Chapter 234: Redemption

Lu Ye was at a complete loss.

“But Director, I’m still so young...”

“But your intelligence pleases me greatly. The orphanage is struggling to survive more and more every day. I no longer have enough time to teach all of you, so I need someone to take over for me and teach them.”

“You’re not just a good child — you’re the most outstanding one among all these children. You can take some of the burden off me, can’t you?”

Lu Ye’s cheeks flushed from the praise.

Shen Xitong, however, grew anxious. The direction this was going in felt off.

“Director, Lu Ye is still too young. How about I be the leader of the kids instead?” Shen Xitong said, full of conviction.

Li Kaoshan’s expression immediately turned icy.

“What kind of thing do you think you are?”

Shen Xitong bristled with anger and was just about to rush forward and kill Li Kaoshan.

But Lu Ye grabbed Shen Xitong’s hand.

The warmth of his palm instantly calmed her down.

“I can try, Director...”

“Hahaha! Good! From today onward, you don’t need to go pick up trash anymore. Every morning, come to my office, and I will give you private lessons!”

Lu Ye nodded lightly.

Watching Lu Ye’s departing figure, Chen the Caregiver voiced her concerns.

“Director, are you really going to let that brat teach the children? Won’t there be problems? Why not let me do it instead?”

Li Kaoshan shot her a cold look.

Adults — even if they were grasshoppers on the same rope — were unreliable in his eyes.

Only those he personally molded could be trusted.

“Deal with that Yin Qingcheng.”

“Understood...”

Yin Qingcheng died again.

The cracks on the Three-Life Stone deepened, and her eyes filled with insanity.

That damn Chen the Caregiver!

That damn bitch!

She had been killed twice by that ant!

She activated the Three-Life Stone’s power once more.

That night...

Yin Qingcheng’s small figure crept through the darkness.

Dodging one surveillance camera after another, she sneaked into the sleeping quarters of Chen the Caregiver.

A sharpened wooden stick stabbed viciously into Chen the Caregiver’s throat.

“Guh!”

Chen the Caregiver’s eyes widened as a gurgling noise escaped her mouth. She struggled violently, sending Yin Qingcheng flying.

The stick remained lodged in her throat, and instinctively, Chen yanked it out.

But that single act...

Blood spurted forth in a torrent.

“Murder! Murder!”

The commotion attracted the attention of other caregivers, and a shrill scream echoed through the corridor.

Yin Qingcheng died again.

But she felt exhilarated. She had finally killed that vile woman.

Ugly woman, damned woman!

For the third time, Yin Qingcheng activated the power of the Three-Life Stone.

Workers came to the orphanage, installing security bars over all the windows.

To the outside world, the official statement was that Chen the Caregiver had died of a sudden heart attack brought on by overwork.

Of course, the orphanage paid a significant compensation fee.

Meanwhile, Lu Ye continued to attend Li Kaoshan’s private lessons. With the incident involving Chen the Caregiver, Li Kaoshan became even busier than before.

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

Shen Xitong asked once again.

“I believe him.”

Lu Ye’s eyes remained resolute.

Finally, Lu Ye stood at the podium for the second time.

The first time, he had been the sacrificial chicken used to warn the other children. Now, he stood in Li Kaoshan’s place, delivering the lesson.

“Today, we will discuss what it means to be loyal and righteous!”

Li Kaoshan watched Lu Ye speak from above, his expression heavy.

He wasn’t sure if the choice he’d made was right or wrong.

This Lu Ye seemed to be far more terrifying than he had initially imagined.

His phone began buzzing again.

Li Kaoshan ignored it, focusing instead on ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) Lu Ye’s lecture. Gradually, a pleased smile spread across his face.

The treasure he had personally sculpted — very good!

From that day forward, Lu Ye became the official lecturer.

Li Kaoshan attended a few sessions, then stopped coming altogether. Instead, he monitored the lectures remotely through surveillance.

He was far too busy.

From listening to every word...

To listening at double speed...

To skimming through the recordings...

