Chapter 1: Young

Li Yang's earliest memories were of the towering, iron-wrought gates of the Willowbrook Orphanage. The institution, nestled at the edge of a small town, bore the weight of many stories, most of them sad, and Li Yang's was no exception.

The town of Wuyuan was a sleepy one, where everybody knew everybody. Its cobblestone streets echoed the footsteps of daily routines, and its townspeople, mostly old souls, seemed to prefer it that way. However, the existence of the orphanage reminded them that not everything in Wuyuan was peaceful.

Miss Huang, the stern-faced caretaker of the institution, was a tall and wiry woman. Her hair, always pulled back into a tight bun, had streaks of gray, perhaps not just from age but also from the stress of managing the orphanage. She meant well, but her strict demeanor made her less than loved by the children. However, she had a particular soft spot for Li Yang, perhaps because she saw some of her younger self in him or perhaps because of the peculiar circumstances in which he arrived.

One fateful evening, as a storm raged outside, a basket was left on the orphanage steps with a baby inside – Li Yang. With no note or any clue of his past, Miss Huang took him in, naming him after the sun, hoping he'd shine light in the gloomy hallways of Willowbrook.

Growing up, Li Yang found himself unable to fit in. His deep-set eyes always seemed lost in thought, and while other children played in the courtyard, he'd often sit by himself, observing. This isolation wasn't by choice. He wanted to play and laugh, but his inability to read or write, even basic texts, made him an easy target.

"Hey, dummy! Can't even read your own name?" taunted Xiao Wei, one of the older boys. Li Yang's classmates would chuckle as Xiao Wei and his gang would corner him, teasing him and taking away his lunch. The isolation in the classroom was just as palpable, as whispers and snickers would arise whenever he was asked to read aloud.

Miss Huang, however well-intentioned, wasn't adept at handling such situations. "You need to study harder, Li Yang," she'd say, reinforcing the idea that he was the problem. But deep down, she worried for him. She'd often find him alone, tears streaming down his face, clutching a book he couldn't decipher.

One evening, after a particularly harsh bullying episode, Li Yang found solace at the banks of the town's river. The gentle ripples seemed to understand him better than anyone. He looked at his reflection, wondering why he was different.

Suddenly, a soft voice broke his reverie. "You know, the river has seen many stories," said an old man, a known face around Wuyuan. His name was Lao Zhang, often seen fishing by the riverbank.

Li Yang looked up, eyes swollen from crying. Lao Zhang continued, "And every story has its time to shine, just like the sun after a storm. Yours will too."

Li Yang's heart felt a little lighter. Little did he know that his story was about to take a turn, and the gamble of fate was about to begin.