Seeing this, Zhao Anning stopped and walked over to the older woman, smiling pleasingly as he said, "Alright, Xiao Li, I was wrong. Don't be mad anymore."
Hearing this, the older woman's expression softened slightly, but she still let out a huff and said, pretending to be angry, "If you ever dare to speak to me like that again, I'll really hit you!"
Zhao Anning quickly nodded in agreement with a very sincere attitude. Then, he immediately took her hand and said gently, "You must be tired. Let me lead you."
The older woman seemed a bit embarrassed, but she still let Zhao Anning hold her hand.
One could see the older woman, half-resisting and half-yielding, being supported by Zhao Anning to a stone bench nearby.
As the two sat there, Zhao Anning continued to chat with her to relieve her boredom, making her burst into laughter, her face overflowing with a happy smile.
It really felt like a "twilight romance."
Having witnessed this scene, Jiang Cheng finally understood what Chen Ping meant earlier.
He couldn't help but give a thumbs-up in Zhao Anning's direction.
Impressive. Your elder is truly your elder.
Seeing Zhao Anning in a state so completely different from before, Jiang Cheng didn't think there was anything wrong with it.
In this life, whether one is upright or a rogue, there is no absolute right or wrong.
Everyone has the right to choose the lifestyle they want without being bound by fixed moral standards.
Although he was a bit of a scumbag, Jiang Cheng felt he had nothing to say regarding this issue.
Jiang Cheng nodded and said sincerely, "This is fine too. This is the life of a normal person."
Seeing that Chen Ping didn't seem to understand his meaning.
Jiang Cheng spoke again, "It seems quite lively here. It's good not to live like an ascetic monk as before. Don't tell him I was here; I'm leaving now."
Seeing Jiang Cheng's misunderstanding, Chen Ping immediately explained, "This... Young Master Jiang, I feel you might have misunderstood."
Just then, a dispute seemed to break out between Zhao Anning and the older woman.
"Why won't you let me call my daughter? I want to talk to my daughter," the older woman said emotionally, her voice unintentionally rising a few notches.
Zhao Anning quickly held her hand and comforted her softly.
"Don't be in such a hurry! Look, your daughter is so busy with work. She finally has a lunch break to rest. If you call her now, won't you be disturbing her? Can't you wait until she gets home from work tonight to have a good chat? You don't want her to work too hard either, right?"
Hearing this, the older woman's previously agitated expression gradually softened.
But her face still carried a hint of reluctance: "Alright then, I'll call her tonight. But, I miss her so much..." As she spoke, the woman's eyes reddened slightly, and tears welled up.
Zhao Anning quickly patted her shoulder and comforted her, "I understand how you feel. Don't worry, your daughter must miss you too. How about this: endure it for now, and when evening comes, give her a surprise and tell her you've been thinking of her. She'll definitely be very moved."
The woman nodded, wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, and sighed, "Sigh, alright then. Then I'll give my son a call now..."
Zhao Anning hastily stopped her and advised, "Don't call. Young people have their own lives; they need some private space. If you're always calling him, how will he have time to find a girlfriend?"
Upon hearing this, the woman thought Zhao Anning's words made sense, so she nodded. "Hmm, you're right. How could I have forgotten? Yes, finding a girlfriend is more important."
Zhao Anning smiled and continued, "We can take a break now, and then go help wash vegetables and cook together, how about that? That way, it won't be boring, and we can help everyone."
The woman readily agreed, "Sure, let's go. Let's hurry and help."
Chen Ping looked toward Zhao Anning and said, "Young Master Jiang, at first I also thought Old Zhao was a fickle scumbag... quite amorous. But after learning more, I realized he's actually doing it on purpose. He's only this special to these two older ladies."
Looking at Old Zhao, who was making the older woman laugh not far away, a look of doubt appeared on Jiang Cheng's face.
He asked in confusion, "These two ladies don't seem like anything special. The one just now seemed to have trouble walking, looking a bit lame??"
Chen Ping nodded.
"Both of these women suffer from Post-War Traumatic Stress Phobia."
Jiang Cheng's brow furrowed upon hearing this.
"That should be a mental illness, right?"
Chen Ping nodded. "The one who was limping just now—her husband was also a soldier. Back then, she was in the Logistics Department and saw her husband blown up with her own eyes. She suffered immense mental trauma, and her own leg was injured while providing aid, leaving a permanent condition. She has no children and her life is very difficult."
"Although our unit has always been taking care of her, she still has episodes occasionally. When she does, she always mistakes others for her husband. After Old Zhao found out, he often pretends to be her husband."
These words made Jiang Cheng's expression turn to one of astonishment once again.
He really hadn't expected such a twist.
Chen Ping continued, "In fact, most of the elderly people helping here are retired veterans. Most of them have a sad past. This older lady is the same; she usually works efficiently, but sometimes she gets a bit delusional. Especially when she stops, she's always talking to herself on her phone as if calling her family, but in reality, her son died in battle, and her daughter is dead too..."
Hearing this, Jiang Cheng's heart was hit with a significant shock.
He suddenly felt that his perspective just now had been narrow.
At first, he really did think Old Zhao was a scumbag just like himself.
"So Old Zhao..." Jiang Cheng asked softly, his gaze falling on Old Zhao, who was chatting with the older ladies nearby.
Chen Ping nodded. "He perhaps just can't bear to see them immersed in past sorrows, so he often makes them happy."
Looking at Old Zhao in the distance, Jiang Cheng's footsteps suddenly felt a bit heavy.
Suddenly, he waved his hand at Chen Ping, signaling not to disturb him, and then turned and left.
Jiang Cheng walked while reflecting on everything Chen Ping had said.
This world was far more complex than he had imagined.
Everyone has their own story and pain, and these stories are often hidden beneath the surface.
If Chen Ping hadn't told him, he would have only seen the surface phenomena.
Following Jiang Cheng out of the kitchen area, Chen Ping asked in confusion, "Young Master Jiang, didn't you want to find him??"
Jiang Cheng shook his head. "Does Old Zhao still go to the Orphanage lately??"
Chen Ping nodded and then answered truthfully.
"Not every day. After all, this place is special, and he can't go out every day. But whenever he can, he still goes. Yesterday, last month's subsidies and the New Year's red envelopes were issued. As far as I know, Old Zhao did the same as before and donated it all."
Chen Ping's words made Jiang Cheng recall the image of Old Zhao bent over, holding a trash bag at the entrance of the Orphanage.
This world is truly full of wonders and strange things.
Some people commit many evils, pursuing power and wealth by any means necessary.
While others give silently, their hearts as kind as a Buddha's, their great love unspoken.