The blind boss's nanny

Lin Xiaoman turned and walked to the edge of the lawn, whistling softly.

Yuanbao and Yuanman, who were playing in the distance, immediately perked up their ears, darted back, and affectionately rubbed against her leg.

Lin Xiaoman squatted down and rubbed the heads of the two dogs. The whole process was quiet, efficient, and without a single unnecessary tremor.

She got up and walked away.

His back was straight and slender in the deepening night, yet it carried a resolute air.

She didn't turn around.

No matter how much the gaze followed her, she gave no further response.

She walked towards the manor gate, towards the street outside, towards a future without Lu Tingzhao. With each step, she utterly crushed that fleeting moment of emotion behind her, grinding it into the dust.

The night finally completely swallowed her silhouette.

Lu Tingzhao stood there, motionless for a long time, until the direction where the figure disappeared was left with only a vast expanse of darkness and the scattered lights of the city in the distance.

That doesn't belong to him.

She chose to walk towards her freedom without looking back.

The days pass by quickly, like turning the pages of a book.

The data of the blogger accounts run by Lin Xiaoman and Xiao Gu is getting better and better every day, and the number of fans is increasing day by day.

They received an official invitation from a tourist city to film a promotional video. Xiao Gu slapped her thigh and immediately decided to use all her year-end leave on it. A company-funded trip that also paid for her—where else could she find such a good deal?

Looking at the rather substantial reward, Lin Xiaoman thought for less than three minutes before quitting her job at the coffee shop.

The two dragged their suitcases and embarked on their journey once again. This time, Lin Xiaoman felt incredibly relaxed and carefree... not only because "paid travel" was so appealing, but also because she had no worries and no mental burdens.

My wallet is bulging, my future is bright, and even the air I breathe feels free.

The two-week trip was fulfilling and enjoyable. On the day she returned home, Lin Xiaoman hummed a song as she stepped up the stairs. When she looked up, she saw a fluffy golden figure squatting properly at her doorstep, its tail slapping the ground happily.

"A gold ingot?!"

Upon hearing the sound, the dog immediately pounced on her, rubbing its wet nose against her palm and making soft, whimpering noises.

Lin Xiaoman was both surprised and delighted, and kept hugging and rubbing the dog.

Just then, his phone rang. Lu Tingzhao's private number appeared on the screen.

The call connected, and in the background, there seemed to be a slight rustling sound of papers turning.

"Yuanbao's appetite has increased recently, and he's got too much energy. I really can't take care of both of them by myself. Considering that although our... well, our relationship has changed a bit, we should theoretically still have 'joint custody' of Yuanbao and Yuanman, right? So, I'd like to ask you to take care of Yuanbao for a while."

Hearing this high-sounding reason, and then looking at Yuanbao frantically licking her face in her arms, Lin Xiaoman couldn't help but smile.

Of course she wouldn't refuse. Yuanbao's arrival instantly brought life to the small apartment, and she was overjoyed.

However, she underestimated someone's "pushing his luck".

A week later, the doorbell rang. Lin Xiaoman opened the door, and standing outside was Lu Tingzhao, dressed in a sharp suit, with Yuan Man squatting at his feet, looking on with curiosity.

Lu Tingzhao maintained a completely businesslike and composed demeanor.

"Based on the principle of fairness in 'joint custody,' we will be exchanging custody partners this week. Please give Yuanbao to me, and Yuanman will be in your care for the time being."

Lin Xiaoman looked at Yuan Man's eager eyes, then at Lu Tingzhao's serious expression.

Okay, you win.

Thus, a peculiar "once-a-week" pattern was established. At a fixed time each week, Lu Tingzhao would come to exchange the two dogs, and each time he would bring either desserts from the manor or freshly bloomed flowers from the greenhouse.

The meetings usually last no more than twenty minutes, and the conversation revolves around the dog's diet and health.

Until one exchange day, Lin Xiaoman held Yuanbao's hand and waited until it got dark, but the man who always appeared on time did not show up.

She frowned, just about to make a call, when Xiao Gu's message popped up first.

It was a screenshot from WeChat Moments. The content was blurry, but the location was a medical center.

[Xiaoman! Shocking news! I just saw a post from my boss on WeChat Moments saying that your ex-boyfriend... oh wait, I mean the chairman, apparently worked himself to exhaustion and ended up in the hospital?! He's supposedly been there for two days! Capitalists are really getting themselves into trouble!]

Lin Xiaoman stared at her phone screen, momentarily stunned.

Overworked to the hospital?

She looked down at Yuanbao, who was still happily wagging its tail at her feet, and then remembered the faint dark circles under Lu Tingzhao's eyes when they met last week.

On Christmas Eve evening, the doorbell rang.

Lin Xiaoman was nestled on the sofa watching a movie, wearing fluffy pajamas. She shuffled off in her slippers to open the door, followed by Yuanbao, who was wagging its tail.

As soon as the door opened, a blast of cold air rushed in, and the man who hadn't been seen for half a month stood in the doorway.

Snowflakes fell on Lu Tingzhao's shoulders as he held Yuan Man's hand.

"Woof!"

Yuanbao immediately rushed out excitedly and rolled around with Yuanman outside the door. The two furry dogs happily wrestled with each other in the hallway, completely ignoring their respective "guardians".

Lu Tingzhao called out in vain from outside the door, "Yuanman, come back," but the dogs ignored him.

Lin Xiaoman leaned against the door frame, arms crossed, her gaze sweeping over the man outside the door.

He was wearing a not-so-thick cashmere coat, and his complexion was normal, showing no signs of illness.

"Lu Tingzhao, last week,"

She spoke, her tone flat.

Why didn't you come?

Lu Tingzhao paused for a moment, then revealed his usual gentle smile:

"It's the end of the year, and there's a lot going on at the group, so I can't get away."

Lin Xiaoman's gaze remained fixed on his face, not looking away:

"Lu Tingzhao, your eyes have only just recovered, are you really going to push yourself this hard?"

Lu Tingzhao glanced down at Yuan Man, who was still reluctant to part with Yuanbao, and smiled helplessly:

"It seems they won't be able to separate anytime soon. Can we... go inside to talk? It's a bit cold in the hallway."

Lin Xiaoman was silent for two seconds, then stepped aside to let the door open.

Yuanman and Yuanbao followed them in, playfully chasing each other on the floor.

Lin Xiaoman went to the kitchen, poured him a cup of hot water, and placed it on the coffee table.

Looking at the myriad lights outside the window and hearing the faint strains of Christmas carols, she suddenly remembered something, turned around, and asked:

"Today is Christmas Eve, and your family... doesn't have a regular annual gathering?"

Lu Tingzhao held the warm water cup in both hands, the steam rising from it and enveloping his eyes and brows.

"Yeah, that was true before. But this year, Tingzhou said he had a New Year's Eve party to prepare, and he's already disappeared. Tingxi and Qinxiu have been having a cold war, and she went abroad, and Qinxiu chased after her. When I went back, I was just facing an empty house."

"So... that's why you stay at the company and work overtime every day?"

Lu Tingzhao took a sip of water and did not deny it:

"I guess so. I'm used to it. I've always lived like this."

He paused, looked up at her, a faint smile in his eyes.

"At least for now, I have a dog at home waiting for me."