The blind boss's nanny

Before Lin Xiaoman could speak, Lu Xingyuan, with a mischievous grin, raised a finger, preemptively plugging the loophole:

"Let me make this clear first! I'm not talking about staff like Brother Leng Feng or Old Chen the Gardener! I'm referring to the important people in this inner courtyard, the ones who can sit at the main table!"

Lin Xiaoman's mind raced, and almost without thinking, a name slipped out:

"I choose A-Zhe."

Lu Xingyuan: "..."

He seemed to choke, a breath stuck in his chest, and after a long while, he angrily said:

"No! Ah Zhe doesn't count!"

To prevent her from taking advantage of any further loopholes, he immediately added:

"Qin Xiu doesn't count either!"

After saying that, his sly grin, as if to say "Let's see who else you can choose," became even more pronounced, and he simply defined the final range:

"It must be...right now!right here in this room! A man!"

"oh--"

Lin Xiaoman deliberately dragged out the last syllable, slowly stroking Yuanbao's fur, refusing to give a quick answer, intentionally trying to whet his appetite.

Lu Xingyuan was indeed so anxious that he scratched his head and cheeks, and then impatiently added one last thing, which he considered the most fatal limitation:

"It has to be someone surnamed Lu!"

Now the area was extremely small... At this moment, the only other men in the room with the surname Lu besides himself were...

Lu Xingyuan looked at her smugly, waiting to see her embarrassed or make up some excuses.

"Is that so..."

Lin Xiaoman's face showed a look of sudden realization, and then she said in a relaxed and crisp manner:

"Then I'll choose your brother."

Lu Xingyuan was taken aback at first, then his eyes widened as if he had heard an unbelievable joke:

"Which brother of mine? Don't tell me you chose Lu Tingzhou, little nanny! Your taste is really..."

He looked disgusted, but hadn't even finished saying "it's absolutely terrible."

She was interrupted by Lin Xiaoman's clear voice, her smile radiant, her words distinct and clear:

"I choose your eldest brother, I choose the chairman!"

Not far away, Lu Tingzhao, who was leaning on his white cane and about to walk toward the fireplace, stopped abruptly after hearing these words.

The fingers gripping the white cane tightened slightly for a moment.

Lu Xingyuan immediately burst into exaggerated laughter, his body bending forward and backward:

"Nanny, I don't mean to discourage you! Even if my older brother can't see now, he still has high standards. He definitely wouldn't be interested in someone like you—"

"Starry Night".

A deep, calm male voice came from behind him, not loud, but clearly interrupting his unfinished teasing.

They both turned around at the same time.

Lu Tingzhao was already standing a few steps away, leaning on his white cane, facing their direction.

The flickering firelight from the fireplace cast interplay of light and shadow on his profile, obscuring his expression, yet an undeniable aura emanated from him.

"Let's go to a restaurant for dinner."

He was concise and to the point.

Lu Xingyuan immediately touched his nose sheepishly, got up, and slipped away.

"...Understood, brother."

Lin Xiaoman also quickly stood up, her tone as usual:

"Chairman, I'll go to the kitchen and see if there's anything else that needs to be prepared."

According to the usual practice of Lu family gatherings, with Qin Xiu present, it was not her turn to serve at the dinner table.

She usually helps out in the kitchen, or eats alone a little later.

However, the man called out to her.

"Need not."

Lu Tingzhao's voice was calm and even.

"You'll be eating with us tonight."

He paused, then added:

"Sit next to me."

Lin Xiaoman was stunned.

Does she, like Qin Xiu and A Zhe, qualify to dine at the main table?

This is absolutely a groundbreaking development!

During the meal, the long table was brightly lit. Lin Xiaoman kept to her duty, mostly serving Lu Tingzhao food quietly, gently reminding him of the location of the soup spoon, and handing him a napkin when appropriate.

Her presence was so minimal that she was practically invisible in the background.

The siblings' conversation was intermittent, and she inadvertently caught two pieces of information:

First, Lu Xingyuan's father, who is also Lu Tingzhao's uncle, is sick and hospitalized.

Another piece of news is directly related to her... Tomorrow, Lu Tingzhao will attend the Christmas ball as the group's chairman.

She also needs to accompany him.

"The dress is ready."

Lu Tingxi wiped his mouth with a napkin and gestured for Qin Xiu to bring over the two exquisite dress boxes.

"I'll wear the light green one to the ball tomorrow. I'll save the bright red one for the company's New Year's Eve party."

Lin Xiaoman took the box and simply nodded obediently:

"Yes, Mr. Lu."

She did whatever they arranged; it was her job.

What truly made her uneasy was Lu Tingzhao.

Since his last appearance at the Yunyin Mountain ancestral worship ceremony, where he made a small-scale appearance within the family, he has not appeared in any public setting for far too long.

Her first official public appearance after losing her sight was at a ball, amidst elegant attire and the gaze of many...

She couldn't help but secretly glance at the man sitting upright beside her, listening to his younger siblings' conversation with a calm expression.

The firelight from the fireplace reflected in his deep eyes, flickering intermittently.

In the evening, Lu Tingzhao asked Lin Xiaoman to handle some documents.

Lin Xiaoman took the stack of papers, which wasn't very thick, and glanced at the contents, her expression one of astonishment.

This is a specially made Braille document containing detailed floor plans and 3D cross-sections of the banquet hall of the famous hotel where the Christmas charity ball will be held. It even includes details such as the location of the lights, the dimensions of the columns, the height of the steps, and the layout of the emergency exits.

Every detail, no matter how small, is presented on the drawings with clear lines and annotations.

Lin Xiaoman finally understood why Lu Tingzhao had been sitting alone in his study lately, his fingers slowly stroking the papers for a long time with a focused expression.

He forcibly etched every corner, every distance, and every possible obstacle into his mind.

Using touch and imagination, a precise and complete three-dimensional space is constructed in eternal darkness.

He had to attend the ball tomorrow.

In order to maintain the composure expected of the group's leader in full view of the public.

A strange, bittersweet emotion quietly gripped Lin Xiaoman's heart.

It felt dull and heavy, making it hard for her to breathe.

Today was supposed to be her happiest day in recent times. On Christmas Eve, the Lu siblings gave generous red envelopes to every servant in the manor.

She received an especially large amount... The amount Lu Tingzhao gave her was so generous that it left her speechless, and even Qin Xiu and Aunt Mei secretly slipped her extra red envelopes.

Clutching those red envelopes, she felt warm and happy inside, thinking that this job was truly worthwhile.

But at this moment, the few flimsy drawings in her hand extinguished all her excitement.

Looking at the intricate lines and markings on the blueprints, she could almost see Lu Tingzhao sitting alone in the darkness, measuring the virtual distances with his fingers again and again, memorizing the invisible layout.

That silent, untold hardship contrasted sharply with his usual coldness and control.