The blind boss's nanny

Lin Xiaoman joined the "European Graduation Carnival Team" formed by Xiao Gu and her classmates.

The group consisted of people of different skin colors and with distinct personalities. There were quiet, artistic young people taking photos, lively social butterflies, and food-obsessed "restaurant radar" types. But the enthusiasm and casualness of the young people made them surprisingly and quickly become one of the group, creating a lively atmosphere.

This was a novel experience that Lin Xiaoman had never had before.

Throughout her more than twenty-three years of life, her life has always been filled with goals and plans—

While at Sunshine House, I longed to grow up and become independent; while at Lu Family Manor, I dreamed of saving money to go abroad; and even on this solo journey, I carried a clear purpose of finding someone and a faint sense of loneliness.

Now, she finally understands what "pure play" means.

There was no must-see list of attractions, no plan or schedule. Maybe someone would just glance at the map and casually say, "Hey, I heard there's a really cool graffiti wall nearby!" and the next second the whole team would laugh and turn around and go their separate ways.

Or, if someone exclaims while scrolling through their phone in the morning, "The sauce this place serves fries is made with a secret recipe! They close at 2 p.m.!", a group of people will immediately jump up from the sofa and rush over in a grand procession.

All she had to do was relax and follow along with everyone, immersing herself in the laughter and joy. When taking photos, she was the most supportive model; when discovering delicious food, she was the most genuine foodie; when getting lost, she laughed and complained about the navigation; and she laughed heartily with them on unfamiliar streets.

Never a spoilsport, and rarely refuses.

This feeling of completely surrendering to the present moment and sharing unknown surprises with your partners is wonderful.

Financially, she felt more relaxed than ever before. She was no longer the "nanny" who needed to meticulously calculate every penny. Seeing everyone having fun, Lin Xiaoman often wanted to pay the bill, after all, it was the most direct way to express gratitude and share joy.

But each time, Xiao Gu would stop him with lightning speed.

After several attempts, Lin Xiaoman couldn't hold back any longer. After failing to grab an order again, she pulled Xiao Gu aside and whispered:

"Xiao Gu, why do you keep stopping me?"

Xiao Gu felt a little embarrassed by her question, touched her nose, leaned close to her ear, and whispered the truth:

"That... was something my mom specifically asked me to do. She said you worked really hard at the manor before, and it wasn't easy for you to save money, so you might be... a little strapped for cash. She asked me to take extra care of you and make sure you don't have to spend any money."

Lin Xiaoman was taken aback at first, then suddenly realized what was going on, and then couldn't help but burst out laughing. She laughed louder and louder until she was bent over with tears welling up in her eyes.

So that's how it is! Aunt Mei still remembers her image back then as someone who "loved money more than anything" and was "so stingy that she wouldn't even buy herself clothes"!

At that time, she harbored a dream of going abroad to find people, and she was so careful with every penny she could spend. In Aunt Mei's eyes, wasn't she just a "poor little thing" who needed to be pitied?

"Aunt Mei, she... hahaha..."

Lin Xiaoman wiped away the tears of laughter, a warm feeling welling up inside her, and she found the misunderstanding quite amusing. She put her arm around Xiao Gu's shoulder, her eyes sparkling:

"Please thank Aunt Mei for me! But that's all in the past! Now, your sister here is a wealthy woman who has fulfilled one of the greatest wishes of her life...both spiritually and materially!"

To prove that she was no longer the same as before, and to thank Aunt Mei for her kindness and Xiao Gu for her company, Lin Xiaoman waved her hand and invited the whole team to a local Michelin restaurant that night.

Amidst the cheers of delighted onlookers, she smiled broadly, devouring her food without a care in the world, savoring the freedom and relaxation that she had finally earned through years of hard work and waiting, a freedom to laugh freely.

Unburdening yourself, traveling with fun-loving companions, enjoying delicious food, and laughing heartily are some of the best rewards life can offer.

Sitting on the terrace of an old restaurant in Tuscany, Italy, under the bright sunshine, Lin Xiaoman leaned against the railing, looking down at the red-tiled roofs and winding alleys bathed in twilight. The scene before her was like an oil painting unfolding before her eyes.

The evening breeze, carrying the scents of grapevines and olive trees, caressed my face, and the faint sound of an accordion drifted from afar.

The tranquility and abundance of this moment loosened the floodgates of memory. Many old scenes that she had kept buried deep in her heart now surfaced clearly before her eyes.

She recalled that autumn when Dean Lin "kicked" her out of the Sunshine Home and forced her into the university.

With her tuition and living expenses in her arms, her heart was still filled with thoughts of Sunshine Home and Lily... She knew that Dean Lin was doing this for her future, but she also knew that Sunshine Home needed more support for its future.

The university campus was large, and the classmates and roommates were all friendly. Weekend dinner invitations, holiday travel plans, late-night dorm chats about celebrities, variety shows, and romance…

The vibrant and lively lives of ordinary college students had brushed past her ears countless times.

But each time, she smiled and gently deflected the question with the same excuse:

"Sorry, I have a part-time job this weekend, and I've already made plans."

Her weekend schedule was meticulously recorded in various part-time job groups:

Accompanying a girl who has just undergone plastic surgery at the hospital, babysitting for a single mother raising her child alone for several hours, cooking for an elderly person living alone...

These experiences allowed her to glimpse the complexities and weight of life at an early age, making her heart more resilient.

The 32 yuan that was later swindled away by Lin Langqing was a number that was slowly accumulated, penny by penny, from these various kinds of labor, weekend after weekend.

The process was fulfilling; she learned so much about the world and human nature beyond what books could teach. But the price was equally clear: she voluntarily withdrew from all social and entertainment activities typical of her age.

Her world is filled with responsibility and goals, like a wound-up clock.

I still remember that night at our college graduation dinner, when the whole class raised their glasses to say goodbye to our youth amidst lights and songs. And she was in Xu Ting's hospital room, listening to her anxiously asking the doctor again and again whether her broken nose could be repaired.

The class group chat was flooded with lively group photos and blessings. She only glanced at them briefly before lowering her head again to focus on her work.

Later, many people said she was greedy and shrewd. Lin Xiaoman never defended herself against this, and even admitted it with a smile.

Because she knew in her heart that what she was desperately holding onto was never the wealth itself.