Chapter 770 The Orphan
The two older children fled in fright when they saw Natalie coming out to stop them.
Natalie squatted beside the little mute girl instead of going after the two children. “Are you all right, child?”
The little girl slowly lowered her hands as her eyes were focused warily on Natalie.
Though her face looked a little gray from being covered in grime, her jet-black eyes were as startlingly clear as obsidian. Natalie could not help but notice that her cheekbones were unusually prominent for her age.
She’s going to be a beauty when she grows up. Look at me being jealous of a five-year-old little girl! She must have been picked on because of her inability to speak, and because she’s so pretty.
Natalie wanted to check if the little girl was hard of hearing. “Can you hear me?”
After a few seconds, the little girl nodded.
Natalie felt sorry that the little girl had to put on such stubborn defiance in fending for herself. Her mother would feel awful if she knew that her daughter was being bullied by the older children here.
Unable to simply abandon the child, she held out her hand. “Your face is a little dusty. Can I take you to the washroom?”
The little girl hesitated for a second before taking Natalie’s offered hand.
Delighted by the sensation of the soft little hand inside her own, Natalie gave it a reassuring little squeeze and led her to the bathroom.
First, Natalie guided the girl to wash her hands with soap while she dabbed her face with a moistened piece of tissue from her pocket.
The whole operation was carried out with great care.
The little girl stood still and allowed Natalie to wipe her face, but the piercing pair of black eyes never left her. Natalie’s maternal instinct reminded the girl forcibly of her own deceased mother.
Natalie did not notice the girl’s start of surprise as she wiped her face clean.
“All done!”
“T-thank you,” the little girl stammered.
“You can talk?” Natalie’s eyes widened in shock. “Why do they say you are mute?”
“I don’t want to talk to them,” the girl said softly. “They would pick on me even if I did. Ever since Mommy left, no one would protect me.”
Natalie’s heart wrenched painfully at her words.
What a brave little girl. Though she looks to be around Sophie’s age, her precocious and stubborn nature makes her seem much older. She did not even shed a single tear while facing the two bullies.
“Have you tried fighting back?” Natalie asked in spite of herself.
“I can’t.” The little girl lowered her head. “The only way I can only protect myself is to grow up big and strong as soon as possible.”
Natalie stroked her petite cheeks and smiled. “You are already very brave.”
The little girl nodded. “I hope so. I promised Mommy that I’ll be brave. She’s turned into a star in the sky, you know. She visits me sometimes when it’s a clear night. I couldn’t let her down knowing that she’s watching over me.”
Natalie understood at once.
Poor girl! She’s not abandoned, after all. Her mother has passed away!
Natalie said goodbye to the little girl and went back into the theater for the children’s performance.
Diane turned her head at her friend’s return. “What took you so long?”
“Something came up.” Though she tried her best to settle down, Natalie could not stop thinking about the orphan.
There’s no use mulling over it now. I’ll think about it when the show is over.
As one of the sponsors, Diane went up to the center of the stage to receive flowers from children in accordance with the process.
“Dream is the biggest contributor to this campaign, Natalie,” Diane said. “Would you join us on stage to accept the children’s gesture of gratitude?”
Natalie shook her head. “No, thank you. I really haven’t done much. Maybe another time.”
With a tactful nod, Diane went up on stage to accept the children’s flowers on her own to the applause of the director and the staff of the orphanage.
Though Natalie enjoyed herself in the warm and wholesome atmosphere of the charity, she could not forget those clear and strong-willed eyes.
Without informing Diane, Natalie got up and left the theater quietly in search of the little girl.
To her surprise, Natalie found the girl at the entrance of the theater where she had left her.
I am sure that this was where we said goodbye. Looks like she couldn’t get me out of her head too.
