Chapter 168 - 22 Hours Left

"No, father," she says, "I am fine. There's already a pile of work for me to do so I cannot just take one day off."

Her father's face falls, and he glances at Sha Sha who is standing beside him. "Why do you sound more and more like me?" he mumbles, pinching the bridge of his nose. 

Sha Sha scolds him, "I told you earlier not to give her your work advice! Look at her now, she is just like you!"

"Honey, it's not my fault if she wishes to work. Why do you blame me?" he defenses himself, making a puppy face to his wife. 

Shi Lian chuckles watching her parents bickering. They are adorable and she loves them. 

Before they make this topic huge, she steps in, "no one is at fault here. I like working, that's it. Don't blame Father" she requests her mother, smiling. "Okay, mother?"

Sha Sha sighs, shaking her head, smiling. "Fine, as you say." Shi Lian and her father share a secret smile and he mouths her thank you. 

She hugs them and leaves for work. Zheng Yuan called him from behind, stopping her midway. 

She turns her head back to hear what he needs to say. 

"Make sure to come early. We will be having dinner out, we three" she says, smiling. 

"That will be wonderful!" she grins, "I'll make sure to come early!" She waves and continues walking to the car. 

She is glad that the driver didn't say anything to Zheng Yuan that she went on her own that day. 

Passing a smile to the driver who is afraid to look at her now, she says, "thank you."

Surprised, he looks at her and asks, "Young Miss, I haven't done anything to receive that."

"Just accept it," she tells him. He seems too simple and innocent. She steps inside the car and making herself comfortable, asks the driver to start the car. 

**

She reach home early as she promised. She told Fang Xiao to handle the work, which she only need to manage, and points the mistakes of the design. She trusts her too much for this work. 

Her father notices her and a smile instantly spreads on his lips. "There you are. Get ready quickly" he says. She wants to say that he is not even dressed yet but she does not. 

"Where's mother?" she asks. 

He replies, "In our room, changing."

"I'll be getting ready then. See you then" she says and heads to her room, carrying the handbag which contains the file she needs to study. 

Entering inside her room, she drops the bed on the table, and slipping off from her work heels, she sits on the edge of the bed. 

Just as she is unbuttoning her top, her phone rings. She stops midway and grabs her, glancing at the screen, her eyes narrow as the name of the creepy man appears on the screen. Why is he calling now? 

It must be because of the ring but what should she say? She hasn't found the ring location. 

Calming herself, she receives the call and brings the phone close to her left ear. 

"What took you so long, Shi Lian?" he demands. 

"What do you mean? Do you think I wait all day for your call? I have other things to do" she retorts which makes him smirk. 

"You must know why I called you," he says, his creepy voice giving her making her skin crawl. "You have only 22 hours with you" he adds. 

"You don't need to call me just to remind me about the time!" she snaps, "I know it."

"Very well then" he pronounces, "as soon as the time will end, I'll be calling you. Make sure to pick the call without dilly-dallying" he continues, pointing sarcastically. 

Before she can answer back, he end the call, making her more frustrated. Shit. She has less than 24 hours with her, how will she find the ring? She at least needs to see how it looks to go according to her plan. 

She should stop worrying about the ring. She shakes her head and taking a deep breath, she goes to her closet room to find herself a dress for tonight. 

She picks out the silver dress. It has an illusion back and it lays just above her knees. Finding it pretty, she drapes the dress on her body, removing her work clothes quickly. When she looks at herself in the mirror, she smiles as the dress looks cute on her. 

Picking out a bracelet and earrings to match along with silver stilettos, she exits the room. 

She already washed her face, all she needs to do is makeup which she barely needs. She thinks of going for a ponytail today. Applying a layer of blush pink gloss on her lips, she presses her lips together, to blend it evenly on both her lips. 

Taking a last look at herself, she turns away from the mirror and goes inside the closet room again to grab her clutch. 

Coming out, she checks her room before exiting out. When she reaches downstairs, her father is already present there. "You look stunning, father" she compliments him, grinning. 

"You look the loveliest, my daughter" he compliments her too. She asks about Sha Sha to which he replies, "she went up again to change her necklace."

She chuckles and waits with her father. Minutes later, Sha Sha finally appears. "Sorry, did you wait too long?" 

Seeing her mother's innocent face, Shi Lian shakes her head. "Not much. You look gorgeous, mother."

Sha Sha smiles widely accepting the compliment. The three head out of the Mo Mansion and to the car. 

"Let's go in the limousine today" Zheng Yuan suggests to which both the women agree. 

Feeling satisfied, Zheng Yuan asks the driver to get the limo. 

The driver arrives with the exclusive limousine and Shi Lian cannot stop herself from grinning. She remembers how she used to think of this car as a bus as a child. 

They all hop inside the limousine and shutting the door, they clutch the seatbelts over them. When they are comfortably seated, Zheng Yuan signals the driver to start driving. 

"We will be having dinner outside after so long," Shi Lian says, her eyes glowing. Sha Sha nods agreeing with her. 

**

The dinner went pleasantly. She had fun with her parents and her nerves relaxed as well. But now as she walks up to the house, the creepy man's words come to her mind. She glances at her parents who are chatting and smiling as they walk. 

The only way to know about the ring is through her mother. Since she told the story, she must know about its location. But she needs to ask her in private because if her father knows, she will be in grave danger. 

She grabs her mother's arm, smiling, she asks, "Mother, can you come with me? I need to ask something."

Sha Sha says, a little surprised, "Oh okay, let's head then."

Out of the corner of her eyes, she can see her father looking her way. Her heart pounds harder and harder as she takes the steps. Her father can be as loving as a daughter wants but at the same, he can be the most dangerous man. 

She closes the door of her room, locking it so no one can disturb them. Turning her attention to her mother, she asks her to sit. 

"What do you want to ask, Shi?" her mother asks, confused about Shi Lian's behavior. 

Shi Lian first, drinks a glass of water to calm her nerves because she is going to lie again. 

Placing the glass on the table, she moves to where her mother sits and takes a seat beside her. "Um... actually there's something I am curious about," she says hesitantly, her eyes downcast to her fiddling fingers. 

"What is it?" her mother asks. 

"Does the 4-Era Ring still exists?" she asks, looking up to meet her eyes. 

Shi Lian notices her mother's change of expression. "Why are asking, Shi?" her mother questions her, her eyebrows press together. 

Shi Lian gulps, feeling the sweat prickling at the back of her neck. "Just curious, mother. Since the day you told, I cannot stop wondering about it."

Sha Sha tells them she is having a hard time believing her daughter and that is making Shi Lian more nervous. 

"Yes, it does" her mother answers to her surprise. 

The first step, clear. Shi Lian braves herself to ask another question. "Where is it then?" 

Her mother opens her mouth but closes it. She rises from the bed, looking at another way she asks, "Why are you asking this?"

"There's no reason, mother. It's just... I want to see it" she blurts. There's no way she will agree to this. 

"Oh, dear. I shouldn't have told you" Sha Sha cries, putting her palm on her forehead in distress. "I knew you will be asking questions."

Sha Sha gets up as well and reaches to hold her mother's hand. "Mother, there's nothing. I swear."

"I can't tell you. I wasn't even supposed to tell you about the ring" she denies in a regretful tone. 

Shi Lian cannot think of other ways to get her mother to spill about the ring. There's only one way left. 

"I'll have to ask father then," she tells her, her tone serious.