"Memories fade, but words do not."
Mu Yu was truly exasperated. He reluctantly sat down opposite him and emphasized, "I'm compromising."
If you're going to compromise, then compromise. Why do you have to say it out loud? It's just to make Ruan Mingchu compromise the next time they have a disagreement.
Ruan Mingchu smiled and said, "I'll submit it to you when I'm done writing it."
Mu Yu looked at his hands. "There's no need for that."
The thirteenth star system, Five Stars.
As soon as Ruan Mingchu and Mu Yu left the interstellar port, they were greeted by a torrential downpour. This time, there were no hovercars picking up passengers outside the port, nor were there anyone like Master Ren who would invite them to get in.
Seeing the lightning flashing outside, Ruan Mingchu and Mu Yu went to ask the staff if there were any hotels or similar places nearby.
Since we chose the most underdeveloped planet, hotels are naturally not available.
The staff member said, "It's only half an hour away from Gaoming City, so no one would choose to stay here."
Ruan Mingchu and Mu Yu had no choice but to walk towards Gaoming City in the rain.
However, they have tourist-grade mechs that won't get wet in the rain and the process is quite comfortable, though they are a bit eye-catching.
At first, their flight speed was relatively slow, and passersby would often glance at them. Some even drove hovercars alongside them, recording the scene with their terminals.
Ruan Mingchu then sped up, flying away in a blur, leaving the bewildered man holding his terminal, at a loss for what to do.
Based on the map, Ruan Mingchu and Mu Yu found the hotel closest to the city gate of Gaoming City and went inside.
Rainy days are good for sleeping. The receptionist sat behind the counter, propped up on her arms, her head nodding little by little, feeling drowsy.
Ruan Mingchu tapped on the table, startling the receptionist, who instinctively wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Welcome! How many guests are there? Are you here for a meal or to stay overnight?"
"Two people, accommodation and meals," Ruan Mingchu said.
"Okay, we have king-size rooms, double rooms, and—" The receptionist looked up and saw two tall Alphas, swallowing back what she was about to say. Two Alphas couldn't possibly be staying in a couples' room. "Which type would you like? How many days will you be staying?"
Ruan Mingchu heard the receptionist hesitate, but didn't take it to heart. Judging from his unprofessional manner, he probably meant that there were no rooms available.
"A double room, for three days."
"Okay, please wait a moment, we'll check you in right away. You two can take a look at the menu first."
Ruan Mingchu and Mu Yu opened the menu, which contained only about twenty dishes, and the variety was not apparent from the photos alone.
The two of them chose the four most expensive dishes.
It doesn't matter if it tastes bad, Ruan Mingchu brought nutrient solution.
"Would you like to come down to the restaurant to eat, or have it delivered to your room?"
"Room."
"Okay, it will be delivered to you in half an hour."
The hotel has five floors, and the two-person room is on the fifth floor.
When I took the elevator to the fifth floor, the motion-sensor lights turned on. The floor and walls looked a bit old, but they were very clean.
The key was labeled 505. Ruan Mingchu and Mu Yu went inside. To the right of the entrance was the bathroom, and further in were the bed, sofa, and cabinets.
On the south side was a window that took up the entire wall. Mu Yu walked over, knelt on the sofa, and looked outside. He saw a place that looked a lot like a school playground.
The reason I say "seems" is because it has a fairly large area and some recreational equipment, but the ground is uneven, consisting of clods of dirt and pebbles.
Heavy raindrops pounded on the ground, creating small craters, and in some places, puddles had already formed.
Mu Yu searched the entire playground but couldn't find a single drainage channel.
"Check the map and see where this place is," Mu Yu instructed Ruan Mingchu.
Ruan Mingchu had just checked the house for safety and found no problems. He walked over and patted Mu Yu's butt, "You're so lazy, I have to do everything you need to access the StarNet."
When I touched her buttocks, they were soft and elastic, and before I knew it, I had pinched them several times.
Feeling itchy, Mu Yu slapped Ruan Mingchu's hand away, "If you don't want to do it, I'll investigate some more."
It even sounds a bit like she's being coquettish, Ruan Mingchu thought to herself. She must have learned it from that kid Ren Meng. He's really good at it.
"We found out. It's a private orphanage that's about to go out of business."
"Then we'll go visit them tomorrow to see if they have any suitable students, and maybe we can offer some assistance."
Ruan Mingchu, of course, had no objections.
Half an hour as promised, the front desk delivered the meal on time, along with two complimentary soups. "Enjoy your meal."
After eating Mr. Ren's cooking for so many days in a row, what I'm eating now is just so-so, but it's worth the price.
The next day, after the rain stopped, a rainbow appeared. As soon as Mu Yu opened the curtains, he saw the rainbow hanging in the sky and hurriedly called Ruan Mingchu to come and see.
Ruan Mingchu glanced at the rainbow. "It's quite beautiful."
However, his gaze kept shifting to Mu Yu's face, leaving Mu Yu completely confused.
Why are you staring at me like that?
