At the sight of the affection between the filial Qiao Nan and the fatherly Qiao Dongliang, Qiao Zijin felt that she stood out like a sore thumb and could only act as the backdrop for the two of them. She was hardly able to maintain her smile.
“Dad, you must have a lot to talk to Nan Nan about. I’ll look for Mom.” When she started studying in high school a year ago, her father didn’t seem so concerned about her. He did not ask her if she had been bullied in the school or if she was happy.
Her father was too biased!
When Qiao Zijin said she wanted to look for Ding Jiayi, Qiao Dongliang and Qiao Nan did not have much reaction. They continued to chat normally.
Qiao Zijin stood up and walked toward Ding Jiayi’s bedroom. On the way, she paused and turned her head, staring at Qiao Dongliang. When she saw Qiao Dongliang chatting happily with Qiao Nan and ignoring her, she gritted her teeth in fury.
Since her father only regarded Qiao Nan as his daughter, it would be his wishful thinking if he wanted to get a single cent from her in his old age. She would only support her mother, if there was a need to do so, that was.
In a few years’ time, she wanted to see if she or Qiao Nan could let their ‘respective’ parent lead a better life!
Qiao Nan had better not be complacent too. Soon, she would teach her a lesson!
It was only when Qiao Zijin entered Ding Jiayi’s bedroom, softly closing the door afterward, that Qiao Dongliang and Qiao Nan, whose backs had been stiff, relaxed a little.
At the sight of Qiao Dongliang having the same reaction as her, Qiao Nan was stunned. She pondered and said, “Dad, you most likely don’t really know Sister’s character. How should I put it? She’s quite petty. In other words, she bears grudges and seeks revenge for the slightest grievance. Regarding your behavior just now, she will definitely take it to heart. In the future…”
In her previous life, her parents only had Qiao Zijin in their hearts, but she did not see Qiao Zijin being especially filial to her father.
In this life, her father’s attitude toward Qiao Zijin had changed drastically. Hence, she believed that Qiao Zijin would hate her father.
“What will happen in the future? Will she not be filial to or support me? Raising a child for the sake of supporting me in my old age…” Qiao Dongliang sighed. He perked up when he looked at Qiao Nan. “Even if your sister doesn’t care about me anymore, Nan Nan, will you ignore me too because Dad did not value you that much in the past and allowed you to be bullied by your mother and sister?”
“I won’t.” Qiao Nan shook her head. Whether it was before or after her rebirth, she had never thought of leaving her parents in the lurch.
They were the ones who gave her life and allowed her to come to this world. She had to repay them for giving birth to her and raising her up. However, she would not blindly obey her parents like what she did in her previous life; she would not sacrifice herself and her life.
She would not leave them in the lurch. Nevertheless, she had her own plans as to how she would support them.
“That’s good,” Qiao Dongliang said, consoled. He still had his younger daughter even if the elder daughter did not care about him.
“Dad, are you not angry about what I told you about Sister? Shouldn’t you help her explain that she’s not that kind of person—that she is initially good-natured but have been spoiled by Mom?”
After all, she was prepared to be retorted by her father when she gave him such advice.
Qiao Dongliang rubbed Qiao Nan’s head, smiling bitterly. He did not reply to Qiao Nan.
These words were often in Qiao Dongliang’s mind in the past. He had always hoped that his thoughts were real. However, he was aware that this was also his way of comforting himself.
His elder daughter, Qiao Zijin, had not only been spoiled by Ding Jiayi but was also a character he was not able to grasp and understand as a father.
“Don’t worry. Dad will not make you angry because of your sister anymore.”
“Dad, what happened to you?” This did not seem like what her father would say. She had thought that her father would not give up on Qiao Zijin until the moment of his death.
“Nothing. It’s just that I have to figure out certain things eventually. Let it go, let it go. When you lose, you gain. Many times, you need to give and take. Ultimately, this family does not belong to me alone. Your sister has your mom. Nan Nan, you only have me, your dad.” If even he was not willing to stand on Nan Nan’s side, Nan Nan would be too pitiful.
“Alright, don’t think so much. We’re going to have our meal soon.” Qiao Dongliang smiled and stopped discussing it deeply. He did not want Qiao Nan to feel burdened.
“Yes.”
When the conversation between Qiao Nan and Qiao Dongliang ended, Qiao Zijin had just started her conversation with Ding Jiayi. “Mom, how’s it going? Did you find out where Qiao Nan hid her things?” With today’s ambush, surely Qiao Nan could not have escaped, could she?
“Don’t talk about it.” At the mention of this, Ding Jiayi could not help recalling the smell of garbage on her. She turned pale and lost her appetite for dinner.
“Why, you lost her?!” Her mother was so useless. She could not even handle such a small matter!
At the sight of Qiao Zijin’s face turning stiff and being angry, Ding Jiayi quickly added, “Alright, don’t be angry. I probably know where it is.”
Ding Jiayi took out a piece of paper with the names of some families written on it. “I lost Qiao Nan in this area. I guessed she must have hidden her things in one of these places.” As to which family it was, she was not certain.
“We already found out about this place today. If we keep a close watch, in two weeks’ time, we’ll definitely know which family it is!”
“We don’t have to wait for two weeks!” Qiao Zijin narrowed her eyes. “It must be this family!”
“The Zhai family? Impossible! Qiao Nan, that wretched girl, can’t possibly know someone from the Zhai family. She even hid her things there. It’s impossible.” Ding Jiayi was agitated. “Zijin, Mom knows that you’re anxious, but you need to make sense. It can’t be this family.”
The status of the Zhai family was higher than that of both the Li family and the Zhu family. They had the highest status in the whole quad. They were like the sun that she had been looking up to, the moon that was high up in the sky.
How could Qiao Nan, this wretched girl, have any connection with the Zhai family?
“Mom, the Zhai family?” Were they so powerful? Why didn’t she know anything about that!
“Have you forgotten that we have a chief of the army staying in the quad?!” Ding Jiayi showed her thumb. In the past, she only hoped for Qiao Dongliang to become the battalion commander. The position of a chief, not to mention this life, in her next life and even the life after, she felt that it was impossible for Qiao Dongliang to attain that level of seniority.
“It’s that Zhai family?!” Qiao Zijin was shocked, her eyes flashing with hesitation.
Could it be a coincidence? But what if it was really the Zhai family?
“Mom, you may not know this. On the day Dad had his surgery, and while you were working overtime, a man came looking for Dad at the hospital. I don’t know him, but Qiao Nan does. Qiao Nan called him Brother Zhai.” The surname Zhai was very unique. She had only heard it once from Qiao Nan. Thereafter, she had not heard anyone with that surname again.