This was the children's first meal in the valley—after a night of hurried transfer and the brief chaos and excitement of arriving at their new home, they gathered around the large dining table on the platform. The staff sent by the Special Service Bureau to the valley prepared steaming hot buns, rice porridge, and hot soup for everyone. Despite the haste, this wasn't exactly a sumptuous meal, but a hot breakfast at this moment was enough to make everyone feel at ease.
Yu Sheng sat at one end of the long dining table (which was really long), Hu Li sat to his right, and Erin sat on the table. The youngest children, led by their older brothers and sisters, arranged themselves on both sides of the table according to their eating positions in the orphanage. Small plates were already placed in front of them. The "guardians" and the staff together moved large soup pots and steamers to the table, then began serving everyone.
