Chapter 171 - The Final Clue

The entire Shi household was in chaos. All the servants busted about as they rushed to follow Elder Shi's instructions. Though the old man never much interfered with the household staff and lived almost like a ghost in his mausoleum of a house, today it seemed as if someone had breathed life into him. Even his white glossy hair seemed to be shining like a halo. 

For Elder Shi, it really was a rebirth, a chance to correct his past mistakes. And make amends to his remaining family. Finally both his granddaughters were going to be under his roof. He felt saddened for a moment that he had missed out on their childhood but then with the experience of age, he understood that we can only look forward. Since he did not know what his granddaughters liked to eat, he had sent the cooks in a flurry by ordering them to make all the dishes that his wife and daughter had liked to eat.he even ordered some western dishes in case they did not like the traditional Chinese fare.

Elder Shi looked at the time every few seconds until even the butler wanted to forget his place and roll his eyes at his master.

Finally, the couple arrived at the appointed hour. Elder Shi clutched the handle of his walking stick to stop himself from trying to run. It would not be good if he fell.

Giving a polite bow to Elder Shi, Ah Hai brought Shi Ai forward, "Sir, please meet your granddaughter Shi Xiao Ai."

With misty eyes and trembling hands, Elder Shi brought his hands to the girl shoulders and pulled her in for a hug. Though the man was old but his hug was powerful as it seemed to contain all the emotions he had bottled up inside him for all these years. Feeling a little awkward and startled, Shi Ai gently patted the man even though her own eyes felt the moisture surge.

Realizing his impulsiveness was making his granddaughter uncomfortable, Elder Shi Moved back slowly and formally apologized, "I am sorry. I was overwhelmed with emotions. Please forgive this old man. Come and have a seat. What would you like to drink?"

After the initial discomfort, the three people settled in the drawing-room before being served tea. Elder Shi was at a loss on how to communicate with this granddaughter. His Yang Mei had been closed off when he had found her. She had hated him for not protecting them and refused to call him grandfather. And now Xiao Ai had been found after so much time had passed, how could he even think of asking her to address him as grandfather. 

"Grandfather." Elder Shi broke out of his thoughts when he heard this. Was he daydreaming? But then he saw Xiao Ai say again, "Grandfather?"

Eager now, Elder Shi bent forward and said, "Yes Xiao Xiao?"

"Ah Hai has told me how you have been trying to find us for years not to make up for the past. Please don't let it burden you anymore. I promise to find my sister also and then you can meet both your granddaughters. But.."

This statement caused Elder Shi to feel gratified as well as confused before he realized that Xiao Ai did not know Yang Mei was her sister. He gave a questioning glance to Ah Hai, who subtly shook his head to indicate that Xiao Ai was still in the dark.

" But what?"

Xiao Ai looked at her twisting fingers in her l.a.p and then up again. She felt guilty because she simply wanted to question him on the past that was surely painful and she could see that he wanted to talk about their future.

"But..there is something I am trying to find out about my mother. Can you help us?"

Elder Shi could see that whatever it was that she wanted to know was important so he nodded and agreed readily.

"Can you tell us why my mother kept her maiden name. From what I have heard, she was in love with her husband and had gone against your decision to marry him so why did she not give us her husband's name? Why do we have your surname?"

Elder Shi did not expect Xiao Ai to have this question but he knew the answer so he gave it nonetheless."It is because your mother was my only daughter. When your grandmother passed away, I was heartbroken. I had always wanted a big family but I could not even think of marrying someone else. As your mother grew up, she understood my sadness and made a promise to me that she would not leave me after marriage. She insisted that her husband would have to marry into the family and her children will all take the surname Shi. Even though she went against my wishes and alienated me, she remembered her promise."

Elder Shi's voice quivered as he said this and it took him some time to get it back in control. This time it was Ah Hai who asked, "Elder Shi, if at the time you were not happy with the match then why did you give your daughter the prized jade set?"

At this moment, Elder Shi felt the penny drop. This was the reason for their questioning."Do you want to know why Shi Qinglan is hell-bent on getting that set? There are so many antiques from that era but why specifically those pieces?"

"It is because the set is a part of a key to a lock. When Qing Qing did not agree to marry the man I chose for her and insisted on that man, I, shamefully, tried to bribe her. My company was at an all-time boom and the economy was rising. I passed twenty per cent of the company's shares into her ownership.i forgot that my little girl was as prideful as me. She signed back a blank doc.u.ment transferring the shares to whoever's name may be written and gave them back to me. At that time an inventor had just come up with a unique unbreakable metal and designed boxes with unique keys. I used the set as keys and once the box was made, I sealed the company's papers in it and passed both the things to her. Even if we were at odds, I never wanted my only child to suffer. I threatened her but I never cancelled her credit cards or the money she received from the company. But my Qing Qing never looked back. I thought she was happy and had not forgiven me so I could only repent and throw myself in business. At times I asked Qinglan to check on her and he always told me about how happy and prosperous they were. I admit I was also jealous that I had judged that man wrongly and he was really not after my money. How wrong I was! I never realized the betrayal that Qinglan had dealt me until I received the news of my daughter's and grandchildren's death. Even then I believed those two vipers who cried crocodile tears.

The first time I suspected them was when I realized that the box of papers was missing. Only I and Qing Qing knew that the box was hidden near her mother's grave and since I had not removed it that meant Qing Qing had. The dots started to connect. Her living in a dirty area which Qinglan had excused as a simple setback, her sudden death. It meant something was fishy. And then, I finally two and people llund someone who knew the entire treacherous story. Since then I have kept the reins on the Lifescience Hospitals under control. Qinglan has tried to gain a number of supporters but because I possess my own twenty-nine per cent share and autonomy of the other twenty per cent that I bequeathed to Qing Qing, he has been unsuccessful in taking me out forcefully. He would have killed me if he had the chance to take the majority but I made a will that should something happen to me then all my shares will be sold back to the company in lieu of almost all it's assets so even if Qinglan gets the shares by killing me, the company will be bankrupt and insolvent. If you are thinking the box can be opened by any piece of similar shape then too, you are mistaken. It was very intricately made."

Ah Hai and Shi Ai looked at each other, thinking back to the box they had gained from the Grey's but.."Is this the box?" Ah, Hai took out a picture of the box they had and showed it to Elder Shi."Elder Shi nodded and said, "It is a similar box but not the same. That box is in my possession now. Shi..Someone had been told the location of the box so that they would be believed when they came to me for help. But I never tried to find the set because that would give the indication that I know the location of the box."

The two people looked at each other and smiled. They now had the final clue and now nothing could stop the destruction of Shi Qinglan.