Because Jin Yu's shoelace had come undone, he bent down to tie it, thus missing the chance for Xu Niannian to see him.
The driver, Jin Yu's assistant Huzi, heard Jin Yu's words and hurriedly said, "Not found."
Jin Yu had people go to the place where the accident happened to look for news, to see if any girl had recently become emotionally unstable, or to clearly ask if anyone had gone to the small hill where the accident occurred.
Two days passed, and they still couldn't find her.
He was waiting, waiting for the girl to take the initiative to find him. If she decided to go through legal proceedings, he wouldn't run from the responsibility he should bear; he wouldn't flee either.
Considering the girl's reputation, Jin Yu naturally wouldn't allow people to investigate in a high-profile manner, nor had he told his subordinates what exactly had happened that day.
Xu Niannian was naturally unaware of Jin Yu looking for her. At this moment, she was happily hugging Xu Duoyu and hurrying home.
Inside the Xu Family Hall, Xu Dawei was puffing away at his dry pipe.
Yang Cuihua looked out the door several times.
"Child's father, how long do you think Niannian will take to come back? Could something have happened to her?"
"Nonsense. Our Niannian is a lucky girl. How could anything happen to her?"
Yang Cuihua quickly agreed, "Right, right, right, you're right. Our Niannian is lucky; nothing could happen to her. Look at what I'm saying—pah, pah, pah—let all the bad words be spat away. May the ancestors not take offense."
Just as she finished speaking, they heard the cheerful voice of Xu Duoyu. Yang Cuihua hurried out to meet them, even before she saw them, starting to call out from inside the house, "My Niannian, you're finally back. Mommy was so worried."
"Mom, we're back," Xu Niannian called out happily, holding Xu Duoyu.
When the family entered the house, Xu Dawei saw the empty bucket that Xu Zhiqiang brought in and his eyes lit up, pondering that his daughter must have sold all the sugar water.
The family sat around the dining table as Xu Niannian grabbed all the money from her pocket, which included cents and Mao notes, piling up on the table.
Everyone in the family, except for Xu Niannian, stared at the money on the table with eyes wide open.
Xu Zhiqiang and Xu Zhicheng knew they had made some money today, but they didn't know they had made so much. Xu Duoyu didn't understand anything, just that there was a lot of money; his eyes were shiny and bright.
Xu Dawei and Yang Cuihua were stunned by the large amount of money.
"Niannian, what did you do..." Xu Dawei asked in disbelief.
Yang Cuihua's lips trembled even more, "Nian, how did you make so much money?"
Xu Niannian didn't yet know how much money she had made and quickly said, "Let's count and see how much there is in total."
So the family began to count the money.
Only Xu Duoyu played with his fingers, hugging them.
With the whole family counting, the process was fast; after a short while, the money on the table was all picked up.
Xu Niannian said, "I have a total of twelve yuan and twenty cents here."
Yang Cuihua said, "I have seven yuan, eighty-four cents here."
Xu Dawei said, "I have exactly eight yuan."
Xu Zhiqiang said, "I have ten yuan and sixty cents."
Xu Zhicheng pursed his lips, "I have nine yuan here."
In total, they had forty-seven yuan and sixty-four cents. Including the one yuan fifty cents spent on buying buns, it was forty-nine yuan and fourteen cents.
Subtracting a few small tips, they had sold over six hundred cups of water.
Making so much money on the first day, Xu Niannian was thrilled to bits, happier than when she had made a few hundred thousand in her previous life.
Excluding the cost, they had made a profit of forty-four yuan. Receiving so much money for the first time, both Xu Dawei and Yang Cuihua were shocked.
Yang Cuihua's lips were a bit shaky, "Niannian, is all this what you earned today?"
Xu Dawei was no better, trembling as he asked, "Baby Nian, is this money all ours?"
Xu Niannian knew the two were happy and nodded emphatically, "Yeah, Mom and Dad, this money is our family's."
To Xu Niannian, her money was the family's money.
If it weren't for Yang Cuihua and Xu Dawei's unconditional support, she wouldn't have had the chance to make so much money.
Overcome with excitement, Yang Cuihua snatched all the money and handed it to Xu Niannian, "Baby Nian, keep the money you earned yourself."
Xu Dawei nodded in agreement, "Right, Baby Nian, keep it yourself."
The two doted on Xu Niannian unconditionally.
Yang Cuihua also feared that Xu Zhiqiang and his brothers might covet Xu Niannian's money, so she hastily added, "Even though you helped out today, all this money was earned by your sister. Don't get any ideas."
Upon hearing this, Xu Zhiqiang's originally excited eyes turned cold, and Xu Zhicheng seemed as if he had been doused with cold water.
The money was indeed earned by their sister; they had never thought to take it. And with their mother running things, and they still being young, the money wouldn't end up with them even if it wasn't given to Xu Niannian.
But Yang Cuihua's direct precautions pained them somewhat.
Seeing that her brothers' expressions were a bit off, Xu Niannian quickly said, "Mom, what are you talking about? We're all family, why make distinctions?"
Yang Cuihua's lips moved as if to say something, but Xu Niannian tugged at her sleeve and she fell silent.
Zhiqiang said coldly, "I'm tired, I'm going to sleep."
Zhicheng also hurried off. Duoyu, sitting next to Niannian, tried to scramble after his older brothers but was held tight by Niannian, "Duoyu, be good, don't run off."
Xu Niannian was worried; it had not been easy to start improving her two brothers' views of her.
When her brothers turned their faces away, Yang Cuihua was about to start scolding when Xu Niannian quickly covered her mouth.
"Mom, what are you doing?"
Yang Cuihua hummed through closed lips, and Xu Niannian said, "Mom, promise me first, don't scold the brothers."
Yang Cuihua nodded, and only then did Xu Niannian let go of her.
As soon as her hand was released, Yang Cuihua unleashed a torrent of curses.
"Those damn kids, come out here! Your mother can't speak now, huh? Showing me those faces, it looks like you don't want to live."
Xu Niannian was completely disheartened.
What happened to not yelling at people?
Xu Niannian had a headache.
After ranting to her heart's content, Yang Cuihua finally felt better.
Xu Niannian said, "Mom, have you yelled enough?"
Yang Cuihua replied, "I've yelled enough."
Then, with a joyful expression, she pulled Xu Niannian close, "My dear Niannian, you really know how to make money. I always knew our Niannian was capable."
While Yang Cuihua scolded her sons, Xu Dawei had remained silent, but hearing her praise their daughter, Xu Dawei squinted his eyes and smiled, "That's right, our Niannian is very smart."
Xu Niannian nodded helplessly as Yang Cuihua stuffed her with all the money.
Xu Niannian still needed to do business and required capital, so she didn't refuse, but she couldn't keep it all for herself.
She gave Yang Cuihua 19 dollars and 14 cents, keeping 30 dollars for herself to use as capital for her business.
Yang Cuihua absolutely refused to take it, but was ultimately persuaded by Xu Niannian and went back to the house to store the money away.
At bedtime, Yang Cuihua and Xu Dawei happily went to sleep.
After helping Duoyu clean up for bed, Xu Niannian took him back to their room, lifted him onto the bed, and tenderly rubbed his head, "Duoyu, be good and sleep for a bit, okay? Sister is going to talk to Big Brother."
Duoyu was very obedient, "Duoyu will be good."