Marrying the Male Lead’s Disabled Uncle – Chapter 19

Chapter 19: Not Uncle, But Brother

It was Children’s Day, yet the orphanage felt eerily quiet.

Though the decorations were simple and kind-hearted donors had sent gifts, the children’s joy was fleeting and restrained.

The happiness here was different from the lively Children’s Day celebrations elsewhere.

But this year was special.

This year, the dean had promised to bring their favorite uncle to perform.

That gentle uncle with the beautiful voice.

They adored him.

Since the moment the dean left, they had been eagerly watching the closed orphanage door, waiting for the arrival of a warm and kind uncle.

But when the dean returned, she didn’t bring an uncle.

Instead, she brought a well-dressed young man.

Even though they couldn’t see his face clearly, they could tell at a glance—he wasn’t an uncle.

The excitement in their eyes dimmed.

Like kittens that had been stood up, their bright eyes turned dull and disappointed.

Yet, because of their environment, they didn’t cry or throw a tantrum.

Instead, the smiles simply vanished from their young, innocent faces.

Pei Lang didn’t know how many children were at the orphanage, nor did he know their clothing sizes, so he had simply bought toys and food.

Once inside the courtyard, he finally removed his mask and sunglasses after the dean closed the door behind them.

The dean stared at him in astonishment for a moment, then broke into a smile and led him toward the children.

“Guess who’s here?”

The child standing at the front blinked in surprise and suddenly blurted out—

“What a handsome brother!”

A chorus of similar voices echoed right after.

A spark of light returned to their previously disappointed eyes, as if just a small glimmer of hope was enough to make them shine again.

Pei Lang was momentarily caught off guard.

Handsome?

He had been praised for his looks many times before, but when children said it, it felt… different.

Children spoke from the heart, saying only what they truly felt.

Their words struck something soft in Pei Lang’s chest.

He had always liked cute children, and now, his expression unconsciously softened.

His usually sharp, charming gaze became gentle and affectionate.

The dean smiled, her eyes crinkling. “The uncle you’ve been waiting for is here.”

The statement wasn’t too direct, but it was unexpected enough that the children hesitated for a moment.

Then, Pei Lang spoke.

“Hello, happy Children’s Day.”

The moment they heard his voice, their eyes widened in shock.

“Not uncle, but brother?”

“Brother is so pretty! Brother, sing! Brother, sing!”

All at once, the children swarmed him.

Pei Lang gently took off his guitar and set it aside.

He squatted down so he was at eye level with them, answering every question they asked with patience and warmth.

The weather was perfect.

This city, embraced by nature, was like a hidden gem.

The air was fresh, the scenery breathtaking, and the climate was mild and comfortable—ideal for outdoor activities.

On the lush lawn in the courtyard, tables were filled with fresh fruit, snacks, and small toys.

The children couldn’t wait to play with Pei Lang.

They chattered excitedly, shared their snacks, and then, of course, pestered him to sing.

So Pei Lang sat cross-legged on a soft blanket, guitar in hand, facing the warm breeze and golden sunlight.

His fingers gently plucked the strings.

Then, in a gentle, soothing voice, he began to sing.

The moment his voice filled the air, the children fell silent.

They rested their chins on their hands, listening intently.

This moment was more beautiful than anything else.

The dean sat nearby, watching with a gentle smile.

As soon as the song ended, the children burst into applause, excitedly asking for another song.

Since he was here to perform, it wouldn’t be right to stop at just one.

So, Pei Lang immediately started singing again.

His voice was as mesmerizing as ever—the kind of voice people could never get tired of.

But no matter how talented he was, he was still just human and needed a break.

After the fourth song, the dean approached, offering him a glass of water.

“Okay, let brother rest for a bit, okay? In the meantime, you can talk to him.”

She handed the water to Pei Lang with a kind smile.

He accepted it with a slight nod. “Thank you.”

After taking a sip to soothe his throat, he looked at the dean and added, “The other caregivers aren’t here today, so you’ve been handling everything alone. That must be exhausting. Why don’t you rest for a bit too?”

