Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Within the Qiao family, she only wanted to chat with Qiao Nan.
Before Qiao Dongliang could reply, Ding Jiayi interrupted them. “Sister, Nan Nan is still young and doesn’t know anything. What can she chat with you about? Let me keep you company and chat with you. Old Qiao should also make a trip to our house and get Zijin to come over. We can let Zijin and you, my sister, bond with each other.”
Ding Jiayi was fighting for the opportunity to be the ‘leader’ at all times. She certainly did not forget about her most beloved daughter.
“Sister, you’ve not interacted with our family’s Zijin before. As long as you chat with her, you’ll definitely like that child. That elder daughter of mine is pretty and smart. She is really blessed. People nowadays don’t believe in this anymore. When I just gave birth to Zijin, a passing by fortune teller told me that Zijin is someone who will bring good fortune to her family and husband.”
“I don’t believe in this too,” Miao Jing replied with a weak smile.
“Sister, you don’t believe it?” Ding Jiayi felt extremely disappointed. “Actually, I don’t believe it either. It’s just to get some good luck. Old Qiao, what are you waiting for? My sister wants to see Zijin. Let Zijin come over and see her elder auntie. It’s the Lunar New Year. Zijin should also wish my sister a happy New Year.”
If the chief’s wife really acknowledged them as a family, she did not need to worry about Zijin’s future anymore.
With an elder auntie like the chief’s wife, would Zijin still need to do well in her studies? She would be able to land a job in a few seconds!
“There’s no such need.” Miao Jing’s smiling face nearly crumbled. “After all, New Year is just about red packets. It’s just that I don’t know your elder daughter well. There’s no need to let the child make so many trips. The reason that I came today is to see Nan Nan. The two of you are husband and wife and hardly meet each other. You should chat. Nan Nan, where’s your room? Bring me there.”
Miao Jing expressed clearly that she did not know Qiao Zijin well and did not wish to meet her.
In fact, she did not know Ding Jiayi well either. It was just that Ding Jiayi’s skill of seizing the opportunity for her own benefit was really superb.
Miao Jing had not been blunt and Ding Jiayi’s enthusiasm increased as she spoke. She looked as if Miao Jing were truly her relative. The affection shown was akin to that of a biological sister. It made others feel extremely uncomfortable.
“Auntie Miao, my bedroom is over there.” Qiao Nan could not stand the shameless demeanor of Ding Jiayi any longer too. Her mother kept calling Auntie Miao ‘sister’, but Auntie Miao did not acknowledge it at all. Even so, her mother’s fawning did not cease.
“It’s fine not to fetch, then. Let’s go to the room together.” Ding Jiayi had no choice but to give up on the idea of fetching Qiao Zijin here. However, she did not give up the thought of chatting with Miao Jing.
“No need. I only wish to chat with Nan Nan. Your surname is Ding, right? Ding Jiayi, can you not disturb Nan Nan and me? I also don’t really like strangers to be too close to me. Thank you.” Miao Jing moved back a few steps and pulled Qiao Nan into the bedroom.
“Sister…” Ding Jiayi refused to give up. They might not know each other that well now, but after they chatted for some more, she would definitely be closer to the wife of the chief than that wretched girl.
Didn’t all the people who were familiar with each other start out by chatting with each other?
“Enough!” Qiao Dongliang held on to Ding Jiayi. “You’re already of such an age. Can you stop being such an embarrassment?” The wife of the chief had already made her stand so clearly, yet Ding Jiayi was still so shameless and wanted to tag along.
If not for Nan Nan, the chief’s wife and Zhai Sheng would not even visit their house. Ding Jiayi still acted as if the greatest credit were hers. Qiao Dongliang really could not tolerate what he had seen.
“In what way am I an embarrassment?” She even knew the wife of the chief and even called her ‘sister’.
If the people in the quad knew about this, which one of them would not be envious of her? Who still dared to laugh at her behind her back and said that she could not even stop a man like Old Qiao from leaving?
“I’m on good terms with my sister. Why can’t that be?”
“You address the chief’s wife as ‘sister’, but did she ever acknowledge that?” Qiao Dongliang was both amused and angry. “She came for Nan Nan. They truly like Nan Nan and want to interact with her. It has got nothing to do with you. Don’t be so shameless and fling yourself in front of others. Didn’t you see the look of disdain in the eyes of the chief’s wife when she looked at you?”
Ding Jiayi did not have any tinge of self-awareness. What she said was ridiculously amusing.
“Nonsense!” Qiao Nan was just a little girl. How could she get to know a character like the chief’s wife? What could they chat about when they’re together? Don’t tell her they would chat about learning and studies?
“You know it in your heart whether it’s nonsense or not. I don’t hope for anything else. As long as you’re my wife, please control your temper for the sake of the Qiao family’s dignity. If you wish to embarrass yourself, you can do so. When the officers of the Civil Affairs Bureau start working, we could collect our divorce certificate, and you can do whatever you like afterward. At that time, you will be embarrassing the Ding family and it doesn’t concern my Qiao family. Propriety, justice, honesty, and sense of shame—Ding Jiayi, how much of these values are left of you?”
“I…” Ding Jiayi was both angry and anxious. She did not wish to miss this good opportunity to get to know Miao Jing. Nevertheless, she was afraid that Qiao Dongliang would really divorce her.
She could not understand how a little girl like Qiao Nan could coax the chief’s wife. There was no reason that she, who had lived a few more decades than Qiao Nan, had no way to make the chief’s wife acknowledge her as a sister.
If they really became relatives with the Zhai family, then their Qiao family would really be prosperous. They did not need to worry for life.
All this while, she just lacked this opportunity.
With much difficulty, the opportunity was now right before her eyes. Ding Jiayi was thus not willing to give up.
“Uncle Qiao, I’ll place the items here.” Zhai Sheng quietly became the coolie. He carried the items down from the car. “Nan Nan is too skinny and she’s weak. She needs to supplement her health and improve it gradually. Uncle Qiao had an accident previously. You should also eat well. Please don’t hate to part with or eat them. Otherwise, the ‘mouse’ will feed on them and the good stuff will then be wasted. These are handpicked by my mom for Nan Nan!”
Zhai Sheng intentionally emphasized Qiao Nan’s name. He did not want Qiao Dongliang and Ding Jiayi to use all sorts of reasons to pass what he gave to Qiao Nan to Qiao Zijin instead.
When he said that, Zhai Sheng did not look at Ding Jiayi at all. That kind of character made people feel extremely annoyed.
Even Zhai Sheng, who had such great endurance, could hardly control his temper. He nearly flared up.
“Don’t worry, I’ll definitely do so.” Qiao Dongliang’s face turned red. He could not help thinking about what happened on the first day of the Lunar New Year. Qiao Zijin wished to heartlessly take away all the stuff that Zhai Sheng sent over, leaving nothing for Qiao Nan.
Fortunately, he was not muddle-headed. Otherwise, he, as a senior, would not be able to lift up his head in front of Zhai Sheng.
“Zhai Sheng, it’s not that I, as your auntie, want to discipline you. We all know who exactly did your mom send these over for.”
