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

When Luo Lixi was brought to the villa, they went straight to her parent's new bedroom. Luo Baiyun tried to unlock it but it was locked from inside. 

"Xumei, open the door." He called out. 

"Coming~" Sun Xumei's melodious voice rang out from the room. Then, she opened the door and stood aside. 

Luo Baiyun entered with Luo Lixi in his arms and then closed the door. 

"Yawn~" Luo Lixi rubbed her misty eyes as she glanced around. Suddenly, her mind became confused. 

"Sniff~ Sniff~" She smelled something and then glanced around. Then her eyes fell on the large painting on one wall of the room. Her eyes widened as she stared at it. 

'Such a beautiful art…' Luo Lixi thought in amazement. Luo Baiyun noticed her reaction right away. He glanced at the painting of 'two butterflies playing under the sky' and asked.

"Did you paint it?" While inquiring, he put Luo Lixi on the bed. 

Sun Xumei smiled shyly, "Hmm. I wanted to do something so…"

"What?" Luo Lixi was shocked upon hearing it, "But Ma, don't you hate painting?!" 

"Eh? When did I say that? Rather, I love to paint!" Sun Xumei said with a frown. She saw Luo Lixi's dumbstruck expression and fell in thought, 'Why did she do that? I never hated painting though.'

In reply, Luo Lixi turned to her father. The latter smiled deeply and put a finger on his lips, motioning her to drop the topic. 

Luo Lixi understood and then turned to look at the paint. She went beside it and took a deep breath. 

'The smell of paint… Sigh!' She felt sentimental. Then she turned around and walked towards her mother. 

"Mama, for you~" She spoke cutely and showed the two boxes to Sun Xumei. Her mother picked them up and whispered curiously, "What are these?"

When she saw the content, Sun Xumei fell silent. Luo Lixi scratched her head and awkwardly said, "Ma, grandma gave and told you to keep them."

"Re… really?!" Sun Xumei asked emotionally as her voice shook. Tears fell from her eyes as she stared at the gold and silver hairpins. 

Luo Lixi nodded with an innocent face. Looking at her, Sun Xumei had to believe that finally the day she had been waiting for had come. 

'Has she finally accepted me wholeheartedly?' With tears in her eyes, Sun Xumei thought as a smile broke out on her face. Luo Lixi fell silent at the reaction of her mother. She noticed the piercing eyes of her father on her and shrugged her little shoulder. 

"I didn't lie." She mouthed the line. Luo Baiyun nodded as if he had believed her. The adults thought Madam Tang gave these to Sun Xumei and Luo Lixi was too lazy to clarify. 

When Sun Xumei left the room for a reason, Luo Lixi turned to her father and asked the questions she wanted most, "Father, didn't mother hate when I paint?" 

"Uhh, she didn't hate… just that… she didn't want you to become a mad lady who would spend all her time in a room, painting all night without caring about her image…" Luo Baiyun cracked up as he glanced at her.

"Once, I hated this behaviour of hers and had a huge quarrel in our past life. I blurted out something painful and from then on, she stopped painting." The man shook his head in resignation as he turned around to go to the washroom. 

"So… My misery started because of you?" Luo Lixi pouted as she slumped down on the bed and murmured, "She even burned down my painting materials and some works on fire…"

"…" Luo Baiyun felt guilty when he remembered how sad and angry Luo Lixi had become at that time. She even refused to see them and it was the last time he saw his dear daughter who was barely a teenager. 

He rubbed her head and reassured her, "In this life, I won't argue with your mother and so, she won't hate your pursuit. Do whatever you want, okay? Also, I believe you'll be a genius in this life!"

After all, which two years old child would have the mindset of an adult. Not to say, Luo Lixi had all the knowledge of her past life. So it was bound to be a fact that she would surpass other students of her body's age if she wanted to. 

Luo Lixi's mood went up and she nodded with a smile, "I will, Baba. Thanks, Baba." 

Luo Baiyun smirked as he rubbed her read forcefully, "Now I'm Baba, not father?"

"Huhu, my dear Baba~" Luo Lixi stood up on the bed and hugged Luo Baiyun with all her might. Then, she began to shower the latter with a lot of smooches. 

When Sun Xumei came back, she saw this scene. She leaned against the doorframe and smiled. For some reason, she felt oddly satisfied as if all her worries had left at some point. 

