Chapter 244 - Unwanted One (2)
The time they spent on the road almost made Su Xiaofei whine next to Lu Qingfeng. Although he had provided the best travel arrangement he could, the road wasn't fully developed and made the ride a little bumpy in Su Xiaofei's opinion.
Si Yixian's sister's location was surprisingly remote. No wonder Si Yixian and the investigators he hired had a hard time finding her. Not many would want to visit such a remote countryside where phone signals weren't even available.
Fortunately, the report Yun Xiang handed to her was detailed enough that it would be impossible for her and Lu Qingfeng to lose their way. Lu Qingfeng even assured her that Nine was familiar with the place as Nine had previously been here, so locating the orphanage where Si Yuxuan was staying wouldn't be so hard for them.
Once they alighted from the car, Su Xiaofei looked around and frowned at the condition of the orphanage where Si Yuxuan was residing. Was this kind of place able to sustain and take care of the needs of young children, given that they were also in a dire situation?
The building looked shabby and old, as if it had seen better days. She could pick up the faint laughter of children from afar, as if they couldn't be bothered with the appearance of their temporary home.
"Let's go and see if she's really here." Lu Qingfeng suggested. Since they were already here, it's only proper to deal with the problem first, so he and Su Xiaofei could plan for their date after this.
The two entered the premises, and they immediately earned several reactions and gazes from the orphanage's residents. Wide, round eyes of children stared at them with amazement, while the older people wondered what their intention was for coming to such a remote place.
Behind them, Nine followed shortly and led them to the director's office. They were greeted by a woman in her late fifties. Her stature was lithe and small, forcing Su Xiaofei to look down even if she didn't want to.
"Director, we're here to talk about Si Yuxuan. I'm Su Xiaofei. I was the one who called you last night." Su Xiaofei introduced herself.
"Ah! I didn't expect you to come here this soon. Please come in!" The old woman replied, giving way for the three to enter her small office.
As Su Xiaofei looked around, she noticed several stacks of papers on top of the tables, while the white tiles on the floor were already cracking from old age. The other people inside the office looked amiable as they gave them a polite nod and returned to their tasks.
"I'm here on Si Yuxuan's brother's behalf. We have been looking for his younger sister since his return, and we received a report that we might be able to find her here." Su Xiaofei said, as soon as she sat down, with Lu Qingfeng next to her.
The director of the orphanage had a conflicted expression on her face as she looked at Su Xiaofei.
"It would have been better if Mr. Si came here to see her for himself." She commented.
"I understand where you are coming from, Director. Rest assured that my friend will come here on our next visit." Su Xiaofei reassured her. She only came here without Si Yixian to confirm that his sister was here before anything else. How can she have a hold over Si Yixian if he came here before her?
The director fell silent, contemplating whether she should entertain Su Xiaofei's inquiries or not. However, as she gave the younger woman a good look, she couldn't help but be in trance looking at her face.
"Director shouldn't worry too much. We're here to help the Si siblings reunite with each other. We won't hurt Si Yuxuan."
The older woman nodded in understanding.
"Actually, Si Yuxuan came here when she was seven years old. Since then, she has lived with us and has never been adopted by another family." She explained.
"Then, is it true that she's having some difficulties?"
Of course, Su Xiaofei won't vocally mention Si Yuxuan's possible mental retardation as it was a sensitive issue not only for her older brother, but also for her caretakers.
The director took a deep breath and leaned on her seat. She then glanced at the old files on her left side, as if it could give her some consolation.
"It's true. After Si Yixian was adopted long ago by a foreign couple, his sister was also taken in by another one. However, after a year, the family that adopted her noticed that she was far from normal compared to the young children her age. Si Yuxuan had been a mute ever since she arrived at the orphanage with her brother. Initially, everyone assumed that it was from a trauma when they lost their mother. However, when her new family found out that she has a mental retardation, they immediately returned her to the orphanage and requested to cancel the adoption process that was ongoing at that time."
These words only proved that Yun Xiang's intel was accurate. From here, it was easy to understand the event that followed. The girl was truly not wanted by anyone except for Si Yixian.
Since the original orphanage that took in the Si siblings was closed a decade ago, it was only natural that the children they were taking care of would be moved elsewhere. If anything, the investigators Si Yixian hired in the past were just too incompetent. If only they had done their job well, Si Yixian wouldn't fall deeper into his depression.
"Then, Director. Would it be possible for us to meet her today? If it's alright, I want to take a picture of her to show Si Yixian once we return from our trip. This would also confirm if she was really the girl we are looking for."
"Alright, but only if you promise not to force her to do anything.." The director requested, not wanting for Si Yuxuan to get nervous with their sudden visit to see her.
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