Boonie Bears: Another World Fantasy

In the southern part of Shenzhen, in a suburban orphanage.

Far from the hustle and bustle of the city, this place is a peaceful and tranquil paradise. Sunlight shines down, draping the entire orphanage in a golden veil; a gentle breeze brings refreshing air.

"The grass smells sweet, the berries are sweet, we drink the dew and lean against the trees..." The tender and clear voices of children sang in the back garden. The children formed a circle, dancing and singing along with the orphanage teacher. Their faces were filled with innocent smiles, as bright and dazzling as flowers blooming in spring.

Among the group of happy children, Peng Fei was playing and frolicking with several older boys. He was agile and full of energy, frequently letting out a hearty laugh. Not far away, Karl stood quietly to the side, a faint smile on his lips, his eyes gently watching everything.

Beyond this lively and joyful scene, a solitary figure stood in a corner. She gazed at the other children from afar, her thoughts already drifting back to her own past.

"Woof woof!"

Accompanied by a cheerful bark, a middle-aged woman dressed in simple clothes appeared beside the garden, leading a pure white Samoyed with soft fur. The adorable dog spotted An Han from afar and immediately became extremely excited, barking loudly and wagging its tail frantically as it ran towards her.

"Hey, Dean." An Han greeted him with a smile, then walked quickly toward the house.

"Oh my goodness, come and let me take a good look!" The dean beamed, practically unable to stop smiling. "Look at our Xiaohan, she's grown into a beautiful young woman!" As she spoke, she clapped her hands and called out, "Yuzai, hurry up and greet your good friend!"

Upon hearing its owner's command, Yuzai quickly ran to Anhan's side. Seeing this, Anhan hurriedly knelt down and gently stroked the excited little dog. Yuzai stuck out its wet tongue and kept licking Anhan's cheeks.

An Han slowly stood up, looking around at the familiar scene before her. This slightly dilapidated backyard, clearly weathered by time and having lost its former glory, held countless cherished memories for her. A strong sense of guilt welled up within her as she thought about how she hadn't been able to return more often. She narrowed her eyes slightly, gazing quietly at Peng Fei, who was playing happily with a group of children not far away, her heart filled with emotion.

"Do you see? In their hearts, you are always their role model and the pillar of this orphanage." The kind-faced female director gently closed the heavy book in her hands, her gaze slowly shifting to the clean white wall in front of her.

Hanging on the wall was a slightly worn but impeccably clean banner, its red silk shimmering under the light. In the center of the banner, the words "Ms. An Han's Unconditional Donation" were embroidered in delicate characters, as if silently telling a story untold.

The female director gazed silently at the banner. When she spoke again, her voice trembled slightly, tinged with an uncontrollable sob: "Your perseverance, your efforts... the children will remember all of this."

At this point, An Han, standing beside her, closed her eyes, as if time had stood still. A faint floral fragrance filled the air, refreshing and invigorating. After a while, she took a deep breath, trying to calm her surging emotions. An Han managed a weak smile, a smile tinged with endless sorrow and helplessness.

"I'm sorry, Xiaohan... You must have been in a lot of pain after what happened," the dean asked softly, her words filled with concern. She looked at the girl she had once nurtured, now fully grown and ready to soar, and felt a mixture of joy and deep emotion.

An Han shook her head slightly and replied softly, "It's alright, Dean, it's all over now..." She lowered her head, but her gaze never left the group of children who were playing.

"I'm content just to see them so happy."

Memories flooded back. More than ten years ago, she was also a member of this orphanage, spending countless happy and unforgettable days in this back garden. However, her fate took a turn when she was twelve years old. She was adopted by a wealthy family and left the place that had given her warmth and love.

Even after becoming the heir to the Sunset, she never forgot this place. Despite the significant changes in her status and responsibilities, she could never sever the emotional bond she had with the orphanage where she had once lived.

Therefore, no matter how busy she is with work or how tight her schedule is, An Han will always make time to return to this place full of memories and warmth from time to time.

"Not many people probably know that you're secretly sponsoring an orphanage, right?" The director said softly as the two walked side by side on the soft lawn, his gaze drifting towards the shimmering artificial lake in the distance.

