The blind boss's nanny

Her movements were somewhat awkward, with a hint of cautious probing, as if she was still trying to confirm whether she could do it.

Her cheek gently pressed against the man's soft clothes on his chest, and she could clearly hear his steady and powerful heartbeat. The crisp and clean scent of his body lingered around her nose.

When she hugged him, Lu Tingzhao's body stiffened slightly at first, then relaxed.

He didn't move, quietly feeling the soft, warm weight in his arms.

"Chairman..."

Lin Xiaoman's voice came muffled from his chest, slightly tipsy and soft, with an unprecedented seriousness.

"Today... when I was watching you from the audience..."

She paused, searching her mind for the most accurate words.

"Watching you walk steadily onto the stage all by yourself, and then walk steadily down... watching so many people surrounding you, listening to you speak, and showing you such respect... I, I was like that at that moment..."

Her arms tightened involuntarily, and her voice trembled slightly, not from sadness, but from some kind of overflowing, scalding emotion.

"I really, really want to... hug you like this."

She raised her head, her eyes slightly red, but her gaze was surprisingly bright as she looked directly at Lu Tingzhao. Even though he couldn't see her, she still wanted her eyes to convey the most sincere emotions.

"I know...you can't see, but to remember so many things, to walk so steadily...it must be incredibly hard, incredibly difficult."

Her tone was full of admiration and heartache, as well as heartfelt recognition and... pride?

"But you did it! And you did it so well! Better than anyone else!"

Lin Xiaoman's voice unconsciously rose a little, filled with sincere admiration.

"I stood below, watching you stand in the light... and I thought to myself, our chairman is truly amazing..."

As she spoke, she buried her face back against his chest, her voice becoming muffled, yet each word was clear:

"So... this hug is for the incredibly capable and handsome chairman today. I... I'm so happy for you!"

After saying everything in one breath, Lin Xiaoman's breathing gradually became steady.

The surge of emotion that had been welling up inside me since the banquet hall, yet had been suppressed, finally found an outlet and overflowed.

She finally understood that the strong urge to hug him stemmed not only from the shock and admiration she felt when she witnessed him in control of the entire situation.

There was something else mixed in... something softer, something more intimate.

At this moment, in this quiet space where only the two of them are, this feeling emerges with unparalleled clarity—it is tenderness.

Just like when she was at Sunshine Home, seeing those children who were precocious, she couldn't help but want to pat their heads, give them a piece of candy, and tell them in her own way: Don't be afraid, you are fine.

She thought that once she left that place, these tender feelings would also be sealed away.

Until she met Lu Tingzhao.

This man, who appeared strong and cold to outsiders, gradually revealed a completely different side of himself in her presence...

The inconvenience and resentment brought by blindness, the loneliness of memorizing maps alone, and the tenderness of boundless tolerance for family hidden beneath a cold exterior...

This complex emotion, a mixture of admiration and pity, took root in her heart and, catalyzed by this night, sprouted forth.

She tightened her arms around him and buried her face deeper into his warm embrace.

This feeling, unrelated to romance, still softened her heart, making her want to offer him some care and comfort.

Although she wasn't sure if he really needed it.

But Lin Xiaoman couldn't care less about that. From the moment Lu Tingzhao stepped off the stage, she had wanted to do this.

Lu Tingzhao listened in silence the whole time.

He could clearly feel the strength of the embrace in his arms, a clumsy yet firm sincerity.

Her voice penetrated my ears, each word like it had been soaked in hot spring water—soft, warm, and unreserved.

This was completely different from her usual obsequious and ingratiating manner, which she used to exaggerate in order to keep her job. It also had nothing to do with the frivolous flirting that he initially mistook for her when he was wary of her.

Before him lay an eternal, void of darkness, and he could not see her expression, whether her eyes were red-rimmed or sparkling.

But he could hear the pure emotion in every subtle pause in her words and every rise and fall of her breath.

He slowly raised his hand, initially hesitant, but finally gently placed it on her slender back.

Beneath my palm, I felt her warm body temperature and her slightly rising and falling breaths.

He knew that in front of him was a young nanny who had drunk a little bit of alcohol and mustered all her courage, sincerely wanting to give her "super amazing" boss a congratulatory, comforting, and admiring hug.

After a long silence, Lu Tingzhao responded almost inaudibly:

"……Um."

His voice was a little hoarse, but the breath he took on her hair was gentler than ever.

Lu Tingzhao gestured to Lin Xiaoman to pour the wine.

She refused to touch it again no matter what. Lu Tingzhao, however, drank slowly but persistently, one cup after another.

He didn't say much, just sat quietly on the sofa by the fireplace, listening to Lin Xiaoman ramble on about what happened at the ball today, and how she said she would bring Yuanbao to see the world next time.

The air was filled with the aroma of wine, the smoky scent of firewood, and the clean scent of orange blossoms emanating from her, all blending into a relaxing and warm atmosphere.

"Xiaoman" (Grain Buds).

Lu Tingzhao suddenly spoke, his voice lower than usual, slightly hoarse from the alcohol.

"Hmm? Chairman, would you like some water? I'll get you some."

Lin Xiaoman immediately stopped tidying up the cushions and looked at him. The man's cheeks were slightly flushed. He leaned back on the sofa, his posture more relaxed than usual, his eyes still staring into the void.

"Need not."

He waved his hand, his fingertips making a cursory gesture in the air.

"Xiaoman, come sit here."

Lin Xiaoman sat down on the single sofa next to him as instructed, still looking at the wine glass in his hand with some unease:

"You seem to have had a bit too much to drink...would you like to rest?"

Lu Tingzhao didn't answer, but instead swirled the remaining amber liquid in his glass, and suddenly asked a seemingly unrelated question:

"Look at me outside today... what do you think of me?"

Lin Xiaoman was stunned for a moment, then remembered her impulsive hug and those heartfelt words. Her face flushed slightly, but she still answered seriously:

"You're...very capable, very steady. Everyone's watching you and listening to you speak."

She thought for a moment and added.

"Just like... Aunt May said, that's where you should be."

"yes."

Lu Tingzhao tugged at the corners of his mouth, his smile somewhat blurred, making it difficult to discern his emotions.

"But when I stood up there, all I felt was... noise."