Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Her grandma’s family was afraid that there would be a conflict between her and Wei Wei, but she hated Wei Wei and did not want to be in the same school as him.
Jiajia could not help but wonder if Wei Wei had always known who his father was. Thinking back to how Wei Wei always tried to grab her father’s attention and win against her every time, Wei Wei could very well have been mocking her. Jiajia was disgusted at the thought of that.
One was her father, while the other was her cousin, who was now her elder brother. And he was the most disgusting kind of elder brother, no less. Thinking about her paternal grandma’s house now felt like a nightmare to Jiajia.
Jiajia refused to admit that Wei Wei was part of the reason she did not want to attend The High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China, but this was just part of the reason indeed. “Mom, you’re overthinking it. Wei Wei doesn’t have much to do with me not wanting to study in The High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China. I prefer the learning environment at Ping Cheng High School. If Ping Cheng Junior High School provided boarding, I would have gone there too.”
Seeing Zhai Hua’s miserable face, Jiajia could only beg Qiao Nan for help. “Auntie Qiao, what do you think about Ping Cheng Junior High School? I think it’s pretty good.” Jiajia winked at Qiao Nan, asking her to help her out.
She had realized that her mother usually listened to Auntie Qiao’s advice.
Qiao Nan let out a weak smile. “I think that Ping Cheng Junior High School is not bad. I attended that school too. As an alumnus, I can’t possibly put it down.” Unfortunately for her, she had not been able to graduate. To make up for her regrets, she would walk this path again.
That was an unexpected surprise for Jiajia. “Really? Then, won’t I be schoolmates with you if I go to Ping Cheng Junior High School? See, Mom? I want to go to Ping Cheng Junior High School. Anyway, we’ll probably be living in grandma’s house, right? Grandma’s house is near Ping Cheng Junior High School. If you buy me a bicycle, I’ll be able to cycle to school. You won’t have to worry about me. It’ll be convenient.”
In the past, Jiajia knew that her mother had not been on good terms with her maternal grandma’s family and had not kept in contact with them. Although she knew that her grandma’s house was near to the school of her dreams, the sensible Jiajia had never made such a request or hoped that Zhai Hua would be able to fulfill them.
But now, the situation was different. Jiajia felt that she might as well put it out in the open now that she had such an opportunity. It was easier to resolve all their problems this way.
Seeing how happy and excited her daughter was to attend Ping Cheng Junior High School, Zhai Hua felt a little sour. After all those years of perseverance, not only had she made her own life miserable, but she had also made her daughter suffer. That was to say that she had not even noticed just how much she had neglected her daughter all these years!
Zhai Hua lowered her voice. “If you really want it, I’ll get the transfer procedures settled tomorrow.” She could not care less about her pride or persistence in front of her daughter. She was someone with her own family. As long as her family stood by her side, there was no one who would be able to bully her, not even the Wei family. Her daughter should have been able to live such a carefree life from the start.
It had already been over ten years. There was no point in letting her daughter live such a life anymore. She would use all of her resources for her daughter now. Jiajia had been too obedient in the past. How nice it would have been if she had been just a little more willful or selfish.
After making that decision, Zhai Hua immediately got the transfer procedures done. As such, on the first day of school, Jiajia had become a student of Ping Cheng Junior High School. It was also on this day that Wei De, who had been granted a ‘vacation’ from the military, was served a court summon. His divorce case with Zhai Hua was going to court.
The moment he received the court summon, Wei De’s hand trembled. Even though Zhai Hua had already said that she wanted a divorce in her call, Wei De had held on to the hope that Zhai Hua had only said so out of anger. Besides, he had been trying hard to find Jiajia to use her to change the situation.
But after receiving the summon, Wei De understood just how determined Zhai Hua was to get this divorce.
When Mother Wei saw it, her whole face turned pale too, and she immediately started sobbing while slapping her thigh. “Does this woman really want to drive us to our deaths? She’s trying to drag our family down with her! Shouldn’t she think about how no one had been willing to marry her at her age and how Ah De sacrificed himself to marry her? Why doesn’t she know how to be grateful? Our Ah De is so good, but she’s asking for a divorce! She’s heartless! A scum!”
“All right. Stop crying.” Father Wei was utterly frustrated. He wanted to smoke a cigarette, but his shivering hands could not even get the cigarette alight. After a while, Father Wei eventually placed the cigarette down and slight-eyed Wei Wei, who was hiding in a corner quietly. “Xiao Wei, you’re in your final year of high school. It’s the most critical period for you now. Don’t get yourself into the adults’ matters. Go back to your room and revise your work. You’re still young. It’ll be better for you to study harder and get good grades.”
Father Wei had to make some preparations now that his daughter-in-law was getting divorced from his son. It would be impossible to rely on his daughter-in-law for his grandson’s future. If his grandson’s results were good, he would still be able to get into a good university and find a good job in the future. That way, the Wei family would not become good-for-nothings at the very least and would be able to survive in Ping Cheng.
Since his grandson could no longer rely on Zhai Hua or Wei De, Father Wei had no other choice but to let Wei Wei fend for himself. Not only did Wei Wei have no one to rely on now, but the Wei family might even have to rely on him in the future.
Father and Mother Wei had already gotten used to living the high life. Their lives had been tough back in the countryside, where they had been farmers. Because of their daughter-in-law, Zhai Hua, the elderly couple had retired. Although Mother Wei had adapted well in the first two years, Father Wei, who had been working all his life, had felt a little uncomfortable.
But over a decade had passed, and Father Wei had already gotten used to such a lifestyle. He was used to not needing to work while still receiving an allowance of one thousand five hundred yuan from his daughter-in-law every month. Without such an allowance, the Wei family’s expenses would be a problem on their own.
At this time, Father Wei finally realized how greatly the Wei family would be affected now that they were losing their daughter-in-law, Zhai Hua. Without Zhai Hua, the Wei family had nothing.
“Ah De, do you really have to get a divorce from Zhai Hua?” Father Wei asked as his head throbbed. As long as this divorce did not go through, they would have no problems at all. But once they were to get a divorce, the Wei family’s world would collapse.
