Charlie, in his ignorance, had no time to dwell on sadness. Stephen Thompson had vanished from the orphanage, and from that moment on, Charlie spent the next ten years living there as an orphan.


    During the initial years of this decade, Charlie led a life that felt almost entirely cut off from the outside world.<fn4ee6> The source of th?s content is f?ndnovel</fn4ee6>


    At that time, the orphanage provided basic education, but they never arranged outings. There were no spring trips, tomb-sweeping activities, visits, or performances. The children remained within the orphanage’s walls every single day. The staff, referred to as “aunts,” managed household tasks as best they could, and the children often helped tend to the orphanage’s vegetable gardens.


    Charlie often believed that the orphanage struggled financially, considering it a miracle that they could provide education and enough food.


    However, it wasn’t until he reconnected with Stefanie and inquired about Stephen Thompson that he discovered the truth: all these arrangements had been set up by Stephen Thompson long ago. The orphanage’s istion of the children was a protective measure for Charlie alone.<h3 style="background-color:DodgerBlue">


    Those years of seclusion ultimately shielded him from the relentless searches by his rtives, his parents’ friends, and the enemies who sought his life. After years of fruitless searching, they had all turned their attention away from Aurous Hill.


    No one could have anticipated that, despite the extensive efforts of so many, Charlie was still residing in this very city.


    Now, two decadester, his grandfather, grandmother, and uncle had returned. Through the ounts provided by Li Yalin and Stefanie, Charlie learned that his grandparents had never ceased their search for him over the years. Deep within, Charlie longed to reconnect with his grandmother’s family, if only to ease the worries and guilt they felt about his uncertain fate.


    Nevertheless, the oppressive presence of the Poqing Society made him suppress these thoughts for the time being.


    Yet, with his grandparents now in Aurous Hill, it seemed they intended to stay for a considerable time. The prospect of living so close to them while keeping his identity hidden was daunting.


    Despite his swirling emotions, Charlie remained resolute in his decision.


    He could only hope that his grandparents, now so near, would be unable to uncover any traces of him.


    …


    That night, Charlie found himself awake the entire night, while his grandparents, uncle, and Li Yalin, who resided in Wanliu Vi, slept peacefully.


    Old man An Qishan had suffered from sleep disorders for years, often unable to enjoy a full night’s rest for over a decade. In recent years, he managed only about five hours of sleep each day.


    Typically, he would lie in bed by ten o’clock, tossing and turning until he could finally drift off around midnight, only to wake before one o’clock, needing another hour or two to fall asleep again.


    This prolonged sleep deprivation had taken a toll on his mental well-being, further aggravating his Alzheimer’s disease.


    However, the night before, a problem that had gued him for years seemed to vanish after arriving in Aurous Hill.


    After showering, he slept soundly until dawn, not waking once and experiencing a rare state of deep sleep throughout the night.


    His wife also experienced a simr sense of restfulness.


    Though she hadn’t yet developed Alzheimer’s, the aging process had begun to affect her sleep quality. Yet, like her husband, she slept soundly until seven in the morning.


    Having had such a good night’s sleep, her first feeling upon waking was an indescribable sense of rxation.


    Noticing her husband looking revitalized, she asked, “Qishan, how did you sleepst night?” An Qishan leaned against the headboard, still in disbelief, “I haven’t had a good night’s sleep in years. This feels so peaceful.”


    After a moment, he added, “Maybe it’s because I was so exhausted yesterday that I slept so deeply…”


    He then shook his head, murmuring, “But that can’t be the only reason… Perhaps it has something to do with this ce. I noticed on the way here that it’s situated on a mountain, near ake. The scenery seems lovely, but I didn’t get to see it clearly at night. In such a beautiful environment, it’s no wonder I felt so rxed.”


    The olddy nodded in agreement, sharing the sentiment.


    Suddenly, she looked at An Qishan, wide-eyed and startled, eximing, “Qishan, do you remember what happened yesterday?!”