Transmigrating into the Genius Cannon Fodder’s Aunt

Chapter 153 Part 3 – What Ye Anran Wants to Protect (III)

Qianfa’s eyes widened, and he was about to retort when suddenly a pair of whistle sounded from the mouth of the alley, one long and one short.

Everyone’s faces changed at once.

An’an and Anbai were relatively calm, but Qianfa hoisted Anjie onto his back and bolted, shouting over his shoulder as he ran, “Don’t tell Ye Anran about today! If he gets mad enough to faint, he might just kick the bucket!”

Xiao Feng and Chenchen didn’t even have time to respond. They were busy looking for somewhere to hide—Ye Anran knew Xiao Feng, after all.

Seeing them running straight toward where she was hiding, Xia Mian realized she didn’t have time to retreat. She hurried a few steps forward and slipped through the nearest open gate behind her, hiding inside.

Half a minute later, Xia Mian found herself staring face-to-face with the two boys.

Speechless, she said, “You didn’t have to hide this deep. If you’d just stayed at the corner, he wouldn’t have seen you.”

Chenchen refused to concede. “That’s a slanted alley. Hiding at the corner is still risky. Here is the safest.”

Xiao Feng looked at her in confusion. “Auntie, why are you here?”

Xia Mian: “…”

“Hey! What are you doing?” The homeowner came out, spotting the three of them acting suspiciously, and barked at them.

Xia Mian quickly apologized. “Sorry, sorry! We were playing hide-and-seek with the kids. We’re leaving right now!”

The owner clearly didn’t believe them and followed them all the way out, watching until they exited the alley before turning back.

Chenchen grumbled, “He actually thought we were bad guys.”

Xiao Feng tugged on Xia Mian’s hand. “Auntie?”

“Alright,” Xia Mian said helplessly, “I just wanted to know what you’ve been busy with lately. You’ve been spending so much money I thought someone could be extorting you.”

“As if we’d get extorted,” Chenchen said disdainfully. “Auntie Mian, you really underestimate us.”

Xia Mian felt that when it came to rebellius phase, Chenchen was definitely the worse one.

Xiao Feng didn’t care about that. His concern was elsewhere, “But we promised An’an we wouldn’t tell any adults. Otherwise Brother Anran will get angry again.”

Chenchen also grew troubled. “Yeah. He has heart disease. If he gets angry, he has to be hospitalized. If he gets angry too often, he could die.”

Xia Mian sighed. “This is something I discovered on my own, understand? Not something you told me.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t stop you from helping your friends.”

The boys’ eyes lit up.

“Thank you, Auntie Mian!” Chenchen said.

Xiao Feng happily swung her hand.

Xia Mian chuckled. “Alright, let’s go home for today.”

Chenchen ran to fetch his bike. But when they reached the roadside, he suddenly looked toward the slanted alley and frowned. “What is that Qianfa doing? Arguing with someone?”

Xiao Feng ran over to look. “Brother Wei? Brother Qianfa?”

Qianfa spotted them too and dragged Wei Yuanhang closer, frowning. “Why are you still here?”

Xiao Feng looked at him. “Brother Qianfa, why are you grabbing Brother Wei?”

“You know him?” Qianfa asked.

Xiao Feng nodded. “Yes. He’s a student of my senior brother.”

Qianfa glanced between Wei Yuanhang and Xiao Feng, clearly unsure what their relationship was.

Taking advantage of his loosened grip, Wei Yuanhang yanked his arm free and rubbed it. “He’s my junior uncle. So what?!”

Xia Mian added, “He’s a student at the art academy, the class monitor of the class Ye Anran sits in on.”

Qianfa frowned. “Why were you following Anran?” Then he looked at Xia Mian. “And who are you?”

Xia Mian patted Xiao Feng’s head. “The children’s guardian.”

Qianfa’s brows knit together, wary. “What do you want?”

“Nothing,” Xia Mian said calmly. “I happened to see the kids and came to take them home.”

“Actually, what’s going on with you?”

Only then did Qianfa turn back to Wei Yuanhang and demand sharply, “Yeah, speak! Why were you following Anran?”

