How Could a Scumbag Alpha Possibly Love His Wife? - Chapter 97

Cheng Wan looked at the child. Despite being so small, he wore a calm expression as he followed his parents step by step. The wind tugged at his loose sleeve, making him look even more fragile. But he didn’t cry or fuss. Instead, he walked along quietly, eyes scanning the surroundings, as if used to being stared at.

Cheng Wan’s eyes softened. She recognized that kind of calm. It was the kind of calm children from places like this learned very early. Life had already taught them not to expect too much.

After a few minutes, the guard came back and waved her over.

“I called the director. She remembers your name. You can go in, but don’t wander around too much. It’s late, and the kids are getting ready for bed.”

“Thank you,” Cheng Wan said.

The iron gate creaked open. Cheng Wan stepped inside. The air smelled faintly of detergent and the damp wood of old furniture. Even though the buildings had been renovated, some things still carried the scent of the past.

She walked slowly through the courtyard. The playground in the corner was empty, the swings swaying slightly in the breeze. Rain still dripped from the slide. Everything was quiet, peaceful.

A staff member led her inside. “The director’s waiting for you in her office.”

Cheng Wan followed, her footsteps light and careful. When she entered the office, the director stood up to greet her.

“You’ve grown into a beautiful young woman,” the director said warmly, offering a seat. “I recognized your name immediately when the guard called.”

Cheng Wan smiled faintly. “Thank you for letting me visit so late.”

“You’re always welcome here,” the director replied. “This place was your home once. It’s still yours whenever you need it.”

The kindness in her voice made Cheng Wan’s throat tighten. She didn’t speak for a moment. The director didn’t press her.

After a while, Cheng Wan finally said, “I don’t have anywhere to go right now. Can I stay here for a few days?”

“Of course you can,” the director said. “We’ll find you a room. It might not be much, but it’s warm and dry, and you’ll have your own space.”

Cheng Wan nodded. “That’s more than enough. Thank you.”

A young staff member came to lead her to the guest room. It was small but clean, with a freshly made bed, a desk, and a lamp that cast a warm glow across the room. There was even a folded towel on the chair.

After the staff member left, Cheng Wan sat on the bed and stared at her suitcase for a long time. The room was quiet, but her mind was far from still.

Outside, the rain had lightened but hadn’t stopped. She could hear it tapping gently against the window.

Cheng Wan curled up in bed, hugging her knees to her chest. Her clothes were still a little damp, and the chill seeped into her skin. But at least in this small room, she didn’t have to pretend to be okay.

She let herself cry for the first time in a long while, face buried in the pillow, silent tears soaking the fabric.

No one could hear her here. And for now, that was a comfort.

The child looked up with a bright smile and said, “We went to the amusement park and ate lots of food. Uncle and Auntie bought me a kids’ meal, and I finished it all.”

“That’s impressive. Well done,” the old man said, smiling as he clasped his hands behind his back. “Next time, make sure to come back a bit earlier, or the teachers will start to worry.”

The child nodded seriously, then stepped through the small gate. With the only hand he had left, he waved reluctantly, his eyes full of longing. “Goodbye, Uncle and Auntie. Will you come visit me again next week?”

The couple’s expressions tightened almost imperceptibly, but they still smiled and said, “We’ll come see you. Go on inside now.”

Watching the child happily return to the orphanage, Cheng Wan couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed with emotion.

After all, he was still just a child. He couldn’t read the subtle expressions of adults. Just like she hadn’t been able to when she was his age. Back then, she couldn’t see the disgust and discomfort in the eyes of Cheng Jiajian and Xu He. She only remembered that they once promised to take her home.

Sure enough, after the boy ran off, the couple turned to the old gatekeeper and said, “We’re really sorry. This was the last time we’ll be visiting him, so we came back a bit late.”

The old man waved his hand, speaking with resignation. “If you don’t plan to adopt him, then stop coming every now and then. Kids understand more than you think. You really shouldn’t have said you’d come back next week.”

The couple had nothing to say in response. The old man didn’t bother with them anymore and turned to Cheng Wan, waving her over. “Girl, come here.”

Cheng Wan walked over with her luggage. The old man asked, “Are you here just to look around, or do you want to catch up with a teacher? If you’re just looking, I can walk with you for a bit. If you’re looking for someone, I’ll take you there.”

The sky was quickly turning dark. Although Cheng Wan felt nostalgic, she didn’t want to stay too long.

“I’m looking for Director Xu, Xu Ying.”

“Oh, the director? She’s in the dormitory right now. I’ll take you there.”

As Cheng Wan walked across the darkened playground, she realized that she didn’t have many clear memories of the orphanage. She hadn’t come back just to reminisce. She had a question on her mind. A question she had never asked, not once, in all these years.

Back then, even though security cameras weren’t common, there had still been one at the entrance of the orphanage. Her birth mother had left her right there at the door. Didn’t the staff try to investigate?

At the time, she had been too young to understand any of it. But now she was an adult. Especially after giving birth to her own daughter, Sui Sui, Cheng Wan understood how painful it would be to abandon your own child. How could that woman do it so coldly?

Or maybe, had she ever come back secretly to see her? Maybe Cheng Wan just never knew.

As they walked, the old man chatted with her casually, telling her about the changes over the years and a few recent stories.

“A few months ago, a girl about fifteen or sixteen came to the orphanage. I heard her parents and relatives all got into trouble and were sent to prison. Since she’s underage and had no one to take care of her, she was placed here,” the old man said, hands still behind his back. “They thought she would likely become an Alpha, but just a few days ago she differentiated into an Omega. I heard she cried terribly and even threatened to take her own life.”

He sighed. “Kids these days are getting harder and harder to manage. What difference does it make if you’re an Alpha or an Omega? As long as you do something meaningful in society, isn’t that enough?”

Cheng Wan wasn’t really listening to his rambling. When she passed the bulletin board and saw the photos of all the new families, she didn’t know what kind of expression she should have.

Back then, she was probably one of those smiling children in the photos. But all these years later, she had ended up alone again.

After walking past the bulletin board, they arrived at the staff dormitory. The old man spoke to someone inside and then turned to Cheng Wan. “I already called ahead. Go on upstairs. Room 201 on the second floor. Director Xu is there.”

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