Chapter 16: a vexing father.

This was too big to handle on her own, she was still a powerless minor. The police won't take her seriously. She needed someone who would listen to her carefully. Her mother probably wasn't a good choice, she might freak out and won't handle it well. Her father was her best choice, even though she wasn't sure he would take her seriously, it won't hurt to try at least.

She looked for the head maid, and asked her about her father, he was in his study.

"The master didn't like to be disturbed, it's better you talk to him at lunch."

The head maid was an old lady, she was stern and professional at her work, but she didn't look kindly at her, and Lanru cared less. No one did in the past, and the head maid was gonna retire soon anyway. At least she commanded respect from them now. No one dared to badmouth her.

"Don't worry, I'm not just anyone."

She left the head maid frowning and headed to her father's study. Knocking at the door, she said, "Father are you inside."

After a moment of silence, a cold voice said, "came in."

Looking at her cold father after getting in, she wasn't perturbed, "father, I want to talk to you, can we go outside," she can't take any chance, she was already risking exposing herself by coming to her father. The guy wasn't a god, and he can't be surveying every move in the house, but it would never hurt to be too careful in this matter. After all the bastard failed two times to her, he might be suspicious of her. Though she was new in the house and her habits weren't marked yet, It was still unusual for her to approach Shuji even for the head maid, let alone someone on the alert.

"Speak, I'm listening."

She kind of expected it, so she took a folded paper from her pocket, "take a look at this, I need these things urgently," she put a piece of paper in front of him,

He shook his head. What did he even expect? Of course, it was to buy her something. She just arrived, yet has a lot of demands, and even fought with a maid. When he took a look at the paper; though, his eyes focused, and they sharpened the more he read.

[I have something serious to talk about. There's a dangerous criminal in the house, he might be even listening to us. I'm not playing a prank or being delusional but If you can't take me seriously, ignore what I said completely.]

His head flashed up, his eyes glaring at her. She nodded seriously at him. He didn't know what to say, this was ridiculous, but she got the best of him. He was curious now.

He made a call, "prepare the car," and hung up.

He walked out and pointed ahead for her to follow him. As they got out of the main building the head maid walked to them, she was surprised when she saw Lanru with him, but soon turned to Shuji, "Master, today is Chauffeur Huang day off, Mr. Gubi is readying the car, instead, he said he can drive, or should I call one of the bodyguards."

"No need."

"Understood," she bowed and left.

"Wait, father, can't we go just the both of us?"

"Why," he looked sharply at her.

"It's...,"

"Master, the car is ready.".

She stopped talking when Mr. Gubi came, and her father didn't wait for her to resume, he walked to the car with the latter behind him. She calmed herself before she followed her stubborn father, it was okay if it's just him.

Mr. Gubi opened the back door for her father, while she got in by herself from the other one, and without further ado, her father said, "speak, what was this about, That dang..."

She felt a rush of adrenaline and blurted interrupting him, "Father, I really need those things, but... I think the car is hot as well," she gestured with her eyes.

"Impudent, how can you cut me off," Lanru didn't flinch at her father as she kept looking at him, "sorry Father, it's just it's hot inside."

Her father finally caught on to her after seeing the meaningful look in her eyes. did she mean, Mr. Gubi is the criminal she's talking about, what a joke? He didn't know the guy personally, but he knows he's very popular in the household, everyone likes him.

When she looked at Mr. Gubi, her heart tightened a bit, the latter was looking at her from the mirror, he smiled and looked away. She wasn't suspecting him, she was just careful in case the car was bugged, but his stare was a bit unsettling.

"Can you turn on the air conditioner, Mister," looking at him though, he was a bit suspicious, he fit the profile to some extent, and the fact that he volunteered to drive them wasn't normal either. She has to be careful just in case.

Her father was annoyed that she took it this far but since he already moved, might as well see it through to the end. One thing though, he appreciated her way of handling things, even though it might turn out some stupid kid wild fantasy, she was at least meticulous, he gave her that.

They went to the high-class restaurant not too far away from the house, but they didn't take a private room as she hoped, but it wasn't a problem.

She wasn't yet relaxed enough to tell him, though, she had a bad feeling about Mr, Gubi following them, 'should I find another time to deal with this,' she shook her head, if it's truly him, it would get more dangerous now that he seemed he suspected her. She took her phone out, and her thumbs were flying on the screen. Before she finished her words, her father interrupted.

"Hey, what are you doing after bringing me all the way here," she put her index on her mouth, then pointed at her ears.

"Are you saying he's eavesdropping on us, this girl is getting more and more ridiculous," he just couldn't play along anymore?

On her side, she really started to regret choosing her father. The police might have taken her more seriously, she chose him, hoping with his influence, the police would listen to him, and a thorough arrest operation can be done, but now, she wasn't sure they would catch him at all. She hoped she was just thinking too much into it.

Her father wasn't done yet, "you're said Mr. Gubi is a dangerous criminal, he worked for us for 4 years, and everyone in our household had nothing but prizes for him, and you just came..."

She wasn't listening to him anymore, she was stunned. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry, might as well go invite him to sit with us.

She calmed herself, it was still too early to give up yet. It was unlikely he was bugging them in the first place, she didn't think he had the chance to, but just in case she had to assume the worst.

"Father, I never said it was Mr. Gubi. I was wary of the car."

"What about now, was the restaurant bugged as well," he was sure she was wary of Mr. Gubi, who was she trying to fool.

She gave up by now, since things turned this way, it was useless to write things on her phone. Might as well control the information he receives.

"Forget it, why do you think I wanted to change some furniture and put a lock the same day I arrived," before he had the chance to show more displeasure she added, "did you think I was spoiled, rebellious, not at all, I found 2 cameras on each of the lamps on my room."

Shuji jolted from his relaxed position, "what the hell are you talking about," his brows furrowed. After she repeated herself, he raised his voice, "are you sure there are cameras on them, this is a serious matter?"

"There are two black circles on both my lamps, they are obviously cameras," her face creased a bit, hoping she looked the part, she added "Father, we need to find the culprit and fire him, I don't feel safe, it's so scary,"

Assuming the worst, she wanted to ease Mr. Gubi, as long he didn't have to deal with the police, firing him wasn't a big deal for him, otherwise, it would be dangerous if he escaped. That is why even though she has more solid proof, she didn't tell Shuji the whole story hoping Mr. Gubi won't be alarmed too much. She has to catch him now, once done she can reveal everything to the police. If he believed she was just a dumb girl and found the cameras just by luck, he won't be alarmed. As long as it was just a simple hidden camera he wouldn't be in a hurry to go off-grid. After all, the police looked for him for a long time without any progress, the only trace he left smugly was his DNA, he must have covered his back.

"Ridiculous," her father stood from his place, and stormed out of the restaurant leaving behind a few words, "I'll deal with you when we go back, what a waste of time," she just came to the house and she already started a drama, what a joke. She didn't say it directly, but it was obvious she wanted to lead him to think her stepmom was scheming against her.

It didn't matter to her what he was thinking, it was better this way, she could convince him later when they went to her room. The urgent matter now was to check first on Mr, Gubi, and figure out whether she was just too paranoid, or was he really bugging them, and his reaction if he did.

She followed helplessly after her father only to find him on his phone with an ugly look on his face. She looked toward the direction of their car, and her feet went cold, and an ominous feeling spread through her body. Neither the guy nor the car was to be found.