The blind boss's nanny

He paused, then changed the subject, returning to his original purpose, his tone becoming gentle and persuasive:

"So, Xiaoman, you should move back to the manor."

Lin Xiaoman seemed genuinely moved by the suggestion. She crossed her arms, tilted her head, and "seriously" considered it for a few seconds before giving a seemingly reasonable explanation:

"No, I don't think so. It's too far from the coffee shop where I work, and the commute is inconvenient."

After she finished speaking, Lin Xiaoman was already prepared for Lu Tingzhao to immediately throw out domineering CEO-like remarks such as "Then resign" or "I'll buy the coffee shop and let you be the boss." She had even prepared her rebuttal in her mind.

Unexpectedly, Lu Tingzhao remained silent for a few seconds. He then said in a low voice:

"...Yes, that is indeed a problem. A long commute can affect the quality of life."

"Let me think about it some more... there's always a way."

Lin Xiaoman helped him up.

"Come on, stop worrying about it."

Returning to the manor, the familiar atmosphere and warmth instantly lifted Lin Xiaoman's spirits. She hugged the two dogs and rolled around on the lawn a few times, laughing joyfully.

Dinner was specially prepared by Aunt Mei, featuring her favorite dishes. It was lively and warm, truly feeling like coming home.

After dinner, Lin Xiaoman went to the study with the checks she had prepared beforehand, intending to secretly return the money he had transferred to her.

Lu Tingzhao was standing with his back to the door, making a phone call in front of the French windows, his voice low.

Lin Xiaoman tiptoed inside, intending to discreetly place the checks on the desk. However, her gaze was drawn to the edge of an open folder on the table...

There was a corner of a color photograph peeking out. The fabric and color of the clothes in the photo looked very familiar, like... her clothes?

As if possessed, she reached out and pulled the photo out from under the document.

She was stunned after seeing the photo.

The person in the photo is indeed her.

But it was just a cautious profile, as if someone was peeking.

The backdrop is the tranquil lakeside of the manor, bathed in the soft golden light of the setting sun. In the center of the frame, Lu Tingzhao stands tall and straight with his back to the camera, a gold ingot at his feet.

Not far behind him, she was hiding by a large tree, only revealing half of her body and profile, her eyes focused as she quietly gazed at his back.

The scene is serene and beautiful.

In an instant, Lin Xiaoman was transported back to that specific afternoon... It was the first time Lu Tingzhao had tried taking Yuanbao out for a walk alone.

She searched for him for a long time that day, and finally saw them by the lake, but in the end she did not go up to disturb them.

But how could Lu Tingzhao know about this? He clearly...can't see it!

Who took this photo? And how did it end up on his desk? What would a blind person need a photo they can't even see?

Countless questions churned in her mind. She forced herself to calm down, quickly took a picture of the photo with her phone, and then put the photo back in the folder as it was.

Stepping out of the study, Lin Xiaoman's heart was still pounding. She needed an answer.

Here, there is only one person who will not lie to her... Ah Zhe.

She found A-Zhe engrossed in coding in the side room, and went straight to the point, holding up the photo she had taken with her phone to his face and asking in a low voice:

"Ah Zhe, have you seen this photo before?"

Ah Zhe looked up at the screen and nodded without hesitation:

"Yes. The young lady asked me to help wash them, saying she wanted to give them to the chairman."

Lin Xiaoman's doubts deepened:

"Chairman...what does he need this for?"

A Zhe tilted his head and thought for a moment, then truthfully described the phenomenon he observed:

"I saw that he would take it out every day, several times a day, and look at it for a long time each time."

Do you take it out to look at it every day? Several times a day? For a long time?

A guess lingered in Lin Xiaoman's mind.

She suddenly grabbed A-Zhe's shoulders:

"Zhe, tell me honestly... is the chairman's eye... healed? He can see now, right?"

Ah Zhe's body stiffened visibly, his eyes began to dart unnaturally from side to side, and his lips were tightly closed. Clearly, he had received instructions not to reveal this information.

Seeing his expression, Lin Xiaoman already understood seven or eight tenths of the situation. She released her grip, took a deep breath, and changed her approach to a more roundabout way, lowering her voice even further:

"Ah Zhe, today... when the chairman left, did he drive himself, or was he driven by the chauffeur?"

A truly blind person could never drive by themselves.

Ah Zhe seemed relieved that the question didn't involve the "secrecy directive," and nodded without hesitation, answering affirmatively:

"It was opened by the chairman himself."

I drove myself.

Lin Xiaoman froze on the spot, her blood freezing for a moment before rushing to her head.

The night outside the window was gentle and peaceful in the manor, and the deep voice of Lu Tingzhao talking on the phone could be faintly heard from the study.

But at that moment, her world was turned upside down.

It turns out that all the confusion and dependence he showed today, the need for support... it was all an act for her alone!

Anger, resentment, feeling fooled, and being schemed against overwhelmed her at once.

She felt like a piece of wood stripped of all sensation, her limbs stiff and her blood ice-cold.

Her mind was racing, yet she remained clear-headed, guiding her feet step by step toward the man who had just hung up the phone.

She stopped a few steps in front of him, staring intently at him, her gaze trying to pierce through him.

Lu Tingzhao turned around, his gaze naturally sweeping over her, but pausing when it met her eyes. Then, he calmly looked away, tilting his head slightly, and asked in an uncertain tone:

"Xiaoman? Is that you?"

Lin Xiaoman's heart clenched painfully. She heard her own voice ring out, flat, dry, and devoid of any emotion:

"Lu Tingzhao, I'm standing here without making a sound. How did you know... it was me?"

After the question was posed, a slight stiffness appeared on Lu Tingzhao's gentle expression. But he reacted quickly, a smile playing on his lips the next second:

"Xiaoman. Your scent... I know it very well."

taste?

Lin Xiaoman sneered inwardly, but her face remained expressionless as she pressed on, calmly exposing his true intentions.

"Really? But I've already changed all my toiletries. I'm currently using the gardenia scent that Xiao Gu gave me, which is completely different from the Hermes orange blossom scent you have here."

The smile on Lu Tingzhao's face truly faded this time. He remained silent for two seconds:

"Xiaoman... what's wrong? Did I... do something to upset you again?"

Watching his performance, Lin Xiaoman felt a chill run from her feet to the top of her head.

He was avoiding her question.

And this avoidance itself is the most conclusive answer.