Wei Yuanhang rolled his eyes. “Who would bother following him?”

“I just can’t stand how he keeps taking advantage of Xiao Feng.”

“Acting shameless because he knows no one can touch him since he has heart disease. I was going to talk to his family.” Wei Yuanhang frowned. “Who knew it’d be an orphanage.”

At that, he snapped irritably, “Damn it—just because he’s pitiful, does that mean he gets to trick kids however he wants?”

“Who are you calling shameless?” Qianfa burst out angrily. “Who are you saying tricked kids?!”

Wei Yuanhang shot back angrily, “Did I say anything wrong? Sure, he’s pitiful for being sick, and pitiful for being an orphan—but using that to win sympathy is going too far!”

“If he’s poor, then he shouldn’t be painting! Living off taking advantage of a kid just to paint—doesn’t he have any dignity?”

“Who the hell are you saying has no dignity?!” Qianfa exploded, suddenly swinging a fist at Wei Yuanhang. “You don’t know shit! What right do you have to talk about him?”

Wei Yuanhang hadn’t expected Qianfa to throw a punch. He’d already been holding back a bellyful of anger; after taking a hit, he immediately blew up too. The two of them tangled together in an instant.

“Brother Qianfa! Brother Wei! Don’t fight!” Xiao Feng cried anxiously.

Xia Mian stepped forward and struck each of them on the shoulder hard enough to force them apart. She shoved Wei Yuanhang backward with one hand while twisting Qianfa’s arm with the other, separating them completely. Xiao Feng and Chenchen each grabbed onto one of Wei Yuanhang’s legs to keep him from rushing forward again.

Xiao Feng looked up and pleaded, “Brother Wei, don’t fight.”

Afraid of hurting the kids, Wei Yuanhang only glared furiously at Qianfa.

Qianfa was still cursing and struggling. Xia Mian applied a bit more force until he cried out in pain.

“Stop attacking him and I’ll let you go,” she said.

Qianfa knew when to stop. He pressed his lips together and fell silent, his eyes red as he shot a vicious glare at Wei Yuanhang.

Wei Yuanhang glared right back, refusing to back down.

Xia Mian cut off their staring contest and asked Qianfa, “Alright, speak now. What exactly is going on?”

“What?” Qianfa snapped irritably.

“Ye Anran,” Xia Mian said. “I also saw those kids.”

Qianfa let out a mocking laugh. “What, you feel sorry for them? And then what?”

“Planning to donate? How much can you give? If it’s less than ten thousand, don’t even bother.”

“Damn it!” Wei Yuanhang burst out. “Was I wrong to say you’re shameless? You’re even setting a minimum for donations? Maybe you deserve sympathy, but don’t you feel guilty taking money earned by selling misery and dignity like that?!”

“To hell with your ‘selling misery’!” Qianfa suddenly seemed to snap. He lunged and knocked Wei Yuanhang to the ground, punching him hard. “To hell with your ‘selling dignity’!”

“If they were selling dignity, would they be living like this?!” After landing two punches, he suddenly stopped. Large tears began pouring down his face. “What right do you have to talk about him?!”

“You don’t know shit…”

Wei Yuanhang, who had been about to fight back, froze in confusion. “If you’ve got something to say, then say it! You’re a grown man—why are you crying?”

“I haven’t even hit you back yet. What, are you trying to frame me now?”

But Qianfa had already climbed to his feet, clutching his head and sobbing loudly like a child. It was truly heartbreaking.

Xiao Feng and Chenchen both stood by Xia Mian’s side, eyes red. Even Wei Yuanhang’s voice softened. “Hey… stop crying already…”

Xia Mian took a deep breath and handed Qianfa a handkerchief. “Tell me what’s going on first. Has Ye Anran’s heart condition not been treated?”

“Treated my ass!” Qianfa erupted at the mention of it. “Ye Anran is a damn bastard! If he weren’t sick, I’d beat him senseless!”

“We finally scraped together a hundred thousand yuan, and he spent every damn cent on other people. He only went and got himself a checkup!”

“What good is that? Other than knowing his days are getting shorter?!” He wiped at his eyes fiercely, but the tears kept spilling out anyway, which only made him curse more.

