My wife is a witch princess

Chapter 93 Hoping everything goes smoothly

Two more days slipped by. Song Che completely put his textbooks aside, focusing all his attention on the orphanage.

I can't talk to my parents about this right now.

It's still far from being cooked properly.

Xia Li's parents are kind to her, polite but showing affection, but they are still a long way from "having decided that she is the right girl".

Some things can only be said after they have weighed their own conscience on the scales of their own minds.

The computer was set up at home, but Xia Li didn't become engrossed in "working" as Song Che had expected. She spent most of her time sitting next to him in a mop chair, watching him frown at the dense text and Q&A on the screen.

Occasionally, when he gets stuck, she'll reach out and lightly tap a word on the screen with her fingertip, or pronounce a more precise search term.

He doesn't talk much, but he always gets to the heart of the matter.

Two souls, one who once wielded magic in another world, and the other carrying memories of a past life, are now trapped by the most pressing problem: "How to get someone with no origin to stay?" The information online is fragmented and scattered, making it feel like navigating through fog, unable to discern the true depths of the situation.

"It would be great if I knew a policeman." Song Che leaned back in his chair, his tone casual. "Even a local policeman would be fine."

Unfortunately, no.

He stared at the words "Taixi City Social Welfare Institute" for a long time before deciding to go and investigate. As a volunteer, he could at least get closer and see how it worked.

Xia Li definitely can't get in.

Now, even if you're just visiting a child at a welfare home, you have to register your identity and go through the application process.

She didn't even have a card.

"I'll go with you," Xia Li said. "I'll wait outside."

Song Che glanced at her and nodded.

He was worried about leaving her alone at home.

The plan was changed to take a bus to a town on the outskirts of Anhui first, and then take a taxi there.

It's a roundabout way, but it saves you from the ticket checks at train and subway stations.

Jiang Shuo messaged again, urging him to play the shooting game they'd agreed on before the holiday. Song Che replied, "I've been really busy lately, maybe next time," and placed his phone face down on the table. He wasn't in the mood for it; his mind was preoccupied with the orphanage and those fragmented, waking dreams.

"You didn't sleep well." Xia Li's voice pulled him back to reality.

"Hmm." Song Che rubbed his temples. "I had too many dreams."

This was no ordinary dream.

It's a dream that feels like you're awake.

Everything in my dreams felt so real, but when I woke up, I felt exhausted, like I'd stayed up all night. I was actually quite sleepy during the day, but as soon as I closed my eyes, those images would come back to me.

All that running around has left me feeling a bit tired.

Thankfully, it was just a dream.

He didn't react with the same shock as last time, rushing to throw the kitchen knife.

He glanced at Xia Li beside him.

It's this one right in front of you.

His eyes were clear and bright, and he sat upright.

There are differences between the Xia Li in my dream and the Xia Li in the present. The Xia Li in the present doesn't have the same beautiful smile as the one in my dream.

Sometimes, after having too many dreams, I have to stare at Xia Li for a while to make sure I'm awake.

"Let's pick a movie to watch on the way." Song Che turned his laptop around and opened a video app. The bus ride would take one or two hours, and he had originally planned to watch a movie to pass the time, but now he changed his mind.

Let Xia Li choose.

Good movies reveal people's thoughts and ways of life.

She learns quickly; perhaps watching movies will help her understand something else.

Xia Li looked at the densely packed covers on the screen but didn't click on one immediately.

She turned her head to look at Song Che.

He was lost in thought again.

They were talking just now, but suddenly they fell silent, their eyes fixed on a certain spot.

She couldn't hear what he was thinking anymore. But she knew he was probably troubling her again.

Xia Li didn't know what emotion was growing in her heart, and she didn't know that the two words were—heartache.

My finger moved across the touchpad, the cursor gliding over icons one by one, finally stopping on a poster.

"This," she said.

Song Che glanced at it.

"Wall-E"

It's an animated film, which is great for Xia Li.

"The synopsis says it's about the life and bonds of robots," Xia Li said calmly. "I want to see both of those things."

Song Che didn't say much. "Okay, download it to your phone."

However, before heading to Taixi, I need to get my volunteer ticket first.

This first step was stalled on the school's letter of introduction.

Song Che pulled out the social practice notice he had asked his homeroom teacher about at the end of the semester and dialed the number listed on it.

