Xia Yingluo was overjoyed when she heard Ye Chen had given her the song.
She truly loved it.
Not for any other reason than that Ye Chen had given it to her.
The Agent's ears pricked up and he looked straight at Xia Yingluo.
"Little Girl, sell me that song."
Xia Yingluo's answer was firm: "Not for sale."
The Agent's eyes rolled as a sudden idea struck him.
Earlier, he and Dean Zheng had looked into Xia Yingluo's background.
This lass cared about nothing more than the Orphanage.
Dean Zheng had just mentioned that the Orphanage was in financial trouble.
The Agent smiled. "Little Girl, I heard Dean Zheng say you treat this place like home, and right now it's short of money. Sell me the song and you can help tide the Orphanage over."
Hearing that, Xia Yingluo's face showed conflict.
Sensing her wavering, the Agent's eyes lit up. "How about fifty thousand?"
Xia Yingluo said nothing.
The Agent gritted his teeth. "One hundred thousand."
A struggle flashed across Xia Yingluo's eyes.
"Two hundred thousand! That's the going rate for a Top-Tier Musician In The Business." He drew a deep breath.
Head lowered, Xia Yingluo still gave no reply.
She seemed lost in thought.
At last she raised her head; the struggle was gone from her eyes.
"Sorry. I don't want to sell. No matter the price, I won't, because Ye Chen gave me this song."
"Stubborn little thing."
However the Agent argued, Xia Yingluo refused. After a long, fruitless entanglement he left frustrated.
Ye Chen smiled faintly. In this life and the last, Xia Yingluo's temperament hadn't changed.
Once she decided, nothing could sway her.
The evening party ended, and night had fallen. Ye Chen prepared to take his leave of Xia Yingluo.
But after searching everywhere he couldn't find her.
He asked Song Yuyu and learned that Yingluo was in Dean Zheng's Office.
Ye Chen came to the door and was about to knock when voices drifted from inside.
"Yingluo, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" Dean Zheng asked worriedly.
Xia Yingluo shook her head. "Dean, I'm sorry."
Dean Zheng was startled. "Sorry for what?"
"Dean Zheng, I've come to apologize. That song could have sold for two hundred thousand to help our Orphanage, but I…"
The Dean sighed. "Yingluo, you don't need to apologize. It's your song; selling it is your right. You've done so much for the Orphanage already. We'll find a way out of this hardship."
"But the Orphanage is my home; it raised me. I ought to help, yet because of my selfishness I…"
As she spoke, Xia Yingluo was nearly in tears from guilt.
"Because it's Ye Chen's song—he said it's mine—I truly can't bear to sell the only song he ever gave me."
Ye Chen froze.
This silly girl cared so deeply about him.
The Dean sighed. "Yingluo, all these years you've worked every job out there, and every yuan you earned went to the kids here. Every child owns books you bought them, toys you chose…"
Dean Zheng gently stroked her head. "Yingluo, you always think of others, of the children here; you never think of yourself. Even if you're Selfish Just Once, what's wrong with that?"
Ye Chen hid in the corner, listening to every word.
"Yingluo's like that—so foolish; her eyes hold only others, never herself."
Without noticing, Song Yuyu had come up behind Ye Chen.
Behind her trailed a crowd of children.
Song Yuyu said solemnly, "Ye Chen, from today on we entrust Yingluo to you. You mustn't bully her or make her sad, or we won't forgive you."
As she spoke, she brandished her small fist.
Just then Xia Yingluo stepped out.
"You guys…?"
Song Yuyu grinned. "Sister Yingluo, Ye Chen passed my test. I approve him as your Boyfriend."
With that, Song Yuyu dashed off with the children.
Watching them leave, Xia Yingluo's cheeks flushed. "Ye Chen, don't mind that nonsense from the girl."
Ye Chen smiled. "Yingluo, I never realized how much you've done for the Orphanage."
Xia Yingluo beamed. "It's like my home. The Dean is our father; these kids are my brothers and sisters."
Just then Song Yuyu waved. "Sister Yingluo, come play Basketball with us!"
Xia Yingluo nodded and ran over.
Under the lights, Ye Chen watched the happy Xia Yingluo and the laughing children, and he smiled.
Then he turned and walked into Dean Zheng's Office.
"Ye Chen." The Dean greeted him with a smile.
Standing by the window, the Dean watched the kids on the Playground and said warmly, "Ye Chen, thank you so much."
Ye Chen chuckled. "It's nothing; it's what I should do."
"By the way, Dean, I heard the Orphanage is having financial problems?"
Dean Zheng sighed. "Yes. A restaurant that used to sponsor us cancelled its contract because business is bad."
"What are your plans from here?" Ye Chen asked.
Dean Zheng was quiet a moment. "I've filed a request with the higher-ups to see if they can allocate more funds."
Ye Chen knew waiting for government money would be hard.
"I have an idea—Dean Zheng, why doesn't the Orphanage open its own shop?"
"Open a shop?" Dean Zheng gave a wry smile.
"Keeping the Orphanage running is already difficult; where would we find money to open a store?"
Ye Chen grinned. "I have the money!"
He didn't have it yet, but once his bitcoin investment paid off, he would.
Dean Zheng froze; the words felt familiar.
"Ye Chen, no. Investment carries risk, and you're still a High School student. How could I take advantage of you? Besides, you're not even part of the Orphanage."
Before Ye Chen could finish, the Dean rejected the idea.
"Who says I'm not part of the Orphanage? I'm already family, aren't I?"
Family?
Ahem—Dean Zheng couldn't help coughing.
"Little Ye, I understand how you feel, but running a shop isn't as simple as you think, and the cost is no small sum."
"Dean Zheng, rest assured—I've thought it all through."
How could Ye Chen not know business carries risk?
But he wasn't afraid of losing money.
In fact, the more he lost, the more he'd earn.
Already, a road to riches flashed through Ye Chen's eyes!