Autumn turned into spring, and in the blink of an eye three years passed.
After dispatching yet another wave of people seeking employment, Liu Yusheng headed to the vegetable garden at the back of the house and sat in a daze in the corner of the eaves.
Her eyes fell on the lush and verdant green vegetables, but without focus.
She didn't know how long time passed, but a voice suddenly ran in her ears, "Did those people come begging for work again?"
Liu Yusheng turned her head and saw Qian Wanjin walking over, then sat down next to her, not minding that the ground soiled his robe. In three years, he became more and more grounded though.
Three years had also allowed a little Maitreya to grow into a handsome youngster.
Since the poison on his body was completely purged two years ago, Qian Wanjin didn't continue to put on weight. On the contrary, he gradually lost weight day by day, revealing the delicate build of a teenager.
"Those guys are really… They've been refused for three years. Why are they still pestering you?"
Liu Yusheng smiled at him. "Xinghua Village has become more and more prosperous over the past few years. They've been watching from across the river, so naturally they'd be jealous. It's not just them, even the surrounding villagers were now also constantly dropping by seeking a chance to work at the winery."
Today's Xinghua Village could be described as ever-changing. The winery has made them the richest village in the Ten Mile Countryside, with an endless stream of people coming to their door seeking work.
Successively over the past few years, Liu Yusheng had arranged positions for many people from neighboring villages, but there was one village that she had excluded entirely.
Xiapo Village.
The kidnapping incident was finally settled with the disappearance of the two suspects, but to the end, the Xiapo villagers never showed their faces or apologized.
Especially after what happened at the cabin. Two people also died in Xiapo Village at the same time, killed by someone with a sword to seal their throats.
According to the intelligence Qian Wanjin has heard, those two people, no matter who killed them, were related to the cabin accident.
She fell in a trance again.
It was the most he'd seen on her face in three years.
It was as if her heart had drifted to an unknown place, and no bystander could grab it, no matter how hard they tried to reach for it.
No one could catch it back.
The soft and warm baby gradually grew eyes tinged with a hint of cold hardness, if anything.
Even with a brilliant smile as before, it was as if, a little less warm. It wasn't obvious, but he could feel it.
"Are you still not going to give up?" Qian Wanjin averted his eyes and asked lowly.
"Did you bring back any news this time?" As expected, once it was related to that person, she immediately returned to her senses.
"Three years have passed and even the government has long since given up looking for him. How long are you going to hold out? What's he got to do with you? You're constantly thinking of finding him at the expense of human and financial resources!" Anger suddenly surged through Qian Wanjin, and he spoke sharply, "Liu Yusheng, what on earth do you want? A word of thanks from him? Or the fame of Bodhisattva?! Three years, a thousand days! Maybe he has already died in some nook or corner!"
She didn't answer, nor did she retort. Her quiet eyes just stared at him steadily.
"Bloody hell!" Qian Wanjin cursed in frustration. He forced down his flaring irritation and said, "There's a clue. Someone once saw a person like him in town. He's around ten years old with a head of messy hair. You'll have to meet him for the detailed specifics. The reward is set at 1000 taels."
"Take me to meet him."
Damn it! You accepted the thousand tael reward without blinking an eye. Just give the money to me!
She's crazy!
"No wonder your home is still in such a shambles after a few years. It's like you've thrown all the money you earned into this!"
Liu Yusheng stood up and pursed her pink lips. "Young Boss, thank you."
"… Is this Young Master looking for your thanks? If you really want to thank me, let's talk about it when we find someone, humph!" Qian Wanjin stood up right after, turned around and left.
He knew that she'd like to meet the person once she heard the news. Fortunately, he got used to it and was prepared.
Watching the grumpy teenager walking away in front of her, Liu Yusheng curled her lips and smiled.
When she begged him for help, he said that the profit would be 70-30, but in the end, he didn't didn't dig a pit for her. The redrafted contract stated that profits were divided 50-50.
The tsundere teenager wasn't a money-grubber as he appeared.
She was also really grateful to him in her heart.
The government had indeed given up looking for him a long time ago. Even the few big personalities that had appeared in the village were just a flash in the pan, and then never came to Xinghua Village again.
If it wasn't for Qian Wanjin's help, who had deployed the Qian manpower for her, it would have been tough for her to persist until now.
"Nannan, it's almost noon. Are you guys still going out?" Grandma Liu was working on lunch in the kitchen, and when she saw the two children coming out from behind the house one after the other, ready to go out, she probed.
"Grandma, I'm going to town. Young Boss said that someone has provided new clues."
"Really? Then you go! If you're not in a hurry for lunch, you can have some in town, and bring some money!"
"Eh, I know Grandma. Help me tell Grandpa, my parents, Second Uncle and Second Aunt later."
"Got it, go quickly. Don't go late and let someone get away!"
Qian Wanjin stood in front of the carriage, listening to the conversation in the courtyard, and rubbed his face roughly.
A family of lunatics!
It's been three years! Why wasn't he as important as that missing dead kid?
The more Qian Wanjin thought about it, the more he was upset. He turned around and put on his charming front. "Grandma, the person only said he has a clue. We don't know if it's true yet. How many informants have we met before? Which time did we really find him?"
"You can't say that. Whether it's true or not, I'd rather believe it than not, just in case it's true!"
"Maybe he has long gone back to his place, eating and drinking to his heart's content, wearing gold and silver and forgotten all about you guys…" In the end, he couldn't utter the word dead. Grandma was old and couldn't handle the scare.
"What nonsense, that kid Axiu isn't that kind of person. If he really went back to his own home, he would have definitely sent us news, lest we'd be worried and anxious." Grandma Liu took a glance at Qian Wanjin and turned back to the kitchen, still mumbling, "Aigoo, I have to fix the dinner, in case Axiu comes back and doesn't have enough to eat… Later on, I'll have to take the clean bedding out to dry, and let him live in a room with the two boys at home first… That boy, I don't know how much he's suffered all these years outside…"
Qian Wanjin stomped onto the carriage and closed his eyes, lest he listen further and die in anger.
Liu Yusheng took some silver tickets with her. Before leaving the house, she thought for a moment before returning to the house and took out a pair of red hair ties, and tied them to the sides of her hair buns.
In the bronze mirror, the girl was as white as snow, with white teeth and bright eyes, and her once crochet braids were now tied into two childish buns, looking dainty and adorable. The red hair ties on her buns were brightly colored, making the girl even more vibrant.
It was the only thing Axiu had given her. For three years, she had always kept them in good condition and never let them fade.
As much as her obsession to find him, it never waned.
If indeed she had to ask why she was able persist doing so, it was beyond even her own understanding.