Lu Ye’s authority grew. The caregivers’ attitudes toward him also changed for the better.

Eventually, he moved out of Room 401 and got his own private room.

His only request — to have Shen Xitong live with him.

The caregivers exchanged knowing glances. Despite his young age, the little director was starting to understand some things.

Lu Ye fulfilled his duties diligently.

Every night, he would visit the other children, talk to them as an equal, and learn about their needs.

Under the little director’s management, the orphanage became more united and obedient.

Everyone’s sense of belonging grew stronger.

Li Kaoshan was overwhelmed with work.

Suddenly, one day, a group of people came to give the children a medical examination.

...

Yin Qingcheng couldn’t comprehend what Lu Ye was doing.

In this environment, she felt utterly powerless.

Another day passed.

A truckload of cotton was delivered to the orphanage.

Lu Ye watched as the cotton piled up in the courtyard. His phone rang.

“Director.”

“Lu Ye, you have two days to separate all that cotton.”

“Understood. But I’d like to request some funds.”

“For what?”

“To buy some snacks for them.”

Li Kaoshan went silent. His voice turned agitated. “A bunch of damned parasites! Every day they suck my blood like leeches. You want snacks? You’re not even worthy of eating shit!”

The call ended.

Lu Ye fell silent.

He turned away.

“Yin Qingcheng, come here,” Lu Ye said.

Yin Qingcheng’s eyes widened, her heart pounding. It was the first time... the first time Lu Ye had ever called for her.

He finally remembered her!

“What is it?” she asked, her voice brimming with hope.

“Follow me.”

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

“I know you can pick locks. Open it.”

Yin Qingcheng couldn’t believe her ears. Lu Ye had always been the model of obedience — a rule-follower to the core. And now he was asking her to break into the director’s office.

Then, without warning, Lu Ye opened his arms and embraced her.

Yin Qingcheng...

An embrace...

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

She said nothing more. She unlocked the door.

Inside, Lu Ye rummaged through the office, quickly finding a stash of cash.

He took the cash to Liu the Caregiver.

“The Director said to use this to buy snacks. Spend it all on snacks and bring them back,” Lu Ye ordered.

Liu the Caregiver’s eyes lit up as she saw the stack of bills.

“Got it! Consider it done!”

Not long after, the children were eating snacks and watching TV.

The show playing was Ultraman Tiga.

...

Liu the Caregiver returned, expecting that the snacks were meant for the staff. But instead, Lu Ye ordered the caregivers to distribute them to the children.

The caregivers eyed the beer and soda...

“In the future, there will be compensation for all of you. But the children need to relax a little too,” Lu Ye said with a gentle smile.

Liu the Caregiver was visibly displeased, about to scold Lu Ye.

“Fine, fine, distribute them. The Director said that while she’s away, we listen to the Little Director,” another caregiver said dismissively.

Snacks weren’t that important.

That day, a significant amount of snacks was handed out to the orphans in the welfare home.

For a moment, it felt like the orphanage was celebrating a festival.

Every child wore a smile.

A pure, innocent smile.

Shen Xitong hugged a beer bottle, drinking greedily, occasionally munching on a spicy stick.

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

There was too much cotton.

It was clear they would be pulling an all-nighter tonight.

The children had food, drinks, and a TV to watch, so they would manage. But the caregivers couldn’t hold out. One yawn after another.

“Aunties, why don’t you go get some sleep? I’ll watch over things here,” Lu Ye said, his tone playful, his expression especially sweet.

“The Director isn’t here. No one will know,” he added with a mischievous smile.

The caregivers were too exhausted to argue, but they still left one caregiver to keep watch.

By 3 a.m., even that caregiver couldn’t stay awake.

“What’s so great about Ultraman Tiga anyway? What light? There’s no light in this world...”

And so, he left.

The last episode of Ultraman Tiga was playing.

“Lend me your light!”

One by one, the children extended their hands.

Similarly, the orphans in the welfare home also reached out their hands.

Lu Ye saw this scene and couldn’t hold back his tears.

They all believed they had light within them.

