The blind boss's nanny

He nodded slightly to the crowd, his voice not loud, yet it pierced through the music:

Hello.

Although the man also looked young, he was clearly different from the group of young people; he didn't seem at all out of place as an intruder.

Several bold boys and girls immediately waved their arms enthusiastically and shouted:

"Hey! Let's have some fun! Want a drink?"

Lu Tingzhao's smile deepened slightly, revealing his good mood—a sense of relief and joy at finally reaching his destination after a long journey.

But he simply waved his hand gracefully, politely declining the invitation.

"You guys play, I won't participate. But..."

He paused.

"All expenses for this trip are on me. Have a great time!"

After saying that, he turned and walked towards the stairs with firm steps.

Behind him, the living room fell into absolute silence for a few brief seconds—

"Wow—!!!"

"Really?!!!"

"Sir, you're so cool!!!"

The huge shouts, whistles, and cheers almost lifted the roof off! All the young people were in an uproar, clapping and jumping excitedly, their eyes filled with admiration as they looked at Lu Tingzhao's back.

Lin Xiaoman vaguely heard a knocking sound in her sleep, and groggily thought:

Xiao Gu, did you finish so early? Were you tired of playing? Or...did you forget your keys?

She struggled to get up and open the door, but the alcohol made her weak and her eyelids too heavy to lift. She tried several times but failed to get up.

Outside the door, Lu Tingzhao saw Xiao Gu rushing upstairs with the keys in her hand, her face showing obvious tension and unease.

"Chairman, I'm sorry..."

Xiao Gu's voice was a little tense, her fingers rubbing the keys.

"Before... I was worried about Xiaoman's safety, so I locked the door from the outside when I left."

Lu Tingzhao's face remained expressionless. He calmly turned to the side, making room for the door, and silently gestured for her to open the door with his eyes.

His posture exuded a sense of self-righteous control, as if he were the true owner of the room.

However, Xiao Gu hesitated, her hand gripping the key. She looked up, and despite her fear, mustered her courage to look directly into Lu Tingzhao's unfathomable eyes, asking the question that had been swirling in her mind:

"Chairman... although you are the chairman, I still want to ask... what exactly is your relationship with Xiaoman? She has never mentioned it..."

She needed to confirm. After all, her friend was lying inside, while the person standing outside the door was the employer her mother had served for many years.

Lu Tingzhao's gaze fell on her face, his eyes calm. He spoke, his voice steady and even:

"We love each other deeply. I'm going to propose to her soon."

"—?!"

Xiao Gu was completely stunned, her eyes wide open.

A marriage proposal?! The chairman proposed to Xiaoman?! This was too much information; it was completely beyond her comprehension! Her mother had never revealed a single detail, and Xiaoman herself had never mentioned it...

"But...my mom, and Xiaoman herself, have never mentioned it to me..."

She stammered, feeling that her worldview had been shaken.

In any case, she would never connect the two people together.

Lu Tingzhao frowned slightly, seemingly a little impatient with the matter.

"Yes. This doesn't affect our love for each other, nor does it affect my desire to see her right now."

The words were brief, yet carried immense weight, effortlessly sweeping aside all of Xiaogu's questions and concerns based on "common sense."

Under the gaze of those deep eyes, Xiao Gu felt an invisible pressure. Finally, her fingers trembled slightly as she inserted the key into the lock and gently turned it.

The door lock clicked open.

Lu Tingzhao stepped forward before she had fully opened the door. He took the key from her hand with a natural and fluid motion.

Just before stepping inside, he turned his head, his gaze falling on Xiao Gu's still shocked face, and calmly instructed:

"Thank you. Please don't bother us tonight."

After saying that, he walked straight into the room and gently closed the door behind him.

"Bang."

The soft sound of the door closing completely shut out Xiao Gu's petrified figure outside.

Lin Xiaoman, still half asleep, glanced toward the door.

A tall, imposing figure was walking towards the bedside. Against the light from the corridor shining through the doorway, the outline was somewhat blurry, but she recognized it very well.

It is Lu Tingzhao.

Her confused mind immediately came to a reasonable conclusion:

Yes, I'm dreaming.

How could Lu Tingzhao possibly be at a country villa in Italy thousands of miles away at this time? Even if he could teleport there, he wouldn't be able to see her, and he wouldn't even know what she looked like.

But the logic in dreams is always absurd yet self-consistent. In the dream, this "Lu Tingzhao" not only walked towards her with perfect accuracy, but also gazed at her with a tender gaze that could drown a person, and even... he whispered her name, his voice deep and lingering, like the sound of a cello brushing against the tip of the heart.

"Xiaoman..."

Lin Xiaoman's lips involuntarily curled up.

This dream was wonderful.

She stopped hesitating and followed the instincts of her dream, reaching out to him as if inviting him, or as if confirming the existence of this beautiful illusion.

The man immediately sat down beside her bed. He leaned down slightly, his cool yet familiar scent lingering, and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

The warm touch felt so real.

Lin Xiaoman's smile grew even sweeter, the last trace of doubt in her heart dispelled by the gentle kiss. She reached out and wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face in his shoulder and neck, her voice slurred and satisfied with a drunken laugh:

"Lu Tingzhao...you've arrived."

The man pulled her closer, his strong arms encircling her, his chin gently brushing against the top of her head, his voice filled with genuine relief:

"Yes, Xiaoman, I'm here."

Lin Xiaoman nestled contentedly in this warm and reliable embrace, feeling an unprecedented sense of peace in her dream.

The Lu Tingzhao in this dream is so wonderful; he's nothing like the domineering, controlling, and lovable yet frustrating Lu Tingzhao in reality.

She loved the dream, and she loved the gentle man.

Fueled by both alcohol and a vivid dream, she did things she would never have dared to do so when she was sober...

She looked up, her eyes hazy as she gazed at his handsome face so close to hers, then pouted slightly and leaned in to kiss his lips.

The man seemed completely unprepared for her enthusiasm; his body stiffened, and he stood there stunned for a few seconds.

Only when he tasted the strong aroma of whiskey between his lips and teeth did he pull back slightly, his forehead touching hers, his breathing slightly erratic, and he asked in a low voice:

"Xiaoman...you've been drinking?"