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

In a small dark room, where any sliver of light didn't from the day it was built in the underground…

Two people were on the ground, bound tight with ropes. It's been many days since those were brought here. Both of them were moving their bodies slightly in the darkroom. 

They would be given only one meal every day and afterwards they would be shut in dark again. They had asked the people why they had been brought here but they didn't receive any answer from them. They didn't dare to shout at them either as the two people who brought their food, were very hideous and bad-tempered.

The man who was currently bound beside Mr. Tan, was a man who could get easily scared shitless. When his headcover was removed for the first time, he started to whine in a loud voice. The men felt irritated and gave him such a forceful slap that his two front teeth fell off.

Abruptly the door of the room opened and two people came. When they turned on the dim light of this room, the two men on the floor immediately shut their eyes due to the sensitivity towards light after their eyes didn't see light for many hours.

One person came and loosened the ropes of them. Then the other one dropped a packet wrapped in papers and a bottle of water.

"Eat." The man beside Mr. Tan pounced on the packet and took away the bottle. On the other hand, he was rubbing his joints. There were deadly red marks on his hands now. Their clothes were disheveled and they looked unkempt.

Mr. Tan stood up and then bent down to rub his legs. The man never had been treated like this in his whole life. Currently, he was at least sure that they wouldn't be beaten up or else he would surely break down. He had already forgotten about the matters he had told to his wife.

He slowly straightened himself and glanced at the man who was staring at him. 

"Can I use the washroom?" Contrary to the other man with a firearm, the man he was looking at now was much better. That man would hit if his mood was bad but this one wouldn't; just used cursing.

"Move!" Then the man signaled him to go out. Then both of them walked out while a gun was pressed against his back. They walked amid the dark place and then vanished in the long hallway.

The other man in the room had already finished the two bread and was drinking the water.

"I... I am still hun… hungry. Give me something more to e.. eat, ah!" He was kicked on his leg which was horizontally placed on the ground.

"Tsk! Pest has too many demands, huh! You even dared to finish all by yourself. See if that accomplice of yours would strangle you later or not. Stand up, you trash!" The man kicked again on his leg.

"Ahhh! I am standing, standing!" He stood up but fell again as his whole body was numb. 

"Wasting my time?! Damn you TRASH!" The man gripped his hair and forcefully made him stand. 

"Ah! It's painful!" He winched in the stinging pain on his scalp.

"You should have thought about the consequences before you dared to play with fire. Now, move!" The man threw him out of the room and then they also vanished in the dark hallway. 

Only the red eyes of the people who were caged in little cells could be seen. Some of them even gave eerie smiles from time to time as their teeth were exposed in the darkroom. 

Only a little yellow light was turned on the most corner of that room and it was their only source of light which they had seen in many months of their life…

*** ***

At 10 pm, back in China.

Yan Ruomin was at a business party. She was wearing a v-necked blue coloured mermaid style dress. Her mother had dragged her into many parties recently. After what happened to her, she didn't accompany her mother in any parties and social gatherings. 

Also, many years, Yan Ruomin had been abroad for studies. When she had returned to the country to spend her vacation back in those years, she rarely came to these kinds of occasions.

Yan Ruomin was holding a glass of pink wine and glanced at the people who were talking before her. She was standing beside her mother and didn't give any attention to what the women were talking about.

She was waiting for an important call for many days already. She didn't know if she would find the information or not, but she had already spent a lot to get the information.

Suddenly, Su Mengsi saw a group of people entering the party venue. When she saw an old woman  in a gorgeous dress, who was adorned in much expensive jewelry, her face lit up. 

"Excuse me." The others nodded and she grabbed Yan Ruomin's hand. Both of them started to walk towards that woman.

"Minmin, this woman we are going to meet, is the wife of the Lei Industry. Your brother has signed collaboration between the two companies. When I introduce you to her later, be a good girl and talk properly."

"Hmm." 

A waiter was coming from the opposite side. Yan Ruomin swiftly put her nearly empty glass on the waiter's tray and changed her facial expression.

"Ah, Mrs. Lei, you have finally come! It's been a while I've seen you last time" Su Mengsi slowly approached the woman and greeted her.

"Ah, it's Mrs. Yan. How have you been? And this pretty girl, who is she?" Mrs. Lei saw Su Mengsi was grabbing Yan Ruomin's hand and asked.

"This is my daughter, Yan Ruomin. She had returned from abroad some months ago. Usually, she doesn't come to parties. It's me who has dragged her here today." Su Mengsi beamed in joy as she was introducing her daughter to the woman. Mrs. Lei scrutinized Yan Ruomin from head to toe and nodded her in approval.

"Hello, aunt. I am Yan Ruomin. Nice to meet you." Yan Ruomin slightly bowed her head as a courtesy and spoke in her ever sweet voice.

"Good girl. You are really beautiful. I didn't know Yan Luhan has such a beautiful sister. Girl, what are you doing currently? Have your studies already finished?" The woman appeared very interested in Yan Ruomin. Su Mengsi saw this and felt she did the right thing by bringing her here. 

"No, my studies aren't finished yet. I will go abroad some days later. My new semester will start soon…" Su Mengsi was quite surprised when she heard this because Yan Ruomin didn't tell her about it beforehand.

"Aaah! Good for you. My younger son is also the same age as you. He didn't come here. The next time, I will surely introduce you two. He is quite handsome and I'm sure you two will become good friends... " Yan Ruomin nodded at whatever she told afterwards. It is a trick to win the hearts of elders. Whatever they say, you like it or not, should always nod your head.

Then Su Mengsi and that woman started to chat among themselves, all about recent gossip and trending things. Yan Ruomin wanted to go away but couldn't, without any good reason.

Suddenly, her phone rang. She moved sideways and took out her phone from her blue clutch. When she saw an unknown number, she immediately guessed who it was.

"Excuse me." Yan Ruomin took her leave and hurriedly left the party venue. She walked out and went beside one of the artificial fountains. She glanced around the area if any people were near her or not. 

When she saw only some people were walking towards the party venue and no one was looking at her, she received the call.

"Hey, why did you take so long to call?"

"Miss, it takes a long time to track someone's position. Moreover, that person is abroad. I have got the information you wanted. But I will charge one million extra…" 

Yan Ruomin was overjoyed when she heard it. She covered her mouth with her left hand and whispered, "Okay, I will send the cash by someone later. Send the information now."

"I have put a lot of effort into this work. The number was protected by risky firewalls."

"I know! Stop talking." Yan Ruomin was impatient and whispered in irritation. 

"Okay." The other person directly cut the line. Then Yan Ruomin stared at the phone screen and was walking forward. 

Ding~

When she received the notification, she immediately opened the message and saw the address. When she saw the information she waited for so long, Yan Ruomin's face lit up and a corner of her lips went up in a smile. 

"Sister, what are doing here alone?" Yan Ruomin became still in her place when she heard the familiar voice. She removed the message box and turned around.

"Nothing. I was just feeling stuffy there." Yan Ruomin glanced at the extended hand towards her and took the juice cup from him.

"You shouldn't stay here alone. Ma is worried for you and sends me to find you." Yan Luhan stared at her face. When he saw the red blush at her cheeks, he became worried.

"Didn't I forbid you to drink wine or alcoholic things at a party like this? Have you forgotten what you have done back then?" Yan Luhan was displeased that she didn't listen to him. 

Yan Ruomin clutched the glass tighter and told him, "I haven't. Just that someone insisted me to drink and I couldn't have rejected that person…" Yan Ruomin turned around and fixed her eyes on the fountain. She was thinking about how she should approach Sheng Ruming when she would meet him there.