The person who answered the phone was a teacher from the Academic Affairs Office. When he mentioned wanting a letter of introduction to volunteer at the welfare home, the teacher replied in a businesslike manner, "You need to fill out an application form first, get it signed by your class teacher, and then bring it here for review and stamping. Also, student, it's best if you communicate with the welfare home first to confirm that they accept volunteers before we issue the letter; that would be more reliable."

After hanging up the phone, Song Che filled out some basic information. High school seniors basically don't have any social practice, and he had to ask his homeroom teacher to get a letter of introduction. Even the homeroom teacher himself didn't know if it was reliable or not.

The homeroom teacher is young and easy to talk to. Apart from making a mistake on the exam, he has never caused any trouble before, so signing his name shouldn't be difficult. The difficulty lies in how to make this letter seem more powerful and more likely to persuade the welfare home to make an exception for him, a high school student who is "acting alone".

He thought of his Chinese teacher. Besides teaching Chinese, Ms. Lan also served as the advisor for the school's literary society and seemed to have some friends in cultural circles outside of school. She was more outgoing than the average teacher. She had read Song Che's essays aloud as model examples and praised him for his meticulousness and keen observation.

The next morning, Song Che went to school.

The campus was deserted during the winter break, with only a few teachers and staff coming and going. He found his way to the teachers' office building, where the door to the Chinese language group's office was ajar.

After knocking on the door, Ms. Lan's slightly nasal voice came from inside: "Come in."

Teacher Lan was reading a thick book when she saw Song Che and was a little surprised: "Song Che, why are you at school during the holidays? Did you forget something?"

"Teacher Lan, I forgot something. There's something I'd like to ask you for a favor." Song Che spoke respectfully, explaining that he wanted to volunteer at the Taixi Welfare Home during the winter break and needed a letter of introduction from the school. He didn't mention Xia Li, only saying that he wanted to participate in social practice to get some experience.

After listening, Teacher Lan took off her glasses and wiped the lenses: "Going to a welfare home to volunteer is a good idea. But why did you think of going so far away? There are welfare institutions in the city too."

"I have a distant relative in Taixi, so I was just passing by," Song Che had already prepared his explanation. "Besides, I felt that the experience might be more profound in a different environment."

Teacher Lan looked at him for a while and nodded: "It's good for young people to travel and see more of the world. Just follow the procedures at the Academic Affairs Office regarding the letter of introduction. Your homeroom teacher seems to be at the school on business today too. Go find him to sign it, and then go to the Academic Affairs Office. Do you need me to put in a good word for you there?"

"No need, no need, just follow the procedure, thank you teacher," Song Che quickly replied.

He didn't want to make a big fuss, since his original intention wasn't to visit the children.

"Alright. When you're out doing things, be careful and mindful of your methods. Listen and observe more, and avoid saying anything rash." Teacher Lan gave a few instructions, then took out a notepad from her drawer, quickly wrote a few lines, and signed her name. "This is a personal note for you. Take it. If they need more documentation or have any questions, you can show it to them. Of course, the official letter of introduction from the school is the most important."

Song Che took the note, which was written in her elegant running script: "This is to introduce our student Song Che to your esteemed institution for a social practice activity. She is an excellent student in both character and academics; we hope you will consider her application." Below this was Teacher Lan's name and the date. This was an unexpected bonus, adding another layer of endorsement.

"Thank you, teacher!"

"Go ahead. By the way, your essay about 'time' was quite interesting. You can think about it some more when you have time." Teacher Lan waved her hand and put her glasses back on.

Getting the homeroom teacher's signature went smoothly.

They only asked how long the trip would last and whether it would be safe. When Song Che said he was going with relatives, they readily signed the papers and even offered a few words of encouragement.

Holding the signed application form and the homeroom teacher's signature, Song Che ran to the academic affairs office. The teacher on duty reviewed the materials, asked a few questions, confirmed the welfare home's contact information, and finally took out an official letter of introduction with the school's red letterhead, filled in the basic information, and affixed the official seal.

It's a thin sheet of paper, but it feels quite heavy in your hand.

This can be considered as obtaining the first stepping stone.

Next is the health certificate.

That's easy, just go to the community hospital.

Song Che returned home with his ID card and money.

Xia Li watched him bustling about, packing things to go to the hospital, and put down the book in her hand: "Do you need any help?"

"No need, it's just a trip to the hospital for a simple check-up, it'll be quick." Song Che changed his shoes. "You stay home and watch the house, and while you're at it... keep an eye on Tao Yao, she's been sharpening her claws a lot lately, don't let her scratch a hole in the sofa again."

