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

Because Luo Lixi wanted to, Madam Tang brought her to the outer garden. There, a tent was set up and a blanket was laid on the green grass. 

Many toys were given to Luo Lixi but she shook her head at that, she was not interested in dolls and soft toys. Even though she had the body of a child, she still had the mind of an adult. 

"Grandma, give me a book~" Luo Lixi said as she sat on the blanket and stared at her favourite peach tree. That thing was currently bald. 'When will the flower bloom?' 

Absent-mindedly, Luo Lixi thought. Xiao Chi went away and then brought fairytale books which were very popular among little kids. Luo Lixi fell silent when she saw this. 

"What? You don't like this?" Madam Tang asked with a smile and then took the book from the ground. 

Luo Lixi sighed. Nonetheless, she grinned cutely and turned at her grandmother, "Grandma, will you read it for me?"

"Of course~" Madam Tang grinned from ear to ear as she opened the colourful book. The old lady was very excited when she thought of telling stories to her dear grand daughter. "Once upon a time…"

Madam Tang started her storytelling. At first, Luo Lixi began to hear with enthusiasm but as time went by, she couldn't bear to put on the face of excitement. 

'Argh! I have heard it all… It's so boring...' Luo Lixi thought with a sigh. But she was hesitant to ask Madam Tang to stop. 

Xiao Chi noticed it as she was keeping a lookout on them. When she saw her rubbing her eye, she went away again. 

"...That's how the woodcutter got the gold, silver and his wooden axes." Madam Tang narrated and lifted her face from the page to look at her. 

Luo Lixi sobered up completely and asked innocently, "Grandma~ What are gold and silver?"

Madam Tang thought it was the first time for Luo Lixi to hear these metals' names. So she pondered and then murmured, "Shiny, glittery…"

"Oh… What is shiny and glittery?" Luo Lixi asked innocently. 

"Erm… " Madam Tang was helpless as she didn't find words to explain. Right that moment, Xiao Chi came back. But this time, another figure was with her. 

Luo Lixi waved at them excitedly and cried out happily, "Yichen, come here!"

When Zhao Yichen saw her, a vague smile broke out on the little boy's face. With his little steps, he walked up to Luo Lixi and stood outside of the blanket. 

"Hello, grandma ~" Zhao Yichen greeted Madam Tang and then turned to Luo Lixi, "Hello…uh... friend~" 

Zhao Yichen was upset because he couldn't remember her name. Luo Lixi cupped her face at the cute expression he made. 

'Such a cutie~ He looks super adorable in this little version!' Luo Lixi squealed in her mind as she seized Zhao Yichen up and down. 

Then, she also stood up and greeted him with a sweet face, "Hello, Yichen. My name is Luo Lixi. You can call me Xixi~"

"Xixi… Okay, Xixi." Zhao Yichen murmured to himself as if he wanted to engrave this name in his brain. Luo Lixi pulled him to her and said, "Take off your shoes. Grandma is telling stories!"

"Oh?" Zhao Yichen asked as he turned to look at the book in Madam Tang's hand. The latter giggled at his sight and Madam Tang spoke out. 

"Yichen has already listened to these. I think he won't want to hear again."

"It's fine, grandma." Zhao Yichen lifted his face and whispered with his subtle smiling face. 

Madam Tang rubbed his head and then turned to Luo Lixi. "Shall we continue?"

Luo Lixi nodded without any hesitation even though she was reluctant to hear those children's stories.

As if God had heard her voice, Xiao Chi came at that time and whispered something beside Madam Tang's ear. The latter stood up worriedly and murmured, "Why did he forget such an important thing in the study? How will I know where he put it last night?"

"Madam, you should at least go and check once." Xiao Chi replied. 

Accordingly, Madam Tang turned towards Luo Lixi and Zhao Yichen. "Kids, I have to go away for a few minutes. You two wait for me here." 

The two little heads nodded obediently and Madam Tang left with hurried steps. Another maid came and began to guard them because Xiao Chi had left with Madam Tang. 

