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

Rather than going to the company first, Luo Lixi went to the Luo Mansion. Her mood was very heavy as she thought about how to explain things before her grandfather. 

'Grandfather, he didn't even call me once…' Luo Lixi thought sadly. Soon, she entered the Luo Mansion. When she stepped down, however, like all times, Aunt Zhu didn't come to greet her. 

She felt odd. Because whenever she would return from work, this old lady would be first to come out and greet her and then they would enter the mansion together.

Except for the guards keeping a lookout around the mansion, the whole place seemed deserted. Not even a servant was seen working on the flower plants. 

After she entered the mansion, no people came to greet her, neither did she see anyone. Luo Lixi put down her belongings on the sofa and then went inside the mansion. 

"Grandma, grandma… " But nobody answered her. 'Are they on the second floor?' While thinking, she stepped on the stairs and directly went above. 

Afterwards, she went to her room and changed into a casual and comfortable green dress and her hair was bound into a single ponytail. 

In a few moments, she arrived before Luo Qintian's room and knocked on it gently, "Grandfather, can I come in?"

No sound. Luo Lixi knocked a few more times but nobody answered. She frowned while glancing around. 

The Luo Mansion didn't even have many servants in the first place because it didn't need much effort to serve the two people. 

After Luo Lixi called around for some time and then checked the places where Luo Qintian possibly went, she didn't find anyone.

Then Luo Lixi went to the first floor and then ran to the area where Aunt Zhu and other female servants usually lived. 

"Anyone here?" After she called out, the innermost room's door opened with a thud. A maid walked out hastily. 

When she saw Luo Lixi, she said in a panic, "Ah, Miss, sorry! I didn't know you would return at this time…"

From the look of the maid, it was clear that she was taking a nap. Getting caught when she should work, the maid was greatly ashamed. 

However, Luo Lixi didn't have so much time to think about those details. She walked ahead and stopped before the maid, "Where is grandma Zhu? I didn't find my grandfather either."

Hearing her, the maid's eyes changed into bewilderment and confusion. She looked straight into Luo Lixi's confused face and murmured with doubt, "Sister Zhu didn't tell you about the Old master's condition?! How can it be..."

Luo Lixi's eyes narrowed dangerously. She clenched her fingers and asked with suppressed fear, "What… happened to grandfather?"

"Last night, Mild heart attack…" 

As soon as Luo Lixi heard it, her mind got blocked. No more words entered her mind and she felt like the world was shaking. 

The maid panicked as she caught the nearly fallen Luo Lixi and asked worriedly, "Miss, miss! Are you okay?!..."

But Luo Lixi didn't have any thoughts about her own good. As long as she heard the words of the other person, she covered her face and began to cry silently. 

Her thoughts were very messy and she couldn't control her emotions after hearing the news. 'My grandfather is going through such a hard time yet I was busy with my work and love life, OH GOD!'

Just thinking about it made her pain increase threefold. After getting consoled by the old maid, she removed her hands and looked up, "He, in which hospital he was sent to?"

The maid shook her head in helplessness, "Well, I don't know. Sister Zhu and the other servant accompanied the master when he was being brought out of the Mansion. I was left alone…"

Luo Lixi didn't ask any further as she stood up. Hastily, she left the hall and took her purse on the way outside of the mansion. Then, she went to the lane where two cars were parked. 

When the guards saw her entering a car, one of them walked ahead with hurried steps, "Miss, are you going to the company? Shall I drive?"

Luo Lixi shook her head and then asked, "Do you know in which hospital grandfather was sent?"

The guard also shook his head in resignation. Then he replied, "Bi Tang knows. He left with Old master Luo."

Thus, without saying anything, Luo Lixi entered the car and left the mansion. While driving, she called Aunt Zhu but it didn't get through. When she called Luo Qintian, the results were the same. 

Only when she called Bi Tang, did her call was answered. "Bi Tang, send me the hospital address!"

"Okay." Bi Tang glanced at the door of the hospital room and obediently sent the address. While he was at it, he went down the building to receive Luo Lixi. 

In ten minutes, he returned with the panicked Luo Lixi, searching for the old man with her teary eyes. Her eyes were red and her face seemed sick because of the palish colour her face got after the sudden news. 

When she stopped before the hospital door, her mind again lost the reason to think straight. From the side, Bi Tang whispered, "Miss Luo, won't you go in?"

Luo Lixi didn't enter immediately. She turned towards the man and asked with much difficulty, "...Grandfather… he, i-is he a-alright? How a-about… his condition?"

Her stuttering voice didn't fail to hide how nervous and scared she was for her grandfather.

Her first thought was to know about the old man's condition. In her panic state, she even forgot that she was sick and needed some rest. Getting stressed wouldn't help much in such a situation, she forgot this thing totally. 

However, Bi Tang was silent as he observed her worriedly. Both of them continued to stare at each other but no one spoke. In the end, she understood that her question could only be answered inside.

After she took a deep breath, Luo Lixi pushed the door of the ICU. As soon as she entered, Aunt Zhu, who was sitting on a stool beside Luo Qintian's bed, looked up. 

However, the old woman didn't show any emotion and turned her attention in front of her, on the man who was sleeping soundly on the hospital bed.

Luo Lixi's sight fell on the man lying unconsciously on the bed. Just watching the haggard expression on that old face made her heart squeeze in pain. 

Aunt Zhu didn't say anything to her either and just continued to stare ahead, watching the man on the bed painfully. 

Luo Lixi slowly walked beside her and stood still, she couldn't bear saying anything now that the tension between them and inside the room was serious and sentimental.

 Then, her eyes fell on the man with many things attached to the body, the wires and oxygen mask with IV drips all hung over the old man's body crushed her heart.

Suddenly, as if a dam was broken, two strings of tears fell from her eyes. She tried to stop the sniff from coming out but the vague noise of her trembling could be detected easily. 

Aunt Zhu sighed as she took Luo Lixi's left hand and grabbed it tightly. She only uttered two words, "Don't cry."

Luo Lixi stopped crying, wiping a drop of tear that rolled down her cheek she asked in a whisper, "Why didn't you tell me?"

Aunt Zhu replied slowly, "Old master, he told me, not to disturb you. After all, you were in another city because of work."

When Luo Lixi heard it, she felt as if a fierce knife pierced into her heart. She pressed her lips tightly in a thin line and then went beside Luo Qintian. 

Her tears didn't stop falling as she leaned down and stared at the old wrinkled face of Luo Qintian. 

She whispered while trying very hard to contain her tears, "Grandfather, in front of you, Luo Corporation and business don't mean anything to me…"

She picked up his somewhat warm palm and then continued, "... rather if those so-called things block me from caring about you, I would rather not have them."

Aunt Zhu shot a glance at Luo Lixi. She smiled slightly but got unnoticed by the petite girl busy caressing the old man's hand. She stood up and then said, "You stay here. I will be back in a while."

Luo Lixi nodded without turning back. When Aunt Zhu nearly stepped out of the room, Luo Lixi suddenly remembered that she didn't get to know his condition. 

Thus, she hastily removed her tears from her cheeks and then asked somewhat loudly, "Grandma, what is his condition? Is everything fine and stable?"

When Aunt Zhu heard the questions, she turned around and glanced at Luo Lixi's pale face. Her heart trembled slightly as she told her the next words, "... His health wasn't good from the start. This mild heart attack isn't something good either…"