The beloved baby has a space

Chapter 691 Strange People

The opening on this day was also Ayu's idea. Every year on the fifteenth of August, her birthday, her family would celebrate her in a big way. Even if they didn't invite guests, her own family could still sit at several large tables.

This time when Ayu came to Wanning City, she didn't want everyone to revolve around her, so she suggested that the orphanage event be moved to August 15th, and then everyone would celebrate in the new orphanage.

The orphanage was not located on Sansi Street, but across the street. Liu used the money that Old Mrs. Wang had given her to buy a courtyard, and after it was properly maintained, it became the orphanage.

"Chang'an Orphanage? That's a good name, and it fits the name Wanning quite well." On the opening day, the orphanage had no students yet, but the surrounding residents had already seen the decorations being put up. It wasn't until the red plaque was hung up on the fifteenth of August that they saw the name.

The outside was already covered with festive lanterns, just waiting to be lit up after dusk.

The location of Liu's Chang'an Orphanage was not remote, and it was close to Sansi Street. There were many literati and scholars in the area, who gathered at the entrance of the orphanage.

As the owner of the orphanage, Liu naturally didn't just enjoy the festivities. Instead, she took the opportunity to bring her maid, Zhi Nuan, to the door to explain the orphanage's educational philosophy to the passersby.

Although Wanning City is large, there are only a handful of orphanages. Families who are more particular do not send their children to orphanages but instead invite teachers to their homes to give lectures. When the children are older, they are sent to academies to study.

Not to mention families who don't care about such things, their children never have the opportunity to go to school. They just play at this house and then run around to that house. It's a miracle if they even grow up.

The Liu family's orphanage also had different teaching methods, including those that cultivated various interests, those that simply provided a place for children to run around freely, and those that connected with academic studies.

To facilitate enrollment at the orphanage, Qin Huai even voluntarily lent his title of top scholar to the orphanage, indicating that he would come to the orphanage one day each month to lecture and answer questions.

Liu, of course, would not miss such an opportunity for publicity. Taking advantage of the fact that everyone was coming to watch the excitement, she told them about the top scholar coming to the orphanage to give a lecture.

Upon hearing this, some people couldn't sit still.

A top scholar lecturing is a rare and precious opportunity, something people would beg for, let alone once a month or even once a year. They consider it a blessing.

Putting everything else aside, just by absorbing the scholarly air and talent of the top scholar, one's own children might also be able to embark on the path of imperial examinations in the future.

Although there are many students in Wanning City Middle School, many of them fail the exams. Many families have children who are not good enough, and despite spending a lot of money, there are still many who cannot even pass the preliminary examination.

Seeing that invoking Qin Huai's name was effective, Ayu also worked hard to endorse her own family.

She stated that the tuition fees for the orphanage are not high, and children from ordinary families can be sent there. Although it is called an orphanage, children can be as old as ten, which can relieve many families of the worries of raising children.

With the top scholar in the imperial examination and the Yuxiang gentleman in the imperial examination, they possess both talent and nobility. What more is there to say?

Immediately, many people spread the word, and regardless of when the orphanage would officially begin enrolling students, they eagerly brought their children over, and while having them examined, they paid their Mid-Autumn Festival tuition fees.

The tuition fees in Wanning City are much higher than in Nanhe Town. In addition to the money at the beginning of the school year, festival gifts are also given. Fortunately, they don't have to be given to each teacher individually; they can all be handed over to a designated person.

The Liu family opened the orphanage not to make a lot of money, and the tuition fees were not high, so both parties were satisfied.

Before evening, the orphanage was full of more than eighty students, whose elders all said they would be happy if the school could officially open on August 16.

The orphanage originally planned to enroll only fifty children, but due to the enthusiasm of the families, it eventually received eighty-eight. Liu had to urgently stop the enrollment, telling them that it would not be too late to send more children after the orphanage was expanded in the future.

