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

In her hunger, Luo Lixi didn't even notice that Sheng Ruming said she was his wife, even if she did, what can she do? Also, people would misunderstand them if he said otherwise.

The old woman placed the wooden bowl at a side and came towards them slowly. She took a charger light from the floor and scrutinised the people before her carefully with her small eyes. 

"This place doesn't sell anything like foodstuff. You can only find water to drink and other household things."  The old woman replied as she passed by them and entered the section where goods were placed for selling. 

The couple followed her as they went there as well. The old woman told them to sit on a wooden stool beside the counter as she placed the light on it and gazed outside. She was wearing old tattered clothes with many stitches on them, also her height was 4'5" so she was very short. Her skin was wrinkled and her body was very thin as she was very hard working like other rural people.

The old lady looked outside from a window as the rain had turned more heavy. She didn't see their car outside of place she was standing so she thought they must have come from a nearby place. She told them to stay till the sky stops raining. Luo Lixi thanked her as both she and Sheng Ruming sat down while he snaked his hand around her waist and hugged her tightly to provide her with some warmth of him... 

"You shouldn't have come outside in such a bad climate. People become sick easily in a weather like this." she reprimanded them as she took a cloth from a side and began to wipe the counter. It was her habit to do it.

"Actually, we didn't think it'll start to rain again. We have come out when the sky stopped raining in the morning...Acchoo!" She sneezed loudly when she was speaking. Sheng Ruming saw her face was turning red so he placed his hand on her forehead to take her temperature. She had a light fever.

"Are you okay? You are having a fever. Let's go." He said as he wanted to take her away.

"My shop has herbal medicines to cure cough and fever. I can guarantee she will be okay tomorrow if she drinks it now." The old woman walked up to a shelf and took out a little glass bottle from it. Sheng Ruming walked up to her and took the bottle in his hand. 

"Is it safe?" He asked as he carefully observed it but there was only a name on it with nothing else. He was reluctant to give it to her. 'What if it has side effects?' He thought as he took a packet of tissue papers and went to her side. Luo Lixi wiped her nose with them.

"I've made it with my own secret recipe. It is safe and has good results whoever takes it. Many people come from different places to buy this." She turned towards Luo Lixi and told her in a weak voice, "Young lass, you should believe in this old woman and drink it now. You'll feel much better after some hours."

"Okay. Thanks aunt." She said as she took the bottle from Sheng Ruming's hand. She gripped the bottle in her hand without having any intention to drink it. 

Sheng Ruming remembered that she hates bitter medicines. He went beside her head and spoke out softly, "Should I feed it to you?" Luo Lixi remembered the time when he fed her with his mouth and turned pensive.

"N..no need. I'll drink it myself." With such an old woman before them, if he did it like before, she didn't know what she would do.

Sheng Ruming saw her being embarrassed. He took the bottle from her hand as he opened it and placed it on her lips. But then he remembered she didn't tell them how much one should drink at a time.

"Aunt, how much amount should I give her?"

"The whole bottle. It is such a small one. To get a better effect, she should drink the whole bottle."

 Luo Lixi became stiff when she heard it. 'How is that considered a small bottle?!' She thought as if the world always wants to place her in miseries. 

Closing her eyes tightly, she felt the medicine entering her throat. But to her surprise, it was sweet like honey, also it tasted like flowers. She opened her eyes as she finished the whole bottle in one go.

Sheng Ruming was a little amused as he saw her drink the whole bottle without any resistance. 'Guess, it is not bitter.' He chuckled in his mind as he threw the bottle in a trash bin. 

They waited for some time for the rain to stop   while she became bored for sitting a long time, so she strolled around the place and took out many things to buy whatever caught her interest. When she saw a particular white ring with beautiful bamboo designs engraved on it, she took it immediately and put it on Sheng Ruming's forefinger.

"Is it a gift for me?" He asked her while his whole mind was full of warmth. He was very happy that she put the ring on him herself.

"Nope. I'm buying it with your money. So it can't be considered a gift." Luo Lixi turned her head subconsciously and saw his handsome face very close to her. She told him with a little smile on her lips. 

"In the future, I'll buy a gift with my own money and give it to you. Now, I'm poorer than a beggar on the streets." 

"You have chosen it for me so it is a gift. Love, my money is also yours." Luo Lixi just smiled deeply when she heard it. Without saying anything, she picked other things and gave them to him to hold.