The Three-Life Stone

The weather is getting colder, and it's winter again. Xia Jin wrapped her cloak tighter and looked at the desolation in the garden. She couldn't help feeling a little emotional. Winter is here, and spring is not far away. She will spend this year's New Year's Eve alone.

In previous years, many people crowded into a small courtyard, gathered around a table of food, chatting with each other, and even scrambling for a dish. Even if the dish tasted ordinary, people thought it would taste better if they scrambled for it.

Putting aside the melancholy in her heart, Xia Jin called Xiaoyue who was washing dishes and said, "Tao Hong, let's go to the human trafficker tomorrow."

"Madam, do you think Honghong didn't do well enough?" Tao Hong's first reaction was that she didn't do well.

Tao Hong has been with Xia Jin for some time. At first, she felt a little empty, but Xia Jin never treated her like a slave. She was used to such an ordinary life, just like an ordinary sister or younger sister. Could it be that the lady actually cares about her?

"No, you've been with me for a while, so you probably understand my personality. If there are two more people, I won't have to worry too much because you can teach me. I'll give you extra money every month, so you can keep it for your future plans."

Xia Jin looked at Tao Hong and explained what she had misunderstood.

At first, they were used to being self-sufficient and felt that having someone to help was enough. They didn't need much in terms of food, clothing, housing and transportation. As time went by, Xia Jin realized that the two of them were indeed a little empty, especially as it was getting closer to next year.

"Madam, that's not what Tao Hong meant. Tao Hong will definitely do everything you ask her to do." Tao Hong smiled embarrassedly, and her silly look was very cute.

Yes, Tao Hong thought it was strange that there were only two people in the yard. She hadn't reacted to the sudden decision to go to the human trafficking. She just kept wondering who the master was? Why didn't he come back? Why didn't Xia Jin want to mention it every time?

Tao Hong returned to her room, feeling very fortunate that she could stay with Xia Jin. Xia Jin usually didn't need her to serve her, and only needed two simple dishes and a soup for meals, which were just right for the two of them to eat together. These were things she would never have dared to think about with Ren Yazi.

At night, Xia Jin slept very uneasily.

"Sister? Sister?"

"you are?"

The dream was pitch black, and Xia Jin kept hearing someone calling her sister, but she didn't know who he was or where he was.

"Sister? Where are you?"

"Who are you? Where are you?"

Xia Jin groped slowly, but the voice seemed inaudible.

"Sister...did you abandon me?" The voice sounded very sad. Xia Jin felt a little sad, but she could do nothing.

After a while, Xia Jin fell into a deep sleep and woke up the next day as if nothing had happened.

The next morning, Xia Jin and Tao Hong picked out two older and honest-looking people from the human traffickers. The man worked as a doorman and the woman was mainly responsible for cooking. They also bought a carriage.

The car drove into an alley, and Xia Jin looked for the two beggars she had seen before. The beggars were all dirty, and only their eyes were bright and visible. Their bodies were also thin and small. The two got into the car without saying a word, and the group returned to the yard.

Several people were a little reserved at first, but Tao Hong kept praising the lady along the way. Seeing Xia Jin, who didn't say a word, everyone felt relieved and started to get to know each other one by one.

The older guy is called Chen Da. There are many people in his family, and he is the eldest. He usually has to take care of his younger siblings, so he is left alone. The girls he knows don’t like him. Later, a girl fell in love with him, but her requirements were not low, so he sold himself.

The eldest sister sighed lightly, they were all unfortunate people, otherwise they would not have ended up like this. She was good at washing clothes and cooking, and knew everything, so if you didn't mind, you could call her Mrs. Wang.

The two beggars remained silent.

After returning to the house, Tao Hong took them to familiarize themselves with the approximate location of the house, helped the two little beggars change into clean clothes, took them to their residence, and prepared daily necessities.

While Tao Hong was telling everyone, Xia Jin went to the teahouse. She didn't expect the small teahouse to stay open forever. She would make as much money as she could while it was open. If the business didn't do well in the future, she could sell the shop for some money. Now that she was a girl, it would not be easy for her to make money in the future.

When she returned to the house, Mrs. Wang had already prepared dinner and was waiting for her. Tao Hong reported today's achievements to her with a dry mouth. After cleaning up the two little beggars, it was not difficult to see that both of them had delicate features, but were malnourished. The brother seemed to be about the same height as his sister. They both stood aside cautiously.

"Have they eaten?" Xia Jin asked as she sat down.

"Po Wang made some steamed buns, and they all ate them. I said Madam would have other arrangements, but they didn't believe me." Tao Hong pouted. Although she didn't know whether so many people would eat together, she felt that Madam must have made arrangements.

"We servants are lucky enough to have something to eat. There's no need to trouble Madam." Mrs. Wang explained quickly.

In this world, I don't expect to be able to enter a wealthy family. It's not easy for the mothers-in-law and servants of wealthy families to make a living. Everyone has different sufferings, so don't compare them with the above. Life is hard, and being able to eat enough is enough. How can I expect to eat well? What's more, this courtyard is deserted. I think the conditions are just okay and the master is easy to get along with. This is enough.

Xia Jin looked at the five dishes and one soup on the table and knew that Wang Po was very dedicated to her work and that her life must have been difficult in the past.

"It's okay. I can't finish all the dishes. When you cook in the future, just put some of each dish on a plate and serve it to me. You can eat the rest."

"That's absolutely not possible." Mrs. Wang was a little flattered.

"There are not so many rules here. We are ordinary people, not those wealthy families. As long as you do your job well and don't do anything that hurts others or yourself, I won't treat you unfairly." Xia Jin said with a faint smile, "Today is the first time we meet each other. Add some more chopsticks and eat together. Don't waste food."

The two beggars took their bowls and sat over. The days of eating one meal and starving the next made them naturally attracted to food. Even though they were full before, they still drooled at the sight of the meat. Wang Po didn't know what to do, so Tao Hong took her and called Uncle Chen to come eat together.

"What are your two names?" Tao Hong asked curiously as she looked at the two beggars.

"I don't know." The two beggars replied while eating.

Xia Jin finished her meal in silence, wiped her mouth, rinsed her mouth, and then said, "But you don't have a name? Can I give you one?"

"Okay." The two beggars didn't think too much. They just knew that this person was good to them and they were good to her too. The name didn't matter.

"Qinghe - Qing means noble and He is a grain. Qinghuan - how about the pleasure of life being Qinghuan?" Xia Jin said after thinking for a moment.

The beggars originally thought that it might be just a random name that was convenient to call people, and they never thought that someone would actually come up with a name for them. They were a little moved when they heard the name. Now they had a name, and they were no longer beggars who were despised by people on the street, or stinky beggars who could not be called by their names.

"Yeah, Qinghuan, I like it." Qinghuan smiled sweetly and glanced at her dull brother. She knew he liked it too.

After a few days, it was the last day of the 126th year in the North Country.

Xia Jin suggested that we eat the New Year's Eve dinner together, it would be lively. Tao Hong led everyone to cut paper and paste window decorations, Wang Po cooked several dishes, and Uncle Chen moved the things that had been prepared earlier.

During the conversation, everyone said a lot of auspicious words. Xia Jin took out the purse she had prepared for the New Year's gift and there was another round of polite conversation.

It was snowing outside, and the streets with few pedestrians seemed a bit deserted. But every house was brightly lit, and it was very lively.

Xia Jin didn't have too many thoughts about staying up all night. The excitement of the New Year seemed to have nothing to do with her. She went back to lie down first, and only said that he would call her to set off firecrackers with her later.