But this cage — this prison — would keep them shackled in darkness for the rest of their lives.

“Now, listen to my command,” Lu Ye spoke, voice steady.

“Move the cotton. Lay it quietly along the hallways. Surround every room.”

The children had no idea what he was planning.

But Lu Ye had already instilled in them the principle of obeying commands without question.

So, they moved.

“What’s going on?”

A caregiver awoke.

“What’s that noise?”

“Auntie, they’re too tired. I told them to move around a bit to stay awake. Did we disturb you?” Lu Ye said sweetly.

“Oh, that’s it. Keep the noise down, okay? I’m exhausted.”

“Got it!”

“Sleep well, Auntie.”

“Keep it down even more.”

Yin Qingcheng and Shen Xitong stood still, watching the scene unfold.

For the first time, they stood side by side, eyes fixed on Lu Ye as he orchestrated the children’s movements.

Pairs of bright, innocent eyes...

Filled with fear, excitement, and confusion.

But their hands didn’t stop moving.

Ultraman Tiga gained the power of light.

Until everything was in place.

Mountains of cotton filled every corridor and room in the welfare home.

Lu Ye held a lighter in his hand.

The children began to tremble. Their expressions twisted in fear and uncertainty.

“This is our home!”

“This is our home!”

“This is a den of demons!”

Lu Ye’s voice echoed.

Those faces contorted in fear froze.

“This is a den that binds us, strangles us, and uses us as tools!”

Their faces became calm.

Lu Ye ignited the lighter, the flame flickering in his eyes.

All of them knew how quickly cotton could burn.

The flame touched the cotton.

In an instant, the fire spread like a ravenous beast, consuming everything in its path.

The sirens wailed, piercing through the night.

Li Kaoshan was driving furiously, his eyes fixed on the surveillance feed on his phone.

He had just finished drinking and glanced at the monitor. At first, nothing seemed out of place — the children were still pulling apart the cotton.

But then he saw it.

Snacks?

Where the hell did they get snacks?

Didn’t he specifically forbid it?

He immediately checked the footage from his office.

His expression darkened.

Lu Ye... had slipped out of his control.

He would deal with him tomorrow.

He was too drunk, too exhausted to handle it tonight.

He closed his eyes for a moment.

And then, he jolted awake.

Something wasn’t right.

Li Kaoshan checked the monitors again, and the scene that met his eyes made his blood freeze.

The flames roared.

The night sky glowed red.

The entire welfare home was ablaze.

For the first time, a group of children, without the guidance of caregivers, walked out of the welfare home.

They watched the magnificent fire consume their cage.

“Honk! Honk! Honk!”

A car horn blared frantically, slicing through the sound of the flames.

Li Kaoshan’s car screeched to a stop, his face twisted like a demon’s.

“You damned brats! You damned brats!”

All the children shuddered in fear.

Lu Ye also looked at Li Kaoshan.

“I trusted you so much, and this is how you repay me? All of you, immediately, beat him to death!”

Li Kaoshan bellowed.

His orders had always been absolute.

But in this moment, not a single child moved.

They were paralyzed by fear — a fear that stemmed from the deepest corners of their souls.

Lu Ye smiled. He scanned the faces of these frightened children.

“Remember the last lesson!”

Lu Ye’s voice rang out.

Every child’s gaze turned to Lu Ye.

They waited for his words.

Children aren’t stupid. They knew who was good and who was evil.

“Love yourself first. Then love others!”

With those words, little Lu Ye, like a moth drawn to the flame, charged straight at Li Kaoshan.

The children stood frozen.

They watched as Lu Ye was struck down to the ground.

They watched as Li Kaoshan stomped on Lu Ye’s head with all his might.

“Ah!”

A child let out a mournful wail and rushed at Li Kaoshan like a maniac.

A second one.

A third one.

A fourth one.

...

Lu Ye’s face was buried in the dirt, but he was still smiling.

Tears streamed down his cheeks.

In saving others, was he not also saving himself?

“Love yourself first. Then love others.”

The path of redemption lay within those words.