The blind boss's nanny

Lin Xiaoman stood there, stunned, watching his retreating figure as he turned and walked towards the restaurant. It took her a long time to react.

"Wait! Why should I cook? This is practically exploitation!"

She remembers it very clearly:

Even after Lu Tingzhao drastically reduced the number of servants, the manor still retains at least three chefs who take turns serving Chinese and Western dishes, ensuring that hot and delicious meals are available 24 hours a day.

At this time, the kitchen should be brightly lit, filled with the aroma of baking and the sounds of busy breakfast preparations.

She instinctively tilted her head towards the kitchen to listen... that area was unusually quiet.

"The family chef,"

Lu Tingzhao had already reached the restaurant entrance, his hand resting on the doorframe. Hearing this, he didn't turn around; his voice came calmly.

"They've all been temporarily seconded to the company by Tingxi. The only one left behind took sick leave yesterday."

He turned his face slightly to the side, the morning light outlining his sharply defined profile.

"There's a lot going on at the end of the year, and since the group is a Sino-foreign joint venture, there are quite a few foreign executives in the company. For the two large-scale thank-you balls on Christmas and New Year's Day, Tingxi demanded perfection from the venue decorations to the food and drinks, and all available personnel were mobilized."

His explanation was reasonable, carrying a hint of helplessness stemming from an older brother indulging his younger sister's misbehavior.

Lin Xiaoman was speechless for a moment.

She couldn't refute this reason. With Lu Tingxi's personality, he was indeed capable of doing something like "emptying his family's savings to support the company."

[19:50, Room 101, Building B, water used in the bathroom.]

【...】

Lu Tingzhao frowned when the heating system malfunctioned in the middle of the night.

The old system in the guesthouse definitely needs a thorough overhaul.

Just as he was hesitating about whether to have someone handle it, a new log popped up:

[03:41, East side of the courtyard, mobile heat source confirmed, biometrics identified: Lin Xiaoman. Movement speed: Relatively fast.]

[03:43, the back door of the main house opens.]

[03:44, Living room area, portable heat source is stationary.]

In the darkness, Lu Tingzhao's lips curled into a very faint smile.

really.

She's not the type to silently endure things.

If you're cold, find a warm place; if you're hungry, find something to eat; if the road is blocked, then find another way.

This almost instinctive, vigorous vitality, which he once found noisy, has now become a kind of reassuring proof in the quiet of the night.

At this moment, the aroma of food wafting from the kitchen grew stronger. Lu Tingzhao listened to her occasional soft mutterings, which she was probably complaining about him.

All these sounds, along with the warm aroma of food in the air, seeped into the mansion.

It also seeped into Lu Tingzhao's heart, which had been hardened for too long.

Yuanbao lay down at his feet and yawned contentedly.

The morning light streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating the entire restaurant with a bright and warm glow.

A new day began in an unexpected yet strangely fitting way.

As soon as Lin Xiaoman finished breakfast and put down her utensils, Lu Tingzhao's voice rang out, sounding as if it were the most natural thing in the world:

"At 9:30, the pet groomer will come to shave Yuanbao's fur. He resists being touched by strangers, so I need you to be there to comfort him."

Lin Xiaoman frowned, but before she could refute him, he continued:

"In addition, Zhe's repetitive behaviors have worsened since last week. He repeatedly turns the same program on and off hundreds of times a day, and his emotions are very unstable. I need you to provide him with psychological counseling as before."

His tone was as flat as if he were assigning tasks, without any hint of request or discussion, as if her staying and cooperating were a matter of course.

The anger in Lin Xiaoman's heart suddenly flared up.

She put down the napkin she was using to wipe her hands, her voice laced with suppressed anger:

"Mr. Lu, have you forgotten? I'm no longer your employee, and I have no obligation to take your orders. You should consult a professional about Yuanbao and Azhe's problems..."

Her words stopped abruptly.

Because Yuanbao had somehow rubbed against her leg, it was looking up at her with its wet eyes, making soft whimpering noises, and its ears were drooping, completely unlike its usual lively self.

Meanwhile, A-Zhe was huddled in the corner of the living room, hugging his knees, staring blankly at the floor. His fingers nervously and repeatedly dug at the fabric edge of the sofa, his whole being enveloped in a tense and fragile aura.

Lin Xiaoman's anger and righteous indignation, like a balloon punctured by a needle, leaked out completely in an instant.

She could harden her heart towards Lu Tingzhao, but she couldn't ignore the two "poor bastards" in front of her, one big and one small.

She gritted her teeth and glared at Lu Tingzhao's expressionless face.

"...I have to leave before 4 p.m.

She eventually compromised, but her tone was firm.

"Whether it's resolved or not, I'm leaving immediately at four o'clock."

Lu Tingzhao nodded slightly, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly:

"Can."

The morning was spent in a mix of busyness and heartache.

Shaving Yuanbao's fur was like a war.

As soon as the beautician took out the clippers, Yuanbao hid behind Lin Xiaoman in terror, trembling all over.

Lin Xiaoman had no choice but to hold it in her arms, stroke its back repeatedly, and hum softly in its ear to finally calm it down and get it to accept her.

Throughout the process, Yuanbao's claws clung tightly to her arm.

A Zhe's situation was even more worrying. He didn't respond to any questions and just mechanically repeated the action of opening and closing.

Lin Xiaoman did not interrupt him, but instead moved a chair to sit next to him and began to read a science picture book about the starry sky in his favorite, gentle tone.