Xia Mian asked, “Why don’t you accept donations in the orphanage’s name?”

“Donations?” Qianfa sneered. “Didn’t you see? More than a dozen kids. Except for An’an, every single one is sick or disabled.”

His anger flared again. “Those people dump their own kids like trash. But they still have the nerve to act righteous and pick a ‘good place’ to send them!”

“They know Mother Ye has a soft heart. Any sick or disabled kid gets left at our gate. How much money do you think it takes to fill those holes?”

“Whatever, who cares about patching holes anymore? No one donates now anyway,” he said bitterly. “Because Ye Anran won’t allow it.”

“Know why he won’t?” He looked up at Wei Yuanhang, as if trying to give him a mocking smile. But when his eyes squeezed shut, more tears fell. “Because of that ridiculous dignity!”

“The big donors are all corporations. They bring reporters and media crews when they donate,” Qianfa said. “Every time, they have to hold Anbai for photos.”

“Because she looks the strangest, the most frightening. Her pictures draw the most attention.”

“Oh, and Anmu too. Back then he had severe burns all over his body, so ugly it was terrifying. That businessman who donated two hundred thousand had to take a photo with him and put it in the paper. Otherwise, how would he look like the kindest philanthropist?”

“They brought reporters and photographers. Didn’t listen to the nurses. Just barged into the ICU for interviews, handshakes, photo ops.”

“Anmu had just made it past the critical stage. Because of that, he got infected. He died within days…”

Qianfa let out a cold laugh. “Even after he died, they still called him a monster.”

“Yeah. We’re all monsters. We’re the Monster Orphanage!”

“So what are we supposed to do? We’ve got nothing left—just that damn dignity!”

“Ye Anran made a rule. Donations are fine. But no interviews. No photos.”

“And guess what?” Qianfa laughed harshly. “They stopped donating! There are plenty of orphanages. It’s not like we’re the only one.”

Xia Mian inhaled deeply, forcing down the tears threatening to rise. “So six months ago, you planned that news story about Ye Anran—the genius painter with heart disease, not long to live—to attract attention and raise funds. Why?”

“Because we had no money, of course.” Qianfa let out a sound that was half laugh, half anger. “And before we knew it, Mother Ye picked up another kid with heart disease. Just over three years old.”

“The doctor said it’s congenital, but not the same as Ye Anran’s. Anxin’s can be cured. The younger he is, the better the outcome. If he gets surgery before he turns five, he can live just like a healthy person.”

Wei Yuanhang suddenly understood. “So Ye Anran used himself to gain sympathy and raise donations?”

“Yeah.” Qianfa looked almost indifferent. “His diagnosis came back too. Even if he takes good care of himself, he doesn’t have two years left.”

“I think the bastard just doesn’t want to live anymore!” Qianfa looked at Wei Yuanhang and suddenly laughed. “You said he likes taking advantage? That he has no dignity?”

“He’s the one with the strongest pride in the whole damn family!” Qianfa grew angrier the more he thought about it. “He drilled it into every kid.”

“No taking money casually. No using other people’s things casually. You should never live off people’s charity…”

“I argued with him once out of anger, and he passed out on the spot.” At that, he gave Wei Yuanhang a self-mocking smile. “You were right about one thing. Ye Anran relies on his illness—no one dares disobey him.”

“We’re all orphans. It’s a blessing just to stay alive. What do we need pride and dignity for?”

He looked up at Wei Yuanhang, laughing and crying at the same time. “You say he’s winning sympathy, selling dignity? It was all my idea. I used him.”

“That guy—he’d rather die than give up that bit of pitiful dignity. And he won’t let anyone else throw theirs away either. That bastard!”

And even that last bit of dignity, Ye Anran had already begun to let it go…

From the moment he used his own illness as gimmick to collect donation, from the moment he silently accepted Xiao Feng’s art supplies—he had already been giving up his dignity.

All to protect what little dignity the remaining children still had.

“Damn it…” Wei Yuanhang squatted down too, burying his head in his arms as his voice broke. “I’m sorry…”

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