Hearts of Gold: 1-5 Mutual Support

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The plan to establish an orphanage proves complex, prompting Wenrou and Jiaojiao to work separately. As the plan progresses, the two women, previously in agreement, find themselves at odds over a crucial issue.

Info

Style: No dress-up component Rewards: 3,000 , 600 , 1 , 1 , 1 , Blueprint: Hearts of Compassion

Hearts of Compassion

Dialogue Choices

Wen Rou: Can you guess?

• Try to guess
  • No change
• Refuse to guess
  • No change

Transcript

Expand for script.

• The long-awaited Wen Rou, who has been absent for days, finally arrives at the Shen residence today.
• She's familiar with the layout of the Shen residence by now, so as soon as the servant finishes announcing her, she appears before me.

• I catch a glimpse of her figure emerging. She has a smile on her lips and her footsteps are light.
• Wen Rou: Jiaojiao, why aren't you surprised to see me at all?

• I gather the papers in my hands and look at her with a slight smile.
• Shen Jiaojiao: Why should I be surprised?

• She sits on the stone stool next to me, propping her head up to look at me.
• Wen Rou: I heard the servant say that you have been looking for me.

• Wen Rou: You weren't afraid that I'd change my mind and never come to see you again?

• Shen Jiaojiao: Would you do that?

• I imitate her tone of voice, looking at her.
• The warm sun shines on the tops of our heads, emitting a faint golden glow.
• She puts away her playful, joking manner.
• Wen Rou: I wouldn't do that. If I changed my mind, I'd tell you honestly.

• Shen Jiaojiao: That's what I thought.

• I raise my hand and call Yuan Yu over to pour us tea.
• Shen Jiaojiao: Now you can tell me, what have you been doing these days? Have you come up with any good ideas?

• She looks around, and a smile gradually spreads across her lips.
• Wen Rou: Can you guess?

Try to guess

• Seeing her smiling happily, I'm willing to go along with her.
• Shen Jiaojiao: Hmm... My guess is that your news is related to the house.

• Shen Jiaojiao: Am I right?

Refuse to guess

• Shen Jiaojiao: How are you still playing such childish games?

• I glare at her.
• Shen Jiaojiao: Just tell me.

• She raises an eyebrow at me and takes out a roll of paper from her sleeve.
• Wen Rou: Take a look at this.

• I take the paper and unfold it. It's covered in dense writing about different residential areas in Beidu.
• Wen Rou: Over the last few days, I've been walking about town, and I've heard a lot of news.

• Wen Rou: These places I've written down are the ones that I think could be worth a try.

• I scan the list. None of the addresses is in the bustling heart of Beidu. The closest place would take about an hour to reach by carriage.
• Shen Jiaojiao: Aren't these places a bit too far?

• Wen Rou: The good locations in the city of Beidu don't belong to the common people at all.

• Wen Rou: If you really get involved with those influential families, this matter will definitely become a big deal.

• Wen Rou: Furthermore, if the house is located in a very busy area...

• Wen Rou: ...I'm afraid that someone will come knocking on the door before the house is even ready.

• She gives me a look, and I understand.
• Shen Jiaojiao: It's better to be further away. First of all, we'll avoid drawing too much attention to ourselves.

• Shen Jiaojiao: Secondly, these kids will have just been brought together and they will need some time to adjust, so it'll be better for them if it's quieter.

• Wen Rou extends her hand and taps a few spots on this piece of paper.
• Wen Rou: These houses are all owned by wealthy merchants in the city.

• Wen Rou: Although they're a little far, fortunately they're close to the main road, so they would be easy for both of us to access.

• Wen Rou: Besides that, there are some households around these houses.

• Wen Rou: With people around, we won't have to be completely independent. It's good to have someone to ask for help.

• Shen Jiaojiao: You've thought this through. These options are indeed good.

• Shen Jiaojiao: Just one more thing, how much are these houses? Can you and I afford them?

• Shen Jiaojiao: What kind of families are the owners? Are they easy to get along with? Can we make long-term plans with them?

• After hearing what I said, her smile becomes even more pronounced.
• Wen Rou: Jiaojiao, those are all brilliant considerations.

• Wen Rou: The issues you mentioned are the biggest reasons why I choose these houses.

