The blind boss's nanny

Lin Xiaoman became more and more excited as they talked, and the enthusiastic British gentleman on the other end of the phone invited her to:

"When you come to London, you must visit my estate. I'll show you around the cellars and the 1945 Bordeaux!"

"Great! I can also make spicy crayfish, I'll show you my skills then!"

She readily agreed, completely oblivious to the increasingly somber expression on the man's face beside her.

Until Lu Tingzhao suddenly snatched the phone away and coldly said into the microphone:

"Jason, let's talk again later, she has to go to work."

Then he hung up the call.

"You seem to be able to call anyone 'brother'."

The man's words were sarcastic.

"You dared to agree to visit a strange man's house on the first phone call?"

Lin Xiaoman blinked:

"Didn't you ask him to teach me English? And he said he's been your friend for over ten years..."

"Can't an old friend be a con artist?"

"But he's your friend!"

She was perfectly justified.

"I trust the chairman's judgment!"

Lu Tingzhao was speechless for a moment before letting out a cold laugh:

"Now I remember I was the chairman."

He groped his way to his feet, and Lin Xiaoman quickly went to help him up.

Lin Xiaoman understood, of course, that Lu Tingzhao was testing her true English proficiency.

"Chairman, I'm not lying to you, I have an English proficiency certificate."

She defended herself in a low voice.

"It's just that I don't use business English much..."

"If you dare to lie to me, get out of here right now!"

Lu Tingzhao has always been a workaholic.

Before he went blind, he was known in the industry for his strictness towards his subordinates, and Qin Xiu was an elite he had personally trained.

In daily life, he may overlook the nanny's negligence, but when it comes to work performance, he will not tolerate any sloppiness.

Lin Xiaoman couldn't help but mutter to herself:

"Then you should hire a separate work assistant, or a translator..."

"I hate having too many people in the house."

Lu Tingzhao retorted coldly.

"The job requirements were clearly stated; you knowingly applied despite not meeting them."

Lin Xiaoman secretly rolled her eyes, thinking to herself:

It's good enough that we can even recruit people!

She thought of that perverted job posting:

[Seeking a nanny. Requirements: Must be able to drive (preferably with a driver's license for over 3 years), fluent in English (both spoken and translating), proficient in nursing care (from bandaging to CPR), certified nutritionist (must meet nutritional and taste requirements), and qualified psychologist (to prevent employer depression). Additional terms: Six-month contract, complete isolation, no contact required.]

Without specifying a million-dollar annual salary, anyone who saw this would think:

This employer is definitely a difficult person to deal with!

In the domestic service industry, this is the kind of job that people dislike the most.

The man's voice was devoid of emotion.

"You now have two choices. First, resign voluntarily, and I will have someone give you your wages for the past few days."

Lin Xiaoman held her breath.

"And the second one?"

"For online business English courses, I expect you to meet the job requirements within the timeframe I specify!"

Lin Xiaoman considered for two seconds,

"What about the cost of online courses?"

The man was slightly taken aback.

"I'll get it out."

"Can!"

Lin Xiaoman agreed without hesitation.

This is called publicly funded learning; who knows, after leaving here, I might even be able to get a job at a big company.

Why not do it.

Seeing that she readily agreed, Lu Tingzhao's brows relaxed slightly.

Although this nanny is a bit old, she has a strong desire to learn.

His vocabulary is limited, but his spoken English and emotional intelligence are good.

Lin Xiaoman scanned and translated a few more pages of the contract with her phone, then read them aloud to Lu Tingzhao.

The contracts were numerous and complex, and Lin Xiaoman's mouth was dry from reading them aloud.

Suddenly, a brilliant idea struck her.

"Chairman, how about... I download a screen reader software for you?"

"What is that?"

"It's software for the blind that can read aloud all the text on a mobile phone..."

Lu Tingzhao didn't speak, and Lin Xiaoman assumed he was considering the feasibility, so she mustered her courage and suggested:

"And this contract, we can design it specifically for you in Braille... You know Braille, right?"

"Also, I think you need a white cane..."

These are conclusions she drew from her observations over the past few days.

The chairman needs these.

But the next second, Lu Tingzhao's face turned gloomy.

"You think I'm a hassle, don't you?"

Before Lin Xiaoman could react, the man had already swept the documents off the table.

"I pay you to do these things, isn't that what I want you to do?"

He stood up, gripping the edge of the table, his unfocused pupils burning with a dark fire.

"Who gave you permission to act on your own?"

Lin Xiaoman was so frightened that she took two steps back, completely bewildered as to what she had said that had offended him:

"Chairman, I just want to improve efficiency..."

"Get out!"

He pointed precisely to the doorway, each word sharp and icy.

"I admit, I want my job to be easier,"

She tried to explain,

"But what if I have an emergency, and you're all alone..."

"If you can do it, do it; if you can't, replace you!"

Lu Tingzhao was disgusted by others interfering in his life.

This woman dares to teach him how to do things just because she's a few years older?

It's one thing to be cunning and lazy in ordinary times, but to dare to act so cleverly in this matter is unacceptable.

Who did she think he was? With his wealth, he could easily hire ten or eight nannies to take turns serving him; why would he need those ridiculous auxiliary tools!

Lin Xiaoman was completely stunned.

She had never seen Lu Tingzhao so out of control... like a wild beast trapped on the edge of a cliff, refusing all the drooping vines.

She recalled the blind children at "Sunshine Home," their innocent yet focused faces as they learned Braille.

Why is Lu Tingzhao's aversion to white canes and screen reader software so strong?

Finally, she lowered her head and silently left the study.

After the door closed, she heard a muffled thud coming from inside...

It felt like a fist slamming heavily against a wall.

Lin Xiaoman sat alone on the stone steps of the porch, resting her chin on her hand and lost in thought.

Leng Feng, perched atop the treehouse, caught a glimpse of her forlorn figure and silently looked away.

Before long, Aunt Mei returned from shopping, followed by two maids carrying large and small bags.

Upon seeing Lin Xiaoman sitting alone, she paused in her steps:

Why aren't you with the chairman?

Lin Xiaoman lowered her eyelids.

"...I was kicked out."

Meryl Streep's expression changed slightly:

"What happened? Is the chairman alright?"

After hearing the whole story, Aunt Mei stared at her for a long time before finally letting out a soft sigh.

"Xiaoman,"

She rarely softened her tone.

"There's something I should have told you sooner... The chairman's blindness was caused by an accident two months ago."

Lin Xiaoman suddenly looked up.

"He...wasn't born blind?"

"It was a car accident."

Aunt Mei looked towards the main house.

"So do you understand now? Those white canes and screen reader software aren't providing him with convenience; they're reminding him—you're already blind."

Lin Xiaoman stood there, stunned.

She finally understood the source of Lu Tingzhao's contradictory nature.