"It's just a little strange that Mu Xiaoyu can appreciate natural scenery now." After all, Mu Yuyu's world is mostly occupied by battles, wars, and missions, with occasional crafts, and later Ruan Mingchu and games were added to it.
Mu Yu punched Ruan Mingchu, "I suspect you're being sarcastic."
Ruan Mingchu caught Mu Yu's fist and squeezed it between her fingers. "I'm just praising you."
Mu Yu rolled his eyes.
After breakfast, Ruan Mingchu asked the front desk where there was a convenience store nearby. There was no one marked on the map, which might be because the store was too small or there wasn't one at all.
The receptionist said, "Turn right after you exit, and you'll see it at the first intersection. We also offer purchasing services if needed."
Ruan Mingchu thanked the receptionist and looked into his bright, expectant eyes, "Then I'll trouble you to find someone to buy these things for us."
As he spoke, he made a list, handed it to the receptionist, and transferred some money to him, saying, "I'll make up the difference if it's not enough."
Seeing the large sum of money, the receptionist cheerfully replied, "Okay, but it can't be less than that. I'll be back soon."
It seems this shop is really quite relaxed, with the receptionist doing multiple jobs.
Ruan Mingchu and Mu Yu didn't have to wait long; about ten minutes later, the receptionist returned carrying six large bags.
"Please check if anything is missing. Here is the receipt. I will refund the extra money to you."
Ruan Mingchu thanked him again, "No need, consider it payment."
The receptionist was clearly delighted, but he was embarrassed, saying, "This is far too much; I can't accept it."
Ruan Mingchu shook his head. "There might be things I need to trouble you with next, so consider this an advance payment."
He was about to say something when Mu Yu interrupted him, "Alright, stop talking nonsense. It's nothing to us. If you're feeling bad, just help us deliver the things to the orphanage over there."
"Oh, are you two buying these to donate?"
“Yes,” Ruan Mingchu said, “I saw that place from the window yesterday and thought I would do what I could to help.”
“You two are very kind. I will take you there. I came from there.”
Mu Yu said, "Don't you have to do any work?"
Receptionist: "We rarely have guests, and I bring a security camera with me, so I run back as soon as a guest comes in."
"If there's no problem, let's go together."
The three people each carried two bags. The distance was very short; they arrived in just a few steps.
Zhu Dali, who was at the front desk, shook the rusty iron door, which immediately made a loud noise.
"Who is it? Coming, coming, stop shaking."
A middle-aged woman wearing an apron wiped her hands as she walked out.
"Sister, it's me, Dali. Kind people have come to bring us warmth."
As soon as Sister Zhu saw what the two were carrying, she quickened her pace, deftly opened the iron gate, and welcomed them in.
The phrase "on the verge of bankruptcy" is no exaggeration. The entire orphanage consisted of a single two-story building, where Sister Zhu cared for over twenty children all by herself.
Sister Zhu said that she was hired here when she was young. A few years ago, the director passed away, and the sponsors also disappeared one after another. Now the orphanage is maintained by her and a few older children working outside.
The neighbors would occasionally send some things, but it was a drop in the ocean and did little to help the orphanage's current situation.
As for why the orphanage wasn't closed and the children weren't sent to official institutions, it's because there are no official orphanages in Gaoming City, and they don't have the money or the means to go to other cities together.
Seeking government assistance?
The government building is empty every day; no one goes to work there.
When she said these words, Sister Zhu's expression was very calm, or perhaps it could be described as numb.
They'll just have to live one day at a time. Once she collapses, the children will have to fend for themselves.
Sister Zhu took out the things Ruan Mingchu brought and sorted them out. They were all practical and filling items, and one bag even contained nutrient solution.
The food that couldn't be put away was given to the children first. The children took the food and thanked Ruan Mingchu and Mu Yu. They were thin and pale, but they were all very polite.
Before eating, he would give a bite to Sister Zhu. Sister Zhu would take very small bites and press the corners of her eyes while eating.
She admitted she was playing the victim and trying to squeeze more money out of those who offered to help them, but she wouldn't do that, for the children...
As expected, corruption is the norm, and places like Gude Star are rare. Ruan Mingchu slowly exhaled and said to everyone present, "Don't worry, someone will come to help you soon."
To put Zhu Jie's mind at ease, Ruan Mingchu transferred some money to her, enough to keep the orphanage afloat for at least another six months.
"If the Star Aid Association knew about your situation, they certainly wouldn't let it go unchecked."
After Ruan Mingchu finished speaking, she made a video call to the president of the Star Aid Association, first showing him the surrounding situation, and then having Sister Zhu repeat what she had just said.
The president's furrowed brows could kill an insect. "Please send me the coordinates, and I will send someone over immediately from the nearest location."
Ruan Mingchu hummed in agreement.
While waiting for the Star Assistance Association to arrive, Ruan Mingchu chatted with Sister Zhu for a few minutes.
Are there any children around sixteen years old?
“Yes,” Zhu Dali pointed to himself, “I have two others working in other places.”
Seeing Ruan Mingchu's complicated expression, Zhu Dali sighed, "I'm just a bit rough around the edges."
"Are you interested in going to military school?" Ruan Mingchu asked.