The blind boss's nanny

The man's expression was devoid of any hint of jest; it was one of calm seriousness.

"But now..."

He paused, tightened his arms, completely enveloping her in his breath, and lowered his voice, revealing a vulnerable honesty.

"Xiaoman, I need you."

Lu Tingzhao once thought it would be difficult to say these words. He was used to controlling, used to giving, and used to being seen as someone to rely on.

But now, seeing her with tears streaming down her face, seeing how many people and so many things were on her mind, he suddenly felt that if he didn't say anything, she might really fly away from him again because of that responsibility.

He had to let her know that there was someone here who desperately needed her to stay.

Lin Xiaoman stared blankly at him, at those eyes that, though unseen, seemed to hold her entire reflection.

The aching, sore spot in my chest was gently enveloped by a warm current.

After a long time, Lin Xiaoman gently pulled away from his embrace, her eyes still red, but her mind was already racing.

"The mother and sister of Codonopsis pilosula... too much time has passed, and there is little information available, making it difficult to find them through conventional means."

She hesitated, then subconsciously bit her lower lip.

"But I know someone... Lin Langqing has some old connections and information left by Dean Lin. He used to be in charge of external liaison, so maybe..."

"no."

Before she could finish speaking, Lu Tingzhao interrupted her.

Two words, crisp and decisive, leaving no room for maneuver.

Lin Xiaoman was taken aback:

"This is the fastest way, he—"

I said, no.

Lu Tingzhao repeated, his tone turning somber. He tightened his arm around her waist, and raised his other hand to cup her face.

The sudden drop in the man's aura and the tense lines of his jaw made Lin Xiaoman instantly realize... he was serious, and very displeased.

"Lin Xiaoman,"

He called her by her full name.

"Listen carefully."

"From the moment you agreed to be my girlfriend... no, perhaps even earlier, from the moment you walked in here... you were no longer alone."

His thumb traced her slightly cool cheek.

"If you need anything or encounter any problem, the first thing you should think about is not to go to others, or to use the favors and resources that you need to exchange or compromise with."

He paused, as if giving her time to process it, and then, word by word, declared with absolute clarity:

"What you should be thinking about is telling me."

"What you should do is ask me."

"You'll have to get used to it, Lin Xiaoman."

His voice was deep and powerful, like the hardest shield, and also like the most inescapable net.

"I'm used to having you ahead of me, I'm used to handling these things, I'm used to..."

He leaned closer, his breath brushing against her lips:

"You depend on me."

Lin Xiaoman was stunned by his series of words, her heart pounded, her face flushed, and she instinctively wanted to retort:

"But... this is something I promised Dang Shen..."

"No buts."

Lu Tingzhao interrupted again, his tone now carrying a hint of impatience.

"I, Lu Tingzhao, will not let my woman stand in my way."

He gave his ultimate reason, simple, domineering, yet irrefutable.

"I will have Qin Xiu find Codonopsis's family, using my methods. You won't need to see Lin Langqing again, you won't need to owe anyone a favor, and you won't need to pay any unnecessary price for it... not even a meeting you don't want to see."

He released his hands from her face, pulling her back into his arms with such force that she couldn't move. His chin rested on the top of her head, his voice muffled, yet carrying a resolute finality:

"Remember that? From now on, no matter what happens."

"Find me."

Lin Xiaoman leaned against his firm chest, listening to his steady and powerful heartbeat. The anxiety and uncertainty that had been lingering in her heart were strangely gradually soothed.

She opened her mouth, but ultimately said nothing in rebuttal.

She quietly reached out and wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her face even deeper into his, and let out a barely audible "Mmm".

Qin Xiu utilized the Lu family's deeply entrenched network of connections, achieving astonishing efficiency.

Within just a few days, the whereabouts of Dang Shen's mother and younger sister from her childhood were found.

It turns out that after Codonopsis was adopted by the foreign couple, the kind woman soon went through the formal procedures to adopt the little girl who had once called Codonopsis her brother.

The mother and daughter depended on each other for survival and lived in a small southern town.

When Dang Shen, accompanied by Qin Xiu, found the slightly old residential building by following the address, the person who opened the door was a gentle woman whose features still vaguely resembled those of a child, but who was already a mother.

She was holding the hand of a little girl, about four or five years old, with big, blinking eyes.

The moment their eyes met, the air seemed to freeze. Then, hurried footsteps came from the inner room, and a woman with a slightly hunched back appeared shakily. Her cloudy eyes fell on Dang Shen's face, and her expression immediately changed.

"Is...is it Ginseng?"

The old woman's voice trembled and became incoherent.

After a life of wandering and a heart filled with despair, Dang Shen stood frozen at the doorway, her throat choked, unable to utter a sound.

It wasn't until that woman holding the child's hand, her eyes red, tentatively called out "brother" that he suddenly snapped out of his daze, and his icy mask shattered inch by inch.

There was no sense of distance or unfamiliarity as I had imagined. Even though the three of them were not related by blood, the short but pure childhood they had spent together, and the longing that had been forcibly severed, surged back the moment they reunited, breaking down all barriers.

His mother held his hand, stroking it as she wept; his younger sister recounted the events of the past few years; and his young niece looked up curiously at this suddenly appearing "uncle."

In the old but warm house, the warmth and sense of belonging of "Codonopsis pilosula" were finally restored.

His younger sister had just gone through a failed marriage and was raising her daughter alone, inevitably struggling financially. The arrival of Dang Shen (a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner) suddenly provided much-needed support for this precarious little family. He decided to stay almost without hesitation.

After years of wandering and loneliness, I have finally found a place to rest under this small roof.

At the same time, Codonopsis pilosula began to earnestly fulfill its promise to Lin Xiaoman.

The Lu Medical Center's top-notch equipment, extensive case database, and seamlessly coordinated medical team are all at his disposal.

Codonopsis was no longer the hostile guest who was "invited" to the hospital. He took the initiative to take on the responsibility of attending physician Lu Tingzhao and devoted himself to the job.

He led his team to study all of Lu Tingzhao's examination reports overnight, combining the latest international theories and cases of nerve repair, and repeatedly deduced, formulated and optimized the treatment plan.

This is not just about fulfilling a transaction.

Furthermore, Lu Tingzhao made another weighty promise: he would properly resolve his sister's daughter's future education issues and provide them with a stable and comfortable place to live.