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

After Luo Lixiang had left the venue, he continued to walk. Probably a stroll outside was something he preferred but soon he ended up on a deserted road. 

Without thinking much and with his curiosity increasing his interest, he walked into the remote valley…

After several minutes, Luo Lixiang puffed out a ring of smoke and had a satisfied grin. He continued to smoke with a twisted expression. 

When he was done, he threw the burned stick on the ground and stepped on it.

He blew out the light from the stick with a satisfied groan before the man walked out from the valley but suddenly two pairs of arms grabbed his arms tightly and dragged him inside. 

A powerful punch was thrown at his back, making him unconscious and immovable. Then, the two people who attacked him stood aside and whispered among them, "Should we beat him or not before taking away?"

One of them smirked as he began to kick on Luo Lixiang\'s belly without holding himself back. Thus the two persons thrashed the unconscious man without holding back. 

Luo Lixiang groaned in pain but couldn\'t lift his eyelids. After the two mysterious men were done, they hurriedly bound him with a rope and covered his head with a black cloth. 

In the next second, a black van came and stopped at the mouth of the valley. The right door was opened and one man shouted, "Hurry up and get in with the target!"

The two men dragged Luo Lixiang\'s limp body along with them to the van and threw him in the van. Then they also jumped in and drove off after they closed the door. 

When the people inside saw Luo Lixiang\'s messy appearance, one of them moved ahead and slapped the back of the two men. 

"You bastards! Why did you beat him so badly? Chief has told us not to injure him!"

One of the two men couldn\'t stay still and cry out, "Ah! We have been searching for him for a long time. This man ran away from our hands two times already! We couldn\'t suffer without letting him know. So…"

The two men successfully earned themselves two more slaps on the back for their stupidity. 

The man sighed, shaking his head as he eyed the unconscious Luo Lixiang but a creepy smile appeared on his lips.

"Finally...this bastard!" He sneered, kicking Luo Lixiang\'s limp body and laughing out loud.

"Didn\'t you say not to hit him?! Then why are you doing the same?!" One of the two who just got assaulted for beating Luo Lixiang fired up, harshly interrogated.

"Whatever...he won\'t die! The filthy soul doesn\'t die very easily!" He yelled while sitting on the seat as he smirked, eyeing Luo Lixiang\'s unconscious body. 

While the driver didn\'t seem to see anything as he continued to drive through the empty road.

…

Back in the hall. 

Currently, Yan Luhan was explaining his plan to the guests. Luo Lixi didn\'t have her mind there. Instead she was lost in a deep thought. 

Sheng Ruming saw her and asked in a low voice, "What\'s in your mind?"

The woman swiftly turned around her head and faced him. She couldn\'t help but be nervous while facing him, "Ruming, I feel very bad. It looks like my company won\'t get the chance to get on the stage!"

Sheng Ruming furrowed his brows and glanced towards the stage. "Now to think of it, there was never a time where companies from the same city have gotten the slot to go up there…"

The man mumbled as his eyes swept around the area. Currently, Yan Luhan had a pleasant smile as he was explaining his draft roughly. The man\'s eyes were very serious when he glanced towards the masses. 

Suddenly, Sheng Ruming\'s eyes fell on one of the people who were seated in another row. As soon as their eyes met, Sheng Ruming understood everything. The other person however nodded silently and gestured to him to have his focus ahead. 

Sheng Ruming grabbed her hand and clutched it tightly. Then he slowly murmured, "If you don\'t get the opportunity then I assure you, someone will live in hell for the next half of the year!"

"Ah?!" Luo Lixi didn\'t understand what was the relationship between what she had said and what he was talking about.

Nonetheless, she nodded and replied, "I am looking forward to it."

…

After Yan Luhan was done, he walked down the stairs and went back to his seat. As soon as he sat down, the man sitting beside him stood up and enthusiastically said, "Well done!"

Yan Luhan nodded his head and mumbled, "Thanks." 

It was none other than Patriarch Su, Yan Luhan\'s maternal uncle. The man with many connections all over the Ming city. The entertainment company he had, Feng Alin as well as other big shots were under it. 

After his sister was married into the Yan family, his connections and business grew a lot. Also Yan Luhan\'s father helped him during his time. If his nephew could get this project, he was bound to get several benefits from it. 

Thus, Patriarch Su didn\'t spare any effort for Yan Luhan to get the opportunity to go on stage. At that time, the man cast a glance towards Sheng Ruming\'s area, the corner of his lips curved upwards.

