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

Her trembling eyes saw as he hid threats behind his loving smile. Even though she knew he was just trying to scare her, she played along as if she was scared stiff. 

Luo Lixi gulped down her saliva and cut the call. Then she hid herself under the blanket and rolled around the bed and squealed as if her mind had become senseless.

"He… owf!" Her head dropped on the pillow while she was wrapped in the blanket, looking like a huge dumpling.

Sheng Ruming stared at the screen. His threatening eyes trembled in laughter as he remembered her frightened expression. The man felt more at ease after he had talked with her.

*** ***

Afterwards, many days passed by. Sheng Ruming didn't press his parents about his marriage anymore.

It's as if Sheng Haotin couldn't bear to talk with him anymore and any interaction between the two people became less, to the point where Wei Airan felt it was comical.

But even then she couldn't smile. 

When Sheng Ruming returned from work, even if they saw each other, no one would say a word to each other. She understood that if he wanted he could have left and lived in his other villa but the man didn't.

She clearly knew that Sheng Ruming was very disturbed and disappointed by his father but looking at her husband who didn't have any intention to say anything regarding this matter, she felt very lost.

On one noon, when the two of them were alone, Wei Airan grabbed Sheng Haotin sleeve and tugged at it, "What's wrong between you two men? Why don't you agree?" 

The man was reading an interesting article in paper when he was disturbed. Hearing her Sheng Haotin could only stay silent.

"Ah Hao, I don't know what's wrong between you two but you are the elder. You should be more considered towards let… " Saying this, she clutched his arm and muttered softly, "Just agree. We will go and return with a new member of our family."

Day by day, Wei Airan's pestering was becoming more intense. At first he thought as long as he didn't give his consent or refuse to show any reaction, Sheng Ruming wouldn't have any means to go against him but had forgotten that  there was his wife, who was more than enough to break his mental fortitude.

Right then Sheng Ruming was busy in a meeting. When his phone rang out, his face darkened because the ringtone was different from the normal one he used for others.

He raised his hand and motioned others from talking.

"Father."

When the others realised it was Sheng Haotin who had called, they became silent and an eerie quietness descended on the room. 

"Come home now. Let's sort out the matter." Sheng Haotin was trying to keep a straight face but the woman who was glaring at him was making him awkward beyond words.

Sheng Ruming's face immediately brightened up. Watching this, people were taken aback but then his face regained the stoic expression he always used to put. 

The man couldn't help but nod inwardly when he remembered the words his mother had told him in the morning.

[Don't worry son. Even though I don't know why you two adults are hiding something from me, I will force him to give you at least a response today.]

"I will be there in an hour." Sheng Ruming cut the call.

This meeting was destined to not go on anymore. 

Sheng Ruming closed his laptop and he glanced at the chief department manager who was about to get up to give him a detailed report.

"That's all for today. The meeting is adjourned. You all should go back and resume your work." Sheng Ruming got up, beside him both Ji Yanli and Wang Haixiao stood up as well.

Adjourned?

Department head Li hurriedly went over to greet him. "CEO Sheng, there are still five  managers who have yet to give a report…" 

Sheng Ruming paused for a moment when he remembered this meeting was very important for all the people present in the room.

"I'm going out for a bit. You can continue."Then he turned towards Ji Yanli and instructed the latter, "Record the meeting and send to my email later. I will check it then."

Picking up his laptop, Sheng Ruming, in front of his many important personnel, left the meeting room without saying another word. 

Some of the men were clearly displeased but when they thought it could be a very important matter for which the elder had to call him personally, they forced down their dissatisfaction. 

In all the years he had taken over the Sheng Industry and Corporation, the man had never once delayed a meeting due to personal matters. So they could only think it was a matter of grave importance.

They looked at each other. The managers in the meeting room all had ugly expressions on their faces. Some of them even stayed awake all night long and rushed to finish their report in the least time possible.

"Secretary Ji? CEO, what's going on?"

Although Ji Yanli could guess the matter to some extent, she pretended to be calm and clueless. "It might be just that he has some important matters to attend to, so don't let your imagination run wild."

The woman's slender hand patted the man back. Then she comforted everyone, "Let's start the meeting without him. Ah Zhou, please arrange everything to record the meeting."

Spon,  the meeting started without the key personnel. Ji Yanli told them to avoid the very crucial matter and asked them to explain to Sheng Ruming directly.

Before the recorder,  every man and woman were in attention and didn't dare to be sloppy. Only Ji Yanli was the odd one. She twirled a pen in her hand and went into a trance.

Her lips had a bitter smile when she remembered the gloomy face of her parents.

'You people were the ones who went ahead and agreed to uncle Sheng's proposal. Now that he called off the possibility, how could you blame me?!' 

Luckily, her face was facing the opposite direction of the video recorder or else her face which had many black clouds loitering above, would have scared many men.