The blind boss's nanny

Five minutes later, Lu Xingyuan was "invited" over by Aunt Mei, his face still showing the frustration of losing the game and the reluctance of being interrupted.

"Big brother, you were looking for me?"

He scratched his head, his tone nonchalant.

Lu Tingzhao turned his head slightly and looked in the direction from which the sound came.

Although his eyes were unfocused, his slightly narrowed eyes and raised eyebrows still created an invisible sense of oppression.

"Did you drive here yourself today?"

The man's tone was flat.

Lu Xingyuan nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"Yes, I still need to take Sister Xiaoman back to the city later."

"You've been drinking."

Lu Tingzhao used a declarative sentence, without the slightest ripple.

Lu Xingyuan's eyes widened immediately, and his voice rose slightly:

"No! I only drank half a glass of juice this afternoon! I'm perfectly sober!"

Just then, Aunt Mei quietly walked over with a tray and placed two warm drinks on the table.

One cup was gently pushed to Lu Tingzhao's side, while the other was placed in front of Lu Xingyuan.

"We've been talking for so long, let's have something to drink to soothe our throats."

Lu Tingzhao said gently.

Lu Xingyuan felt his mouth was dry and thirsty, so without thinking, he picked up the glass and took a big gulp.

It has a silky smooth texture, with a rich milky aroma and a subtle, sweet fermented fragrance.

"Huh? What's this? It tastes pretty good..."

He smacked his lips and took another sip.

Lu Tingzhao's expression remained unchanged under the light, except for a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth.

"Mare's milk wine".

He calmly uttered three words, then leaned back slightly on the sofa, his tone carrying a sense of composure as if the situation was already settled.

"The blood alcohol content isn't high, but it's still alcohol. You can't drive now."

He raised his hand and turned his head towards Aunt May:

"Prepare the car and take Xingyuan back."

Lu Xingyuan stood frozen in place, holding the half-full cup of mare's milk wine. His expression shifted from bewilderment to shock, and finally to an incredulous accusation:

"Big brother! You tricked me?!"

"I don't want to break my promise to Sister Xiaoman!"

Lu Tingzhao had already picked up his glass of water and slowly took a sip.

"Safety first."

He said it casually, firmly accepting the label of "caring for his younger brother".

"As for the rest, I will make the arrangements."

Only Aunt Mei, who witnessed the whole process, managed to suppress the urge to smile by bending down to tidy up the tray.

"I already have my driver's license!"

Lu Xingyuan retorted indignantly.

Lu Tingzhao's lips curled slightly, a hint of sarcasm in his voice:

"Really? Who was it that broke the Italian sculpture next to my Maple Forest Road last time?"

Lu Xingyuan was speechless for a moment, scratched his head, and his momentum weakened:

"That...that was when I first got my driver's license!"

"so,"

Lu Tingzhao's voice was very steady, yet left no room for negotiation.

"Your mother has explicitly forbidden you from driving alone, especially at night. I will have Leng Feng take you home."

When Lin Xiaoman learned that Lu Xingyuan couldn't see her off, she wasn't too upset.

She thought, at worst, she could trouble Leng Feng again.

However, when she stood outside the manor's imposing cast-iron gates and watched Leng Feng drive away with Lu Xingyuan and his sister, she belatedly began to panic.

Looking around, dusk was deepening.

In the distance are the shadows of rolling mountains, and closer by are endless private roads and vast gardens.

This area, spanning ten kilometers, is all Lu family territory. There are no buses, no subways, and even taxis are a pipe dream.

With a try-it-and-see attitude, she waited and waited by the roadside.

The evening breeze grew cooler, rustling the ginkgo leaves along the roadside, but Leng Feng's car still hadn't turned around and returned.

Finally, Aunt Meryl Streep, wrapped in a shawl, hurried over from the direction of the main house, her face filled with apology:

"Xiaoman, I'm so sorry. Leng Feng was called away by the chairman."

"He was called away?"

Lin Xiaoman's heart sank.

"yes,"

Aunt Mei sighed, her tone tinged with helplessness.

"The chairman said that wild rabbits are causing a serious problem in the field to the east, and they've almost eaten all the vegetables we planted. He told Leng Feng to go check it out right away..."

Lin Xiaoman was speechless.

When did Lu Tingzhao ever care about that cornfield?

It was clearly her, Aunt Mei, and a few maids who, seeing that the empty plot of land in the corner of the manor was a waste, cultivated it little by little, sowed seeds, and watched them sprout and grow.

Lu Tingzhao probably didn't even know the exact location of that piece of land.

Furthermore, why would someone like Leng Feng, a man who has been on the battlefield, be using his sniper rifle to hunt wild rabbits?

Only Lu Tingzhao could have done that.

As dusk completely swallowed the last rays of light, the landscape lights inside and outside the manor gradually lit up, illuminating this secluded territory as if it were daytime.

When Aunt Mei suggested that she stay overnight, Lin Xiaoman hesitated for only a moment before nodding.

It was already dark, and she was in the middle of nowhere. There was no need for her to make things difficult for herself.

More importantly, the estate is too big.

It is so large that it is almost luxurious. In addition to the main house, there are scattered detached houses for guests, tool sheds next to the flower room, rest rooms by the horse farm, and even a few rustic cottages for viewing the scenery on the back hill.

She almost got lost once when she accompanied Aunt Mei on an inspection tour.

Even if Lu Tingzhao hadn't gone blind, she could have stayed in a secluded room for ten days or half a month without him noticing.

What's more... he can't see right now.

As dusk fell, the main house was brightly lit, like a luminous island floating in the darkness.

Beyond the island lies an endless, silent shadow.

As long as she avoids the light and disappears into the shadows, she'll be no different from a fallen leaf disappearing into the forest.

When Aunt Mei saw that she had agreed, a relieved smile immediately appeared on her face, and she hurriedly led her to the guest house, which was in the opposite direction from the main house.

Lin Xiaoman followed behind, turning back one last time to look at the familiar window on the second floor of the main house, the one facing the study.

The lights were on inside, and a blurry silhouette was projected onto the curtains, sitting as still as a mountain.

She turned her head, quickened her pace, and silently increased the distance between herself and the beam of light.

Tonight, all she needs is a secluded corner where she won't be seen.

And this silent manor has no shortage of corners.

The heating stopped working at 2 a.m.

Lin Xiaoman felt a chill in her half-awake state and groggily pulled the blanket over herself.

By three o'clock, the chill had seeped into my bones.

She opened her eyes and found that she could see white vapor when she breathed... This was definitely not a normal nighttime temperature drop.

She checked the radiators in the dark; they were ice cold. She then checked the temperature control panel; all the indicator lights were off.

A power outage? No, other appliances are still working.

It seems that the heating system in this rarely used guesthouse is malfunctioning.

Lin Xiaoman shrank back onto the bed, trying to fight the cold with her willpower.

But at 3:30, she began to tremble uncontrollably.

The sky outside the window was still pitch black; it would be at least two hours before dawn.

She thought of the main house.

The main house has an independent heating system. She remembered Aunt Mei saying that there was a backup system that could guarantee a constant temperature 24 hours a day.