Li Rongrong hadn't had such a carefree time in a long while. After bidding farewell to the young man, she carried the dolls upstairs. Even though she lived in a dormitory, Li Rongrong had a whole floor to herself, so it was unusually quiet.
Li Rongrong hummed a song and went back to the dormitory, only to find that the door was open! She was stunned. Through the dim light, she saw a tall figure. With just one glance, her legs turned weak.
"Uncle Lu," Li Rongrong anxiously tugged at her dress.
Lu Qinian turned around. "You're back."
His voice showed no joy or anger, making Li Rongrong's voice trembled as she asked, "Why are you here? Is there something wrong?" She felt extreme fear in the presence of Lu Qinian, who was difficult to read, so she had to be cautious.
Lu Qinian took steps toward her and stood tall in front of her. "You were just laughing happily, but as soon as you saw me, your expression changed like this?"
Li Rongrong bit her lip and explained, "He saved me last time, and today we coincidentally ran into each other, so I treated him to a meal..." Her voice grew weaker as she continued.
Lu Qinian remained silent, his intense gaze fixed on her.
Even without looking up, Li Rongrong could sense the chill emanating from him, making her scalp tingle!
"You are doing fine," Lu Qinian finally spoke after a while. His gaze swept over her neatly made bed, orderly desk, and the potted plants on the windowsill.
Li Rongrong didn't dare utter a word.
"I should be glad that you're doing well without me."
Unable to discern Lu Qinian's thoughts, Li Rongrong continued to play dumb.
"Why aren't you speaking, Rongrong? Are you so afraid of me?"
He called her name so intimately, but it made her tremble. Then, a cold hand lifted her chin.
Lu Qinian looked down at her and Li Rongrong felt overwhelmed. "I was just afraid that you were still angry... I always trouble you and don't have the face to see you..."
"So, you're scared that I'll get angry?" Lu Qinian's gaze turned deeper.
Li Rongrong spoke honestly, "I'm just too foolish. I always make you worry, and I can't do anything right."
Lu Qinian's gaze darkened as he glanced at the doll she clung to tightly in her arms, recalling the scene he witnessed by the window. "Rongrong, you're truly disobedient! I've told you so many times not to get close to other men."
The next moment, Lu Qinian threw the doll out of the window!
"Don't throw it!" Li Rongrong's expression changed, and she attempted to retrieve the remaining dolls. However, in her haste, she accidentally knocked down a fruit knife from the table.
Coincidentally, the fruit knife almost cut Li Rongrong. At the critical moment, Li Rongrong was held in Lu Qinian's arms, ensuring she remained unharmed. However, he got scratched.
Li Rongrong panicked when she saw the blood. "Quick, let's stop the bleeding!" She then hurriedly searched through the first aid kit brought by Mary. However, she failed to notice the deepening gaze of Lu Qinian.
Li Rongrong held his hand, her eyes welling up with tears. "Uncle Lu, I'm sorry... I truly..." She thought to herself that maybe she was truly a harbinger of misfortune. The abuse she received from the Li family seemed to confirm it.
Lu Qinian helped her up. "As long as you're okay, it's just a minor injury."
Li Rongrong sniffed and didn't continue the topic. She asked directly, "Have you eaten?"
"I've been waiting for you," Lu Qinian replied softly.
Li Rongrong's eyes widened. Did that mean he had arrived earlier? She quickly got up and said, "Then let me make something for you to eat. How about noodles?" Please forgive her, as she didn't know how to make anything too complicated.
"Sure," he answered.
Upon receiving Lu Qinian's reply, Li Rongrong immediately got busy and cooked the noodles in no time.
Li Rongrong brought out the bowl of hot noodles. Thinking of his injured right hand, she hesitated for a moment. "Should I feed you?"
Lu Qinian stared at her. "Alright."
Li Rongrong was afraid of the heat, so she blew on it a few times before feeding it to him.
Lu Qinian opened his mouth and cooperatively ate the noodles.
The two of them were very close, and Li Rongrong could even feel his breath on her face, which made her blush. Thankfully, the noodles were soon finished...
"Not bad," Lu Qinian said as he looked at her.
"As long as you don't mind," Li Rongrong replied, feeling somewhat embarrassed.
Lu Qinian's gaze remained fixed on her, and Li Rongrong raised her head, meeting his deep gaze. She heard him let out a barely audible sigh.
"Rongrong, even though you're already twenty years old, you lack life experience. I want to protect you and help you grow up well..."
Suddenly, Li Rongrong thought of Shi Rui. He shielded her from any harm, caring for her more deeply than her own family.