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

"Hey, Luhan, Sister Min! What are you two doing here?" Mu Jiang walked towards them slowly and stopped before them. Yan Luhan remained silent so Yan Ruomin answered him.

"Nothing. Just didn't like it there." 

Yan Ruomin softly told him.

"Ah? It's all about drinking, talking and making connections with other people." Mu Jiang stopped talking when he saw her hand. Yan Ruomin followed his line of sight and looked down.

"You are not a young girl. What are you drinking juice for?! Should I bring a good cocktail for you?" Mu Jiang didn't know anything happened that night when Yan Ruomin slapped Ji Yanli. Ruomin gave a wry smile and shook her head.

"She can't handle it. Don't give her anything of that sort and make her drunk. Only light drinks would do." Yan Luhan told him while he finished the glass in his hand. Yan Ruomin didn't say anything. It's not like she couldn't handle it, just that she didn't like to explain it to them. Both her mother and brother told her to drink yet earlier it was her who had given her a wine glass to drink from and to look graceful before others.

"I don't feel like drinking this anymore." She walked before the fountain and before their watchful eyes, she dropped the juice from her glass into the water.

  "I will have to go to the washroom if I keep drinking too much…" When she saw Yan Luhan's displeased face, she told them.

"Ah! You are wearing such a long dress. It will surely be troublesome." Yan Ruomin would have become embarrassed if she was talking about this with somebody else but the two men before her were related to her by blood so she told right away.

*** ***

Then two cars stopped before the party venue and three people walked down.

They were Sheng Haotin, Wei Airan and Ji Yanli. When Wei Airan knew Ji Yanli's parents couldn't come to the party because they were busy, Wei Airan told her to come with them. She didn't have any reason to reject and thus tagged along. 

Wei Airan had locked her right hand around Sheng Haotin's left hand as they were walking ahead. Ji Yanli was following them behind. The old couple was wearing matching royal blue clothes while she was wearing a gown of the combination of  golden,black,yellow colours.

When they reached the fountains,  Ji Yanli subconsciously looked over and caught the sight of the three familiar figures standing beside the other fountain.

Nonetheless, she turned ahead and went inside with the couple before. After they had entered, many people looked over at them. Su Mengsi was displeased inwardly when she saw Ji Yanli was following them.

In a few seconds many people approached them.  When Wei Airan swept her glance around the party hall, she caught sight of Su Mengsi but didn't see Chi Bainian. 

"You carry on. I will go to my group." Wei Airan softly told the man beside her. When he nodded, she turned around.

"Yanli, accompany aunt." 

"Yes." Ji Yanli knew Wei Airan didn't like hearing business-related things. So she  took her hand and both of them walked towards where Su Mengsi and Mrs. Lei were.

"Aunt Su, Madam Lei…" Ji Yanli wore a professional smile as she greeted them. Even though Mrs. Lei nodded, Su Mengsi looked at her with a cold gaze but she didn't mind. Her plan was to go away from them after a few minutes.

"Ah, Mrs. Sheng, I wanted to meet you for a long time yet I didn't get the chance before." Mrs. Lei sounded regretful. She wasn't very familiar with the Sheng family and thus it was difficult for her to get to see her. 

"Yes. My husband and I usually don't come to these kinds of parties anymore. It's more like my son handling them. If It's not him saying he has to come today because he is currently managing the company for a few months, I also joined. After all, I can't see another woman becoming his partner to accompany him here, can I?" At this, the other two women burst into laughter but they didn't make a loud noise. After all, many people were watching them.

Wei Airan glanced around and saw many familiar faces. It's been a long since she came to a party like this. When her gaze met familiar eyes, the other woman hesitated but both of them nodded at each other at the same time.

Her husband saw it and narrowed his eyes.

"You know Mrs Sheng?" Disbelief could be heard from his words. 

The woman slightly nodded and said, "We were friends from kindergarten till college life. After that, we got separated as I was…" The woman stopped talking and looked down at the floor. Her husband understood and when he glanced at Wei Airan's place, he noticed she was stealing glances from time to time. 'It would be good for me if she becomes acquainted with Mrs. Sheng again. At least, I can leech off some benefits then.'

"Well, it seems like she has recognized you. It would be rude if you don't go to greet her. You should go." As her husband urged her, she felt awkward. When the other woman saw Wei Airan smiled slightly when she turned at her, she hesitated a little and walked towards them.

Su Mengsi stopped talking and whispered, clearly displeased, "Tch! Why is that woman coming here? Is it even a place where she should show her face?" Sarcasm was overflowing as she talked. Ji Yanli was silently standing beside them. 

