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

Zhao Yichen tried to shake away the ridiculousness he was feeling. He moved away from the place and stood far away so that they wouldn't come in his vision.

"My grandfather, why did he put me in such an awkward situation?!" The man massaged his throbbing temple. 

… …

"We should go now or it will be late… " Luo Lixi checked her phone and it was past three pm. Thus she turned her face towards him and asked, "Shall we?"

"Hmm." The man answered. Thus both of them stood up and turned around, only to those men looking towards them.

"Uh!" Luo Lixi knew she shouldn't become surprised by this sight but her chest felt stuffy.

"What's wrong?" Sheng Ruming asked her when he noticed her unusual behaviour. Luo Lixi hurriedly calmed down and shook her head, "Nothing. Let's go…" 

She walked ahead while clutching his hand but soon she was pulled back. Thus she turned around and saw a hesitant 'Ruming'.

"Lixi, I haven't told you but I won't go back to the mansion." As he saw her frowning face, he replied, "I will come back tonight." 

"Oh, I thought you would say…" Luo Lixi stopped midway. 'I thought he wouldn't go there. Luckily!'

"I know what you'll say. It's getting late.  Let's go." Sheng Ruming grabbed her hand and started to walk ahead.

"You always say you know what I will say. Now tell me what I intended to tell you earlier today?" Luo Lixi waited for the answer to come.

"That old man is trying to pair you with others?"

"... how do you know?" Luo Lixi was stunned when he guessed correctly and  murmured softly.

"You are still naive. If I can't even guess such a simple thing then I don't even need the courage to stand beside you…" Luo Lixi blinked her eyes when she heard. 

'It's true, I guess?!' She thought but it was hard to believe.

"Here you go." Sheng Ruming saw as she entered a car. He waited until she was ready, "Bye~"

"Bye…" Luo Lixi waved her hand. Soon, the men went away with Luo Lixi. Sheng Ruming hardened his face when he saw the car leave his vision.

Xiao Huang already left the car and came to stand behind him. "Boss, is everything okay?" The man couldn't help but ask when he saw the man's dark expression.

"He came earlier." Sheng Ruming said as he turned his head towards the bridge.

"He? Luo Lixiang?!" Xiao Huang hurriedly went ahead to the riverbank and tried to catch a glimpse of the man but only unknown people entered his sight.

"How are you all working? Didn't you say you can't find him?! Now he is coming towards us…" Sheng Ruming hardened his face as a deep, magnetic voice drifted in the air.

"We will go to check." Xiao Huang turned around and signaled two men to follow him. Sheng Ruming saw as they went to check.

"It's useless now. Will he even stay there to be caught by someone?!" Sheng Ruming moved his body and entered his car. He turned the car around and started to drive in the opposite direction.

… …

"Finally thought of coming back?" Luo Qintian asked. The man was displeased because Luo Lixi came after so long.

"Grandfather." Luo Lixi looked at the old man's questioning gaze. When the memory of the morning came to mind, she didn't feel good. "I have something to do." She told him and rushed to the stairs to go to her room.

"Hmm." Luo Qintian saw her fleeing figure and asked, "She was with that man, wasn't she?"

Zhao Yichen nodded his head. Luo Qintian shook his head as if he was disappointed. Then he turned his head and told Zhao Yichen, "Your grandfather has told you to go to his place tonight. You should go."

"Yes." The man nodded. He turned around and left the room. 

Aunt Zhu was sitting on a sofa and was knitting a muffler with her two old experienced hands. She put down the things in a basket and removed her glasses, "Old master, why are you sulking? The girl has grown up. Give her some space."

Luo Qintian gripped his hold around his cane and snorted, "If I do, she will end up with that brat! Unruly and immoral! Do you want me to throw her away as well?!"

Aunt Zhu smiled slightly as she asked, "Will your heart even do this?" Luo Wintian remained silent. Even if he said that he could just to satisfy his ego, he knew he would rather die than to abandon hid granddaughter. 

After Aunt Zhu saw the conflicted expression of the old man, she turned around and went to the second floor as well.

"Miss, can I enter?" Aunt Zhu knocked on the door of Luo Lixi's room. 

"Come in." Luo Lixi's soft voice came through the wooden door. When Aunt Zhu entered the room, she saw Luo Lixi was in front of her desk. 

She was wearing a casual dress and was staring at something on the screen of her laptop. 

Aunt Zhu walked in and stepped towards her. She gently asked, "Have you eaten yet?"

Luo Lixi shook her head slowly. 

"Should I bring your lunch here?"

Luo Lixi touched the mouse and opened a new window in the laptop. She said without turning to the woman, "I am very busy. Can't eat anything. Don't disturb me until I call you."

"...Alright." Aunt Zhu didn't say anything else and walked out from the room. While exiting, she closed the door. 

When Luo Qintian saw her coming down, he shoot her a questioning glance. In return she shook her head. 

"She's busy going through some paperwork and forbade anyone to disturb." She sat on the sofa beside him and picked her unfinished work.

"Hmm. She should put her full concentration in the company now. That Sheng brat is too much of a distraction for her. Don't let him go near her room…" Luo Qintian glanced below and thought, 'Today, he better not come back. Or else…'

"Humph!" The man made a loud noise with his cane on the floor and stood up. Then under Aunt Zhu's eyes, he left the mansion. 

The old woman shook her head in resignation and murmured, "The more you try to control something, the more it will struggle." 

In the quiet first floor, except the woman, who was busy knitting a muffler,  there wasn't a second soul in sight. "This place is so deserted. I shall hire more people in a few days." She muttered and continued.

… …

"Haixiao, look." Ji Yanli told the man to turn towards her.

"What?" He answered urgently.

"How is my lipstick? I bought it from a supershop and it's the latest trend that my favourite idol is using in recent times." She turned her lips into duck lips and rubbed her both lips against each other.

Wang Haixiao was speechless. He was busy because his deadline was nearing to present a file yet was disturbed by this woman.

"It's very ugly. Just looks as if you have eaten chillies earlier and it has left its colour behind!" The man answered in spite.

But Ji Yanli didn't become displeased. She smiled in satisfaction and said, "You are correct. It's the sexy fiery colour of red chilli… the current trending colour."

"..."

"It really suits me well. No it's perfect!" Ji Yanli saw her face in her mirror and nodded in approval. "I think I should make it more red…" As she thought she grabbed her hand bag and took out the lipstick on her lips. 

Wang Haixiao turned around and saw the other two men were busy in their own work. Then he lowered his head to continue working when…

"Haixiao, look. I think it's okay. Do I look beautiful?" Ji Yanli stretched her lips too much until her capacity.

Wang Haixiao was taken aback for a moment. He raised his head and he felt like he wanted to hide from this creature called lady.

Ji Yanli smirked. She made her face normal and asked, "Have you gone mute after working so long? Why aren't you saying anything?"

The man stared blankly and said, "Very beautiful. It looks good with your current dress up." But inwardly Wang Haixiao was screaming, 'Too lethal, too toxic! How can she put such a disgusting thing on her lips?! Also, don't disturb me.'

Ji Yanli nodded her head and laughed, "I knew it. A dumb like you will also like a thing a dumb idol uses." Then she took out a tissue and wiped her lips, "As expected, I will have to reject the proposal of this company."

"Just for this reason?! Do you hate the idol so much?" Wang Haixiao asked in puzzlement.

"Nah!" Ji Yanli leaned back in her leather seat and replied slowly,  "Our company will always sponsor the best thing. Just like it's lipstick brand and flashy colour, it just flashes in the market for a few days and then it sells drops."