The warm sunlight filtered through the windows of the orphanage, casting a gentle glow on a little girl.
The girl sat alone by the window, her hair tied into two adorable buns. She gazed quietly at the world outside, her eyes reflecting a calmness that seemed beyond her years.
"Jing Yi."
An elderly voice broke the silence.
The girl turned her head and flashed a bright smile, "Grandma!" She hurried over to support the approaching old woman.
This was the Grandma of the orphanage, the matriarch of this small haven and Jing Yi's only family.
Grandma lovingly patted her small hand and allowed herself to be guided to a seat by Jing Yi.
Jing Yi stood obediently beside her, her almond-shaped eyes sparkling with liveliness. "Grandma, did you need me for something?"
The old woman's smile softened, and her aged eyes carried a hint of reluctance. "It's about your parent-teacher meeting tomorrow..."
The orphanage was managed only by her and her daughter. She had originally arranged for her daughter to attend, but her daughter suddenly had to work overtime tomorrow, leaving her to stay and watch over the orphanage.
After all, the orphanage wasn't just home to Jing Yi.
Jing Yi was momentarily taken aback, a flicker of disappointment crossing her eyes, but it vanished almost instantly. She continued to smile sweetly.
"It's okay, Grandma. The meeting won't be about anything important anyway. If the teacher says anything, I'll just relay it to you later. Oh, by the way, the teacher praised me for improving my grades last time. Let me tell you about it..."
Jing Yi deftly changed the subject.
She understood. Grandma was busy, taking care of the other children. She wasn't just Jing Yi's Grandma.
It seemed like tomorrow would bring yet another round of teasing from her classmates.
Under the sunlight, Jing Yi chatted with her kind-hearted Grandma, both of them smiling, though their smiles seemed strained.
In a primary school classroom, desks and chairs were neatly arranged, and a notice about the parent-teacher meeting was written on the blackboard. The meeting began as scheduled.
The classroom buzzed with excitement as students eagerly shared stories of school life and academic progress with their parents.
But all of this had nothing to do with Jing Yi. She began packing up her things, accustomed to leaving early.
The teacher approached her and gently patted her head, comforting her, "Jing Yi, don't be sad. Even though your parents aren't here, they must love you dearly from wherever they are. I know you're a strong child, and you've been doing exceptionally well in school. The teachers and classmates all like you very much..."
This wasn't the first time Jing Yi had heard these words. She was grateful to the teacher, as it was one of the few kind remarks she ever received.
But why did people always assume that parents must love their children? Had the teacher forgotten?
She was an orphan.
Honestly, it didn't bother her much. Unlike her classmates who had to wait for the meeting to end, she could return to the orphanage early and help Grandma with the chores.
But Jing Yi couldn't say this to the teacher. It would only elicit more pity. She smiled politely, thanked the teacher, and continued packing her things after the teacher turned to attend to other parents.
"Sweetie, who's that little girl? She's quite cute."
"That's Jing Yi, the orphan in our class."
"An orphan? That's so sad. Does that mean no one came for her parent-teacher meeting?"
"Yeah, even when her Grandma came before, she was asking about it..."
Jing Yi sighed softly. How many times would she have to hear the same things?
The sky had turned a deep orange, the setting sun casting its final glow.
Jing Yi slung her backpack over her shoulders and prepared to leave the school grounds. She felt a bit nervous, wondering if the others would tone down their teasing after the parent-teacher meeting.
Lost in thought, she quickened her pace toward the school gate.
But, as usual, fate wasn't on her side.
Jing Yi stopped in her tracks, her eyes wary as she faced the group of classmates blocking her path.
These were the classmates the teacher claimed "all liked her."
"Jing Yi, why are you leaving so early? Isn't it parent-teacher meeting time?"
A few boys, who others said "liked" her, were teasing her.
But Jing Yi hated this kind of "like."
She remained silent, her round almond eyes filled with caution.
"Don't you remember? Jing Yi doesn't have parents! She was picked up from the orphanage!" one of the boys behind her shouted loudly, as if ensuring everyone nearby could hear.
"But didn't she say her Grandma would come?"
"I checked. Her Grandma didn't show up! Her seat was empty. No one came for her."
"She's a liar! Jing Yi is a liar!"
"Let's tell the others not to play with the liar tomorrow!"
The boys laughed mockingly. Jing Yi tightened her grip on her backpack strap, trying to slip past them, but they blocked her way.
"You're not going anywhere!"
One of the boys grabbed her backpack. Jing Yi felt a mix of helplessness and fear.
She forced herself to stay calm. "Let go, or I'll tell your parents!"
But the boys weren't intimidated. "Go ahead! At most, we'll just say sorry. Big deal."
This wasn't the first time. Whether she told the teacher or their parents, it always ended with an apology. Nothing more.
They yanked her backpack off and rummaged through it, scattering her belongings on the ground.
Jing Yi was pushed to the ground by the group.
...
"Bro, where is this place?"
Jing Zeqian followed closely behind Jing Zeyou, feeling uneasy as he looked at the unfamiliar surroundings.
After waking up, Jing Zeqian found himself in this strange place with Jing Zeyou. Everything was unfamiliar, and to make matters worse, both he and his brother seemed to have regressed in age!
When he first saw Jing Zeyou, who looked no older than twenty, he was as shocked as if he'd seen a ghost.
Then he looked in the mirror and realized he himself looked like a high school student.
Jing Zeyou calmly observed the buildings around them. The architectural style was very different from that of North River. This place resembled a small town in a third-tier city.
"I don't know either."
Jing Zeyou was just as puzzled by this strange turn of events. He decided to explore the area to see if they could contact anyone.
The two stopped at the entrance of a primary school. It was dismissal time, but there weren't many people around. Instead, a group of students stood at the gate, talking about something.
Jing Zeyou didn't pay much attention and was about to walk in another direction when, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a little girl on the ground. She had her hair in two buns and was sitting there, her eyes filled with defiance.
Jing Zeqian also looked over, his brow furrowing. A group of boys surrounding a little girl didn't seem like a good situation.
