Chapter 98

The day passed quickly, and early the next morning, Jin Hyun-tae set off for San Juan with Annie, his daughter, and Dave, who had rushed over from the publishing company.

Compared to Jin Hyun-tae, who was carrying a check for five million dollars, Dave didn't come empty-handed either. He brought a lot of children's books, including the collection of fairy tales 'created' by Jin Hyun-tae, which he planned to give to the children at the orphanage.

Of course, considering the small number of children at the San Juan Convent (orphanage), Dave didn't go overboard and bring several truckloads of books, which would have been ridiculous.

The number of books he brought was not large, but the variety was rich, enough to set up a small library for the orphanage.

On the way to San Juan, Jin Hyun-tae was unusually quiet and reserved.

Annie and Dave both thought he was lost in painful memories of the past, so they didn't disturb him.

Little Coco, on the other hand, was carefree, pressing her forehead against the car window, watching the scenery fly by outside.

Jin Hyun-tae was very anxious at this moment because he was unsure if he would slip up when he arrived in San Juan.

This concern made him unusually quiet and reserved on the journey, leading Annie and Dave to misunderstand him.

In fact, Jin Hyun-tae's worries were understandable.

After all, anyone in his situation would likely react and worry the same way.

Most importantly, Jin Hyun-tae couldn't avoid this issue, as his 'life experience' in this timeline in the United States included this past.

As someone who grew up in an orphanage, if he didn't show any attitude or take action after the BBC program aired, it would be hard to justify.

If he mishandled it, his newly gained reputation might plummet, and he could become a negative example, making him a target of criticism.

This was not a result Jin Hyun-tae wanted to see.

If it were just him, he might not have cared so much, but considering his daughter, Jin Hyun-tae had to take this matter seriously.

After all, if he fell out of favor, his daughter would also face discrimination.

In the future, when people mentioned his daughter, they would say things like, "Her father did this or that bad thing," which would put a lot of pressure and criticism on her.

Even if his daughter achieved some success in the future, if he, as a father, had a dark history, it would hold her back.

After much deliberation, Jin Hyun-tae decided he had to go to San Juan and take a stance to resolve the small trouble caused by the BBC program.

In other words, Jin Hyun-tae wanted to nip the problem in the bud and bear the pressure himself, so that his daughter wouldn't be affected by his actions in the future.

In fact, any parent would make the same decision and consideration.

Therefore, we must acknowledge that fathers are indeed the most selfless people, and their concern for their children is the deepest in the world.

As a single father, Jin Hyun-tae would naturally think the same way.

Jin Hyun-tae, with his wild imagination, had already thought of the worst-case scenarios, showing how troubled and hesitant he was about this matter.

---

San Juan is located north of Beverly Hills in Los Angeles, in the San Fernando Valley, the most famous adult film hub in the United States.

Most of the 18+ adult films in the United States are produced here.

Moreover, over 70% of adult film websites have their headquarters here.

Therefore, this place is often referred to as a "place of lust."

Due to the thriving adult film industry and the numerous small film companies, this picturesque and seemingly peaceful town has very poor public security.

Drug trafficking, prostitution, violence, and gang problems are all very prominent.

Jin Hyun-tae grew up in such a chaotic place, but fortunately, he did not become a gang member or a drug addict. He only became a single father.

This made Annie and Dave, who came with him, feel very fortunate.

After all, many young people living in such an environment find it difficult to remain unscathed.

Most of the time, especially for orphans like Jin Hyun-tae, they often start rolling in gangs during middle school and become regulars at the police station.

Once these young people grow up, they often end up on a dark, one-way street, either dying on the streets or being sent to prison, with no other path to take.

Such examples are common in the United States, especially in poor, gang-ridden black communities or areas where Mexican immigrants live.

From this perspective, being just a single father was not a big deal for Jin Hyun-tae.

The San Juan Convent (orphanage) is located in the southern suburbs of San Juan, near a neighborhood where many Mexican immigrants live illegally.

The convent was established in the 19th century by a French missionary, and its architecture has a strong French 19th-century Baroque style.

Initially, the convent was only used for local residents to worship, but over time, it evolved into an orphanage.

Many children, abandoned or homeless for various reasons, were taken in by the convent, and the nuns naturally took on the responsibility of caring for them.

However, due to the limited resources and funds of the convent, the number of children it could accommodate was not large. After some children turned 15 and left, only about 50 to 60 children remained.

The children living here included those abandoned by their parents due to disabilities, those whose parents were drug addicts and could no longer take care of them, and those who were sent to the orphanage by local child protection organizations after their parents were unable to care for them.

Some children were sent to the orphanage by the government after their parents died and had no relatives to take care of them. Most of the children in the orphanage were in similar situations.

