Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
In this lifetime, regarding important matters she would not give in anymore. Even if it was against her father, she would also not budge an inch.
Qiao Nan told herself this was the last time that she satisfied Qiao Zijin.
Unlike Qiao Zijin, Qiao Nan was nimble and quick in her chores. While Qiao Zijin was still doing the dishes, she was done with sweeping the floor and she had even thrown the dirt away.
“Forget it, you better stop washing.” Ding Jiayi who was washing the vegetables saw that Qiao Zijin had not done the dishes properly. The bowls were still dirty. She had a splitting headache. She might have to wash the dishes all over again. “Qiao Zijin, you make a change with me. You wash the vegetables, I will do the dishes.”
Looking at the dirty vegetables, Qiao Zijin had a look of displeasure on her face. But she still changed with Ding Jiayi.
But while washing the vegetables, she came into contact with something hairy and soft. She took a glance and shrieked. “Mom, Mom, there’s a worm, there’s a worm!”
At Qiao’s house, Qiao Zijin had not seen cockroaches, let alone worms.
Whenever there were cockroaches at home, Qiao Zijin would hide somewhere and the remaining three of them would get rid of the cockroaches.
“Isn’t it normal for vegetables to have worms?” Ding Jiayi was having a headache. Although she had only worked for half a day, she was not used to working. She felt tired to the bone.
She could not even take a rest at home and on top of that Zijin was not being helpful at all. She could not understand why Zijin was kicking up such a big fuss over a tiny worm.
“What’s wrong?” Qiao Dongliang peered in to check. “What is the worm that you are talking about?”
Qiao Dongliang saw on the vegetables crawled a worm and understood what was the commotion all about.
“It’s only a worm, if you are scared, you just have to pick it with the chopsticks.” Qiao Dongliang picked up the worm and threw it away deftly. “Don’t be so flustered and kick up a big fuss. You have to learn from Nan Nan. When she was about seven or eight years old, she was already helping out with the household chores. Old Ding, Zijin is a big lady now. You can’t just teach Nan Nan but neglect Zijin. Didn’t you say that Zijin knew how to do all these chores?”
Back then whenever Qiao Nan helped out with the household chores, Qiao Dongliang would ask why the elder daughter was not helping.
Qiao Dongliang was a traditional man. He felt that every female should learn to cook.
Ding Jiayi would always say that Qiao Zijin knew how to do all the chores. Qiao Dongliang did not give it much thought. But now, after seeing how the elder daughter was scared stiff by a worm, Qiao Dongliang began to doubt her words.
“I… I am just a little scared of worms.” Qiao Zijin knew Qiao Dongliang’s temper. She would not admit that she had never done any household chores before.
She was worried that If she admitted that she had never done any household chores, Qiao Dongliang might want her to help out whenever she was at home.
She did not want to be like Qiao Nan, treated like a servant and made to do so many chores.
“Hurry up, Zijin, Nan Nan has already done all her chores and has started her school work. Tonight you shall sleep alone, have a good rest, you still have to go to school tomorrow.”
Qiao Nan woke up early in the morning, about the same time as Qiao Dongliang. But by the time Qiao Dongliang left for work, Qiao Zijin was still sleeping.
Qiao Nan told Qiao Dongliang that last night Qiao Zijin had been chatting with her for the whole night. She might not have slept well, hence she slept in today.
Forget about yesterday. Qiao Zijin had to go to school tomorrow. Qiao Dongliang would not allow her to sleep that late anymore.
If Qiao Zijin was to develop the habit of sleeping late at night, she would not have enough sleep at night, but had to wake up early in the morning. How would she be able to study well?
Qiao Zijin who was washing the vegetables almost plucked out the core of the vegetables.
It must be Qiao Nan’s doing!
If not judging from her father’s character, he would be more than happy to see the two sisters spend time together. He would not have had any objections at all.
“Alright, Dad.” Qiao Zijin had wasted a night on Qiao Nan and yet she still could not get hold of her money. Exams would be coming in two weeks’ time and National Day would be just round the corner. Qiao Zijin eyes reddened. She was all tensed up and filled with anxiety.
Why were things not going smoothly?
Now Qiao Zijin knew that Qiao Nan was a miser, she would not lend her any money at all. Qiao Nan would not budge no matter what she did. Qiao Zijin finally gave up on getting money from Qiao Nan.
“Qiao Nan, you are so heartless. We are biological sisters. Since a young age, we played together and I have always protected you. Now when I need your help, you refused to help me. I have seen through you. I shouldn’t have treated you so nicely. From now onwards, I won’t be good to you anymore.” Qiao Zijin snorted.
“It’s alright. You can be nicer to yourself. I will also treat myself well.” Qiao Nan smiled, a genuine smile.
“Don’t be too happy about it, we shall wait and see.” She believed that one day Qiao Nan would come begging to her.
When the time came, she would let Qiao Nan have a taste of her own medicine.
Qiao Nan paid no attention to Qiao Zijin’s provocation. She went back to her room and revised the day’s lessons.
On the next day, by the time Qiao Zijin woke up, Qiao Nan was already gone. Qiao Zijin left for school before Qiao Nan was back.
Qiao Zijin got on the bus and was still fuming mad at Qiao Nan. Was she guarding against her as if she was a thief? She had no idea where Qiao Nan had hidden the money. It was nowhere to be found.
She had to come up with another way to get her dance costume.
The atmosphere in the her class was odd when Qiao Nan went to school on Monday.
Zhu Baoguo had been under observation in the hospital for a week. He did not have other serious injuries and could go back home to rest. He had hurt his rib bones and would need plenty of rest. Even if he was discharged from hospital, it would be best to stay in bed to rest in the first month.
As for the school, he applied for as much sick leave as possible so as to have a full recovery.
Lots of people crowded around when Zhu Baoguo went back home on Sunday.
It was only then that the people from the quad found out that Zhu Baoguo had been beaten up by a group of thugs on the side road on Monday. It was all thanks to the younger daughter of the Qiao family who chanced upon him and asked for help that he was saved in the nick of time. Otherwise, he might not be alive.
Everyone had a big shock when they heard the news. The hooligans nowadays were so ruthless, they had almost taken a life?
The residents of the quad and the surrounding areas all knew about this.
Everyone had children. Moreover, after the national planning policy was launched, for the families who only had one child, be it son or daughter, they all treated their child as their precious jewel.
If something similar happened to their child, it would really harm everyone in the family.
Therefore, every family was very uptight when they heard of the news.
