child in the orphanage would live a good life.

And that they should all listen to the new director, Mama Lu.

Big Orange Brother also said that even though Mama Wu was gone, she would always live on in their hearts.

That Mama Wu was watching them from the sky.

If she didn’t eat well or take care of herself, Mama Wu would be sad and heartbroken watching from above.

As soon as Song Li heard that, she nodded earnestly.

She promised Big Orange Brother and Sister Xu Wei.

From then on, if she felt sad, she would cry.

She would try not to hide herself away.

After that day, Song Li suddenly found herself filled with inspiration.

She wanted to draw. She wanted to paint the ocean floor.

Where moonlight scattered through clouds, slipping past crowds, and laid itself across the sea like shimmering scales.

At the bottom of the ocean lived many colorful little creatures.

These little monsters gathered together, forming vast, dazzling patterns.

But no matter how beautiful and brilliant the ocean floor was, those lovely little monsters could never break through the surface.

They could only live beneath the waves.

Day after day, year after year, singing, playing, laughing.

Then each would return to its own home, hiding inside a tiny shell, waiting for the next beam of light to fall from above.

As she was thinking about all this, she received a gift from the new director, Mama Lu: a set of 24 colored pencils.

Twenty-four colors. So many. So rich and vibrant.

Perfect for painting the ocean floor.

She loved the gift from Mama Lu.

She spent several days working on that painting of the ocean.

The night before it was finished, her mind was still brimming with ideas.

The inspiration floating in her head made it hard to sleep.

So, hugging her little sketchpad and carrying her pencil case, Song Li quietly put on her shoes and stepped outside.

She wanted to see the moon. She wanted to see Mama Wu.

She wanted to share her ideas with Mama Wu.

But when she arrived at Mama Wu’s memorial hall, she saw Mama Lu already sitting there, talking to Mama Wu.

Mama Lu was kneeling on the mat in front of the altar, speaking sincerely to Mama Wu.

She hadn’t noticed Song Li standing quietly at the door.

Mama Lu said that she herself had only just become an adult, that she had no experience being a director.

She was afraid she wouldn’t do a good job. She was nervous, even a little anxious.

But then Mama Lu made a promise, telling Mama Wu not to worry.

She said that since she had agreed to take on the responsibility, she would do her very best to care for every child in the orphanage.

She mentioned Big Orange Brother, Sister Xu Wei, Zhou Yang who dreamed of becoming a hero, Xiao Hui who cried out for chicken legs even in his sleep, Sister Taozi who liked to hide snacks, and even her—Song Li—and every other child in the orphanage.

That was when Song Li realized just how good Mama Lu’s memory was.

Mama Lu told Mama Wu that everyone missed her and thought of her often.

That they were all being good and well-behaved.

That even though she was gone, as long as they remembered her, she would always be with them.

She hoped that in the next world, Mama Wu would live well, live easily, and be happy and full of joy.

When Mama Lu finished speaking, Song Li, who had been quietly listening outside, turned and went back, hugging her sketchpad.

She suddenly felt that ever since Mama Wu had taken her in, her life had actually been quite happy.

The next day, when she was putting the final touches on her painting titled “Ocean,” she saw Mama Lu again.

Mama Lu spoke to her in a gentle tone.

She immediately guessed the name of the painting.

Mama Lu said she really loved it and asked if she could have it.

Song Li agreed.

Because she had already changed the painting.