24 "No. You won't."

Luo Lixi turned on the water tap. As the cold water came in contact with her bare skin she shivered as she felt goosebumps all over her body.

In the afternoon, the head of the maids gave her a remote button. If she wanted something she could press it and they would come to her. She didn't have the intention to call them for now as she went out of the room with her slow pace. Even though she felt her legs were numb and little strained, she walked around the corridor as she went downstairs. There was no one in the big hall.

Luo Lixi slowly walked to the exit door as she opened it slowly. Two bodyguards were talking among themselves as they were guarding the place. When they heard the sound, they looked up and were startled when they saw it was she who appeared.

"Hello." She looked at them as she greeted them.

"Miss, why are you alone? I'll call someone to come over." one of the men said but she interrupted him.

"No need to disturb them. I will just take a stroll outside." she said as she passed by them.

"It's quite late. Someone should accompany you." The guard said. 

"I want to be alone." At her firm words, the guard didn't want to appear forceful.

The two men exchanged glances as they followed her from a little distance. She noticed it but didn't say anything as she strolled in the open area. 

After every 2 minutes, she would stop and take a deep breath. 

The place was filled with many trees and the decorations of the area looked calming even in the night. She walked slowly as she inhaled the fresh air. 

The place was bright as there were many lights in many places. When she was walking, she noticed a natural stream in a random area. When she saw it, she went there and sat on a big rock by the side.

The other two people were looking at her from a distance and kept her in check.

... 

A car slowly entered the vicinity of the Southern Villa. It slowly moved in front of the villa entrance. Sheng Ruming opened the car door and walked in. He placed the box on the round table and went up the stairs as he walked in her room but didn't see the person he wanted to see the most.

He walked to the washroom as he gently asked, "Lixi, are you in there?" Nobody replied to him. As he touched the knob, the door opened slightly. There was no one in there but he noticed the traces of someone using it.

He immediately called the guards who were in charge of the building. From them, he knew she was outside, sitting beside the stream. He walked to her in large steps. He thought it would be bad for her recovery as It was quite late at night. Also, she was quite vulnerable now.

When he reached the place, he saw two bodyguards standing at a side while she was sitting on top of a rock. He signalled them to leave. He slowly walked to behind her.

"What are you doing here outside? Your health is weak." he told her as Luo Lixi turned to face him. 

"I couldn't fall asleep so thought to come out in the fresh air. This place is beautiful." she turned in front of her as she took in a large breath.

"You said you wanted to talk to me." Sheng Ruming went to her and stood beside her.

"Yes." She looked up to him as she spoke, "Thank you so much for saving me, also for taking care of me. I will keep this favour in mind. But I think I shouldn't be a burden to you and go away tomorrow." she said in a low voice. After a brief moment, she added, "Sorry for the past. I was thoughtless and hurt you."

Sheng Ruming's eyes narrowed as he listened to her words.'Want to leave me again? Dream on!' He clenched his hands in fists as he told her. "You are never a burden to me. But if you think yourself like that then I'm more than happy to keep this burden on my shoulders for the rest of my life."

She smiled when she heard the low-key confession. 

"Give me your phone." She said to him as she straightened her arm towards him.

Sheng Ruming smiled as he looked at her hand. He took the hand in his palm.

"Luo Lixi, will you go back to your home?" He asked softly.

"If not, where will I go?" she asked in return.

"As far as I can say, your possessive grandfather wouldn't let you do whatever you want. He will always make you study business as well as force you to work at the company." Sheng Ruming chuckled as he spoke the words slowly and gently but his expression was becoming horrifying.

Luo Lixi became alarmed as she was looking at him. She didn't know why he was angry. She didn't see this side of him before felt unexplainable emotions. She wanted to retract her hand but Sheng Ruming didn't let her. He clutched it tightly. She broke their gaze and looked at the ground.

"Who wanted to kill you? Do you know who it was?" He asked her in a serious tone but she remained silent. She felt reluctant to tell this to him when he was showing such unfamiliar emotions.

His anger went off the roof nonetheless he asked softly. "I asked you something." He empathised each word. 

At one point he saw the stubbornness. He loosened his hand as he stood straight and gazed her head from above.

"Good. Very good. You won't say anything, will you? Fine. I will find whoever that bastard is and torture him to death." He spit the words in great hatred as he pinned his sight on her right hand.

"No, you won't." She clutched his hand tightly as her firm words came out. "It's my business and I will decide."

Sheng Ruming was shocked by her calm appearance. It was not so like her to want to defend the culprit. Suddenly a thought came to his mind as he asked her in disbelief. 

"Is that person your boyfriend? Do you love that person?" his eyes darkening even further as he asked these questions with much difficulty. 

If it was true then he would kill that person. Simmering in rage, he looked at her. The fact that there might be some out there, he felt like destroying everything in his sight!