The blind boss's nanny

He paused, looking at her slightly puffed-out cheeks, his tone softening, yet becoming even more certain:

What I like about you is you as a person.

He reached out and gently touched her hair with his fingertips, his voice tender:

"I like it whether it's good or bad."

"so,"

He looked at her, his eyes clear and unfathomable.

"You're asking me if I still want you?"

My answer is: I want it.

Looking at his face, which was full of seriousness and anticipation, Lin Xiaoman felt a sensation in her heart, as if she had been gently tickled by a feather or slowly submerged by a warm tide.

She pursed her lips, looked away, and muttered something under her breath:

"...You're smart to know what's good for you."

Lu Tingzhao's palms were warm and dry as he gently enveloped Lin Xiaoman's hands.

"Xiaoman, in my shirt pocket, one side is filled with gold coins, and the other side... is filled with something else."

His eyes were fixed on her, full of expectation.

"Which one do you want to choose?"

Lin Xiaoman's heart skipped a beat uncontrollably. She instinctively tried to pull her hand away, but the moment her fingertips moved, the man gripped it even tighter.

Lu Tingzhao seemed stung by her hesitation. He pleaded in a low voice:

"Xiaoman, could you... please stop rejecting me?"

Lin Xiaoman avoided his gaze, lowered her head, and looked at their clasped hands, seemingly deep in thought.

A few seconds later, she looked up.

"I still can't agree to that."

Lu Tingzhao's brows immediately furrowed:

Why?

Lin Xiaoman looked at him, her tone serious.

"I can't accept that my partner is a complete workaholic. He works like crazy, endlessly overdrawing himself for his family, company, and loved ones, but forgets to live for himself."

She paused, then looked directly into his slightly startled eyes:

"Lu Tingzhao, what I want is someone who knows when to rest and has a complete life of his own."

"I want you too, to live for yourself."

Lu Tingzhao was completely stunned.

He opened his mouth, but found he couldn't refute it.

Whether in the past or present... in essence, he has never truly learned to "live for himself".

Lu Tingzhao loosened his grip on her hand, his eyes looking lost.

This time, the two failed to reach an agreement again.

The man's footsteps gradually faded into the distance, blending into the hustle and bustle of the camp at night.

Lin Xiaoman sat alone in the tent, listening to the sound of an engine starting up outside, gradually fading into the distance until it disappeared in the direction of the highway.

She looked down at the gold coins in her palm and put them into a compartment in her bag.

Outside the tent, the Milky Way hangs low.

Lu Tingzhao returned to the capital alone, once again filled with disappointment.

For the next few days, silence fell between the two.

No news, no phone calls. The previous chase and standoff faded into the distance with the sound of engines that day.

Lin Xiaoman's companions packed their bags, bid each other farewell, and embarked on their journey home.

The camp gradually emptied out.

Lin Xiaoman's movements as she packed her luggage became sluggish.

As her last friend waved goodbye and the car disappeared at the end of the road, she sat on her suitcase, gazing at the vast wilderness and the gradually darkening sky, and for the first time, a sense of bewilderment welled up in her heart.

Where will she go next?

Should I go back to Beijing? That city has dry, cold winters and sweltering summers, and the pace of life is suffocating.

She had no family or house there, and Zhuang Guangyao might cause her trouble again if she went back.

She suddenly felt a strong urge to find a completely new place and truly start over.

Anyway, she has money and free time now, and her future is promising.

Lin Xiaoman lowered her head and began to seriously search for "cities suitable for long-term residence" and "recommended niche livable places".

Just then, the sunlight was blocked by a shadow.

A pair of Italian handmade leather shoes, out of place with their surroundings, stopped in front of her downcast gaze.

Lin Xiaoman paused, then slowly raised her head.

Lu Tingzhao stood before her, travel-worn, with a hint of weariness in his eyes, but his gaze was exceptionally bright.

"Xiaoman, I've been thinking about your question from last time for a few days."

He paused, seemingly organizing his thoughts:

"Right now, I can't promise you anything. But I've set myself a clear goal..."

He looked at her gradually widening eyes and said, word by word:

"I aim to be semi-retired by the time I turn 35."

Lin Xiaoman blinked, wondering if she had misheard:

"...What?"

Lu Tingzhao continued, his logic clear:

"Before that, my primary task is to send Tingzhou, Tingxi, and Xingyuan into the core of the group one by one, so that they can shoulder the responsibilities they should bear and find their own place and value."

A slight smile appeared at the corners of his mouth.

"After all, a family business can't always rely on me working myself to the bone, right?"

Lin Xiaoman was a little confused; the topic had jumped around so quickly that she couldn't keep up.

Lu Tingzhao simply spread his hands out in front of her.

In the palm of her left hand lay the diamond ring she had once rejected, sparkling in the sunlight of the wilderness.

In the palm of his right hand, there was another new gold coin.

"Xiaoman, choose one."

He held his breath, and the sound of the wind around him quieted down.

Lin Xiaoman looked at the ring, then at the gold coins, then at the man's tense jawline and his eyes filled with apprehension.

She tilted her head and reached out her hand.

Her fingertips first brushed against the ring, and then... she picked up the gold coin and deftly put it into her pocket.

Lu Tingzhao's heart sank, but before dejection could even creep onto his brow...

The hand reached back again, and this time, she picked up the diamond ring in his left palm.

Lin Xiaoman held the ring up to her eyes, examined it against the light, then looked up at the completely stunned man, a smile curving her lips:

"I want both."

Time stood still for a second.

The next second, all the anxiety on Lu Tingzhao's face was replaced by immense joy.

"Xiaoman—!"

He could no longer restrain himself and swept Lin Xiaoman, who was still sitting on the suitcase, up in his arms!

"what!"

Lin Xiaoman exclaimed in surprise, her feet instantly leaving the ground.

Lu Tingzhao carried her and spun her around several times in the open field filled with pebbles and withered grass!

The wind lifted her long hair and the hem of her clothes, and also blew away all his feigned composure.

He laughed loudly, his deep laughter echoing between heaven and earth.

The gold coins were close to Lin Xiaoman's body in her pocket, and the diamond ring sparkled on her fingertip.

She was in his arms, her eyes crinkling with laughter.

Just then, Lu Tingzhao's phone rang. He answered it with a serious expression.

Lin Xiaoman said nervously:

"What's wrong?"

A month later, the media was flooded with reports:

The marriage between the Lu family and the Wen family is imminent, and the wedding day is tomorrow.