When Luo Lixi saw her, her eyes fell on the gold hairpin on her mother's head. She smiled deeply at that and cried out happily, "Mama, do you want kisses too?" 

"You naughty girl~, Of course, I want your kisses!" Sun Xumei went to her and hugged Luo Lixi as well. Then, both of them ignored Luo Baiyun and gave a bunch of smooches to each other. 

"How can you two forget me?! Xixi, leave some for your Baba!" Luo Baiyun spoke out hurriedly as he went towards them. However, both Luo Lixi and Sun Xumei remembered the times they were ignored by this man. 

To take revenge, both left him alone in the room. 

"What did I do wrong to deserve this?! "In the empty room, Luo Baiyun grumbled and in return, he only got the echo of his statement!

…

The next day. 

With dumbfounded eyes, Sun Xumei saw as all of Luo Lixi's toys were put in the basement. Furthermore, those were replaced with a bunch of complicated books and painting materials. 

Only a thing began to roam in her mind, 'What is going on here?!' Sun Xumei's mind went to null and her face distorted again and again as she saw Luo Lixi instructing the workers to put what at where. 

"My Xixi, when did you turn into an old granny?" Sun Xumei mumbled with worry. It seemed as if her little baby was exchanged with another child overnight. 

Luo Baiyun stifled his laughter and spoke seriously, "She is growing up and has been in contact with my mother recently. That's why, maybe, she has been imitating my mother…"

Sun Xumei turned to him and reacted gravely, "Is that so?"

"If not? It's not like… you believe in ghosts?" The man smirked as he teased her back with his finger. He was enjoying it quite a lot, shameless man!

Sun Xumei glared at him and murmured anxiously, "Outsiders are here. Don't mess around!"

"Come with me to the bedroom. I have some 'business' with you~" Luo Baiyun tickled her waist and whispered seductively. That's how he lured away his prey to devour and gave his daughter the space to do whatever she wanted. 

In the coming days, Sun Xumei was numbed by Luo Lixi. Whenever she would go into the baby room, she would see Luo Lixi reading either a book or painting something. 

Luo Lixi didn't even try to hide from her parents and as per her wishes, the maids who were supposed to take care of her were assigned to other tasks of the mansion. 

"Mama, I drew it~" Luo Lixi handed a little sketch of her mother to her and smiled. She also waited for her reaction and noticed that she didn't despise her works like her past life, she felt happy. 

Sun Xumei grabbed the sheet tightly and peeked at Luo Lixi. 'Is it as Baiyun had said? Is my child a gifted baby genius?!' 

Sun Xumei thought excitedly. As time went by, this thought of her deepened. Luo Lixi also took this chance to grind her skills and finished many financial books. She didn't abandon her knowledge of running businesses and worked alongside her father to get experience.

Sun Xumei thought Luo Baiyun loved their daughter very much and would always want to spend time with her. 

Little did she know, behind the locked doors, the father-daughter duo would argue on many business-related matters and sometimes, would even shout as papers would be sent flying in the air. In Sun Xumei's ears, those shouts were of Luo Baiyun playing with Luo Lixi~ 

…

The month passed by in the blink of an eye and the day of Luo Lixi's birthday finally came. 

The whole Luo Mansion was decorated and everyone was in the mood for celebration. As the main focus of the party, Luo Lixi got many gifts and many came to rub her head. 

'Ah, my pitiful hair! They are scheming to make me bald!' Luo Lixi screamed in her mind. Her little face was aching by maintaining the cute smiling face. 

At that party, her mother finally got the recognition she wanted as Madam Tang introduced her to the guests as the family member of the Luo family. 

Even though the ladies were jealous while watching Luo Baiyun hugged her lovingly, nonetheless, they congratulated them for having a cute daughter and another unborn child. 

When the party was over, Luo Baiyun entered the baby room which was specially decorated for Luo Lixi's stay. He went behind her and said with a smile, "Everybody has given you your birthday gift except me. What do you want from me?"

Luo Lixi stopped unboxing her gifts and then turned around, "My gift?... Father, bring me somewhere tomorrow, will you?" She asked eagerly and with a lot of expectation. 

Luo Baiyun's smile deepened as he patted her head. "Good child."