The blind boss's nanny

His voice was faint, almost carried away by the wind, yet it reached her ears with unusual clarity:

"Lin Xiaoman".

Lu Tingzhao paused, as if he was carefully choosing his words, or as if he was overcoming some kind of obstacle.

After a brief pause, the sentence was finally uttered in its entirety:

"Would you be willing to... come back to work?"

It was not an order, not a notification, and not even an arrangement like Lu Tingzhou's that implied a "conditional exchange".

Instead, it was a hesitant question, seeking her consent.

Lin Xiaoman was stunned for a moment, and even forgot about the cold.

This...isn't this already decided? Didn't the second young master already discuss it with her? Why is the chairman asking again, which is completely unnecessary?

But for some reason, this seemingly unnecessary question stirred a strange and unfamiliar ripple in her heart.

Recently, it seems that many people have asked her similar questions:

Qin Xiu's businesslike probing, Lu Tingxi's warm yet calculating invitation, Lu Xingqi's childlike yet sincere plea...

But never before has it been like this.

The wind howled, dusk settled, and only the two of them remained by the empty lake.

Lu Tingzhao sat upright, the lines of his profile appearing clear yet somewhat lonely in the remaining daylight.

Those unseen eyes were slightly lowered, staring unfocusedly at the frozen lake ahead.

He asked very softly and slowly, with a kind of... cautiousness she had never felt from him before.

In a daze, Lin Xiaoman absurdly felt that Lu Tingzhao's current appearance was as if he was entrusting some kind of trust, as if he was expressing some kind of... need.

He needs her.

The thought had barely crossed her mind when she forcefully suppressed it.

illusion.

It must be an illusion.

She remembered how he had resisted her approach just moments before. This was probably just an unstable and abnormal manifestation of his "hardware malfunction."

Or perhaps the second young master had already negotiated the terms with him, and he was just going through the motions?

But in any case, the question itself, and the way he asked it, had already touched the calm surface of her heart.

Lin Xiaoman's silence, in Lu Tingzhao's dark and quiet world, was magnified and prolonged, becoming a kind of hesitation and rejection.

The man took a deep breath, his voice low and hoarse, as if concealing some emotion:

"About what happened that night..."

He paused, as if it had taken a great deal of effort to say that opening.

"I think... I should apologize to you."

As soon as he finished speaking, it seemed as if even the howling wind stopped for a moment.

Lu Tingzhao's fingers traced the cool stone edge of the bench. He slightly turned his face away from her, his jawline taut, as if he were very uncomfortable, yet forcing himself to continue speaking:

"I shouldn't negate everything you've done before because of one thing."

He spoke slowly, but every word was crystal clear.

"The harsh words I said to you, and... the physical actions I took against you, are not... the behavior of a gentleman."

"I thought about it later,"

His voice was even lower, as if he were conducting a self-analysis, but the process was difficult.

"Perhaps it's because...you were the first person to deceive me after I went blind. That's why my reaction at the time...was so out of control."

These words, each one carved from a hard shell, are filled with passion and clumsy sincerity, laid bare in the cold twilight.

Lin Xiaoman, who was sitting to the side, had already frozen completely when Lu Tingzhao said the word "sorry". Her mouth was slightly open and her eyes were wide open.

Lu Tingzhao... is actually apologizing?

The cold wind brushed against her cheeks, but she didn't feel cold. Instead, a surge of heat rushed to the top of her head, and her ears rang.

She subconsciously raised her hand and secretly pinched her thigh—ouch, that hurt! It wasn't a dream!

Her mind went blank; all her previous misunderstandings and complaints vanished in an instant.

Instead, she felt a tremendous shock, and... a subtle, weak ache that she herself dared not delve into.

She opened her mouth, but her throat felt blocked, and she couldn't make a sound.

My heart was pounding uncontrollably in my chest, crashing against my ribs, each beat clearly audible.

"Chairman..."

Lin Xiaoman finally found her voice, but when she opened her mouth, she found her throat was a little dry.

"About that night... I've actually forgotten about it a long time ago."

This is half true and half false... The embarrassment of the conflict may have faded, but how can one easily forget the humiliation of being expelled and the turmoil of life afterward?

But that's what she chose to say at this moment.

"And, whatever the reason, the fact remains that I deceived you. It hurt you, though it wasn't my intention, but it did happen."

She paused, her voice lowered, filled with genuine remorse.

"And... I should never have laid a hand on you. I'm sorry."

The situation developed in a strange, formulaic pattern of "reflection and forgiveness," much like a student's apology meeting after making a mistake, where both sides awkwardly confessed their mistakes, trying to turn the page.

Lu Tingzhao's taut profile finally relaxed a little.

He tried to adjust his tone to make it sound more relaxed, although it still retained his characteristic calm frame:

"So, back to the original question...would you be willing to come back to work?"

Before Lin Xiaoman could answer, he seemed afraid she would remain silent or refuse again, and immediately added, speaking faster than usual:

"Admittedly, A-Zhe and Yuanbao need you here, that's one reason. But what I really want to say is..."

He paused slightly, organizing his words more precisely.

"You did a great job here before. Both the work itself and... our working relationship was very harmonious most of the time."

He turned slightly in her direction, a focused gesture even though he couldn't see her.

"I heard... your visa hasn't been processed yet. And the jobs you can find outside, whether in terms of environment, stability, or income, can't compare to those here."

His analysis was calm and objective.

"All things considered, staying here is probably your best option right now."

At this point, he seemed to remember something, and his tone became more serious:

"Regardless of what conditions Tingzhou or Tingxi promised you before, the basic compensation I offer here remains the same as before."

He even unusually offered room for negotiation.

"If you have any other ideas about salary and benefits, we can discuss it further..."

"No--"

Lin Xiaoman blurted out before he could even finish speaking.

"I have no objection, Chairman."

Her voice was clear and firm, carrying a resolute composure.

"I'm willing to come back to work."