The blind boss's nanny

Every sound, in his dark world, pieced together the figure who was now frantically scrambling around the stove.

He imagined what she looked like now. Her nose was probably covered in charcoal ash, and her eyes must be incredibly bright.

However, no matter what Lu Tingzhao thought, Lin Xiaoman's outline remained blurry.

He couldn't imagine it.

After completing all the steps, Lin Xiaoman tore off a shiny rabbit leg and placed it on the plate, saying to A Zhe:

"Ah Zhe, I'll go get this one for Brother Leng, you take this plate to the chairman..."

As she was talking, she suddenly stopped, thinking about Lu Tingzhao's strict dietary requirements and obsessive-compulsive habits. He probably wouldn't touch anything cooked over a wildfire.

Thinking of this, she quickly changed her words:

"No, no, you should go and ask the chairman if he'd like to try some..."

These words, spoken without a single one, drifted on the night breeze into the ears of Lu Tingzhao, who stood in the shadows of the terrace.

The next second, he heard a rustling sound coming from the direction of the treehouse. Immediately afterwards, there was a crisp sound, as if Lin Xiaoman had slapped someone's arm, her voice filled with barely suppressed smugness:

"How is it? Smells good, right? I told you I was talented!"

A deep, resonant laugh came from Leng Feng, carrying an unusual gentleness:

"Yes, but first wipe the ash off your face...right cheek, charcoal black."

The next second, Ah Zhe, carrying a plate, walked towards us.

The boy stopped three steps away from Lu Tingzhao. Before he could speak, Lu Tingzhao's emotionless voice rang out first:

"Ah Zhe".

"Um."

"Lin Xiaoman..."

Lu Tingzhao paused, the wind ruffling the stray hairs on his forehead.

"What does she look like? Try to describe her."

Ah Zhe was stunned. He was rarely asked to describe "people," especially "their appearance."

This is much more difficult than having him analyze a piece of code or decipher an encryption protocol.

He held the plate, head down, thinking for a few seconds.

Then, he began to answer slowly:

"Her hair was dark black and about 50 centimeters long."

"The shape of the eyes is similar to almonds, but rounder. The iris color is like... light amber."

"The height of my nose is moderate, and the tip of my nose turns slightly red in cold environments... well, that's how it is right now."

"She's smiling."

Finally, A Zhe gave an overall assessment:

"Her facial features are arranged in accordance with the golden ratio, which is usually classified as 'good-looking' in human aesthetic databases."

As the evening breeze blew by, Lin Xiaoman waved from afar, silently mouthing something to him.

Ah Zhe looked at it and added another sentence:

"It looks better in motion than in still photos."

Seeing that A Zhe was not moving, Lin Xiaoman had no choice but to walk over herself.

"Chairman, would you like to try our freshly roasted rabbit?"

Her voice was tinged with laughter, and a hint of smug satisfaction.

Lu Tingzhao faced her, his face expressionless, but his voice was colder than the night wind:

"You still know that I'm your boss?"

Why didn't she bring it to him herself, but instead had Ah Zhe do it for her?

Although this question is illogical, even naive. He's obviously blind, so what difference does it make who delivers it?

But why did she send it to Leng Feng first?

Lu Tingzhao's jawline tightened involuntarily. In his dark world, some unrelated images surfaced:

Her clear, cheerful voice as she looked up and shouted towards the treehouse, the unspoken understanding between her and Leng Feng... it was a completely different way of getting along with him.

It is a kind of... equal, relaxed, and even casually intimate connection.

Lu Tingzhao's lips were pressed into a cold, hard straight line.

He wasn't even aware of how somber and displeased he was emanating at that moment.

Lin Xiaoman was taken aback, her smile freezing on her face.

She subconsciously glanced at A-Zhe beside her... The boy was studying the pattern on the edge of the plate, completely unaware of the undercurrents swirling around him.

Ah Zhe is really slow to perceive emotions; he can't give any effective hints.

Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly tried to recall what she had done to offend this man. Could it be...?

"Chairman,"

She immediately adopted a more respectful tone and tried to explain.

"I told Aunt Mei yesterday about the barbecue in the backyard, and she said it would be fine as long as we were careful... If you don't like it, I'll put out the fire right away!"

Lu Tingzhao snorted coldly, interrupting her:

"Where's the baked food?"

"Here you are! Would you like to try some?"

no respond.

Lu Tingzhao stood there in front of her, and even though Lin Xiaoman knew he couldn't see her, she felt a tangible gaze heavily upon her face...

It carried a chill, and there was an indescribable sense of oppression.

She secretly observed him, but his face was like a frozen lake, without any cracks that allowed her to see whether he was angry, displeased, or something else underneath.

The only sounds in the air were the occasional crackling of the charcoal fire and her own increasingly loud heartbeat.

In a moment of impulsiveness, Lin Xiaoman made a bold decision and did something that she later found incredibly daring.

She quickly tore off a piece of the most fragrant roasted rabbit leg meat, raised her hand, and stuffed it between the man's slightly pursed lips.

The movement was so fast it looked like a sneak attack.

Lu Tingzhao didn't even have time to react... that simmering resentment at being ignored, a strange sense of rivalry, and a hint of bitter anger were about to coalesce into even colder, harsher words...

The warm, fragrant food unexpectedly parted his lips and teeth.

Her fingertips inevitably brushed against his lower lip.

The sensation was distinct: the food was warm, but her fingers were slightly cool.

Lu Tingzhao froze completely.

All the rising emotions, all the prepared cold words, were shattered into pieces at this moment by the piece of meat that was stuffed into his mouth and the icy touch of her fingertips.

He subconsciously... closed his teeth.

The chewing motion was almost mechanical. The aroma of the roasted meat and the richness of its fat filled her mouth, signaling deliciousness to her taste buds, but her brain's stronger perception remained stuck on the moment before... the instant her fingers brushed against it.

He chewed silently and swallowed.

Lin Xiaoman held her breath, her heart pounding in her chest.

"Chairman, how is it?"

She asked softly, with an expectation she herself was unaware of.