Chapter 9

“Is this the thing that’s been keeping you up at night?” I walked over to her and pulled her into my arms.

She nodded, leaning against my shoulder.

The courtyard was bathed in bright moonlight, which streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows into the living room, creating a scene so warm it seemed like a mother and daughter.

Looking back, I consider myself to be more responsible than Zhang Zhaodi’s mother.

She was a girl from the mountains whom I sponsored through a charity project recommended by my daughter’s international school.

The girl’s parents had passed away early, and she had a younger brother who was adopted by an Uncle without a son, so she stayed there as well. Her circumstances were imaginable.

Now, it’s been eleven years.

During these eleven years, I have been responsible for her tuition and living expenses, spending nearly 600,000 in total.

Zhang Zhaodi’s studies were decent; she managed to get into an ordinary college in our city and graduated smoothly.

Several friends’ sponsored children dropped out halfway.

Even worse, some continued to deceive their sponsors to receive funds after dropping out.

One friend was deeply hurt and called me to vent her frustrations.

She urged me to be careful and keep my eyes open.

At that time, I was flipping through the blessings and letters Zhang Zhaodi sent me during holidays.

Reading those simple and sincere words, I couldn’t help but feel fortunate and gratified.