Despite his light movements, the little girl awoke from her sleep.
She opened her swollen eyes and stared at him blankly for a moment. A thought then came to her, and she quickly grabbed onto his sleeve and whimpered, "Don't leave me again…"
Chu Qi felt a lump in his throat as he sat down by the bed. After a good long while, he finally responded in a slightly hoarse voice, "I'm not going anywhere. I'll be beside you, guarding you."
Ji'er's tears melted away into a smile. She pulled his arm to herself and rested her head on it, leaning into him affectionately.
"Go to sleep." Chu Qi reached out and patted her gently on the back.
"All right," Ji'er replied and closed her eyes obediently.
Chu Qi sat by the bed and gazed at her.
After a year of being away from her, he found that she had grown a lot and her facial features had become more mature as well.
As he observed her sleeping face, his heart swelled with contentment.
