Chapter 103: Awkward Silence

“Chen Xin,” Zhou Hao poked his head out from the driver’s seat and waved for her to get in the car. “Sister Cheng says she and Brother Song are going to pick up the two children tonight and will bring them along. I’ll swing by and collect Yi Bai and Bai Mengqing, plus Yi Bai’s mom.”

They had planned to spend the weekend together at a newly opened hot spring mountain villa nearby. The Liu couple had already gone with Liu Chunyan and her husband, and Liu Jianmin was unable to join because he had to report for work. Sister Cheng’s family of four, along with the two children, had left after their shift in the evening, taking the tourist expressway so they could reach the destination in under two hours and still make it to dinner.

This mountain villa had been built by one of Zhou Hao’s old comrades in arms and a partner. After retirement, the man had taken his settlement pay and joined forces with a few brothers to develop the property.

It was called a mountain villa, yet it was modest in size. Situated at a diagonal to the military sanatorium, it formed part of a newly developed scenic spot within that same mountain range.

“Everyone is rushing to build vacation villages this year, including my family,” Zhou Hao added. “My mother says the foot of the mountain where my father is from has been completely encircled by these resorts, and the business is thriving.”

Bai Mengqing’s spirits seemed steadier these days. She juggled part-time work while reviewing her lessons and continued volunteering for charity projects. The more responsibilities she took on, the more open she appeared—her cheeks had even filled out a little.

Her mother had worried about letting her daughter join the volunteer work, but her father had supported the decision. The family did not need Bai Mengqing to contribute financially, he explained, and with her youth she should pursue what she loved. When she felt tired or heartbroken, the home could offer her comfort and support.

Her father had always cared deeply for her, yet he had mostly focused on arranging her future rather than engaging with her personal thoughts. This past year had changed everything. After facing various hardships, he had come to believe that true happiness was the greatest treasure in life. As parents, they wished their children smooth paths ahead, but if that smoothness came at the cost of their children’s joy, the price was far too high.

With her father’s blessing, Bai Mengqing found her volunteer efforts much smoother. As a government civil servant, he knew the rules, procedures, and paperwork for poverty-relief projects better than anyone. The extra time together strengthened the bond between father and daughter.

On the drive, Bai Mengqing shared details of the assistance project she was organizing. When she spoke of the left-behind children, her voice carried a quiet sigh.

“You have no idea,” she said. “I went with Sister Zhu into the mountains and saw those kids barefoot in the freezing cold, their toes frostbitten. I nearly cried. Before, I didn’t understand why Sister Zhu wanted me to buy those plain, sturdy sandals and cloth shoes. But when I saw the children’s bright smiles with their new shoes, I realized that sometimes even a pair of ten-yuan plastic sandals can bring immense joy.”

Today, while traveling with them, Bai Mengqing had another idea she wanted to discuss. With fewer people in the car, she first asked Zhou Hao and Yi Bai for their opinions on whether to bring it up with Sister Cheng.

“I’d like to launch a sponsorship and assistance project next semester,” she continued. “I’ve checked around—two hundred yuan per child would cover an entire year’s school fees, including textbooks, notebooks, and pens. The mountain primary school has thirty-two students in total. Next semester, eight will move up to junior high, but we don’t know if they’ll be able to continue, and three more will enter primary school. That leaves twenty-seven children who need support. Five families are especially struggling. This spring, if it weren’t for their principal visiting each door, those five students would have dropped out.”

Bai Mengqing did not mention that she had personally paid the tuition for those five children. The principal had refused at first, but she had insisted. In the past, teachers pooled funds and the education bureau adjusted according to a set ratio. Yet teachers’ own wages were already low, and their families were often stretched thin.

Bai Mengqing had never had to worry about money. Even during the difficult years when the country as a whole was poor, her household had both parents working, and her grandparents—still cadres—had lived comfortably enough. After the reforms and opening-up, her mother’s business venture only improved their finances further. A thousand yuan was merely her monthly allowance.

If she supported only these five children, she could cover it herself, yet she wanted to continue helping until they no longer needed it.

Chen Xin vaguely recalled hearing about similar sponsorship efforts during her own school years—long-legged uncles, long-legged brothers, all the talk across town. But later some unfortunate incidents had occurred, and centralized aid had been suspended, leaving only occasional individual donations.

Bai Mengqing would surely support her, but she also offered a gentle caution. “It’s better to keep things in perspective,” she said. “Otherwise you might find yourself in an awkward position later.”

“I think what Xiaoxin says makes sense,” Yi Bai added from the passenger seat, brow furrowed. “It’s best to handle this through an organization or institution rather than as a private matter. Down the road, all sorts of unpleasant rumors could attach themselves to you. Even a worthwhile idea could be twisted into something harmful.”

Yi Bai had seen far too much in the police station; his grasp of society was sharper than that of Chen Xin and the others.

“You little troublemaker,” Yi Bai’s mother snapped, glancing at Bai Mengqing’s troubled face. “How dare you speak like that? Doing good deeds becomes bad ones the moment you mention it? If you won’t do them yourself, why stop others? Your father would beat you senseless if he heard this!”

“Um, Aunt, it’s… it’s nothing,” Bai Mengqing stammered. “Officer Bai didn’t say anything wrong—I was being reckless. Please don’t be angry.”

Never having encountered such tension, she sat frozen, utterly bewildered.

“Mom, quiet down,” Yi Bai muttered irritably, yanking his cap over his head. “They’re talking about important things, not your noise.”

Her mother’s interruption silenced Bai Mengqing. She settled quietly into her seat and watched the passing scenery through the window.

Fortunately, the remaining drive was short. Half an hour later, they reached the villa. The moment they stepped out of the car, everyone exhaled with relief. Any further delay would have turned the atmosphere inside the vehicle into something unbearable.

Sister Cheng’s family arrived last, driving two cars up the mountain.

Song Yi was also present; he had driven the second vehicle. The nanny from Song Teacher’s household came along as well, conveniently sharing a room with Yi Bai’s mother so she would not be alone.

The Liu family, who had gone up the mountain at noon, had not yet returned. After a phone call, they learned the group was on the way down. Knowing everyone had arrived, they announced that they would be there within fifteen minutes.