The blind boss's nanny

In London, Lin Xiaoman's search went unexpectedly smoothly.

The first boy she was looking for was the little kid from the Sunshine Home who always liked to follow her around. He's now a tall and well-built middle school student.

She found him near the sports field at his school, based on clues provided by the local Chinese community.

Before she could speak, the boy walked over carrying a soccer ball, his gaze lingering on her face for a moment, and tentatively asked in English:

"Have we... met somewhere before?"

Lin Xiaoman's heart skipped a beat. She nodded and replied in Chinese:

"Yes, we lived together many years ago."

The boy's eyes widened suddenly, and then a smile bloomed on his face! He immediately dropped the soccer ball he was holding and ran over to give her a hug full of youthful energy!

"Sister! I remember you! You always saved the biggest apple for me!"

His voice was filled with excitement and surprise.

At that moment, Lin Xiaoman felt that all the hard work and travel across mountains and rivers and through the long years had been worth it.

With this warm comfort, her journey in England continued. However, good fortune did not last. The next girl she was looking for moved to Edinburgh with her adoptive family.

Without hesitation, Lin Xiaoman headed north, searching among the crisp Scottish air and ancient stone walls until she finally found the other person.

She encountered a similar situation to before: that friend was also doing well, and also didn't remember her.

She stood beneath Edinburgh Castle, watching the last rays of the setting sun gild the ancient city, yet she felt no sense of loss.

By this point, she had personally visited the homes of all the old friends on her list whom she could find based on existing clues, and witnessed their lives firsthand.

Her long-held wish has finally been fulfilled.

They seem to have changed everything... The little kid from back then has become a dashing young man, and Lily is blossoming under the Perth sun... Time carries everyone towards different destinations, shaping completely different life trajectories.

Yet it seems nothing has changed... those deep-rooted obsessions in the courtyard of Sunshine House, those worries about blurry faces in the dead of night, that longing buried deep in the heart...

They truly existed, and were truly comforted and placed in peace by this journey.

Lin Xiaoman understands that the meaning of this journey has never been just about "finding". The process of searching itself is a long farewell ceremony.

Every departure is a step towards the past that we cherish.

Each arrival brings me one inch closer to the face in my memory;

Every confirmation, whether it's a joyful embrace or a peaceful forgetting, is like personally untying a knot that's been entangled in her heart.

She traversed mountains and seas, weary from her journey, measuring the distance of her longing with her footsteps, ultimately measuring the boundaries of her own heart:

The weight she once thought she had to bear could be gently laid down after witnessing the independence and growth of every life.

She no longer needed to worry about whether their lives were happy, because she had seen with her own eyes how tenacious life was and how they possessed the power to move towards the light.

She no longer needs to feel guilty about her "powerlessness" back then, because she has already used her actions as an adult to send a greeting and confirmation across time and space.

The huge weight that had been hanging over Lin Xiaoman's heart for many years quietly fell to the ground, shattered into dust, and merged into the dust of the thousands of miles she had traveled behind her, when the last name was crossed off the list.

She looked up at the unfamiliar starry sky in this foreign land and let out a long breath.

The breath condensed into white mist in the cool air, which quickly dissipated.

With my obsession gone, the road ahead is clear and bright.

Just as she was preparing to leave the UK as planned, she received a phone call.

"Maggie! I heard you're in London? Please, you absolutely must come and stay at my estate for a few days! It's completely different from Lucas's estate, but I guarantee you'll love it!"

Jason's enthusiastic voice came through the airwaves.

Thus, Lin Xiaoman's itinerary added another stop: the Jason family manor located in the Cotswolds countryside of England.

If Lu Tingzhao's manor is an exquisite and well-ordered work of art, then Jason's manor is an English countryside oil painting.

It is full of natural charm and offers a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere.

The main house, built of stone, is covered with ivy. In the vast garden, flowers, trees, and shrubs grow freely and in wonderful harmony. In the distance are rolling hills and flocks of sheep, and the air is filled with the scent of grass, earth, and a faint fragrance of roses.

Jason himself is tall and handsome, with blond hair and blue eyes. His smile is very infectious. He came to greet her wearing work clothes with a few mud spots, without any airs.

"Maggie! Welcome!"

Jason's voice was louder and more enthusiastic than it had been on the phone. He stood with his arms outstretched on the rustic stone steps of the manor.

"Lucas is my best brother in Cambridge! He specifically told me to make sure you're treated well!"

He walked quickly down the steps and took the simple suitcase from Lin Xiaoman's hands with remarkable ease.

"Oh my God!"

He widened his eyes slightly, scrutinizing Lin Xiaoman, his tone filled with undisguised amazement.

"I really didn't expect Lucas's nannies to be so...impressive! Honestly, I don't believe you're just his nanny. The way he talked about you last time...I, his old friend, bet he really likes you!"

He blinked, his eyes clear and undisguised, showing no sign of offense. Then, he changed the subject, spreading his arms to point to the vast estate behind him:

"By the way, what do you think of this place? It's completely different from Lucas's exquisite oriental garden, isn't it?"

Lin Xiaoman was caught off guard by his overwhelming enthusiasm and straightforwardness, but his cheerfulness quickly infected her, relaxing her tense nerves and revealing a sincere smile.

"I really like it here, Mr. Jason."

She looked around, her gaze sweeping over the freely spreading roses and the slightly messy yet vibrant lawn.

"There's a kind of beauty here that grows freely. It's very comfortable, very..."

She paused, then found a fitting metaphor:

"It's like the place I lived when I was a child."

Like the Chinese countryside, it's not so orderly, but full of wildness and vitality. Just like the courtyard where she and her grandmother depended on each other for survival, which, although poor, had sunshine, wildflowers, and a vast open space in her childhood.

Jason burst out laughing. He noticed, of course, that she hadn't taken over all the conversations about Lu Tingzhao. He picked up his suitcase, gesturing for her to follow.

"Growing freely! That's a wonderful word! I love it! Come on, Maggie, let me show you your 'free land' for the next few days. I promise you'll forget all your troubles... although you don't seem to have any troubles at all, except..."