Let’s Start All Over Again, Shall We?
Chapter 383 Little Mute
“You used to call me Little Mute,” Nathael said slowly.
Maggie was taken aback for a moment. She had been resting against Nathael, but now she sat up straight and kneeled on the couch, carefully studying his face.
“Y–You’re Little Mute? How is that possible?” Maggie whispered, lost in thought.
Back then, life at the orphanage wasn’t easy for her.
Firstly, because of her somewhat attractive appearance and the care she had received from the Adams before, she didn’t fit in well with the other kids and often found herself excluded.
Secondly, the Camerons had instructed others to make her life difficult, deliberately trying to make her days unpleasant.
During that time, she matured quickly. If she didn’t adapt rapidly, she might not get enough food to eat. Instances such as something she liked being taken away, or being isolated or targeted were normal.
To avoid being bullied, to gain more, and to live better, she had to quickly adapt to those rules. Only by mastering those rules could her life improve.
Within three months, she went from being targeted by other kids to successfully forming her own small group, gaining a voice, and being liked and favored by teachers.
In the presence of volunteers, she’d put on a charming facade. She’d put in effort to secure extra food and forge friendships with the cafeteria staff. Moreover, she mastered the art of balancing rewards and consequences to win over the children.
Maybe the Adams had imparted some lessons to her, or perhaps it was inherent to her nature. She didn’t take long to change her circumstances. Even if she suffered occasionally, she’d ensure to retaliate by inflicting some harm on the other party.
She was well aware of the rules of the orphanage. She didn’t bully others, but she definitely wasn’t an easy target.
She met Leo outside the alley and Little Mute at the orphanage.
The first time they met, it was in the evening when she sneaked out to the backyard to find the food she had hidden, only to encounter several older kids beating up a boy.
The boy was a bit older than her, at least taller, and although he was skinny, he had a good physique.
Several people were clearly bullying him, outnumbering him. Maggie was used to seeing such scenes at the orphanage, but she still hated seeing such a thing happening.
She squatted not far away, watching with indifference, her pockets filled with the candy she had hidden. She watched the commotion coldly, thinking that if the one being beaten didn’t fight back, things would probably continue like this forever.
Children were often more cruel than adults; they rarely harbored the complex wickedness of adults and had their own innocent ruthlessness.
Chapter 383 Little Mute
What surprised Maggie was that the boy didn’t just accept the beating, even though there were six or seven people, each of them taller than him.
What made Maggie happy was that he fought back without hesitation.
What shocked Maggie even more was his ferocity. He might have been injured, so his left arm was somewhat restricted when he fought, but even so, the few people couldn’t gain any advantage.
Even several times, he suffered minor injuries but managed to seriously injure the others. He was straightforward and wouldn’t hesitate to hurt himself.
Maggie watched for a long time, but he never made a sound.
The most critical moment was when a tall boy locked his neck from behind, two others grabbed one of his legs each, and another person’s fist kept hitting him.
But from start to finish, Maggie never heard him make a sound.
Even when his arm was broken and he fell into a pool of blood, he still didn’t make a sound.
The other kids, relying on bullying the weak, didn’t gain any advantage. Some ended up getting hurt more than him and fled in panic.
After pondering for a moment, Maggie walked up and squatted in front of him. “Can you still move?”
Nathael’s vision darkened, and he was almost powerless. Escaping from the kidnappers had drained a lot of his energy, and his injuries hadn’t healed since arriving at the orphanage.
In a daze, he only heard a clear voice ringing in his ears, a voice with a hint of softness but inexplicable calmness. She even sounded like she was here to watch a show.
Nathael slowly opened his eyes and looked at her through his thick hair.
In the moonlight, the girl had a piece of candy in her mouth, her cheeks bulged as she blinked her clear, curious eyes at him.
Nathael didn’t speak, but he closed his eyes again, still involuntarily keeping his guard up.
Maggie, with a curious tone, inquired, “Feeling hungry?”
Nathael stayed silent for a moment before pushing himself up and staggering toward the temporary storage room he’d been assigned to.
Shortly after, Maggie followed, extending her hand to offer support. “What’s your name? Can’t you speak? Are you mute?”
Nathael remained silent. Maggie refrained from asking further and guided him to the storage room. She couldn’t resist taking a quick look around.
The orphanage housed many children, with living quarters comprising four large rooms, two for boys and two for girls, segregated by age. Almost every bed was taken, leaving no space for another.
Clearly, the boy in front of her was out of luck. The boys‘ room that could have accommodated another bed was filled yesterday, so he had to be sent to the temporary storage room.
Chapter 383 Little Mute
Recently, the director had been contemplating converting the storage room into a small bedroom, capable of housing at least eight to ten children.
But looking around, Maggie saw that it was a mess. The room was cluttered with equipment, books, donated old furniture, and packed tools.
Better clothes and food must be stored elsewhere.
Perhaps the items inside were rarely used, as thick dust had accumulated, emitting a strong musty smell and a damp, chilly feeling upon entering.
Maggie coughed a few times from the dust. She then noticed a makeshift bed between two bookshelves, with a blanket and pillow provided by the orphanage. Although they were not too thin, Maggie knew it would still be cold, especially on the chilly floor.
Nathael sat against the floor, tending to his wounds with iodine he somehow obtained.
Maggie grew more convinced of his capability. Otherwise, obtaining iodine wouldn’t have been easy. In the moonlight outside the window, she finally had the opportunity to scrutinize the boy before her.
His hair was somewhat long, covering almost half of his eyes. He had a prominent nose, pale skin, and colorless thin lips, giving off a cold aura.
Recalling his fierceness earlier, Maggie was about to speak when she heard a deep voice ask, “Are you done staring?”
Maggie snapped out of her thoughts and couldn’t resist asking, “You’re not mute?”