Chapter 644

Under normal circumstances, children between the ages of 12 and 13 years old would have already started their first year of middle school. Yet, at the orphanage, there was a group of 14 to 15-year-olds who had barely started learning the curriculum for the first and second years of middle school. In the end, this resulted in an ever-increasing gap between them and their peers outside. In addition, the orphanage's support usually lasted until each of them turned 18 years old. It was then that these young adults were thrust into society with no more than a middle school education. This gap would restrict them to unskilled labor markets, creating significant barriers to financial independence and social mobility. It was certainly not out of the question that some people would come to the orphanage to adopt children. That might make a huge difference in the lives of those lucky enough to be chosen. It was a rare case, though, as not every child would get adopted, and not all those who