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

Ji Yanli chuckled when Miao San turned elsewhere to adjust his frames. She understood why this happened. The man with his many other friends started a little company together. The recent little inventions of them were very interesting even though they hadn\'t launched them yet.

Sheng Ruming had seen potential in this little company. Thus, he had told Ji Yanli to keep a tab on this company.

Some days ago, Ji Yanli got news from a reliable source that Er\'Miao Technologies was trying to find investors to finally launch their products. But those investors would turn their back at them after they saw they were a bunch of college students without any powerful backing. They wanted reassurance that it would be a profitable business.

So, Ji Yanli thought of killing two birds with one stone. First, she had sent them a contract saying that The Sheng Industry and Corporation was interested in investing in this small company as well as giving them a chance to prove them before the world.

At first, when Miao San had seen the email in the morning, he couldn\'t believe his eyes and thought it must be a prank. Thus, he called the number which was given in the contact information If that email and wanted to meet with the person face to face to verify. Then, Ji Yanli gave him the address of this place. There was no way except this. Even his friends didn\'t believe it.

Ji Yanli then told him she would come and he could have the chance to make sure if it was really from the Sheng Industry or not.

Thus now, they were here. 

Ji Yanli thought at least three to four people would come from the Er\'Miao Technologies but she didn\'t expect only one would come. Miao San also didn\'t think that he would see Ji Yanli. Moreover, she was dressed informally that anybody would doubt if she was really The Sheng Industry and Corporation… There wasn\'t any ID or whatsoever hanging around her neck either.

"Xiao Miao, hurry up." It\'s been five minutes already yet Miao San didn\'t tick on any other dish\'s name. 

\'How could I?! These are so expensive. I and my friends are struggling to get funds for our projects for the past few months. How can I order them so easily?! Even my consciousness is screaming!\'

In the end, he chose some plain-looking dishes even though the prices weren\'t as plain as them.

"Here…" He handed the menu card to the waiter. The waiter bowed and retreated from the room. Then, he turned towards Ji Yanli. 

Ji Yanli raised her hand and covered her mouth. Then, she coughed lightly at his examining gaze. Afterwards, she opened her clutch and took out a business card and passed it towards him.

"Mr. Miao San, let me introduce myself formally. I am the chief secretary of The Sheng Industry and Corporation\'s headquarter."

"Miss Ji, Xiao Miao would do like earlier. No need to say \'Mr. Miao San\'." He hurriedly spoke out. He had made a fool out of him before the other person in ten minutes. 

"I know." Ji Yanli smirked as she moved her legs as well as folded her arms before her chest.

The young man accepted the business card. Just looking at the specially made card, he guessed it was genuine. He didn\'t have any personal card of his except for his company. Thus, he gave Ji Yanli one of them. The woman didn\'t say anything and put it in her purse.

Miao San appeared embarrassed when he carefully checked the card and found it to be real. Then he thoughtfully asked, "Miss, isn\'t this room too big for only two people?"

 \'Oh my God! She is really from that big company. Now, I can\'t let her pay the bill, can I ?\' He thought as he glanced around the room. He calculated in his mind and thought today, he would become broke like hell.

"It\'s alright." Ji Yanli gave him a fleeting glance and then turned her attention to her phone. She had only twenty minutes more.

"Xiao Miao, give me a brief introduction of the thing you are developing. I have only twenty minutes left. Then I will have to go somewhere else afterwards." At Ji Yanli\'s speech, he adjusted his frames and sat up straight. The food was yet to serve. This, he thought of making use of this time. 

He took out some papers from his backpack and placed them before Ji Yanli. Of course, Ji Yanli knew the ins and outs of this company but to avoid any suspicion, she took the papers in considerable interest.

"So you have come prepared. Good." Ji Yanli nodded and scanned those pages. Miao San was very nervous when Ji Yanli seriously read through those pages. Sometimes, he even doubted that this big company had actually selected a small company like theirs if this was a dream or he had yet to wake up…

Ji Yanli received the documents and scanned them briefly. Then, as she surfed the pages, his voice rang beside her ear. The future plans they had about those technologies, the people they thought in mind while making those…. Bla~bla~

Ji Yanli would sometimes nod as she listened even though her mind was elsewhere. All the things she knew and didn\'t find interest to read further. She had the plan to tell them to come to the company to sign a contract but she let him be. It wouldn\'t be a good thing if he took it for granted.

