Was this not the purest form of love? To always be there for her even when everyone else said otherwise?
He did not need her to be mature and understanding. After all, he understood the journey to adulthood was riddled with heartbreak and worries. He wanted her to grow up without having to experience them.
Jiang Yao ran into Lu Xingzhi’s arms and nuzzled against him like a little kitten, muttering, “Lu Xingzhi, I am going to be a spoiled brat if you keep this up!”
“As long as you are willing, I do not care!” Jiang Yao’s cuddly actions were very effective on Lu Xingzhi. “There is nowhere you can go being a spoiled little girl. That way, we will always be together.”
He spoke quietly, bringing to light these words from the bottom of his heart.
Lu Xingzhi did not hide his intentions at all. He wanted her to never leave him.
It was his little fantasy, and he prayed for it to one day come true.
Jiang Yao broke into a smile in his embrace. “Where would I go? Once I am done with school, I will wander the world with you if I must. ‘If you marry a beggar, you become one; if you marry a criminal, you become one.’ Do not get annoyed as I am not going anywhere!”
“I am no beggar nor criminal.” Lu Xingzhi’s chest throbbed ever so slightly. She did not hear any sound but she knew he was laughing.
“That is right! You are not a beggar, but a tyrant.” Jiang Yao teased. “I almost forgot you have the absolute right of way here in this city.”
A brief pause later, she continued. “You are six years older than me. Three years is equivalent to a generational gap, meaning we are two generations apart! On my first day in elementary school, you were already studying in a high school!”
Lu Xingzhi did not deny this as what Jiang Yao said was the truth. Hearing about the generational gap did dampen his spirit.
He also knew that there were just so many things that he could not understand with Jiang Yao’s generation such as putting up posters in her room and folding a jar full of origami stars and origami cranes.
However, he was willing to protect this innocence of hers.
“Once we go to Jindo city, if you so desire, we will meet your favorite celebrity. You can ask for their autographs but no shaking hands and no hugs!” Lu Xingzhi said. “I can arrange for you to meet any celebrity you like. Therefore, we do not have any gaps between us. Period.”
“Why can I not shake their hands?” Jiang Yao asked.
“Because I said so.” Lu Xingzhi did not want to tell her the actual reason why. He was afraid that she would turn out to be just like Luo Ruoran, who, after shaking her favorite celebrity’s hand, refused to wash hers for a few days after that. She did not even allow her husband, Liang Yueze, to hold her hand as she was afraid he would mess up the scent.
If Jiang Yao turned out to be just like Luo Ruoran, Lu Xingzhi was not too sure if he had Liang Yueze’s patience to deal with it. He did remember seeing Liang Yueze’s regret in allowing Luo Ruoran to do the meet and greet with that celebrity.
The doorbell rang suddenly. “Who could it be?” Jiang Yao asked.
It could not be Chen Xuyao as he would have knocked on the door loudly.
Plus, Lu Xingzhi did tell Chen Xuyao to leave and get his own dinner, so that could not be him.
Lu Xingzhi stood up slowly and said, “That would be Huang Chengjing.”
He was not surprised to expect a visitor at this time. “Stay seated, I will get the door.”