Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“Grandpa, you haven’t introduced this auntie to me.” She was unaware of the existence of such a person in her grandma’s family.
It was just that this auntie had been so warm and welcoming toward them, and she had even addressed her mom as ‘Sister Zhai Hua’ as though she recognized her mom. Besides, this auntie had been the one to open the door for them earlier, and she had walked out of her grandma’s house. That meant that this auntie had to be part of the family.
“Didn’t you already call her auntie?” Zhai Sheng cut in before Zhai Yaohui could say anything.
“…” Wei Jiajia was not an elementary school student and would not be deceived so easily. There was no way this auntie was nothing more than an auntie. Other than a caretaker, who would allow such a ‘stranger’ in their house? From her looks, this auntie did not seem like a caretaker either.
Zhai Hua eyed Miao Jing, similarly asking about Qiao Nan’s identity. Since when had they had such a person in their family? Why had she not been informed about this?
Wait a minute. Her parents had come to Qingshui Town because of Zhai Sheng’s partner. Did that mean that this woman was the woman who had caught Zhai Sheng’s eye?
Miao Jing nodded at her daughter secretly, indicating that it was exactly what she thought it was. This lady could very well become Zhai Hua’s future sister-in-law. Both she and Old Zhai were old. Hua Hua had not married well and would have to depend on Zhai Sheng in the future. As such, it was crucial for Hua Hua to get on Qiao Nan’s good side.
Upon confirming that Qiao Nan was indeed the lady that her brother liked, Zhai Hua smiled. “Hello, I’m Zhai Hua. I’m Zhai Sheng’s sister. Oh right, do you know me?” Zhai Hua shook Qiao Nan’s hand while assessing her.
Zhai Sheng was her younger brother, after all. While Zhai Hua was happy that Zhai Sheng had finally met someone new, she also hoped to be able to help Zhai Sheng take a closer look so that they would be able to avoid another shameless woman like Qiu Chenxi. The first impression she had gotten from this woman was a very comfortable and warm one. Her eyes were clear, unlike those of someone harboring evil intentions. For the time being, she would score her an eighty out of a hundred.
“Of course she does. She used to be our neighbor in the past and she lived in the quad in Ping Cheng. Her name is Qiao Nan.” Miao Jing introduced Qiao Nan warmly to Zhai Hua, hoping to bring Zhai Hua closer to Qiao Nan. Both her son and daughter were important to her and she would not leave any of them behind.
Wei De, who had just entered after parking the car, frowned and expressed his dissatisfaction toward Qiao Nan. “Do you mean the Qiao family that has been making waves in the news back in Ping Cheng?” Someone as ‘important’ as the Wei family should not have known about such trivial news. It was because this matter had blown up that even Wei De had heard about it.
Thinking about the family that he had seen on television, Wei De’s first impression of Qiao Nan was as bad as it could get. This was a woman who would bring shame to them. She was old and poor, and she even had a bunch of troublemakers as relatives. How could such a person show up at the Zhai family’s house? “Dad, Mom, is this the new auntie that you’ve just hired?”
The way he saw it, if she was really the auntie who had been hired to take care of his brother-in-law, it would be best to fire her and send her back immediately. It was not as though the Zhai family had any financial issues. It was easy to hire someone better. There was no need to bring a troublemaker home.
“What nonsense are you spouting?” Zhai Hua’s expression darkened. Anyone with ears could hear Wei De’s disgust toward Qiao Nan, let alone Zhai Hua, who shared a bed with Wei De.
Zhai Hua thought about how Qiao Nan was the person whom Zhai Sheng had fallen for and seemed to have gotten the approval of her parents. Zhai Hua did not want her brother to remain single for the rest of his life. As such, before she could prove that there was something majorly wrong with Qiao Nan, not only should they not chase Qiao Nan out, but they would even have to support her.
If Wei De angered Qiao Nan and ruined the matter for Zhai Sheng, where would Wei De find another sister-in-law for her whom Zhai Sheng would accept?
“If you don’t know what to say, you should just keep quiet. Nan Nan is our guest, not our helper.” Miao Jing’s face was even darker than Zhai Hua’s. If Miao Jing were to rank the people whom she hated the most in this world, Qi Minlan and her daughter had once swept the top five rankings. But ever since Wei De appeared, he had ‘risen’ to the third place.
In Miao Jing’s eyes, Wei De had never been her son-in-law. He was simply a bad guy who had snatched her daughter away from her and treated her poorly.
“Mom.” Wei De was upset. His in-laws were not giving him any respect in front of outsiders. So many years had passed, but they were still dissatisfied with him. He was fine with that, but was he really so bad that he could not even compare to an outsider in the Zhai family’s eyes, even though he was Jiajia’s father?
In actual fact, he truly could not compare to her.
“Mom?” Miao Jing laughed upon hearing that word. It was a long and meaningful laugh. Miao Jing could not even be bothered to explain the reason behind it. “All right, since you’ve already sent Hua Hua and Jiajia here, you’d better hurry home since the new year is in two to three days’ time. If you don’t return, your mom’s going to kick up a fuss, saying that we’ve snatched her son. I can’t afford to take the blame for that.”
What she wanted was only for her daughter and granddaughter to return. Wei De? Sorry, there had never been any space for him in the Zhai family.
Ever since Zhai Hua refused to send Jiajia over to the Zhai family’s house a few times, Miao Jing’s dissatisfaction toward the Wei family had reached her limit. Miao Jing understood her own daughter well. She knew that no matter how stubborn Zhai Hua was, she would never stop her family from interacting with Jiajia. But she could not say the same of Wei De.
Afterward, Wei De had even asked if he should send his nephew to the capital so that the elderly couple would not feel too lonely. There was nothing Miao Jing and Zhai Yaohui did not understand. Wei De clearly favored his nephew and was ready to sacrifice Jiajia to benefit his nephew. Right from the start, Wei De had never really thought about Jiajia.
In that case, it was clear as day why Jiajia had never visited them in the capital.
Zhai Yaohui and Miao Jing would never accept such a son-in-law. Not now, not in ten years’ time, not ever.
Wei De felt a little embarrassed. Were his parents-in-law chasing him away? Why? Even the outsider had not left, so as a family member, why did he have no right to stay? “Dad, Mom, our family of three has decided to celebrate the new year with you guys. I’m not leaving. Jiajia, what do you say?”
Knowing that the Zhai family did not like him, Wei De could only rope his daughter in to help him out.
Jiajia sighed. No matter how bad her dad was, he was still her dad, after all. She had to help him. “That’s right, grandma and grandpa. We’re not leaving this year. We’re staying to celebrate the new year with you.”
Qiao Nan, who had been looked down on by Wei De, felt a moment of discomfort, but she calmed down very quickly.