An Han smiled slightly, indicating her agreement.

The dean turned around, a new emotion flickering in his eyes: "I'm so happy for you—you see... I don't even know what to say."

"Don't do this, it's not like this is the last time I've come." An Han hugged the old director tightly, but even so, she could still clearly feel her body trembling.

An Han knew very well that the old director, who had given her boundless love and was like a mother to her, was extremely serious at this moment. She was genuinely happy for her, but of course, An Han couldn't ignore the hint of worry in the other woman's eyes.

"What's wrong?" An Han couldn't help but ask.

“It’s nothing,” the dean stubbornly shook his head and answered softly, “I just… when you were very young… only about seven years old, I would often quietly go to your bedside at night and sit down, listening to your breathing. At that time, your health was particularly poor, and you always had recurring fevers…”

Before she could finish speaking, the dean's eyes were already slightly red, and tears were welling up uncontrollably. She simply couldn't bear to let An Han suffer even the slightest harm from the outside world.

"When I saw those reporters and unscrupulous media outlets shamelessly promoting your past, even maliciously belittling you and spreading rumors that you were a child bought with money, I was really angry..."

"Let them talk, I don't care." An Han's voice was very soft, as if a gentle breeze could blow it away, but it carried a firmness that was impossible to ignore.

"No—" The dean shook his head sharply, his expression serious, as if he wanted to convey some important message in this way. "I must protect every child who leaves here, no matter what kind of person they become or what profession they pursue. My only hope is that they can spend every day happily."

At this point, the dean involuntarily clenched his hands tightly, his once bright and warm eyes now dimmed, filled with concern and care: "I'm really afraid those people will ruin you, Xiaohan... After all, you're still so young, and you have a long road ahead of you."

At that very moment, An Han clearly felt an intense, overwhelming love emanating from the dean, as radiant and dazzling as the warm sunshine of spring.

"Thank you, Dean..." Years of pain and repression erupted at this moment. An Han tried hard to control her emotions and appear strong. "Thank you for doing so much for me..."

......

Before leaving, the director insisted on bringing An Han here—a small room full of childlike fun, filled with all kinds of toys and decorations that children love. In the corner, there was a slightly old wooden box. The director slowly walked into the room, stood in front of the wooden box, took a deep breath, and then carefully opened the lid.

The box was filled with all sorts of items: worn-out toys, yellowed drawing books, and clothes that Anhan had worn as a child. Each item seemed to exude the scent of a beautiful past.

An Han gently stroked these treasures, a warm feeling welling up in her heart. Each item was a witness to that period of growth, recording countless joys and tears.

Suddenly, her gaze was drawn to a faded coat. The coat had a unique steel blue hue, with fluffy brown fur trim on the cuffs, exuding a strong old Northeastern Chinese style.

“I don’t remember ever wearing this coat…” An Han frowned in confusion. The coat looked so small and delicate; perhaps it belonged to her when she was seven or eight years old? She tried hard to search her memory, but to no avail.

At this moment, the dean smiled and said, "Of course you wore that. Back then, you were wearing an adorable Lei Feng hat and muttering about going to defeat the big bear." At this, the two of them laughed knowingly.

Just then, a soft laugh came from outside the door; someone was clearly trying hard not to laugh out loud. An Han immediately guessed that it was Peng Fei's doing.

"You just wait." She bit her lip, silently resentfully muttering to herself.

"But I quite liked the name they gave you back then." The old director picked up the photo frame on the small table with a nostalgic air and gently blew away the dust. The frame was old and worn, with frayed edges, but it was still clear that it had been carefully cared for. Through the slightly yellowed glass, one could see a photograph, capturing An Han's innocent and adorable appearance as a child.

The dean shifted her gaze to the back of the photo, where two words were faintly written in pencil: "Dudu." She murmured the name, as if she had returned to that time filled with laughter and joy.

As An Han listened to the old dean's words, a shy smile appeared on her face, and her eyes revealed a hint of embarrassment.

Doodle.

Yes, that was the name I used to have… she thought bitterly.

Even though I have become a different person.