The blind boss's nanny

Lu Tingzhao looked straight ahead, a smile playing on his lips:

"They seem to get along very well."

Lin Xiaoman tried hard to control the direction that Yuanbao was leading her astray, and muttered to herself:

"...It's too good, almost too good."

Lu Tingzhao smoothly took over the conversation, his tone natural:

"And what about their parents? When will they make up?"

Lin Xiaoman: "..."

A gentle evening breeze blew, the dog leash was tangled, and the setting sun cast long shadows of the two people, which gradually overlapped.

Meanwhile, Lu Tingzhou, the real "patient," was reclining on a deck chair on the balcony of the master bedroom on the third floor, leisurely swirling his wine glass, and admiring through binoculars the two figures being forced to walk side by side by a dog in the garden below. He nodded in satisfaction.

"Brother, besides me, who else in this world understands you as well as I do?"

The setting sun gilded the lawn, and Yuanbao and Yuanman, having long since broken free of their restraints, chased after a butterfly in the distance, their playful sounds faintly audible.

The air suddenly fell silent. Only the two of them remained, standing facing each other, a step apart.

Silence fermented in the evening breeze. Lin Xiaoman spoke first:

"Lu Tingzhou... he seems to be almost fully recovered. I... won't be coming tomorrow."

Lu Tingzhao frowned slightly. His gaze lingered on her face for a long time. The light of the setting sun outlined the clear lines of her profile, and her eyes, which always reflected the light, were calm and still at this moment.

He was searching, searching for the hesitation and reluctance in her eyes, or any lingering feelings.

But what he saw was a pristine and clear expanse. She was a ship that had already adjusted its course, no longer lingering in his waters.

He took a deep breath and, on the grass bathed in the setting sun, began the most awkward and honest confession of his life.

"Xiaoman" (Grain Buds).

The man paused for a moment, his gaze no longer as imposing as usual, but rather somewhat unsure of where to look.

"I kept it a secret from you after my eyes recovered... not because I wanted to tease you or enjoy the thrill of being in control."

He spoke with difficulty, each word uttered slowly.

"It's because... I'm scared."

"I'm afraid you'll see a Lu Tingzhao who no longer needs your care. I'm afraid you'll discover that I'm no different from other businessmen—calculating and incapable of love. When I was blind, at least... I was your responsibility, the reason you had to stay by my side. But after I regain my sight, what am I to you?"

He gave a self-deprecating twitch at the corner of his mouth.

"I thought that as long as I created opportunities and kept you by my side, everything could go back to the way it was before."

He raised his head and looked directly into her eyes, those usually deep and unfathomable eyes now clearly reflecting his disheveled state.

"But I was wrong. This wasn't love; it was control, the worst instinct born of fear. I used the methods I was best at... scheming and manipulation to treat the person I least wanted to lose. Looking back now, I feel... ashamed."

The evening breeze ruffled his hair, making him look like an ordinary person standing on the edge of a cliff, seeing for the first time the emptiness beneath his feet.

"After my father passed away, I told myself that I had to control everything. Control the company, control the competitors, control the situation... I thought that loving someone was just another form of 'control'. It wasn't until you left, until I truly tasted the bitterness of loss, that I realized I couldn't control people's hearts, much less love."

His voice grew softer, yet clearer:

"Lin Xiaoman, I am not perfect, not even a healthy lover. I am selfish, cowardly, and I cling to what I thought was important in the wrong way. This is a flaw in my personality, a failed chapter in my life over the past thirty years."

I'm saying this not because I expect your forgiveness, nor to excuse myself.

He concluded by speaking with an open and honest gaze.

"I just want you to know that the Lu Tingzhao you see who doesn't know how to love is the real me. And the me who is afraid of losing you and therefore does stupid things... is also the real me."

"You can leave with all your feelings for me... the good, the bad, the unbearable... and then completely forget me."

Lu Tingzhao placed his hand on Lin Xiaoman's shoulder, forcing her to lift her face slightly to meet his gaze.

As dusk settled, the emotions surging in his eyes were even deeper and more intense than the darkness of the sky.

"Xiaoman, I sincerely hope... no, I'm begging you, live for yourself just this once."

His thumb rubbed against her shoulder.

Forget your grandmother's admonition to "be sensible," forget the burden of "gratitude" that Sunshine Home needs... and forget all the deception and trouble I've brought you.

His gaze went deep into her eyes, where there was only heartache.

"In your life, you no longer need to bear a weight that is not meant for you for anyone or anything. There is no one you have to let go of, and no responsibility you have to carry for a lifetime."

A gentle evening breeze blew by, and he leaned forward slightly:

"Go wherever you want to go, do whatever you want to do... Live however you feel relaxed and comfortable."

His fingers finally loosened and returned to his side, as if he had finally released a tightly held treasure.

"Every day of yours should be like this...you decide whether it's sunny or rainy, whether to stay or leave."

"And all I hope is that every day from now on will be lighter and happier for you than it was before you met me."

He's finished speaking.

To Lin Xiao's surprise, the man didn't try to stop her.

The sun sank further down, painting the sky a deep purple. He stood in the deepening twilight, awaiting her final verdict, like a gambler who had given up all his chips.

There was no way back.

Lin Xiaoman stood there, the evening breeze brushing against her hair and his heavy, passionate words in her ear.

She could clearly feel the resolute determination in her chest cracked by this sudden honesty and blessing.

A mix of bitterness and emotion welled up inside her, almost overwhelming the last line of defense she had built.

She saw the genuine remorse in his eyes, the disheveled state he was in after letting go of all his pride, and his clumsy heartache... for everything he had carried in the past for her, and for the harm he had caused himself.

For a fleeting moment, she almost spoke up.

But in the end, she said nothing.

All the surging emotions were forcefully suppressed back to the deepest recesses of her heart. Her face remained that unfathomable calm, even more indifferent and distant than before.

She nodded. It was as if she were receiving confirmation, or as if she were finalizing a decision.