After returning from the company, Shi Lian straightway called Moxing to know how much the work has progressed.

She was disappointed when he told her it was only 15% completed. She told him—begged him to be exact, to anyhow complete the ring by tomorrow.

He said he would try his best. That's the only thing he could say.

It is time for dinner. Walking to the dinner table, Shi Lian pulls the chair backward and plants her butt on the seat, forwarding a little. Her father sits at the center, across her while her mother sits opposite her. Nanny Zhang and the other maids bring dishes one by one and start serving.

Zheng Yuan says, "I went to meet him today in prison."

At his words, Shi Lian and Sha Sha both snap their heads at him, stopping chewing midway.

"What? Why didn't you told me?" Sha Sha asks, dropping the fork. She is furious about him sneaking on his own without telling her anything.

"Honey, I didn't prepare I would go," he tells her, "It was a hasty decision."

Shi Lian asks, her voice cautious, "Did he told you anything?"

If her uncle told her father about how she trapped him, her father will ask thousands of questions to which Shi Lian have no answer. She only wishes he didn't tell him anything or else it will be difficult for her.

He sighs, the disappointment on his face is clear. "I am ashamed to call him my brother. I thought he would apologize for what he did but instead, he begged me to free him. He was in the assumption that I came to help him out."

Shi Lian can understand how much her father is hurt. He downcasts his head, weeping silently. Growing up she always saw her father as someone who is afraid of nothing and someone who never cries. But her father is also a human. He feels too. It pains to see her father weeping for someone who doesn't give a fuck about anyone.

"Father, it's not worth it to feel sorry for him," she says, her voice gentle.

"I know, daughter. I know" he says, repeating the words. He is saying more to himself, making him understand.

"Honey, stop thinking about it" Sha Sha asserts, reaching out to put her palm on his arm. She gently squeezes it and adds, "We should finish our food."

Shi Lian and her father, both nod in unison and continue eating their food.

**

It's around 1 when Shi Lian's phone rings. She ignores the call, without opening her eyes, keeping it shut. She guesses it is just a spam call so she rolls to the other side, covering her face with the duvet.

Her phone rings again. Shi Lian groans, bringing a pillow over her ears to stop hearing the annoying sound.

When the ringing sound stops she finally relaxes her body and tries to sleep again. Again, her phone rings. She groans loudly and swats her hand on the hand to find her phone.

Grabbing the phone, she brings it to her ear, her eyes are still closed and she has no intention of opening it as well.

Tapping on the receive icon in sleep, she grumbles, "Who is this?"

"Did I disturb your sleep, Shi Lian?" the creepy man's voice comes from the other line. In an instant, Shi Lian's eyes pop open, and she is fully awake now.

"What the hell? Why are you calling now?" she tells annoyed.

He laughs, the creepy kind of laugh. "I need to remind you that you have only 14 hours left with you."

She rubs her forehead with her thumb and index fingers while holding the phone with her other hand. "You could have ringed me earlier or in the morning" she growls.

"Since I was awake, I felt it was the right timing."

She grits her teeth, hearing his annoying reasons. "If you are done, I am hanging up."

"Yes, I am done. I'll be giving you a call when the time ends. The last and the final call" he sneers.

"Whatever" she spits and presses on the end button. God, how weird this man is? Who calls in the middle of the night just to remind them about the time?

Bastard. He made her lost her sleep and now that she got to know that she only has fourteen hours left, she can't have her peaceful sleep.

She tries closing her eyes, but she isn't able to sleep. Damn him! She curses internally.

**

The first thing is she do after waking is get herself a strong cup of coffee. She hasn't slept after that call. She kept on rolling and fiddling. Her eyes are now sunken and she feels lethargic.

It's only six in the morning and calling Moxing will not be appropriate. Her hands are itching to ring him but she knows it's not right.

Having nothing else to do, she gets up from her bed thinks of going for a run. After coming here, she hasn't maintained her workout routine well. Due to the company and everything, working out slipped from her mind and she feels too tired to even do it. Her body is still fit though.

Deciding to go for a run, she changes into her workout clothes and ties her hair into a high ponytail.

It's been a long time she went for a run. It will be fun, she guesses.

Nanny Zhang is already outside the garden, watering the plants when Shi Lian steps out. Noticing her, Nanny Zhang waves her hand towards her, a smile on her face. "Young Miss! Good morning" she chirps.

Shi Lian walks to where Nanny Zhang is and greets back. "Good morning Nanny Zhang."

"You are up early today. Anything special?" she asks, watering the beautiful rose flowers.

"Going for a run since I woke up early," she tells her, her eyes wandering to the flowers in her garden.

Nanny Zhang glances at her, smiling, she says, "That's very good, Young Miss. You used to go running every day with Young Master Atian" she pauses, and glances at Shi Lian cautiously as if she had said anything wrong.

Shi Lian smiles, knowing what she is thinking. "It's okay Nanny Zhang. It was all in the past. I remember as well I used to go for a run with Atian every day and come home with my body all sweaty and red" she laughs and Nanny Zhang joins as well.

Nanny Zhang continues watering the plants, and Shi Lian starts her walk and exits the gate of her mansion.

The sun is not yet fully out and she is glad it's not. She hates getting sweaty. Inserting the Bluetooth speakers in her ears, she hums the music playing on it as she jogs.

The road is isolated with few people jogging just like her. Some couples and some the same age as hers.

As she jogs someone from behind taps her shoulder. Scrutinizing, she turns her head and finds Atian.

With a surprised face, she asks, "Oh my, Atian. Were you jogging as well?"

He grins, "Yes, my everyday routine. I was shocked when I saw you. At first, I thought I have mistaken it for someone else but when I got closer, it was you.

I called so many times but you kept going as if you don't hear me at all."

Shi Lian gives him an apologetic smile and shows her Bluetooth speakers. "They were the barriers" she jokes.

"So what's the occasion today?" he asks, his voice bouncing with humor. They continue jogging and talking as well.

"Nothing. Couldn't sleep so I thought of taking a run" she says, her breathing shakes as she jogs.

"It's good to see you, Shi. I barely get a glimpse of you. You are so busy that sometimes I think, I am too free" he says, in the light of humor.

She shakes her head, chuckling, "It's hard to tell that you are free. How is the company doing?"

He sighs, "It's doing well. I am still learning from my father. He told me I will be ready to handle the company in two months of training."

Shi Lian turns her head to look at him. She exclaims, "That's really good. So I guess, we are both be the bosses, huh?"

He laughs under his breath, "I guess so."

Shi Lian stops, huffing. She never thought, running just around her neighborhood will be so tiring.

She bends a little, her palms gripping her knees, as she calms her breathing.

"That's very lazy of you, Miss Chairwoman" Atian teases.

Shi Lian gives him a look and gets up. "I haven't run for a while, alright?" she says, defending herself.

Turning around, they continue jogging again. Shi Lian notices that Atian appears more active than she last saw him. The last time she met him, his eyes didn't have the light as they should be but now it was back. She is glad he is happy and smiling again.

Out of the blue, he asks, his voice hesitant, "How are things with Fu Zichen?"

Shi Lian's eyes widen and she has no idea how he knows about them. "How do you know?" she hisses, keeping her voice lower.

"I can see, Shi. The vibe between you both was different at the beach" he reveals.

Was that so? Is the chemistry between that predictable?

"It's going well. I like him and I am happy around him" she expresses, feeling giddy all of a sudden, thinking about him.

Atian smiles faintly, "That's good."

Shi Lian turns her to look at him and asks, "Are you not seeing someone?" It is a question that Shi Lian already knows but still she expects it to be different.