Even after the food was served they talked while eating. Ji Yanli went along and cheered as they finished the last glass of wine.

After they were done, she wiped her lips with a napkin and stood up. Afterwards she reached for his hand and made a quick handshake.

"You will receive a sample contract in a few days. If you are willing, come and find me in the company with your other friends. I will have to go now." Ji Yanli told him.

"Thanks, Miss Ji, for this opportunity. We needed this badly at this time. We will let you know our decision as soon as possible."

"That would be for the best." Ji Yanli nodded and then walked away. After she had left the room, Miao San plopped onto the seat of his and thought in remorse, \'Today, I will turn a poor man. Hmm... it\'s alright as long as we can get the finds...\'

He gently patted his pants\' pocket and sighed. Then, he waited for the waiter to come so that he could pay the bill. As expected, when the waiter who had served the food earlier came, he stood up and asked, "Ahem! Mister, can you give me the bill of these things?"

The waiter stared at him for a few seconds. Miao San became awkward and then asked again. Only then the waiter spoke out, "This is one of the best rooms in this restaurant. People need to pay beforehand to book this room, sir."

Miao San was taken aback when he heard this. Then he glanced around and thought, \'What is so good about this room?! Except for only a bunch of poems on the wall and some extravagant furniture!\'

He swallowed back his thoughts and asked, "How much do I need to pay then?"

The waiter shook his head and told him, "Everything was paid a long time ago. Sir don\'t need to pay again…"

When Miao San heard this, he felt awkward. He hadn\'t enjoyed his meal earlier as he thought the bill would be on him. He was the one who insisted on meeting up with Ji Yanli yet the other party had to pay for this meal.

He quickly took his bag and ran out from the room. He glanced around but didn\'t find her. Then, he ran out of the restaurant. He intended to thank Ji Yanli but he didn\'t find her outside either.

\'Damn it! She is too fast!\' In some minutes, the other person went away and he found it hard to digest.

\'Well, after I become successful, I will give them an even better treat from this time!\' Miao San thought this in his mind as a fighting spirit lit up in his mind. 

While, on the other hand, Ji Yanli who was in the restaurant, in the same room as Sheng Haotin, was talking with Wang Haixiao in a low voice.

Both of them were discussing the matter regarding the Er\'Miao Technologies while Sheng Haotin was making small talks with another person. Wang Haixiao showed Ji Yanli a victory sign when he heard it was possible that her plan would succeed soon.

At that, Ji Yanli stifled her laughter and gently patted at his upper back which was common in their group but not in the eyes of other people. Sheng Haotin saw this from the corner of his eyes and those black eyes narrowed for a few seconds. The person who was talking with him didn\'t detect the change in the atmosphere and continued to chat.

*** ***

At the Yan Villa…

Yan Ruomin was packing all of her necessary belongings into a suitcase. She had been thinking about what excuse to give her mother so that she would let Yan Ruomin go abroad.

"Finally done!"

After Yan Ruomin finished packing, she patted the suitcase in satisfaction. Then, she stood up and went out of her room. Afterwards, she walked towards the bedroom of Su Mengsi and gently knocked at the door while speaking at the same time, "Ma, I have come. Can I enter?"

She waited for a long time but didn\'t hear any sound. \'She may not be there...\' As Yan Ruomin thought she pressed her lips together. When she was going to turn around to return to her room, the door unlocked and someone walked out.

"Your mother isn\'t at home, currently. She has gone somewhere. If you have any urgent need, you can tell me." Even though the man\'s words sounded considerate, she knew he was in a hurry and probably just said those things because of her mother.

In normal times, this person would do anything to leave a good impression regarding her on her mother even though he didn\'t like Yan Ruomin as much as he did his own child.

It was the stepfather of Yan Ruomin and father of Yan Luhan. Yan Ruomin shook her head and answered, "No father. It was just a trivial matter…"

After Yan Ruomin told him, she turned around and hurriedly went back to her room, not caring for the old man even if he thought she didn\'t respect her elders. Old master Yan just gave a single glance to the fleeting figure of Yan Ruomin and then he went inside, not bothering to think about Yan Ruomin anymore.