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

Luo Lixi's sight followed wherever the man on the boat went to. Sheng Ruming saw it and frowned. Even if he knew she was just looking at the man casually, his heart became a little jealous. 

When they were standing the group of children were stealing glances at their side. A girl of fifteen or sixteen years stared at Luo Lixi's dress for a split of seconds. Afterwards, she turned away as she focused on the man on the boat in a loving way.

The young man on the boat was collecting lotus and lotus seed pods to sell them. It was an extra way for him to earn pocket money. He was already eighteen years old; considered an adult. So he felt embarrassed if he had to ask his mother for money. 

Many boys of his age had already started to do work to support their family but he was different.

When he was collecting lotus seed pods, he felt someone's gaze on him, he turned abruptly towards that direction and became mesmerised by the beauty; standing in there as he had a bunch of pink lotus in his arms. 

Luo Lixi was looking at those but that man thought it was he who she was looking at. It was the first time someone so beautiful looked at him so intensely. When he noticed her clearly, it appeared she was older than him. Also there was another man besides her as she was talking to him.

"Should I buy some for you?" Sheng Ruming didn't want to waste time there so he asked her directly. If she said yes, he would bring some for her and immediately left this place as her cough only started to recover. Also it was getting late.

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Luo Lixi naturally noticed his mood change. She didn't turn her head as it faced towards the pond and replied to his question with another question, "Did you ever ride a boat like that?"

"No." He gazed ahead as he spoke, "But I've ridden speed boats and ships."

Luo Lixi snickered. 'As expected...'

"Me too. Then...shall your first time be with me?" She said while straightening out her hand towards him. 

Sheng Ruming's eyes became gentle as he accepted her extended hand. They walked side by side as they reached beside the boatman. 

Only then they noticed it was a young boy but due to his mature dressing, they mistook his age. He was very thin but very fair, unlike the other children of this place. Also, he had a pair of clear black eyes which could make people feel attracted towards him. Though he was skinny, he was as tall as Sheng Ruming. Also he had a face which could be distinguished among a sea of people. 

The boy looked as they walked beside his boat. He placed the things in the boat from his arms and nervously waited as they made their way to him.

"Young boy, we want to ride your boat. Can we?" Luo Lixi asked him but when Sheng Ruming saw his face from afar he felt it was a little familiar.

"Ah! Yes yes! You can. Wait!" The young boy replied hurriedly with a smiling face as he took the paddle from a side and rowed his boat towards them. He brought it towards the edge of the pond. 

The teenage girl's expression changed when she saw him smiling. From the time she knew him,she saw him smiling rarely.

'Could they be his relatives?' She thought as she was peeping at them from time to time.

Only when the boat came near them, Sheng Ruming clearly saw his face as he felt as if it was both familiar and unfamiliar. 

Throwing this concern behind his mind, he went up to the boat as the boy helped him. When Luo Lixi was about to come, the boy extended his hand to help her but Sheng Ruming directly lifted her from the ground and placed her on the boat. 

The boy scratched his head in embarrassment. There was very little space in the boat as the half of it was full of lotus and lotus seed pods. If three people remained standing on it, it would be awkward. He took a piece of cloth from a corner and wiped the edges of the boat to make a place for them to sit down. 

"Sister, you can sit here." He patted at a place and told her in a shy manner. Sheng Ruming felt both disgusted and contempt when he saw it.

Sheng Ruming saw as she sat down. The boat was dirty and there was muddy water in it. Her two sandals became dirty when he placed her on the boat earlier.

At the very moment, when he went to sit beside her, the boat began to lean at that side where she was as that part became heavy. It seemed very dangerous.

"Ruming, you should sit opposite of me. Or else we don't know if something goes wrong and there can be an accident." She said. But Sheng Ruming was sulking inwardly as he damned the tiny boat in his mind a thousand times.

The edges of the Sheng Ruming's lips twitched slightly before he sat down opposite of her. At first, he had a little difficulty as his pant was custom made and it was unsuitable to sit down like crouching. 

The boy rowed the boat to the pond where there were many lotus. He picked them and then put them on his little boat. While he was at it, he gave her a big lotus seed pod to eat.

Luo Lixi turned her head and took a red lotus in her one hand. She smelled the fresh scent of it and placed it on her nap while she began to peel the seeds and ate them heartily.

"Boy, what is your name?" She said while throwing another white seed in her mouth.

"Well, sister can call me Penzi." It was the name his mother gave him. He only told her as his heart wanted to. Beside Sheng Ruming was glancing elsewhere as if he wasn't there.