Upon arriving at the convent, Jin Hyun-tae, with a nervous heart, went to the nuns' office with Annie and Dave.

Inside the office, there was only one middle-aged nun. Dave led Jin Hyun-tae and Annie, who was holding Coco, into the office and greeted the nun.

"Hello, I'm Dave from California Publishing. I contacted you yesterday and said I would come today."

The middle-aged nun, however, ignored Dave and stared at Jin Hyun-tae, her expression showing some excitement.

"William! William! Is it really you?"

Well, from her reaction, it was clear she recognized him.

Jin Hyun-tae silently mourned for himself and reminded himself to be cautious when dealing with this 'acquaintance.'

Since Jin Hyun-tae didn't know her, he couldn't call her by name, but he nodded wisely and said, "Yes, I'm back," without addressing her.

"William, poor child, you are still so compassionate. We've all seen the media reports. You saved a girl and subdued a thug. You did a great job, and we all know you did a great job."

The middle-aged nun walked over, talking incessantly, and gave Jin Hyun-tae a warm hug.

"The newspaper said you were shot three times and almost stopped breathing. You can't imagine how worried we were when we heard the news. Now that we see you like this, we can finally relax."

After hugging for a while, the middle-aged nun released her arms, held Jin Hyun-tae's arms, and began to examine him carefully.

Jin Hyun-tae continued to smile on the surface. "I'm sorry to have worried everyone. I'm recovering, and I'll be back to normal in a short time."

"That's good! That's good!"

The concern on the middle-aged nun's face seemed genuine, and it was clear she cared deeply for Jin Hyun-tae.

She slowly released her hands and looked at him with a sigh.

"Come, the little ones knew you were coming back yesterday, so they've been waiting for you."

After chatting with Jin Hyun-tae, the middle-aged nun took his hand and led him out of the office, telling him that many of the 'little friends' were eagerly waiting for him.

This made Jin Hyun-tae somewhat amused and exasperated.

Jin Hyun-tae's return quickly spread throughout the convent. Under the guidance of the middle-aged nun, Jin Hyun-tae and his group left the office and went to the convent's backyard, where the children lived.

When Jin Hyun-tae, holding the middle-aged nun's hand, appeared, the children playing in the backyard immediately surrounded him, making him the center of attention.

Surrounded by the children, Jin Hyun-tae began to face their enthusiastic greetings and some curious questions.

He handled everything carefully and cautiously, without any issues or mistakes.

Seeing Jin Hyun-tae's happy interaction with his 'friends,' the middle-aged nun slowly stepped back, and Dave and Annie, who was holding Coco, went over to chat with the nun.

Jin Hyun-tae, while carefully dealing with the 'little friends,' subtly gathered some useful information and quietly remembered it.

After obtaining a wealth of information from the orphanage, Jin Hyun-tae felt much more relaxed, and his smile became even brighter.

Seeing Jin Hyun-tae's reaction, the middle-aged nun, Dave, and Annie all thought it was a genuine emotional response to returning to his old place and seeing his friends.

Relaxed, Jin Hyun-tae continued to interact with the children and 'acquaintances,' answering their questions, while secretly pondering, "What kind of trick did that alien elementary school student use to make me have 'friends'?

Looking at these children, it seems like they really know me. It's making me feel a bit disoriented."

Indeed, Jin Hyun-tae couldn't be blamed for thinking this way, as the whole situation was quite bizarre.

While he was lost in thought, one of Jin Hyun-tae's 'old acquaintances,' a 14-year-old Latina girl named Selena, shouted to Jin Hyun-tae, "William, are you bringing us lots of fun things and delicious treats this time? I remember you made a promise when you left us."

Hearing this, Jin Hyun-tae looked over and was slightly taken aback when he saw the girl.

The girl named 'Selena' looked very similar to the American Disney star also named Selena, which made Jin Hyun-tae unsure how to describe his feelings.

It was one thing for Old George to have a familiar face, but why did he encounter another one here?

Although his mind was in turmoil, his face remained calm, showing his composure.

Putting aside his thoughts, Jin Hyun-tae smiled brightly at the girl. His sunny and cheerful smile made her heart flutter.

Oh, Brother William is still so handsome.

Seeing Jin Hyun-tae's fresh and handsome smile, the girl named Selena blushed.

"I'm here to ask Sister Massalinda about my mother, but of course, I've brought you many good things. I also want to donate some money to the convent to improve your living conditions and environment, as I am a product of this place."

Hearing this, the Latina girl named Selena immediately smiled sweetly, her big brown eyes fixed on Jin Hyun-tae. She looked around at the other children and then shouted, "Brother William hasn't forgotten his promise. I knew Brother William would keep his word."

Hmm!?

What's going on? What's the story here?

Seeing the excited little girl, Jin Hyun-tae was completely puzzled.