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

"Yes." Luo Lixi nodded. She clasped his little hands tightly and said, "Now that I have taken you as my brother, I should give you an extraordinary gift. Do you want it?"

Zhao Yichen bobbed his head up and down nonstop with excitement. Luo Lixi smiled and then grabbed his hand as they went back inside the mansion from another direction. 

With her little steps, she sneaked into her father's room. Without wasting any time, she searched for the materials Luo Baiyun used to practice calligraphy. 

"Finally…" After five minutes, Luo Lixi found them being put in the wardrobe of the desk. Afterwards, she went up to the desk and helped Zhao Yichen climb up.

With excited eyes, she unfolded a white sheet and then tore it into four pieces. Then, she picked the page which was the same as the average size of a normal diary and began to draw on it with Luo Baiyun's treasured antic pen. 

"I thought it wouldn't have ink… Luckily it has…" Luo Lixi rejoiced and then started to make something on the white surface. Her whole body leaned down in the process.

From the side, Zhao Yichen watched the page in silence. With tremendous attention, he observed whatever she was making. Also, he was very nervous and anxious. 

'My first gift…' He was looking forward to it with a lot of anticipation while Luo Lixi was calm, concentrating on her work. 

Both children didn't know what chaos they had caused by sneaking into the room without telling anyone. 

The maid who went away to bring another book to Luo Lixi was shaking in front of Housekeeper Wu and tried to explain in panic. "I just went away to pick up other books and they vanished! Please forgive me!"

"Don't beg here!" The housekeeper Wu sternly shouted and then turned to the other servants, "Don't stand here! Go find them! Also, tell the guards to keep watch around the mansion. They must not leave the boundary of the mansion or the outcomes will be unimaginable!"

"Yes!" The servants shouted and then spread around to search for the two kids. The place was the main ancestral home of the Luo family and thus it was too huge to cover in a short time. 

When Madam Tang came out from the study of Luo Qintian, she was greeted with this scene. Instantly, her mood fell. 

Housekeeper Wu went in front of her and assured her, "Don't worry, Madam. They are little kids and must have gone to a random place to play."

Madam Tang cackled as she shook her head, "Wu, I am not worried for them."

"Then…" Housekeeper Wu was confused. 

"The important thing Husband wanted… I didn't find it. Please help me tell him." Madam Tang murmured with a wry smile as she told him. The man nodded and then went to notify the company. 

…

"What do you think of it? Isn't my drawing very vivid~" Luo Lixi asked excitedly as she put down the antic pen aside and picked up the paper. Then, she turned to Zhao Yichen and gave the paper to him.

"Xixi, you are very talented~" Zhao Yichen's eyes shone brightly when he saw the figure on the paper. "The features of the handsome man match with me… Isn't it?"

Zhao Yichen voiced his suspicions with embarrassment. Luo Lixi didn't reply. She didn't want to say the truth or some trouble might come to her door. 

'It's you, Yichen. The adult version of you.' Luo Lixi thought as her eyes darted to Zhao Yichen. The latter was busy admiring the sketch. 

"Yichen, this is the first painting I've drawn after coming here and the first gift I gave you. I hope… you'll grow up without any problems… my brother." Luo Lixi whispered hopefully. She wished that this time, Zhao Yichen could live well and wouldn't get involved in her mess. 

"Xixi…" Zhao Yichen turned his sight on Luo Lixi and asked in amazement, "You talk like an adult. Just like my grandfather!"

"…" Luo Lixi was stumped and rubbed her head as she asked, "Do I really sound like him?"

Zhao Yichen nodded his head. He felt a secure feeling whenever he would see people with the same mindset as his grandfather. Thus, in his heart, Luo Lixi got upgraded into an admirable being he should always stick around. 

"Hehe~" Luo Lixi's lips twisted. She shrugged her shoulders and replied indifferently, "Even if I talk like your grandfather, always remember, I am a young and cute girl. Understand?!"