• Wen Rou: These houses are not personally taken care of by the owners.

• Wen Rou: They are all handed over to trusted stewards, who only collect the surplus on fixed days every year.

• Wen Rou: To wealthy businessmen who can comfortably settle in Beidu, the profits from a few houses are completely insignificant.

• Wen Rou: We don't need to interact with these wealthy businessmen, we just need to negotiate the price with the stewards.

• Shen Jiaojiao: These stewards have no right to sell them, so these houses can only be rented.

• Wen Rou: That's right, we can't buy them, we can only rent them.

• Wen Rou: Although I haven't inquired about the price of each place in detail, based on the prices in Beidu, they should be pretty much the same, whether rented on a monthly or yearly basis.

• She gestures at me.
• I find a piece of paper from the stack beside me and hand it over.
• Shen Jiaojiao: This is the amount of money that you and I can set aside each month based on my calculations over the past few days.

• Shen Jiaojiao: It's slightly more than this number. Going by this, we might actually be able to open this orphanage!

• I feel excitement in my heart as I scan these papers over and over again.
• Wen Rou holds my hand.
• Wen Rou: Jiaojiao, let's give it a try. We can really do it.

• Wen Rou: Actually, you don't need to be too involved in this matter. Perhaps you should step back and remain discreet.

• Wen Rou: I know in my heart that I don't have much money to offer, so most of it will have to come from you.

• Wen Rou: You can trust me with any other matters, I will definitely handle them properly.

• I listen to her words and realize that something is not right. I furrow my brows.
• Shen Jiaojiao: Are you really asking me to be more hands-off?

• Wen Rou: Jiaojiao, I know that the Shen family has been a scholarly and prestigious family for generations, and their strict family values are a model for noble families.

• Wen Rou: If you, as a daughter of the Shen family, open this orphanage by yourself...

• Wen Rou: ...and if you're seen out and about, people will only start spreading hurtful rumors.

• Wen Rou: If word gets out, your reputation will surely suffer.

• Wen Rou: But if you're just a more hands-off sponsor, you won't have these concerns.

• Wen Rou: Maybe you'll even be praised for being charitable.

• After listening to her words, my excitement gradually turns into hidden anger.
• I don't know what expression I have on my face right now, only that I can't even muster a hint of a smile.
• Shen Jiaojiao: Wen Rou, although I'm someone who values decorum, I'm not someone who is afraid or submissive, nor am I someone who only cares about my reputation.

• Shen Jiaojiao: We made this decision together.

• Shen Jiaojiao: I would never ask you to shoulder most of the responsibilities while I sat back and simply accepted praise.

• Seeing that I look unhappy, Wen Rou hurriedly continues.
• Wen Rou: You misunderstood me, Jiaojiao.

• Wen Rou: I don’t think you’re doing this just to bolster your reputation, I’m just... afraid that you’ll get hurt because of it.

• Wen Rou: I've been mischievous since I was little, and I'm always doing unconventional things.

• Wen Rou: For me, one more crazy thing won't be counted as a big deal.

• Shen Jiaojiao: Really?

• Wen Rou nods.
• Wen Rou: Really!

• I glance at her.
• Shen Jiaojiao: Haven't you been scolded by your mother a lot lately for going out frequently?

• I hit a nerve. She nervously touches her nose.
• Wen Rou: Mother is used to my ways. She just says such things casually sometimes.

• Shen Jiaojiao: Is that really true?

• Shen Jiaojiao: If she were really used to your ways, then after the incident that day at Guhua Temple, she wouldn't have asked you to bring valuable gifts to the Shen residence to befriend me.

• Shen Jiaojiao: From her efforts to make friends with the wealthy women of Beidu, it's clear that your situation isn't as you claim.

• Shen Jiaojiao: So, as far as you and I are concerned, we're in the same situation.

• Shen Jiaojiao: So don't say what you said again.

• Wen Rou: But...

• Shen Jiaojiao: No buts, Wen Rou.

• Shen Jiaojiao: We'll both share the good and the bad when it comes to this matter, and I will never let you bear the responsibility alone.

