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

Ji Yanli threw the lipstick in the trash can. Her mood was worse than anyone in the room.

"Ah, why would you vent your anger on the papers? Just because he isn't picking your call?" Wang Haixiao asked as her temper felt disturbing. "Stop causing trouble or I will fail to finish my work in due time. Then… you will have to stay the night with me!"

When Wang Haixiao said that, all the other three people in the room turned towards him. They showed a huddle of complex emotions while Ji Yanli narrowed her eyes.

"What did you say?! I didn't understand!" 

Wang Haixiao opened his mouth and hurriedly explained, the man was caught off guard by his own slip of tongue, "I meant doing overtime here, in the company!"

"Oh, over time?" One of the guys asked.  The other man also added, whispering as he tried to mimic a feminine voice, "I will also do overtime if you two do…"

"Chen Shubin, you shut up!" Ji Yanli growled like a madman. She took the other lipstick of that brand that was laying on a corner like an abandoned trash and threw it towards the man, "Use it on your thick lips and then talk like a woman. It will suit you well!"

"Thanks~ I will gift it to my wife then~" Chen Shubin put the lipstick in his coat's pocket.

Ji Yanli turned towards the man and said wryly, "Hey, Chen, your monthly salary is 50k and you ate saying you will give your wife such a thing?!" She asked him and emphasised, "Moreover a sample?!"

"What's wrong with it? It's quite decent. I am sure she will like it. It also looked good on you." Chen Shubin turned off his monitor and stood up.

"Tsk! Tsk! Sister Chen is so pitiful~ I think I will message her about this…" Chen Shubin only smirked at her.

"Done~ Look, I have really messaged her." When she didn't get any response from him, she lost her interest. 

"After the real boss left, you three men turned lazy. You man, you are even gaining weight!"

"Yanli, don't say that! My male ego gets trampled whenever you attack my sour spot." Zhou Lei wiped his nonexist tears with a tissue and said, "My heart hurts! You cruel woman! Sniff~"

After saying, he sniffed hard. Wang Haixiao felt a shudder go through his spine when he saw them. 'I will have to stay overnight if I continue to listen to their blabber…'

Sound of paper tearing echoed in the whole room. Under the three people's eyes, he made two little balls and put them in his ears.

Ji Yanli waved her hands before her and said, "Oh, we are wasting time. You two are surely the perfect distractions of this room."

Ji Yanli turned her rotatable chair and directly announced, "I feel like another person will join us in this room, soon~"

"Who?"

"Who?!"

Both Chen Shubin and Zhou Lei asked at the same time. Ji Yanli said flatly, "The returnee…"

"Ah, Er Jiu? The one… Xiao Wang's ex?" Ji Yanli paused slightly and then nodded. She side glanced and saw Wang Haixiao was focused on his work and acted as if he wasn't hearing anything.

Chen Shubin leaned forward and whispered, "Why would you even let her in? Will it affect him?"

The lady rotated the chair and said, "It doesn't matter. Her qualifications are good and I think it should be the best of all if she joins us… here." Ji Yanli took out a paper and placed it on her desk. 'Pan Er Jiu…'She read the former and felt pity for her.

She turned at Wang Haixiao but the man was unmoved and expressionless. Ji Yanli exchanged glances with the other two men. They softly nodded. All of their thoughts were full of evil.

"Cough! I am thirsty! Let me order something." Ji Yanli began to type her phone and asked, "You three need anything?"

"Green tea with ice." Chen Shubin said.

"Okay."

"Coffee with extra cream." Zhou Lei answered.

"Okay. Coffee without sugar and cream."

"Yanli, you heard wrong?!" Zhou Lei asked, he was puzzled.

"Heh! I am trying to save you. In the upcoming health checkup, you will surely show you have diabetes. Don't argue, shoo~"

When she dialed a number and was ordering the things, Wang Haixiao spoke out, "I want plain black tea…"

Ji Yanli added it and then looked over, "You can hear yet was unresponsive… Your ex is joining us."