Zhao Yichen bobbed his head optimistically. Luo Lixi was pleased by his obedient behaviour and patted his shoulder, "Yichen, I believe in you. One day, you will surely become a great figure."

"I will." Zhao Yichen's chest swelled up in pride and confidence. 

"Good. Now, keep this drawing carefully and don't let others see it. Also, if others ask you who gave it to you, then say just an unknown big sister."

Zhao Yichen didn't know much complexity but he obediently nodded. For his little mind, simple was enough. Luo Lixi rolled the drawing and then put it into the wooden box where the antic pen was placed before. Therefore, she handed it to Zhao Yichen.

"For now, I can only give you this. In the future, when I get money, I will give you whatever you want!" Luo Lixi declared with a cute smile. 

Zhao Yichen blinked his eyes and then raised his palm. Luo Lixi saw in confusion as he showed his pinky to her. 

"Promise?" Zhao Yichen asked eagerly. 

"Promise~" Luo Lixi hooked his finger and gave him the promise. 

…

Creak~ 

The door of the room was opened and someone came in. Upon hearing both kids turned towards the door. Xiao Chi smiled in relief as she walked inside. 

"You two naughty kids, why did you sneak in here?" She asked and stood beside the desk. When she saw the white paper and ink, she inquired. "Do you want to play with paper and colours?"

Luo Lixi nodded her head. Zhao Yichen tactfully hid the little box behind and stared at the woman. 

"Don't mess around with important things. We will be doomed if you play with important things. After saying that, she put down the kids on the ground and then began to sort out the things scattered on the desk. 

Luo Lixi fiddled with her tiny cute pink fingers and spoke out loudly, "Sister… sorry!"

Xiao Chi stopped working abs then turned around. A warm smile appeared on her face as she rubbed Luo Lixi's cheek. 

"Good girl. Even though it's a good thing to apologize when it's your fault, as a member of the Luo family, you should learn to apologize in the end. Next time, don't say sorry if you didn't harm anyone."

"Alright!" Luo Lixi nodded. Zhao Yichen also subconsciously noted down this thing. Later, this very thing would become the headache of Bin Manman. 

…

They didn't go to the garden anymore. Someone called from the Bin family and thus, Zhao Yichen had to leave. Luo Lixi became the only kid in the whole mansion accompanying her boredom, she hated being the only one.

'Little Ruming~ Come find me~' Lou Lixi says to herself in her mind, thinking of her love who was one city apart from her. 

Madam Tang put her on her lap and then gently stroked Luo Lixi, trying to get her to sleep. But Luo Lixi was brimming with so much vitality and energy that… forget about napping. 

 She began to roam around the whole mansion and Madam Tang didn't stop her. Her eyes were locked on Luo Lixi's figure as they walked around. 

When Luo Lixi came in front of the study, her steps paused. Madam Tang paused as well and asked, "Do you want to go inside?"

Luo Lixi nodded. Thus, Madam Tang opened the door and both of them entered the room. Slowly, Luo Lixi walked in and then saw the magnificent working desk. 

It was much bigger than the one in her father's room. Luo Lixi walked towards it and then crawled into the chair, followed by… She sat directly on the desk. 

Madam Tang didn't forbid her and sat down on the chair instead. Luo Lixi curiously looked at the papers which were kept in a beautifully arranged formation. 

Even when she picked them up and began to mess with the files, in return, Madam Tang only smiled. She didn't stop her and stared at her while her head was resting on her palm. 

"Xixi, tear all these papers." Madam Tang spoke with a wide grin.

"Why?" Luo Lixi stiffened as she asked with complicated feelings. 

"I want to give that man some headaches." Madam Tang whispered as she caressed Luo Lixi's head. 

"…" Luo Lixi was speechless. She suspiciously stared at her, trying to gauge if some imposter was acting like Madam Tang. 

'Grandma, what's got into you?! Do you want grandfather to smack me? No~' Luo Lixi cried out in her little head!