Ten Years of Yearning. My Love, Let Me Protect You.

After Aunt Lin showed up, she saw the two old ladies were discussing something while the other two young ladies were mum.

Two servants followed her and soon they served everything on the glass table. Then Wei Airan told her, "Aunt Lin, we will play mahjong. Tell them to bring the tiles."

Aunt Lin nodded and backed away with the other two servants. Then in five minutes, everything was set up. 

"Let's put money at stake. It will be more fun then." Su Mengsi spoke in excitement. Then she brought out two bundles of money from her bag and put them in the middle of the table. One before her and the other before Yan Ruomin.

That amount was nothing to the women sitting there but it was more entertaining like this. 

"Hmm. Let's do it then." Wei Airan signaled Aunt Lin and the latter shortly went away to fetch the money. 

"But aunty, I don't have  spare cash with me now." Ji Yanli told them awkwardly. If she knew ahead, she would have brought cash with her.

"It's okay. I will give you some." Wei Airan assured her and when Aunt Lin came back with many bundles of money, she gave her one. Aunt Lin was given a spare key a long time ago to get access to Wei Airan's extra locker where she put cash for superficial spendings of the household. 

Finally, the game started…

The first round, Su Mengsi won. At that, Yan Ruomin gloated at Ji Yanli as if she was the one who had won. Ji Yanli rolled her eyes at that childish behaviour.

Then after the second play started, Wei Airan won and in the last three ones, Ji Yanli won. At her successive victory, Yan Ruomin felt aggrieved as if Ji Yanli was winning to taunt her. Slowly a lot of scattered cash loaded up before Ji Yanli. 

After two hours, they stopped playing. 

"I can't play anymore. Today's game was a lot of fun! It would have been better if Chi Bainian had come. She is very good at this." Wei Airan put down her tiles and chuckled. As she stopped playing, the others also put down their tiles. 

Ji Yanli was having a lot of fun when she was gaining a victory. Wei Airan was also in a good mood. But Su Mengsi was steady whereas Yan Ruomin was scowling inwardly. She didn't entirely understand this game and rarely played this. 

All the other three women had won for at least one time yet she didn't. Also, she lost poorly. She didn't like this impression of failure at all. Her right hand clenched tightly and the sharp nails dug at her soft skin yet she felt the sensation of her heart was much more painful. 

Ji Yanli was chatting with Wei Airan and collecting the money from the table. Happiness was hovering between the two people. Ji Yanli separated some and gave Wei Airan; the amount she borrowed before from Wei Airan but the latter declined to take it and urged Ji Yanli to keep it.

When Yan Ruomin observed all of this, she recalled that everyone in the Sheng family appreciated her. Moreover, Sheng Ruming's high school friend was Ji Yanli and Yan Ruomin knew him from childhood. But everyone knew Sheng Ruming favoured Ji Yanli.  In his many business parties, she was his partner.

Suddenly a ball of envy lit up in Yan Ruomin's eyes. Even though she knew she didn't have an overwhelming sentiment for the man, she yearns for him.

"Yanli, as far as I know, you are a secretary in the Sheng Industry. You are here, at this period of day… don't you have work at the company? Or…" Yan Ruomin inquired innocently as if she was just curious but Ji Yanli's smile froze when she heard it. She was implying that Ji Yanli might be taking advantage of the connection she had with the Sheng family and neglecting her work.

Wei Airan raised her eyes when she heard it. She took the teacup and sipped from it while observing the situation before her. Su Mengsi also didn't stop Yan Ruomin because she knew Yan Ruomin appeared just curious before them. She turned at Wei Airan and didn't catch a glimpse of anything wrong.

Ji Yanli had been working tirelessly for many days straight, going as far as staying at night in the company to finish the work. She also cut her hair short because she didn't have time to take care of it. Also before Sheng Ruming went abroad, last month she functioned like a donkey alongside everyone.

Sheng Haotin knew it and gave her some days off to rest. She took this chance and came here to meet Wei Airan. But she believed it wasn't important to tell those to others.

"I was given some days off from work by uncle Haotin himself. I am a diligent secretary who works hard and one of the best employees in the company. It's natural to get extra holidays now and then." Ji Yanli told her without batting an eyelid. As she referred to Sheng Haotin, Yan Ruomin's smile froze.

"Oh! I see. Uncle is so generous." Yan Ruomin smiled and turned her gaze at Wei Airan. But Wei Airan didn't say anything and calmly swallowed her tea.

Ji Yanli smirked when she saw this. 

"What about you, Ruomin? You are older than me, I mean Yan Luhan. Even if you are aiming for higher education, you should enter the Yan and work for the family. Many women do this now-a-days. It's not good to be idle when you can have the ability to work." Ji Yanli said as if she was just stating but Yan Ruomin didn't like it when she was putting her nose in her private life.

"My mother also doesn't work at father's company. It's the same as for Aunty Wei and Aunty Chi. By saying this, aren't you telling round-bound that they are also idlers?!" Yan Ruomin covered her mouth with her hand and looked shocked. 