Liu was both amused and exasperated: "Please don't worry, everyone. The Chang'an Orphanage will officially open in early September. During this period, we need to take the children's measurements. In addition to the custom-made stationery, we also need to prepare the clothing they will need. It can't be done in one or two days. When the time comes, we will inform you door-to-door."

Then everyone dispersed.

"Mother, you're amazing!" Ayu gave Liu a genuine thumbs-up, deeply admiring her.

She wanted to open a girls' academy and had learned a lot about the procedures for opening academies. Even the enrollment process alone was difficult for many people, but Liu managed to attract so many people on the opening day.

It's not just Qin Huai and her efforts that deserve credit; the Liu family's early preparations also played a crucial role.

The curriculum and arrangements at the orphanage were all carefully planned by Liu herself, including many of the facilities. She also tirelessly searched for suitable teachers and persuaded them to come to the orphanage, enduring hardships that went unnoticed. "Your father has also helped a lot. He's been traveling around these past few years and has met many capable people. They've given me a lot of advice," Liu said with a smile. "Once the orphanage is truly established, I'll explain the details to you, so you won't be caught off guard when you open a girls' academy in the future."

Ayu hugged Liu tightly, crying, "Waaah, my mother is the best mother in the world! You're so good to me!"

"Alright, you're all grown up now, still clinging to your mother and acting like a spoiled child, aren't you ashamed?" Liu teased Ayu on purpose.

Ayu buried her head in Liu's arms and refused to come out, deliberately sobbing as she said, "I'm not ashamed, I'm still young! And even when I'm eighty or ninety years old and become an old lady, I'm not ashamed to act coquettishly in my mother's arms."

Liu pinched her nose: "By the time you're seventy or eighty, your mother will be long gone. Even if you want to act spoiled, you won't have anywhere to do so."

“Mother, don’t lie to me. I’m seventy or eighty years old, and you will definitely be a healthy old lady.”

"Alright, Mother will try her best to be a healthy old lady."

Grandma Wang called out to Liu from the other end, and Liu smiled, pushed Ayu aside, and went to the other end.

Ayu was left looking at the lanterns hanging outside the orphanage, her eyebrows furrowed.

【It's your birthday today, aren't you happy?】

"My fairy, is Mother ill? I didn't notice?"

No, I just had your family members undergo physical examinations yesterday, which cost ten points per person! They are all very healthy. By the way, your second sister-in-law is pregnant and has a healthy baby.

"Why did Mother suddenly say that?"

【Hmm…】 Now Tuanzi doesn't need to consult parenting guides to answer Ayu's endless questions. It replied, 【Just think of it as a joke your mother played on you. Elders always like to make these kinds of jokes that are long, long in the future; by then, they'll have long forgotten about them.】

"Ok."

Ayu continued standing at the doorway, when suddenly it dawned on her: "Second sister-in-law has a baby?!"

Excited, she suddenly stood up, but not noticing behind her, she bumped into someone with a "bang".

"Ugh—" Ayu covered her head, which had hurt from the impact.

One person collapsed to the ground with a thud, his head lolled to the side, and he passed out.

【Oh dear.】

Qin Huai came out of the Duke of Yongguo's mansion, carrying what he considered to be the most delicious mooncakes. Just as he reached the entrance of the orphanage, he saw Ayu bump into someone.

He hurriedly stuffed the mooncake to Chijia behind him, then quickly went up to catch Ayu and rubbed her head.

"Are you okay?"

"It's alright." Ayu steadied herself before looking at the person on the ground.

This man was truly strange. Despite the Mid-Autumn Festival weather, he was shirtless with disheveled hair, carrying a wine gourd in his hand, his face flushed, and reeking of alcohol.

I don't know if she fainted or got drunk.

Qin Huai said to Chi Jia, "Help this person inside first."

Upon hearing this, the two guards who were originally following behind Qin Huai stepped forward, lifted the man's arms, and quickly led him into the orphanage.

(End of this chapter)