"Who?" Wei Airan asked and she glanced over and Ji Yanli did as well, she saw the woman coming who was wearing a dress of baby pink colour, not matching with her age and demeanor at all!

Earlier when she had seen the face, she assumed it to be familiar and thought she must be someone she had met before but as the lady turned away, she thought she had mistaken. 

As the woman coming nearer and nearer, many hidden-forgotten memories of Wei Airan flashed in her eyes. The woman before her was so beautiful and lovely back then yet now she was appearing very… lifeless and exhausted. It was difficult for other people to notice but she could see everything as she was very familiar with her, more than anyone in the past.

After the woman came, she meekly looked at Wei Airan and said, "Long time no see." 

But Wei Airan didn't reply and stared at her, in a daze. Su Mengsi sneered at her and harshly told, "Look here, yet another pest trying to mix in our group. At least know your place and approach the people who are like you." 

Wei Airan snapped out from her momentary daze and turned at Su Mengsi. When she glanced at Mrs. Lei, even the latter was showing absolute disgust. 

As Wei Airan looked at Ji Yanli, she didn't have any strong emotions like the other two ladies.

'I seemed to not know something.' Then Wei Airan returned her sight at the woman who was looking down and tightly clenched her fists.

"Mrs. Wu, don't remain standing here and embarrass yourself further. Many eyes are on us. Don't tarnish our reputation like yours." Mrs. Lei spat through gritted teeth and told her.

Ji Yanli frowned when she heard it. She didn't have any clue as to what was happening but judging by the reactions of these two women, this Mrs. Wu must be lacking in her character or something of that sort.

Her husband stared at them from afar. As both Su Mengsi and Mrs. Lei were talking in low voices, the other people didn't hear anything but they could guess what was wrong.

Her husband frowned when he saw the situation unfolding like this. 'This lowly woman lied to me?! Just wait after we go home today!' The man was inwardly seething in anger as he noticed several people were whispering.

"I am sorry." The woman told them and wanted to walk away but Wei Airan caught her hand even before she could move.

Mrs. Wu looked shocked when Wei Airan did that. As she gazed at the face before her, a young face overlapped with her she knew a long time ago… more than twenty years.

"Baishi?" Wei Airan slowly asked in doubt even though she knew. She couldn't help because the woman before her was familiar yet too unfamiliar.

"Xiao Ai, finally you have remembered me." The woman forced the urge to cry before so many people even though her eyes were red.

"You have changed a lot! I have nearly forgotten you. If you didn't come here, I wouldn't have known it is you…" She dragged her to stand beside her. Ji Yanli stepped aside to make space for her. 

Mrs. Lei became silent and felt helpless because she had also condemned the woman followed by Su Mengsi. Currently, Su Mengsi was glaring at Mrs. Wu, who was oblivious to the hatred she was inviting from many people. Su Mengsi saw the intimate way Wei Airan was gripping her hand. They were so happy as if long lost sisters had finally reunited after a long time.

Ji Yanli chucked when she witnessed this. 'Like mother, like daughter…'

'Let's see if you can still smile so brightly after you know the deeds of this woman, Tch! ' Su Mengsi was angry because never in their life had Wei Airan acted so intimate with her.

"Excuse me, my husband is calling me." Mrs. Lei made an excuse and went away. Wei Airan just nodded and didn't say anything.

"Xiao Bai, you should have come and met me directly when you came to Ming city…" Wei Airan talked and started to walk forward to the wine counter while Chen Baishi aka Mrs. Wu walked side by side.

"I didn't know that you are Mrs. Sheng. Also, how can a woman like me claim I'm friends with you? No one would have believed me…" As they reached the counter, Wei Airan told the bartender to make two cocktails. 

Ji Yanli thought her presence wasn't needed anymore. Thus she spoke, "Aunty, you two talk. I will join others." Afterwards she walked away and went straight outside.

"Now that you know, you should come yesterday. Save my number." Wei Airan returned her attention to Chen Baishi. The latter hurriedly took out her phone and saved the number. 

The other people also turned away and didn't give them any attention thereafter. They became busy with their own business.

Su Mengsi felt anger bubbling in her heart. In the past, Wei Airan would always stay with her or Chi Bainian. Now that she was watching the different attitude Wei Airan was giving to the woman, she felt displeased and started to search for her daughter but there was no sign of Yan Luhan, Yan Ruomin or Mu Jiang.

'I sent that brat to check on Minmin, now he even disappeared.'