The blind boss's nanny

Lin Xiaoman blinked, not understanding:

"Noise?"

"Hmm. Sounds, smells, and those...unseen sights."

He tilted his head back and drank the last bit of wine, his Adam's apple bobbing.

"It's like there are many hands pulling at you from places you can't see."

He put down his glass, his fingers tracing the rim of it.

"There is only one place that is quiet."

Where is it?

Lin Xiaoman asked subconsciously.

Lu Tingzhao turned his head slightly, his face facing her. Although there was no focal point, the gesture made Lin Xiaoman feel that he was "looking" at her.

"The place where you're standing."

His voice was very soft.

"It's strange. You're usually the noisiest one, and your presence is everywhere... but today I just feel that the direction you're standing in is quiet. Like the eye of a storm."

Lin Xiaoman was somewhat bewildered, but then thought it was probably just poetic ramblings in her drunken state, so she went along with it:

"That's probably because I was too nervous, I didn't even dare to breathe."

Lu Tingzhao chuckled softly, the sound muffled in his chest, resonating with the effects of alcohol.

"Perhaps."

He paused, seemingly organizing his thoughts, or perhaps the alcohol was making his mind wander.

"Xiaoman, sometimes you... remind me of the fire in a fireplace in winter."

"what?"

Lin Xiaoman was even more confused. What was all this about? She reached out to feel his forehead, but then thought better of it and pulled her hand back.

"Chairman, are you really drunk? Let me help you to rest?"

"Let me finish."

Lu Tingzhao raised his hand and gently pressed down on her restless wrist, his palm burning hot.

"It looks warm, but if I get too close, it will feel hot. But... even if it's hot, I don't want to stay far away."

He released his grip, leaned back against the sofa, closed his eyes, and his voice grew softer and softer, as if he were talking to himself.

Sometimes I think, "If only it could stay this warm forever."

Hearing these incoherent and clearly drunken words, Lin Xiaoman's worries deepened.

She assumed he was simply venting his exhaustion and loneliness after drinking, so she softened her voice, as if coaxing a child:

"It's good that it's warm. I'll keep the fireplace burning brightly every day from now on. Chairman, you seem a little drunk. Shall we go back to our room?"

Lu Tingzhao didn't move or open his eyes, but simply hummed softly through his nose as a response.

After a few seconds, he murmured again, his voice so soft it was almost drowned out by the crackling of the firewood:

"Not a fireplace..."

"It's you."

"I like you."

Lin Xiaoman was bending down to pick up the thin blanket that had slipped off him when she heard this, she paused and looked up at him.

The man had his eyes closed and was breathing evenly, as if he had fallen asleep.

Resigned, she called Leng Feng, and together they managed to move Lu Tingzhao into the elevator.

The man leaned half his weight on her, his warm breath mixed with the smell of alcohol brushing against her neck. Lin Xiaoman felt a pang of regret... she shouldn't have let him drink so much!

Isn't this just asking for trouble?!

After finally settling everything down, listening to the man's breathing gradually becoming even and long in the darkness, Lin Xiaoman lay back on the big bed, but tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.

What kept echoing in my mind was Lu Tingzhao's words from just now:

"……I like you."

These words swirled in her mind.

What does "chairman" mean?

Was it drunken ramblings? Or... was there some ulterior motive?

Suddenly, a bad thought popped into her head: Could he be trying to use these ambiguous words to deny paying her wages?!

Lin Xiaoman recalled a term she had heard gossiping about in a part-time job group before: "ambiguous management."

It is said that some unscrupulous bosses like to use this ambiguous attitude of being neither too close nor too distant to make female subordinates have the wrong idea, so that they are willing to work more and get paid less, and even dare not make any demands.

The more she thought about it, the more suspicious it seemed. Especially when she thought about that long, sudden kiss at the ball tonight… now that she thought about it, wasn't that also a kind of "management tactic"?

He kissed her for way too long and too passionately! She couldn't help but think to herself.

If Lu Tingzhao really had such intentions, then the image of him that she had just established in her mind as "capable but not easy" and "strong but occasionally vulnerable" would probably be greatly diminished!

With this doubt and slight resentment, Lin Xiaoman finally drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, sunlight streamed in through the gaps in the curtains.

Lin Xiaoman brought the hangover soup to Lu Tingzhao, but after hesitating for a moment, she decided to take the initiative to speak and test the waters.

She cleared her throat and began to speak in a deliberately relaxed manner:

"Good morning, Chairman. Um... do you remember what happened last night after you got drunk?"

Lu Tingzhao looked up in her direction, his eyebrows twitched slightly, and his voice remained calm and even:

"What's wrong? I...didn't do anything too outrageous to you?"

His tone was hesitant.

Lin Xiaoman was taken aback by his reaction. Could it be... that he really didn't remember?

She pursed her lips, deciding to drop the bombshell directly, her eyes fixed on his expression:

"You... said 'You like me'."

The room was silent for two seconds.

Lu Tingzhao's expression didn't change much; he just tilted his head slightly, as if he was seriously recalling something.

Then, he answered calmly, in a matter-of-fact tone:

"oh."

"At that time..."

"I'm not drunk yet."

Lin Xiaoman: "...???"

She was completely stunned, her mouth agape, staring blankly at him, unable to process the weight of his words for a moment.

Not drunk?

Does that mean... that sentence was said while the person was sober?

It was like a candy bomb that was casually tossed in, yet possessed tremendous power.

What on earth is going on?!

Lu Tingzhao seemed to sense her dazed state, and the corners of his mouth curved upwards slightly, but he quickly returned to his calm expression.

Lin Xiaoman finally found her voice. She took a deep breath and tried to steer the conversation back on a safe track:

"Chairman,"

Her voice was still a little unsteady.

"I think...you're a really good person. I'm sure a lot of people will like you."

Lu Tingzhao raised an eyebrow slightly. He turned to her, his voice deliberately drawn out and slow:

"And... what about you?"

Lin Xiaoman was taken aback by his question, immediately thought about it seriously, and then answered somewhat dejectedly:

"...I'm probably not a very good person. I'm not very capable, and I have no great ambitions...I guess not many people would like me."

Lu Tingzhao remained silent for two seconds.

Then, he chuckled softly, a gentle laugh that rolled out from deep in his throat.

He leaned forward slightly, his voice low and slow, uttering each word carefully:

"Xiaoman" (Grain Buds).

"What I mean is..."

He paused, making sure she could hear every word.

"Among the 'many people' you just mentioned..."

Does that include you?