Wang Haixiao stopped working and said, "Ex? What is that?! Did I have any girlfriend in the first place to have an ex now?! Don't talk shit!" Wang Haixiao glared at her and groaned, "Don't just turn anyone my ex from thin air or else you will also be my ex..." 

"..."

… …

"Yawn~" Ji Yanli rubbed her eyes and turned to the big clock hanging on the wall. "Um, it's already 8 pm." She turned at the man who was busy running back and forth in the room.

"Zhou Lei, you are making my sight spin." She stood up and patted her cheeks.

Zhou Lei stopped and said, "I just felt uncomfortable around my legs recently if I remain seated for a long time." 

Ji Yanli frowned and murmured, "I was just joking today but…" She circled around the man and spoke out, "You should better join a gym. You are only a little bit fat… Sheng Ruming will kick you out if he sees a pig in your seat."

"... so cruel of you. Are you even a lady?!"

"Nope." Both of them halted when Chen Shubin stood up and sorted out his things. 

"You done?" Ji Yanli asked.

"Yes. I will be going now."

"Bye. Be careful on the way." Zhou Lei said and then he also hurriedly went to his seat.

"You are also leaving?" Ji Yanli slammed in her seat and propped her chin on her right hand.

"Yes. Today, I will go back to my parent's home. You two should also leave early." Zhou Lei turned at Ji Yanli and pointed out as he said, "I heard that woman ages quickly if they don't have enough rest."

Ji Yanli hurriedly cupped her face when she heard.

"Their hair will turn white if they skip sleep." 

This time, Ji Yanli grabbed her hair and freaked out. She asked in dismay, "You know? It is common knowledge now. At least we have hair like the other people who are bald."

Zhou Lei felt another stab in his hair because he felt like he was also losing hairs on a regular basis.

"Go now. Don't just stand there and act like you have lost your wife." 

T~T

After the two men left, Ji Yanli didn't feel like doing anything. She picked up her phone and called Sheng Ruming.

"He must be busy." Wang Haixiao's sound was heard clearly. The man finally closed the PC and turned to look at her. "Don't waste your time."

Ji Yanli looked down on her phone and saw her mother's number on the screen. She looked at the man who was rubbing his tensed temple. She laid her head on her hand and asked, "Wanna come?"

"No. I don't even want  to know where…" 

"Sigh~ Men these days!!!" Ji Yanli whispered, "I wanted to walk on the way back. I thought you would come if I say but now… forget it." 

The woman sprang up and started to walk towards the door. Then she turned around and said, "You will come?"

Wang Haixiao shook his head. "Tomorrow, I will go to another city. Don't have time to waste."

"Oh! I nearly forgot. Bye bye then." She closed the door. After a few minutes, she was seen exiting the company.

"Such a good day~ perfect for a stroll." She felt down and whispered, "It would have been best if someone were to give me company…"

Ji Yanli slowly walked on the roads.  Soon, she left the premise of the empty streets near the company and finally she saw a lot of people walking back and forth on the road.

"Ah, now I am not alone!" Ji Yanli hugged herself by her hands and slowly strolled on the road. 

Her pace was considerably slow unlike the hurried footsteps of other people. Some people even felt irritated when her steps were reduced to snail steps. 

After 10 minutes…

"Sniff! Such fresh air…" Ji Yanli took a large amount of fresh air. A very luxurious restaurant was in the vicinity and the owner of it kept the area clean and decorated. 

After walking ahead, Ji Yanli saw the building from outside of the open gates. Rows and rows of cars were lining in there. 

Ji Yanli turned her face away and began to walk at her ultra slow pace. 

"Walking alone like this~ 

In a night of peace~ 

Surely a noble feeling~

Ohoho~"

The woman was walking aimlessly in the street when her hand was grabbed by someone.