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

"Where do you want to go?" Sheng Ruming asked as he turned his head towards the woman who was pacing out from time to time.

"Anywhere…" Luo Lixi subconsciously said without turning towards him. She was engrossed into trying to understand the whole thing that happened in the company.

"Okay. 'Anywhere' then." The man sped up and really he did as per told. He just went to random streets and sometimes, he would find a familiar place out there.

Luo Lixi looked out. Even though her sight was outside, her mind was elsewhere. 

The conversation of her grandfather and those elders were buzzing beside her ear. 'What will I do?! Life is getting messy.'

She turned at the man who was too preoccupied with driving. But as soon as she tried to divert her eyes from him, he turned at her.

"Hey, don't sneakily peek at me. Just say and I will let you see this handsome face as much as you want." Sheng Ruming smirked. He wanted to tease Luo Lixi to ease the tension.

Contrary to his expectation, Luo Lixi nodded her head and eagerly said, "I will really do it. I feel like your face needs some care… looking so dry, I am sure you don't care about it."

"Men don't need face. As long as he is good in his career, a normal face even turns into a billion if not million."

"Mmm." Luo Lixi nodded. Afterwards, she turned silent again. 

'What's wrong with her. She's looking so gloomy. Did that old man make her suffer in my absence?!'

"Ruming, look. It's that place." When Luo Lixi mentioned something, Sheng Ruming slowed down the car.

"What? Oh." Sheng Ruming glanced at a spot Luo Lixi pointed. "Didn't we use to spend time when we had time?"

Luo Lixi nodded. "Yeah. It's been a long since you came to this city. How about we go there… together." 

Sheng Ruming had been driving and they almost visited all the familiar and unfamiliar places they knew.

"Alright." Sheng Ruming parked the car at the roadside as this place didn't have any parking lot. 

After they got down from the car, they walked down the stairs leading to the low land. 

The river had a very weak water flow and looked as if it would die down but it wasn't the case. It would show its true form during night, a very ferocious form at that. 

"Be careful." Sheng Ruming grabbed her body when her legs twisted a little and her body wobbled.

"I am fine." She stopped daydreaming as she nearly made a scene before him.

"Stop wearing high heels. Don't you feel uncomfortable?" Sheng Ruming asked as he eyed her legs.

"I am used to it. Just that sometime, I would nearly lose balance but it's okay."

"If you say so." Even though Sheng Ruming said that the man held her hand tightly. Then they started to walk towards the river but…

"Ahhh!" 

As the soil beside the river was soft, her heels dug into it and she nearly dropped on her butts. 

"Told you…" Sheng Ruming shook his head in resignation. "Stay still or you will fall." He hugged her from the side and soon they walked onto the solid ground. 

Beside the riverbank, people had made a place to sit down. The water level never reached its height so it was safe.

"Sit down." Luo Lixi told the man but he didn't show any sign of it. 

"I have been driving the car for a long time so let me stay standing for a moment." Sheng Ruming strained his limbs and moved them slightly.

Luo Lixi moved her sight to the river and then her gaze followed it's flow and finally she saw the vague image of a bridge.

When her eyes fell on it, she saw a man was standing there. It seemed as if his gaze was fixed at them. 

Luo Lixi turned head to look at Sheng Ruming, she had the intention to say it to him but then when she turned her eyes on the bridge, the man was gone. 

'Must be some random people. I am thinking too much.' Luo Lixi thought but then Sheng Ruming's piercing eyes entered her vision.

He followed her eyes and looked into the direction she was watching but saw nobody. Then he continued to stare at her as if it was the most natural thing to do right then. 

"Is there something on my face?" Luo Lixi asked as she folded her arms. "If there is something, tell me. " 

"Yes." Sheng Ruming said.

"Ah, really?!" Luo Lixi raised her phone and checked her face on the camera but there wasn't anything wrong.

Sheng Ruming saw her frowning. 'Ah,she's making that face again…' The man couldn't bear to see any longer. Thus, he moved beside her and bent down, slowly approaching her face. 

Luo Lixi blinked as he brushed her face with his skillful fingers and said, "Don't frown. You look ugly."

"..."

"Here, now it's okay." Sheng Ruming picked  a tiny piece of dry grass from her hair. Luo Lixi rounded her eyes and hurriedly asked.

"Is my hairstyle okay? Am I unpresentable?!" Luo Lixi asked as she again raised her phone.

Sheng Ruming knew what she wanted to do. He gripped her hand. 

"You are looking gorgeous than ever. Afterall, I have seen you in such a formal get up for the first time." 

Luo Lixi felt giddy just from his honey coated words. When she smiled and wanted to tell him to sit beside her, the man did something unexpected. 

Sheng Ruming kissed her on the lips for a brief second and the next moment he took her hand and placed the strand of dried grass on her palm.

"Ah. Why are you giving this to me?!" Luo Lixi looked down on that pitiful thing and the corner of her lips twisted.

"Blow on it and make a wish."

"How can I make a wish with it?" She poked the little thing with her left forefinger and chuckled.

"Just wish a random thing. Then throw it away. I just heard somewhere that if any leaf sticks or drops on people's hair, some connection of karma will happen between them."

Luo Lixi suspiciously asked, "And where have you heard this?"

Sheng Ruming tried to remember. Then abruptly said, "Haixiao."

Luo Lixi's expression suddenly brightened up as if she discovered something. 'He fooled you.' But this line didn't escape her throat.

Under his gaze, she closed her eyes and murmured something inaudible. Then, she gently blew on it and the thing flew away. 

"What did you wish for?" At Sheng Ruming's question, Luo Lixi pursed her lips. 'Suddenly, I feel like I don't want to answer him.'  ,

"Wish… I want money." She had to tell as Sheng Ruming was looking at her with his judgemental eyes. Thus she made this excuse.

"Money…" The man felt like he heard a joke. "Do you lack money?!" But then he stopped talking and took out his money bag.

"Here. I am the one who turned your wish true." The man stuffed the money bag into her palms. 

"..." 

'He likes giving people money randomly, doesn't he?!'

Luo Lixi felt funny. "Thanks Mr Sheng for this!" She acted as if she was excited and opened the bag but there wasn't any money.

"Hey… there are only cards and some paper pieces." She glanced at him in puzzlement. "Where is money? You ate them all?!"

Sheng Ruming's body dropped beside her and her cheeks were pinched red by his evil hands.

"Ooo! Ruming!" 

Sheng Ruming laughed aloud when he distorted her mouth into a fish mouth. Luo Lixi was angry when she was played by him but she only expressed it by glaring at the man.

"You girl, when did I have to put cash in my money bag?! There are some cards. You can use them." Then his fingers moved and this time Luo Lixi's lips turned into duck lips.

"I don't want to. I clearly know you will ask something in return! Heh!" 

"Very clever…" Sheng Ruming retracted his hands as he saw her pouting face. "I had the intention to tell you to… kiss me. Sigh! It's only my wishful thinking."

Luo Lixi raised one corner of her lips and watched him in contempt. 'This man.'

Suddenly, Sheng Ruming's face was grabbed by a force. His face was turned and twisted like he did to Luo Lixi and in the end the girl only gave her a kiss that only lasted five seconds.

"Done!" Luo Lixi clapped her hands in enthusiasm. Then, she turned to look at the sun which was giving them warm sunshine.

Both of them were seated side by side on that place and a river was flowing a little distant from them. 

Luo Lixi then folded her legs and stared at the bridge. Now, many people were crossing to go from one city to another.