Savina and Alice were both frightened by "Elia's" state, retreating a few steps with pale faces.

Since they could remember, Dean Elia always wore a kind and gentle expression, never losing her temper with them, regardless of what mistakes the orphanage children made, that kind face never significantly changed...

As if just by doing so, it could reassure the children here, displaying a kind facade to make those investors seeking social reputation notice this small orphanage.

When did Dean Elia start wearing this "kind" mask?

Savina didn't understand,

why was it that Dean Elia fell ill.

She had seen the woman talk countless times with those important figures outside, whether it was that uncle named Yain or her sister Sevia, the conversation always revolved around "investment, donations, contributions."

Yet the lives of the children here rarely saw significant improvement, when colder winters came, they still wore thin clothes, ate foul-smelling gruel, but Dean Elia, the woman always kept herself well-maintained, applying skin cream, wearing floral dresses, donning scarves with plush, along with many pieces of jewelry.

Clearly, much of the investment ended up in Dean Elia's hands, so why was it that she was the one who fell ill?

Why not Chris brother, who wandered outside all day, mad and delirious?

Why not Mel sister, who washed her face in tears every day?

Why not Archer brother, who stole food from the kitchen every day?

Why not that old man Nick, who constantly complained of backache every day?

Why not Julian lady, who was sharp-tongued, often cursing them with foul words in private?

Why not the children here enduring the unfairness of fate?

Does anyone truly love them?

At one point, Savina believed all adults were hypocritical, whether the employees and teachers in the orphanage, or that uncle Yain, even her sister Sevia, whether for venting or profit, they did some immoral things, spoke grandiose words.

She thought beneath Dean Elia's kind exterior there must be a deep aversion to the children here, it was because of them the woman could only stay here, unable to go to a better place.

Elia had never truly loved them.

Just like all the hypocritical adults, they were merely tools for seeking profit and venting emotions.

But is that truly the case?

Savina had read many absurd books and art pieces, seen the bleakness of the world expressed in words, so she could understand complex human nature and the essence of world suffering better than the average child.

But at this moment, she couldn't understand, why was it specifically Dean Elia who fell ill.

Alice pulled Savina's hand and ran away, and at this time the door slowly opened, "Elia" walked out of the office as usual.

Wearing a floral dress, donning a scarf with plush, the woman's face was as gentle and kind as always.

"Where have Savina and Alice gone?" "Elia" asked with concern.

Xu Xiaoyou and Tang Xin didn't answer her, responding to her inquiry with silence.

"Themia, Sevia, have you seen them?" "Elia" asked.

"Look at the clothes in my hand, if I'm not mistaken, they are red, I found color for the children."

In "Elia's" eyes, the world was a blood-red hue, she saw a frayed end appearing on her arm, so she reached out her hand to pinch that loose thread.

Rip——

The sound of "rip" echoed above the room, the whole world seemed to quiet down, with only the sound of wind and snow falling outside, the cold wind blew into the room, the weak firelight allowed them to see clearly the red sweaters woven of skin and flesh scrap hanging all over the wall.

And the figure of "Elia" before them.

It was a tall, grotesque blood-red monster, its fingertips extremely sharp, longer than its arms, its limbs twisted disproportionate to its body. What was more horrifying was its skin, hanging in strips like paper fed through a shredder on her body, all these were the yarns she used, resembling bandages wrapping a blood-red mummy; one could clearly see the blood continuously seeping from beneath the skin, the bright red glaring muscle fibers.

The wind blew out the candle in the office.

"Elia" was completely unaware of her own abnormality, her tone somewhat excited, sharing her joy with the two in front like a child.

"I have knitted a red sweater, perhaps soon, I can knit blue, green, then the children will know what real colors are like, they don't have to draw by the prescribed world in textbooks, they can see red flowers, green grass with their own eyes, they can experience the real world and unleash their imagination."

"Perhaps soon, the Piano Key District will regain its color, they can grow up carefree like normal children."

"Elia" kept tearing the "loose threads" on her body, saying some expectant words.

"So strange, why are there so many loose threads, why are there loose threads everywhere."

"If I tear them all off, I can knit another sweater, right?"

Only at this point did Tang Xin truly understand what the woman had sealed off in her heart...

Clearly, she cared so much for these children in her heart, had so many innocent, kind thoughts, yet never showed it on her face, only wearing that "kind" mask, never sharing these thoughts with anyone.

Clearly, she understood more than anyone else how bleak these children's futures were, experiencing this profound despair all along, yet never telling them the truth, allowing the children to fend for themselves, until they were terminally ill.

Those high-minded investors certainly wouldn't want to face a homeless person emitting a stench like those children, especially not an adult.

The clothes the woman wore, the skincare products she used, the jewelry she adorned, Tang Xin knew better than anyone that they were the cheapest of cheap goods, she had always lived on the bare minimum expense, purchasing equipment for the orphanage, like the heating recently installed in the children's rooms...

"Ms. Elia." Unconsciously, Tang Xin remembered many past events, speaking softly.

"Elia's" eyes suddenly turned clear from cloudy, her tone kind, "What's wrong, why... are you crying? Little Sevia, have you been wronged by something? You can tell me."

Noticing Themia's indifferent gaze, the world in "Elia's" eyes grew increasingly blood-red, she slowly turned her head, belatedly looking at herself in the mirror, the freshly knitted, still steaming red sweater dropped to the ground from her hand.

The woman let out a helpless bitter smile.

"So, I'm beyond saving now, am I."

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