To protect Pei Lang’s privacy, the dean had given the staff the day off—leaving her to manage the children on her own.

Though she clearly didn’t mind the work, Pei Lang still felt a little guilty.

“It’s not hard. I should be thanking you for coming.”

Then, after a pause, she asked curiously, “By the way, what should I call you?”

She hadn’t meant to pry into his real identity—just something to address him by.

Knowing that Pei Lang valued his privacy, the dean still had no idea what his real name was.

Pei Lang hesitated for a moment before replying, “Just call me Xiao Lang.”

At that, the children immediately followed suit—

“Brother Xiaolang~”

“Brother Xiaolang~”

Pei Lang chuckled as he listened to them call his name so sweetly.

He was truly enjoying this moment.

But just then, he caught sight of a figure standing in the distance.

A boy, slightly older than the rest.

Unlike the other children, who were happily playing, this boy stood alone, watching from afar.

His gloomy eyes had been fixed on Pei Lang since the moment he entered.

Pei Lang had noticed him before but had been too distracted by the younger children to think much about it.

Turning to the dean, he asked, “That boy over there… why isn’t he joining us?”

The dean sighed softly.

“You mean Xiaochi?”

Pei Lang nodded. “He looks to be the oldest here, right?”

The dean’s face grew somber.

“Xiaochi has been here since he was a baby. He’s always been a loner—he doesn’t talk much or connect with others.”**

She hesitated before continuing.

“Even though he’s handsome and has excellent grades, no one has ever adopted him. Every time he was taken in, he was returned within two days.”

Pei Lang’s fingers curled slightly around the glass of water. “Why?”

The dean’s eyes dimmed.

“They all gave the same reason—Xiaochi was too quiet, his gaze too cold, and his personality too strange.

They said he was… ‘difficult.’”

Pei Lang’s heart tightened.

A child being abandoned again and again…

No wonder Xiaochi had such gloomy eyes.

The dean sighed again, her voice laced with helplessness.

“I just want him to grow up happy, but no matter what I do… I can’t seem to reach him.”

The dean worried that if Xiao Chi faced too many rejections, his heart might not be able to bear it, and he would become even more withdrawn.

As the years passed, Xiao Chi grew older, and naturally, fewer people were willing to adopt an older child.

In reality, not every child in the orphanage would find a good home—many would remain unadopted.

But Xiao Chi was different.

Even though he had excellent grades, his reserved personality made it difficult for him to communicate normally with the outside world.

He was about to turn 18—which meant he could no longer stay at the orphanage once he became an adult.

The dean had already found sponsors willing to fund his education, but once Xiao Chi left the orphanage, he would be on his own.

With his distant and guarded nature, he would likely face hardships and loneliness in the real world.

Even if the child was stubborn and difficult, she had watched him grow up—how could she not worry?

Pei Lang finished the last sip of water from his cup, then stood up and set it down.

“Dean, could you tell the children a story? I’ll go talk to Xiao Chi.”

The young boy had been watching from a distance the entire time.

As Pei Lang approached, Xiao Chi’s body stiffened slightly.

His small face remained cold and expressionless, but his eyes wavered with tension.

Even so, he didn’t run away.

Pei Lang’s shadow cast over him, blocking out the sunlight.

With the warm light behind him, Pei Lang smiled gently.

“Hello, what’s your name?”

Xiao Chi’s lips pressed together. “Don’t you already know?”

“…”

Pei Lang sighed inwardly. This kid is tough.

But he wasn’t one to give up easily.

“Why aren’t you playing with the others?” he asked again, patiently.

Xiao Chi lowered his gaze. “It’s Children’s Day. I’m not a child anymore.”

His voice was calm, almost indifferent. “I’ll be eighteen in a few months. Why would I celebrate Children’s Day?”

Hearing that, Pei Lang suddenly understood.

That’s right—he really isn’t a child anymore.

“Then… does that mean you don’t like my singing?” Pei Lang asked.

Xiao Chi hesitated for a second. “No, I like it.”

He was still a child at heart—just one who didn’t know how to express himself.

Pei Lang had dealt with all kinds of people before.