• The atmosphere becomes tense for a moment, but in the end, she is the first to retreat.
• Wen Rou: I made a mistake and acted on my own without considering your opinion. Please don't be angry.

• Wen Rou: We will discuss all future matters together.

• Listening to her, I realize she has a heart of gold, and my accumulated frustration dissipates.
• Shen Jiaojiao: This is what you've promised me personally now. If you do it again next time, I will be really angry.

• Wen Rou: I swear, there won't be a next time for sure!

• I stop her with a slightly amused expression and turn my gaze to the few pages on the table.
• Shen Jiaojiao: Now that the matter of the house is basically resolved, we just have to decide on a few other issues.

• Wen Rou: The house is for children who have nowhere to live.

• Wen Rou: Why don't we go meet those children again, and maybe we'll know where the house should be.

• Shen Jiaojiao: That's what I think too.

• I instruct Yuan Yu to prepare some food, and the flower seller, Wen Rou and I all leave together.

• As befitting our station, Wen Rou and I need to remain discreet, so we enter the inn across the alley, looking for a seat by the window.
• From here, we have a perfect view of the alley.
• Three or four children have gathered around the flower seller, eagerly staring at the bamboo basket hanging from her arm.
• Shen Jiaojiao: As we approach the end of the year, it gets colder and colder, but these kids are still barefoot and wearing thin clothes...

• Shen Jiaojiao: I don't know how they'll survive the winter...

• I frown and watch as several children who had initially gathered around seem to have listened to the flower seller's words and returned to the alley.
• In no time at all, they've returned with many more children.
• The flower seller uncovers her bamboo basket. Without waiting for her to distribute the items inside, the children reach their thin little arms forward.
• Wen Rou: Not a single one of them has a winter coat, and only two or three of them have shoes.

• Wen Rou: Jiaojiao, I want to open this orphanage as soon as possible, preferably this winter.

• I agree with her.
• Shen Jiaojiao: The faster, the better.

• I look again. Those little hands are now holding bread, eating it ravenously.
• Shen Jiaojiao: You see that little child in the middle? He hasn't even finished eating what's in his mouth, but he's already anxiously taking another bite, stuffing both sides of his cheeks.

• Wen Rou: They all look so hungry.

• Wen Rou: It's freezing cold, and they don't have food to eat every day. They can't go on like this.

• Wen Rou: Jiaojiao, children like them are the ones who need our help the most.

• I look over. Still frowning at the situation in the alley, she doesn't seem to notice.
• Wen Rou: But even if we only take care of these young children, we will definitely need a lot of manpower to look after them, which means there will be additional expenses...

• Her voice gets softer and softer as she speaks, and in the end, it almost becomes a whisper, but she has no intention of stopping.
• She suddenly realizes something and her eyes light up. She turns her head and makes eye contact with me.
• Wen Rou: Jiaojiao, why don't we convince these younger ones to go to the house first, and then choose some older ones to go with them as well?

• Wen Rou: First of all, they might have known each other for a long time, so they can keep each other company in a new environment.

• Wen Rou: Furthermore, the older ones can take care of younger ones, so we won't need to hire additional help.

• Wen Rou: What do you think?!

• I silently watch her, without immediately speaking.
• Wen Rou: What's wrong?

• Shen Jiaojiao: Wen Rou, suffering does not distinguish between high and low, noble and humble.

• I look at the children who have almost finished eating.
• Shen Jiaojiao: We shouldn't be selecting from among these children.

• Wen Rou: But...

• I watch her increasingly anxious face and interrupt her words.
• Shen Jiaojiao: Don't worry, I know we can't take in all the children, but at least we shouldn't be picking and choosing from among them.

• Shen Jiaojiao: In my opinion, it might be better to let these children make the choice themselves. Not everyone may be willing to come to our house.

• Shen Jiaojiao: What do you think?

• Wen Rou: Jiaojiao, we really aren't saviors, and that's exactly why we should make sure things are under control.

• Wen Rou: If we leave the choice to the children, if an accident or something occurs, perhaps none of us will be able to help.

• ...

• In the end, neither of us was convinced by the other.
• I started this trip in good spirits and returned in disappointment.
• I return to my small courtyard. The papers from earlier are still scattered on the stone table, but the people who sat across from each other are not the same as before.