Ji Yanli's stopped smiling and responded in a resolute attitude, "Don't twist my words. I am talking about our generation. Our mothers have us. If they still need to work then we are absolute failures as their children." Ji Yanli told her straight away. Su Mengsi didn't like the manner she was talking with her daughter. She thought she should criticize Ji Yanli to appease her baby daughter.

"Yanli, where are your manners?! Minmin is older than you. You should call her sister Minmin. Also, the way you talked earlier is very rude. She was confessing her thoughts. What's the way with your tone? You should..." Su Mengsi proceeded to talk harshly and lectured her. 

Ji Yanli remained quiet and just endured their drama. 'I shouldn't have come today. My mood got ruined by these people.'

Wei Airan saw Ji Yanli didn't refute Su Mengsi when the latter was talking. She nodded in approval. Sometimes, it's wise to remain modest or you would look haughty and ungracious. There is nothing to gain by winning an argument against an elder who is unreasonable from the very start.

'As I thought, she is the perfect candidate for my son. After he returns, I will talk to him about his marriage with Ji Yanli's family.' 

Then Wei Airan turned her sight to Yan Ruomin. She had also seen the news on social media and knew the rumours but she wasn't someone to blindly believe those. She held the same kind of liking for the other children of her friends. She wouldn't comment on anything even if they do something unpleasant. It's not her place to do. 

From the corner of her eyes, she saw Aunt Lin was coming towards them. Then,  she checked her watch and saw it was already past one pm. Su Mengsi was still reprimanding Ji Yanli and the latter seemed very awkward and uneasy as she listened.

"Mengsi, don't make yourself so worked up. It's already time for lunch. Let's go." As Wei Airan told them, Su Mengsi finally stopped. 

Wei Airan saw Yan Ruomin was trying to fix her facial expression but a sly smile was trying to break out. In her mind, she had already labeled Yan Ruomin as someone who had no common understanding.

When Yan Ruomin saw Wei Airan was looking at her and her stare held disapproval, she instantly fixed her complexion and panicked. ' Did she see me earlier?! I hope not…'

"Madam, lunch is ready. Should I tell the servants to carry the dishes here?" Aunt Lin eventually came and asked Wei Airan. She shook her head and stood up.

"We will eat inside the villa. Let's go, everyone." As she announced, others also stood up. Yan Ruomin waited for Wei Airan to walk out first but she took Ji Yanli's hand and walked ahead. Ji Yanli also didn't seem surprised and walked ahead with the money in her other hand. 

"Hand the money over to her. Aunt Lin, put the money in a little bag and give it to her when she goes away later." Aunt Lin nodded and received the money from Ji Yanli.

Yan Ruomin grounded her teeth and turned towards her mother, "Ma…" She sounded as if she was wronged by someone. 

"Let's go." Su Mengsi didn't have the mood to pacify her and went forth after she took her bag. 

After they reached the dining hall, the food was served. Su Mengsi didn't need to tell as she had eaten many times in the Sheng Villa before. 

Wei Airan took the main seat while Yan Ruomin sat on Wei Airan's left side and Ji Yanli took the right seat. Su Mengsi sat beside her daughter.

After they had sat down, many helpers came and positioned cutleries before them. Then finally the food was served.

"Minmin, try this soup. Our chef is good at making meat soup." As Wei Airan told her, she happily took a little bowl and filled it with soup. She wanted to praise the chef for it.

But the next moment, Wei Airan began to put food in Ji Yanli's bowl one after another. 

"Yanli, try this. I've specially instructed the chef to make your favourite roasted duck." Wei Airan placed a meat piece on her plate.

"Thanks, aunty." Ji Yanli took that piece and ate with satisfaction. Wei Airan's appetite got whipped when she saw her enjoying it.  Even after placing one, she didn't stop and continued to place other dishes as well. 

From this, we know where Sheng Ruming has learned the habit of placing food on Luo Lixi's plate nonstop. 

  Even after Wei Airan took food for her, she didn't turn to check on Yan Ruomin again. In her mind, it was registered that Yan Ruomin had her mother beside her so she should take care of her. Ji Yanli was alone so she would check on her.

Yan Ruomin clenched her chopsticks and didn't eat much later. She lost her appetite when she saw Ji Yanli being assisted by Wei Airan.

After lunch, the two women went to enjoy afternoon tea, whereas the ladies were seated beside them. They didn't drink tea like them.

"Aunty, I will go and feed the fishes."

"Go ahead." Wei Airan nodded and talked with Su Mengsi. After Ji Yanli strode away, Yan Ruomin also followed her.

Ji Yanli knew where the fish food container was. She took out from the cabinet and began to disperse the food in the aquarium. The fishes slowly swam to the surface and lazily ate fish food. She felt amused by those beta fishes.

Yan Ruomin came behind her slowly. Ji Yanli knew someone was behind her even if she didn't make any sound. After Ji Yanli finished giving food she turned around and walked away. While walking both their shoulders brushed past.

Yan Ruomin grabbed Ji Yanli's arm and glanced at her.

"What's wrong, 'sister' Minmin?" Ji Yanli asked while giving the particular word extra emphasis.