Conan: About the fact that I have a black brother

After lunch, Zhu Fu and Gao Ming saw that the dean had not arrived yet, and they wanted to find out the situation from the children, so they played games with the children in the classroom.

Lin Xiaochen was a stranger, but he was gentle and kind, and he did not explicitly state that he did not want to adopt a child, so he immediately attracted the interest of most of the children.

Lin Xiaochen was very satisfied with this situation and began to probe without leaving any trace: "Hey... So obedient children are more likely to be liked by others? Actually, it's not like that. Children are all very likable..."

"Oh, I see! Those children who were picked up by their new parents before were all very obedient and well-behaved children. Can you tell uncle what made them behave so well?"

"Oh, there is even a red flower record sheet... Let uncle take a good look... Well, you eat the cleanest meals, don't cry or make a fuss when taking medicine, and don't quarrel or fight with other children... Wow, you got so many red flowers, you must be a very lovable little guy..."

"Yes, I am your uncle. I like you very much. I will come to visit you often in the future. If I have time, I will come to help you."

"Would you like to hear Mr. Morobushi's story? Uncle? But I'm not very good at telling stories. How about I read you some interesting picture books?"

"What does uncle like to cook? Actually, uncle likes to make all kinds of delicious desserts. Next time I come, I will bring some snacks I made for you to taste, okay?"

"..."

The children seemed never tired, jumping up and down, running around, releasing their endless energy.

Just when Lin Xiaochen and Zhu Fu Gaoming were feeling exhausted, the dean finally came to them.

The two men stood up as if they had been pardoned, smiled at the children with a hint of apology, and agreed with them that they would visit them often in the future. Only then were they able to get away from the group of noisy little guys.

On the way to the dean's office, Lin Xiaochen couldn't help but feel a little puzzled and asked, "Why do these children only have names but no surnames?"

The dean was a man with gray hair on his temples. After hearing this question, he showed some compassion on his face and said slowly, "These children are orphans abandoned by their biological parents. They have no one to rely on, so how can they have a family name... As for those children who have a family name, most of them were adopted by other families, but later abandoned... It's really pitiful."

After saying that, the dean sighed heavily.

When Lin Xiaochen heard this, he suddenly understood.

The dean's office looked very plain and even a little shabby, with only a bookcase filled with various materials and a few worn-out tables and chairs. The air conditioner hanging on the wall was covered with dust, as if it had been picked up from a flea market.

The room was filled with a slight chill, but Zhu Fu and Gao Ming politely declined the suggestion to turn on the air conditioner. After all, even if a charitable orphanage like this could receive a certain amount of financial assistance from the government, it still needed to be thrifty and frugal in its daily operations, and they really couldn't bear to add any extra financial burden to the orphanage.

The dean enthusiastically poured two cups of steaming hot tea for the two of them, and asked them to sit down. Then he said directly: "I think you two are here for Xiaoyou. I was out just now because of Mrs. Takahashi's invitation."

Since he was familiar with the director, Zhu Fu Gao Ming responded frankly without any hesitation: "Yes, we hope to learn more about the specific situation of Takahashi You during his time in the orphanage."

"Xiaoyou is a very obedient girl. She is very kind and never quarrels with other children. She helps younger children like an older sister. All the staff in the orphanage like her very much. We are really happy for her to be adopted."

"What kind of people do you think the Gaoqiao couple are?" Lin Xiaochen asked, "You should be worried about handing your children over to someone whose character you haven't investigated, right? After all, the future and happiness of these children are in the hands of their adoptive parents."

"That's natural," said the director. "Mr. and Mrs. Takahashi are gentle and friendly people. Miss Takahashi is also a person who loves children. She came to the orphanage to help several times before. The last time she asked to adopt Xiaoyou. Because the three of them treated Xiaoyou very well, I agreed."

Lin Xiaochen nodded: "The children are all very enthusiastic - so in recent years, are there many couples like the Gaoqiao couple who are interested in adopting children?"

"Ah - it's just so-so." The dean sighed, "Nowadays, people don't even want to have their own children, so how can they want to adopt abandoned children from other families? They must have pestered the police officer. I'm so sorry, the children are just anxious..."

"Of course not. It's human nature." Lin Xiaochen wrote something in the police notebook. "So, do you still remember the children who were adopted in recent years?"

"Of course, if you are worried that my memory is wrong, we always take a family photo when we adopt a child. I will find it for you," said the dean.

"That would be the best." Zhu Fu Gao Ming said, "Should we put it in the data room like before?"

"Yes." The dean nodded, "They are all inside."

"Speaking of which, there may be too few staff members in the orphanage. I think I only saw a security guard and an aunt." Lin Xiaochen looked at Zhu Fu Gaoming, "Senior Zhu Fu, have you seen other people?"

Zhu Fu Gaoming shook his head, and heard the director sigh again: "If the welfare home can't pay wages, no one will be willing to come. Mrs. Ge Mu and Mr. Jiang Shou came to help voluntarily. In addition, there are caring people like Mr. Zhu Fu who come to help from time to time."