…

Luo Lixi clenched her hand tightly as she waited for the person on the stage to come forward and announce the last company. She really wanted it to be her. 

Sheng Ruming tightened his hold on her and murmured, "Don\'t be anxious. Keep your calm."

Luo Lixi took a deep breath. Judging from the draft she had seen in this hour, hers wasn\'t one inch bad. 

But all her hopes got shattered when the man announced his next words, "The last person, Mr Ping from Rainbow Corporation, please come on the stage!"

All the preparations her group had made in the past month, became wasted. Pan Er Jiu felt very bad at that moment, \'Just what happened?!\'

Sheng Ruming was also stunned. He had seen her draft the last night and he found hers to be better than his even though it was daring and risky. But he got the chance to show his plan yet she didn\'t… he couldn\'t digest this.

Like him, Luo Biwun was also frowning. He was an experienced businessman and knew something went wrong. When he saw her face, which had tried its best to stay calm, Luo Biwun leaned slightly and murmured, "Don\'t let your hopes down. If we don\'t get it, that means other things may be waiting for us. Have faith in God."

Luo Lixi finally let go of her dissapointment and nodded slightly.

Right that moment, Sheng Ruming stood up and left the hall. Nobody found anything unusual except Madam Wang who had shot him a knowing look. 

The man walked through the corridor and came before a room where two guards were standing at attention. 

Upon seeing Sheng Ruming, the two people blocked his path. One of them politely said. "Sir, this is a restricted area. You aren\'t allowed to enter…"

Barely had his words finished, Sheng Ruming stepped ahead and pushed open the door. Soon, the sound of music and the giggle of several women came out. 

The two guards were alerted and immediately tried to close the door. When the man who was in that room saw Sheng Ruming, he called out, "How can you block Young Master Sheng? Let him in."

The two guards moved aside and Sheng Ruming rushed into the room. He stood before the young man who had two young girls beside his two sides.

Sheng Ruming raised his eyes and coldly asked, "Didn\'t you say the Luo Corporation will surely get the chance to showcase their plan? How come…"

The young chuckled as he motioned Sheng Ruming to sit down on the couch beside them but the latter didn\'t. Thus, the young man could only reply, "The draft they have sent is indeed the best among the plans the authorities have gotten..." He spoke with a pause.

He pushed the two girls aside a little and sits straight eyeing him, he cleared his throat and continued, "... but the problem lies with their leader."

Sheng Ruming frowned as he asked, "What\'s wrong with their leader?"

The young man nudged the two girls to move aside and he stood up. He stopped before Sheng Ruming and chuckled aloud, "The company has changed its leader aka CEO two times in just one year. On top of that we have got the news that the current leader is a woman and very weak. This project is very big. We can\'t afford to have any party which has any kind of errors…"

The man brushed past Sheng Ruming and went to the bar counter. One young girl followed him there and helped him pour the beer in a small glass. 

240

Right then, the young man spoke out again, "My grandfather said, we can\'t choose a company which can\'t choose its leader firmly. On top of that, someone who lacks experience!"

Sheng Ruming turned around. Right that moment, a storm was brewing inside his head. He said through his clenched teeth, "Your meaning is… these are the reasons why your grandfather and the authorities rejected Luo Corporation at the last moment?"

The young man paused for a second. Then, he repeatedly nodded his head. When he saw Sheng Ruming\'s current situation which seemed dangerous, like the man could immediately dash forward to beat him up, he spoke out in a haste, "You shouldn\'t be angry. After all, you will be… cough!"

Sheng Ruming stared at the hand which passed the beer glass towards him. The man snorted as he turned around and left in suppressed anger. 

The young man smirked as he gulped down the beer. When the door closed, someone came out from another room which was inside the current one. 

"You were correct. He didn\'t waste a second and rushed here as soon as the last company\'s name was announced." The young man smiled. 

Luo Tiankong however didn\'t reply and went to sit on the sofa where the three people had sat before. He crossed his legs and joined his palms while saying, "Love, can change people. It can be good or bad. This Sheng Ruming… he is bound to get drowned in this trap. Even back then, he went through a lot just for the so called love."

As soon as Luo Tiankong sat down, a young girl sat beside him and hooked his arm. He didn\'t reject her approach and hugged her waist back. 

Watching this, the young man smirked with a knowing look.