The blind boss's nanny

In the dark study, time ticked by.

The series of unexpected events cast a shadow over Lu Tingzhao's heart. Many people and things that he had been certain about were now shrouded in doubt.

He began to hesitate, and became unsure.

With treatment in the US imminent, Qin Xiu was the ideal person to lead the way and act as the overall coordinator.

But now, he could no longer let Qin Xiu go with him. He could no longer entrust his safety and journey in a foreign land entirely to a person with ulterior motives.

However, if Qin Xiu were kept in China, he would remain deeply embedded in the core of the Lu Group's business.

Whose man is he? After lying in wait for so many years, what is his purpose? Is it merely to seize control of the Lu family? Or does he have a deeper scheme?

Every question is weighing on my mind, and the more I try to sort it out, the more confused I become.

Lin Xiaoman's voice came in after a gentle knock on the study door:

"Chairman? It's late, we should rest."

Lu Tingzhao then realized that he had been sitting there for quite a while. He moved his somewhat stiff body and responded with a sound.

The door opened, and Lin Xiaoman walked in with light steps, naturally reaching out to grasp his slightly cool hand.

He was led to his feet by her hand, and obediently stood up. But at that moment, an absurd thought suddenly surfaced in Lu Tingzhao's mind...

Lin Xiaoman was also someone Qin Xiu recruited.

After he first angrily dismissed her, it was Qin Xiu who, behind the scenes, pushed her to return to the manor...

If even Leng Feng can easily switch sides for personal gain, then what about Lin Xiaoman?

She seems to have no background or connections, a simple life, but could this be a more sophisticated disguise? Her appearance, her stay, her gradual approach...

Could this also be part of a carefully planned scheme?

The purpose was for this moment, when he was most vulnerable and dependent on her...

The moment the thought crossed Lu Tingzhao's mind, he felt a chill creep up his spine.

He subconsciously tightened his grip on Lin Xiaoman's hand. Caught off guard, Lin Xiaoman hissed softly and looked up at him in confusion.

"Chairman?"

Lu Tingzhao gazed in her direction in the darkness, his heart pounding in his chest.

However, almost the next second, the scene from that concert vividly flashed back into his mind...

She spread her arms, shielding him with her body, and shouted at the menacing Leng Feng, "I won't let you touch him!"

The fear was real, and so was the reckless courage.

That's not something that can be interpreted through acting skills.

Lu Tingzhao's tightly clenched hand gradually loosened its grip.

He inwardly mocked himself for his earlier gloom and suspicion.

How could she?

She was willing to risk her life to protect him.

Lin Xiaoman led him up the elevator, carefully choosing her words as she spoke:

"Chairman, I just saw... your mother stayed here for a long time before leaving."

Lu Tingzhao's voice was devoid of emotion; he simply responded with a faint "Yes."

"Um."

Lin Xiaoman took a deep breath before finally speaking the words that had been weighing on her mind:

"Since you're going abroad for treatment this time, I... I won't go with you."

As soon as she finished speaking, she felt the large hand holding her move slightly, and the man's brows furrowed.

She quickly added, in a relaxed tone:

"Dr. Dangshen said that Dr. Howard's team reviewed all your reports and, after evaluation, believes that the chances of this treatment being successful are very high! And..."

She paused, her voice filled with genuine joy.

"Recent test results are indeed improving. Dang Shen said your optic nerve activity has significantly improved, and the hope of regaining your sight is just around the corner!"

Lu Tingzhao held her hand even tighter:

"That's precisely why you should stay by my side."

He stopped and turned to her:

"Xiaoman, I hope... when I see this world again, the first person I see will be you."

Lin Xiaoman's heart skipped a beat, a warm and bittersweet feeling welling up inside her. She deliberately changed the subject with an exaggerated tone:

"Oh dear, then... then I really need to make the most of this time! I have to work hard to lose weight, take care of my skin, learn how to dress, and improve my overall style! Otherwise, once your eyesight improves, you might be scared away on the spot when you see me! Hahaha..."

However, Lu Tingzhao did not smile. He reached out and pulled her into his arms, his arms holding her tightly, and gently rested his chin on the top of her head.

"don’t worry,"

His voice rang close to her ear, steady and powerful, as if making a promise to her, or perhaps speaking to himself.

"I will handle everything."

He repeated it:

"Everything will be alright."

The night was deep.

That night, Lu Tingzhao held Lin Xiaoman in his arms and slept soundly.

The next morning, Lu Tingzhao was awakened by a soft rustling sound.

Not fully conscious, he instinctively reached out to touch the warm spot beside him... but it was empty.

"Xiaoman?"

He closed his eyes.

"Why are you up so early...?"

Lin Xiaoman smiled and said good morning to him.

Lu Tingzhao slowly opened his eyes.

Dust motes floated in the air, and light filtered through the curtains. Close at hand, a figure stood with its back to him.

She had her back to him, wearing only a light-colored bra with pitifully thin straps, and she was standing on tiptoe, stretching her arms to reach the items on the top shelf of the wardrobe.

The thin morning light outlined her smooth shoulder and neck lines, her slightly protruding shoulder blades, and the slender, taut curve of her waist.

She wore a simple pair of pure white cotton underwear that hugged her full hips.

Hearing him speak, Lin Xiaoman turned around. Backlit, her face was shrouded in soft shadows, her eyes sparkling, and the corners of her lips slightly upturned…

Lu Tingzhao's heart skipped a beat.

"Chairman, you're awake?"

She smiled, a smile of concern.

"Did you have a nightmare last night? I heard you talking in your sleep... you sounded uneasy. I was just about to tell the kitchen to prepare something calming..."

She didn't finish her sentence.

Because the man who had been lying motionless on the bed suddenly got up and pressed down on her.

His arm wrapped around her waist, its heat burning, pulling her tightly into his embrace. His fingertips touched the two thin straps at her back, and he gently pulled them aside—

The next second, his warm lips pressed heavily onto the delicate skin of her bare nape.

"Xiaoman..."

He called her name softly, his voice hoarse, like a torrent suddenly surging into a dried-up riverbed, each syllable filled with a belated...confirmation.

He buried his face in her neck and shoulder, breathing in her scent... a scent he had recognized countless times in the dark, which he had finally matched with his vision.