Would he really have trouble handling a teenager?

His gaze flickered toward Xiao Chi’s soft-looking hair, and suddenly, an idea struck him.

“Xiao Chi, your hair looks really soft. Can I touch it?”

Xiao Chi’s eyes widened slightly.

His ears flushed red, and after a brief pause, he nodded—a tiny, proud cat allowing itself to be petted.

Pei Lang chuckled softly, then gently placed his hand on Xiao Chi’s head.

He ruffled his hair lightly, then carefully combed through it with his fingers.

Xiao Chi felt an odd tingling sensation on his scalp.

It was warm, a little itchy—strangely pleasant.

It was as if the strands of hair had their own sense of touch.

When Pei Lang finally withdrew his hand, he gave a sincere compliment.

“It really is soft.”

Xiao Chi remained silent, but his fingers curled slightly at his sides.

“Since Xiao Chi likes my singing, should I sing a song just for you?” Pei Lang asked.

He always respected children’s choices, never forcing them into anything.

And he could tell—this kid had a sharp sense of pride and was covered in thorns.

But beneath all that… he was just a lonely child.

Xiao Chi lifted his head slightly.

“A song just for me?”

Pei Lang nodded. “Yes. You’ll be the first one to hear it.”

His new song was unfinished, and he hadn’t originally planned on singing it today.

But since Xiao Chi asked, Pei Lang decided to make an exception.

“I haven’t written a new song in a while. If it doesn’t sound great, don’t be too disappointed, okay?”

Xiao Chi answered immediately. “That won’t happen!”

Then, as if afraid Pei Lang would misunderstand, he quickly added, “You can’t sing badly.”

His words held genuine belief in Pei Lang’s talent.

Without his guitar, Pei Lang simply sang a cappella, his voice soft and low.

Xiao Chi, who usually kept his distance from others, listened quietly.

And for the first time in a long while—he smiled.

It was just a small, fleeting smile, but it was there.

Pei Lang, focused on singing, didn’t even notice.

After the song, Pei Lang grabbed some snacks and sat down next to Xiao Chi.

He had been craving them for a while but hadn’t wanted to eat in front of the kids.

In the past, when he was training, he had to secretly sneak bites of snacks, but it was never satisfying.

Now, he could finally eat as much as he wanted.

Xiao Chi watched him quietly.

Pei Lang, completely unfazed, continued munching with satisfaction.

The dean saw how easily Pei Lang could talk to Xiao Chi, so she asked him to spend more time with him while she played with the other children.

Before long, the sun began to set.

It was time for Pei Lang to leave.

The orphanage was too busy, and the dean couldn’t spare time to see him off.

But just as Pei Lang was about to leave, Xiao Chi unexpectedly stepped forward.

Both the dean and Pei Lang were surprised.

After saying goodbye to the other children, Pei Lang put his sunglasses and mask back on and stepped outside with Xiao Chi.

Xiao Chi was shorter, only reaching Pei Lang’s shoulder, but when they walked side by side, the scene looked oddly harmonious.

Suddenly, Xiao Chi stopped walking.

He stared at Pei Lang blankly before hesitantly asking—

“Can you come to my birthday party?”

In a few months, Xiao Chi would turn eighteen.

The dean would hold a birthday party for him—just like she did for all the children becoming adults.

But it wasn’t just a birthday party.

It was also a farewell party.

Because once he turned eighteen, he would have to leave.

Pei Lang stopped and looked at him seriously.

“Of course. I’ll be there.”

Xiao Chi’s fingers twitched slightly.

After a moment, he nodded. “Okay. I’ll wait for you.”

“Then it’s a promise.”

“It’s a promise.”

At the bus stop, Pei Lang urged Xiao Chi to head back while he waited for his ride.

Since Yan Xiuyuan was still looking for him, Pei Lang didn’t dare use his ID for transportation.

Instead, he hired a private car to drive him home.

Taking a train or bus would require ID verification, and staying at a hotel was out of the question for the same reason.

Even if it meant getting home late, he refused to take the risk.

For now, he still had to be careful.