Luo Lixi couldn't find anything to do. The life of a child is really unproductive. 'Nobody let me do any work. If I run, they ask me to stop as if I am already falling, sigh!' She understood this bitter reality. No, she had to bear with it.

Not that she hated that kind of life as everyone dreams of returning to childhood which is impossible. But now that she got the chance, she realised, 'It's not as good as I thought… Not a life I would desire… Not to say… No WiFi or phone!!!'

Luo Lixi sighed like an old lady and laid down on the blanket. The weather was warm and humid. The sun was shining softly. Under the sun, she felt relaxed and bored. 

Zhao Yichen also imitated her and laid down beside her. Just like her, he put one arm under his head and folded his legs. 

After they stayed motionless and peaceful for a long time, Zhao Yichen finally broke the silence, "Xixi… Do you want to… eat candy?" 

"No~" Luo Lixi felt a tug at her heart when food was mentioned. 'When I become an adult, the first thing I would do is to go to a gym and work hard until I turn into a skeleton!'

Unknowingly, an evil smirk broke out on her little cute face. The maid felt her heart getting frightened for no reason, 'How can a child smile like this?! So scary!'

Luo Lixi didn't know her straight refusal made Zhao Yichen depressed. He patted on the pocket where his treasured little candies were and then whispered, "Then… then… Do you want to play?"

Luo Lixi turned around curiously and asked, "Cricket football basketball…?" Luo Lixi implored about a bunch of game's names. The thing totally left her head that they were little kids. 

Zhao Yichen felt like crying when he heard more than twenty unknown game's names. He hid his face and stuttered, "I…I don't know… how to play these… Sorry~"

Luo Lixi sighed again. She turned around and saw the back of Zhao Yichen. Suddenly, she sat up and turned to the maid. 

"Sister, can you bring other books?"

The maid nodded and then responded, "Little Miss, I'll be back in a moment. You two don't move from here, okay?"

Luo Lixi nodded obediently. When the maid left, she stood up and then went towards the big peach tree. When she touched the fat trunk of her favourite plant, she felt oddly friendly. 

"What are you doing, Xixi?" Zhao Yichen also stood up and went towards her. Luo Lixi grabbed his hand and then she placed it on the trunk as well. 

Zhao Yichen didn't make any sound as he stood quietly beside her and the latter was busy rubbing her dear tree. When an ant fell on Luo Lixi's upper arm, Zhao Yichen's eyes dilated in panic.

He hurriedly clasped the red ant and tried to throw it away. But the big fat ant had already pushed its fangs into his flesh and refused to let go. 

"Ah!" He cried out when he felt pain on his tiny finger. Luo Lixi looked around, only to see that stubborn red ant biting the bright pinkish skin of Zhao Yichen. 

"…" With silence, she plucked the thing out of his finger and flung it off. Even though it successfully bit her in the meantime, she was unconcerned. 

That pain was less than the suffering she endured under the fatal drug. Not to say, the number of injections... 

Afterwards, she grabbed Zhao Yichen's finger and blow warm air on it, "Fuuu~ Fuuu~ It will be fine in a moment. The bite isn't severe… Fuuu~"

Zhao Yichen nodded as he peeked at the finger where Luo Lixi had blown air. He smiled slightly and leaned to Luo Lixi, "Thank you."

"Oh, don't mention it. I should always help you. The kind of character you have… it's very rare to find…" She walked ahead and directly hugged Zhao Yichen. 

The boy stiffened when Luo Lixi hugged him tightly. Then, his face turned pink. 'Yichen, even if you don't know any of the matters that happened at that time, I will always remember your sacrifice for me. You are my sworn brother from now on!'

Luo Lixi made a huge decision. She hugged him tightly and whispered, "Yichen, from today, we are brother and sister. You'll be my sworn brother from now on. Are you willing?"

"Sister?" Even though Zhao Yichen didn't understand what sworn meant, he knew what sister was. He nodded his head with a huge smile and asked, "Then, I am your brother?"