Luckily, he had three little helpers with him. Miao Miao stopped crying and was laughing heartily.
“The triplets are so obedient. Nan Nan is a good child. She taught her children to be well-behaved as well.” Qiao Dongliang could tell that the triplets were well-behaved and sweet. He was very envious. He could not help but wonder if he stayed closer to Qiao Nan and her children and spent more time with them every day, would his grandchildren be just as close to him as they were to Madam Zhai?
As he grew older, Qiao Dongliang longed for the days where he could play with his grandchildren and spend time with his family.
When they were at a young age, Qiao Zijin was good with words while Qiao Nan was reserved. Qiao Dongliang had his happy days as a father. Now that his daughters had grown up, he was glad that his younger daughter was caring and filial to him. But she got married not long after. After her marriage, he wanted to be responsible to his elder daughter, hoping that she would find her happiness like her sister, but he never expected that…
Right now, his obedient younger daughter was no longer close to him, while the elder daughter was selfish and had eyes for no one else.
Although he had two daughters, it was equivalent to not having any.
What Qiao Dongliang wished for right now was to be close to the triplets and to be able to take care of them.
However, although the triplets were willing to play with him and address him as their grandpa, they were not affectionate toward him. He was only treated slighter better than a stranger.
Actually, it was because Qiao Nan bore a slight resemblance to Qiao Dongliang that the triplets were willing to play with Qiao Dongliang. Otherwise, although they were brave, they were cautious of strangers. This was not taught by the adults. They seemed to be wary of strangers by nature.
If Qiao Nan did not bore a resemblance to Qiao Dongliang, they would not be willing to play with him. It was all the more impossible for them to be affectionate toward Qiao Dongliang. He did not stay by their side, and he did not spend time with them. It was impossible for them to be close to him.
“What are you looking at?” Qiao Dongliang, who was lost in thoughts, came back to his senses. He noticed that Ding Jiayi and Qiao Zijin kept staring at Zhai Hua’s fleet of bridal cars. From the sparkle in their eyes, he could tell what they were thinking of. “Forget it. You can look at it for all you want.” No matter what, they could only watch the fleet of bridal cars enviously as they would not have such treatment.
Qiao Zijin’s nostrils flared slightly. She seemed to be angry.
When Qiao Nan married Zhai Sheng two years ago, her wedding was just as grand as Zhai Hua’s wedding today.
Qiao Nan was a nobody while Zhai Hua was the only daughter of Chief Zhai.
She had no right to have such a grand wedding as Zhai Hua. Qiao Zijin could not take this lying down as she knew that when she got married, her wedding could not be compared to Qiao Nan’s and Zhai Hua’s weddings. It was not even comparable.
A woman would only marry once in a lifetime, and there would only be such a grand wedding once in a lifetime.
Why was it that Qiao Nan and Zhai Hua could have a grand wedding and for everyone to be envious of, while she had to marry quietly and no one would be envious of her?
She and Qiao Nan had the same parents. Why was she treated so differently from Qiao Nan?
Qiao Zijin could not accept what Qiao Dongliang said. It was unfair that Qiao Nan could have a grand wedding while she could only watch enviously.
Qiao Dongliang smiled at Qiao Zijin’s snort. “Feeling unconvinced? Then, you have to work harder. There is no way that we could give you whatever you want. Like what you have said six to seven years ago, I am useless. You have to depend on yourself to get what you want. It is useless to depend on a helpless father like me.”
When he first heard of Qiao Zijin’s description of him after he was in an accident and had to be hospitalized, he was heartbroken. He even suspected that he must have heard wrongly. Otherwise, how could the caring elder daughter say such cold and harsh words? It was very cruel to say that to a father.
But today, Qiao Dongliang was used to it. He would use this occasionally to shut Qiao Zijin up.
Qiao Zijin might be thinking the same thoughts, but she dared not say it in front of Qiao Dongliang or admit it. She smiled, feeling embarrassed. “Dad, what are you saying? Why would you have such thoughts? I am your daughter. You will definitely dote on me. Let’s not talk about being capable or not. Let’s just live according to our means. Let’s not make things complicated.”
Having meager benefits was better than nothing.
Qiao Zijin did not wish to have the same treatment as Qiao Nan when she got married. She did not want to be ignored by her parental family or be treated as if she was not related to her parental family at all, while it seemed that it was her neighbor who married off the daughter.
Her father might not be able to provide her with a lot of money, but she would not reject any amount of money that he would give her.
Qiao Dongliang smiled. There was no warmth in his smile. “Alright, I will remember what you have said today. We should live according to our means. This is a good idea.”
From today onward, even if he had one cent in his pocket, he would find the chance to spend it on his grandchildren. He would not keep any money with him. By the time Zijin got married, he might have no money, but he would contribute his labor.
His daughter had already said so. If he really did that in the future, his elder daughter could not criticize or find fault with him.
Qiao Dongliang could tell what Qiao Zijin was thinking about. But Qiao Zijin, who was inexperienced in life, could not really understand her father’s words. “Well, it would be very good if Dad could do that. I understand the family’s situation. Alright, let’s not talk about this. I don’t even have a boyfriend. It’s too far to talk about marriage. Today is Sister Hua Hua’s big day. We still have to attend the wedding banquet at the hotel later.”
Qiao Zijin did not know what her father meant. It was better to change the topic so that she would not make more mistakes. She also hoped that she was wrong and that she had been thinking too much. She was hoping to herself that her father did not mean anything.
With that, Qiao Zijin walked to stand next to Ding Jiayi. She pulled at her clothes, hoping that Ding Jiayi would put in a good word for her so that her father would not keep targeting her.
It had been two years. Her father only met Qiao Nan twice in these two years. Qiao Nan did not spend as much time with her father as compared to her.