Xia Li nodded, said nothing more, and simply walked to the door, watching him go downstairs.

There weren't many people at the community hospital.

The registration process involves obtaining a health certificate for volunteer service.

Get the bill and pay.

The procedure was simple: height, weight, blood pressure, internal medicine auscultation, liver function blood test (all required fasting), but Song Che hadn't eaten breakfast, and a chest X-ray.

The nurse's technique was swift and efficient during the blood draw. The cool alcohol swab brushed against his skin, and he felt a slight throbbing pain as the needle pierced his skin. Song Che watched the dark red blood flow into the blood collection tube, and suddenly became a little lost in thought—the kitchen knife in his dream seemed to have that same old, dark red hue.

The machine in the chest X-ray room hummed, and the doctor behind the lead glass shouted, "Inhale, hold your breath."

After all the tests were completed, the report came out in less than an hour. Everything was normal. The doctor signed and stamped the prepared health certificate form.

"Young man, going to volunteer? That's a good thing," the older doctor said casually, handing him the form.

"Okay, thank you, doctor." Song Che felt a little ashamed and planned to take a good look at the children while he was there, and buy them some things and toys. The children were so young... it was really heartbreaking.

Stepping out of the hospital, the afternoon sun was a bit dazzling.

Song Che put the health certificate and the school's letter of introduction together and tucked them into a transparent file folder. With both documents in place, the most basic materials for the volunteer application were ready.

The remaining thing is the certificate of no criminal record—that requires going to the police station, which is a bit troublesome, but with the school's letter of introduction and a health certificate, it should be possible to get it done.

He stood on the steps at the hospital entrance, checked the time, and realized it was still early.

A breeze blew by, carrying the greasy aroma of street food stalls. He suddenly felt a little hungry, only then realizing that he hadn't eaten anything properly all day.

He took out his phone, intending to ask Xia Li what she wanted to eat for dinner, but his finger hovered over the screen for a moment before he put it away. Never mind, he'd think of it later.

On the bus home, he leaned against the window, looking at the familiar yet unfamiliar street scene outside.

The process of handling these procedures was tedious, methodical, and rather mundane.

There was no magic, no otherworld, only official seals, forms, queues, and inquiries.

This is the world he wants to help Xia Li integrate into—a world with clear yet complex rules.

He squeezed the file folder in his hand.

It's very thin, yet it seems quite heavy.

As I pushed open the door, the aroma of food wafted in.

Xia Li, wearing an apron, was in the kitchen, looking a little lost in front of the pot on the stove as she tried making a new dish.

The noodles I bought were cooking in a pot, the water bubbling away, and on the cutting board next to it were tomatoes cut into different sizes and two beaten eggs.

Tao Xiang sat on a small stool by the kitchen door, hugging her knees, staring longingly at the pot.

"You're back?" Xia Li turned around when she heard the noise, still holding a spatula in her hand. "I tried it, but the steps might be wrong."

Song Che walked over, looked at the noodle soup that was about to overflow in the pot, and turned the heat down a bit.

"The steps are correct, but you added a little too much water."

He took the spatula and skillfully stirred the noodles, then added the eggs and tomatoes. "Next time, just add a third less water."

"Oh." Xia Li stood next to him, watching his movements intently.

The noodles were quickly cooked; although they didn't look particularly appealing, they were piping hot. The three of them sat at the table and ate quietly.

"Is it done?" Xia Li asked.

"Okay, I got the letter of introduction and the health certificate." Song Che slurped up a mouthful of noodles. "I'll go to the police station in a couple of days to get another certificate. Then... I can try contacting the welfare home."

Xia Li nodded, picked up a piece of powder with her chopsticks, blew on it, and put it in her mouth.

As darkness fell outside the window, the lights were on inside, and steam rose gently from the hot soup on the small dining table.

There's always tomorrow.

Song Che finished the last bite and put down his chopsticks.

Xia Li finished eating around the same time, picked up her bowl, and prepared to wash it.

"I'll cook today," Song Che said, standing up. "You made the meal."

Xia Li paused for a moment, then handed him the bowl without arguing.

The sound of running water filled the air, washing away the grease from the dishes. Song Che stood in front of the sink, while Xia Li stood beside him with a dry cloth, waiting for him to finish washing one dish before taking it to dry it.

There weren't many words, only the sound of water and the gentle rustling of dishes.

I hope everything goes well tomorrow...