Shen Wei fell silent for a rare moment upon hearing his words.
Finally, she asked, "So what do you want to do?"
The little one's hand clenched tightly as he replied, "In just four years, I'll be an adult. Then I'll have money and can take care of my younger siblings."
"But you don't have an education. Even if you find work, it might not be enough money."
"As long as I can earn something, it's better than now."
He had already tried so hard, wanting to find a job.
But due to his age, no one dared to hire him.
Plus, this child had stopped going to school.
Wandering the streets every day, he was at high risk of falling into bad company.
Becoming an adult was something he had always longed for.
But now someone was telling him that even as an adult, making money would be difficult.
It truly shook him. Lin Zhi struggled to maintain his composure in front of others.
Not wanting to let anyone see his vulnerability, he put on a brave face and said, "It's none of your business."
Lin Zhi was a fragile soul, and he immediately regretted his harsh words. Realizing the woman might be his siblings' potential adoptive parent, he softened his tone and added, "I'm sorry."
Then Lin Zhi ran away.
Shen Wei walked side by side with Lin Rui.
Lin Rui asked, "Do you really want to adopt them?"
Shen Wei no longer met the adoption criteria.
The policy didn't allow adopting too many children, fearing potential ill intentions.
Shen Wei replied, "What should we do? We need to hear what the two little ones want!" She then called the two children into the room.
These two children were among the better-looking ones in the orphanage.
Being young, potential adoptive families often preferred to raise children from an early age.
This way, they could form a deeper emotional bond.
At this moment, the children looked at Shen Wei with wary eyes. "I'm not leaving," the Little Boy declared first.
The Little Girl peeked out from behind her brother, only her small face visible.
These children's clothes were somewhat worn and dirty.
In the orphanage, one volunteer had to care for dozens of children.
There were bound to be times when not everyone could be looked after properly.
The conditions here weren't ideal.
But it was already the best home these homeless children could hope for.
Moreover, the orphanage director was doing her utmost to care for these children.
The children, being young, were innocent.
They simply said they wanted to stay with their big brother.
Though their brother was fragile, he still looked after and protected them.
"What if you could stay together with your brother?" Shen Wei asked.
The little girl's eyes immediately lit up. "Ah!"
It was her dream come true.
Recently, hearing that a family was interested in adopting her, the little one had cried several times.
Everyone around envied her.
The children believed that being adopted meant a better life.
But she didn't want a better life; she just wanted to stay with her siblings.
Even the Little Boy didn't dare blink, staring at Shen Wei. "Do you really mean it?"
Shen Wei nodded, "Of course I do."
The two children immediately brightened up, their faces breaking into smiles as they exclaimed, "Okay!"
Afraid that Shen Wei might change her mind, they eagerly tried to sell themselves: "We can help with chores too! Sweeping, mopping, cleaning windows!"
Shen Wei gently stroked the children's soft cheeks and said, "Alright then, I'll go talk to your orphanage director!"
Upon receiving this news, the two little ones joyfully rushed to Lin Zhi, saying, "That kind lady wants to take all of us together!"
Lin Zhi was stunned, then asked, "Really?" It felt like a blessing falling from the sky.
How could such good fortune befall him?
He felt happy but didn't dare let himself get too excited.
Shen Wei and Lin Rui went to the director's office.
The director was also a bit bewildered when she heard the news.
Shen Wei wanting to take all three children didn't comply with adoption rules.
Shen Wei proposed, "How about this? I'll make a targeted donation for these three children, covering all their expenses from elementary school through age 18. They can be fostered with me for now."
"If they ever want to come back, they can return anytime. Don't look for other adoptive families for them. I promise to take good care of them."
With Shen Wei's assurance, the director naturally agreed wholeheartedly.
After all, Starry Sky Kindergarten was incredibly famous.
It was said that the tuition for their elite class was 20,000 yuan a month.
Even at that price, demand exceeded supply.
They were professionals at caring for children.
The director immediately drafted an agreement and filed it with the police station.
The director said, "Please treat these children well. I might drop by for home visits every now and then!"
She said this to intimidate adoptive families a bit.
In reality, she had never actually done a home visit.
Finding opportunities and ideal families for these children, seeking social donations – these tasks already consumed all her energy.
As for home visits, she simply lacked the capacity.
But these words could serve as a warning to adoptive families with ill intentions.
Shen Wei replied, "Of course, you're welcome anytime."
This time, Shen Wei left a donation of 100,000 yuan.
This targeted donation was meant for volunteers to buy some snacks for the orphanage children.
Most donations typically went towards solving basic needs like food and clothing.
Snacks were rarely bought.
These young children, at an age when they craved treats, didn't have such luxuries. Only the sweetest-talking kids occasionally managed to get some goodies from volunteers.
Shen Wei's donation was enough to ensure every child in the orphanage could enjoy these delicious snacks.
The director looked at Shen Wei with gratitude in her eyes.
Only a woman's heart could be so thoughtful.
The director said, "On behalf of the children, thank you."
Shen Wei also offered to donate some art supplies to the orphanage.
When Mu Zhixin had come to their kindergarten, her tragic background had touched many netizens who wanted to donate things to her.
This included clothes, books, and art supplies.
Learning of her love for drawing, people had bought her a complete set of art materials.
Now that Starry Sky Kindergarten supplied her art materials, Shen Wei had made a video asking how to handle the excess donations.
The top comments all supported Shen Wei using them for charity.
And so, Starry Sky made monthly donations to poor villages and hope primary schools.
After doing so much charity work elsewhere, they discovered that the local orphanage was in such dire straits.
Many children lacked these cherished possessions.
Shen Wei had the resources, and the children needed them. It was a perfect match.
Shen Wei promised that if the accumulated donations weren't enough, she would make up the difference out of her own pocket.
For the orphanage director, this was like a godsend.
The director was so moved she didn't know what to say, repeatedly thanking Shen Wei: "Thank you. On behalf of the children, I also thank all the kind-hearted people in society."
These were all things the children loved, and receiving such donations was truly wonderful.