This was a good opportunity. If Zijin went with them and the Chen family was able to leave a good impression on Director Shi, Zijin would be able to take credit for it. The Chen family would remember that it was she who helped them.
Qiao Zijin stomped her feet awkwardly. “Why me? I-I don’t even know Director Shi!”
She knew it was for the same reason that her mother was willing to stay behind.
It would be so embarrassing if Director Shi said that he did not know her and ignored her in front of the Chen family.
“What a fool. Your dad will be there as well. When you reach the Shi family’s residence, you can remain silent. All you have to do is to trail behind your dad or Chen Jun. Leave it to your dad to get close with him.”
“Will this work?”
“Of course it will. Why not? I heard that Director Shi has a daughter about the same age as Qiao Nan. If you feel embarrassed to talk to Director Shi, you can mingle with the young lady. If you are on good terms with her, you will definitely be close to her father as well.” Ding Jiayi had planned everything for Qiao Zijin.
Qiao Zijin thought about it but shook her head. “No, this won’t do. I know about Director Shi’s daughter. She is very close with Qiao Nan. Do you think she will like me with Qiao Nan around? I don’t want to court a rebuff and to make a fool of myself in front of the Chen family.”
“Well…” Ding Jiayi thought hard about it and grabbed Qiao Zijin’s hands. “There is a way. I will look for Qiao Nan right after all of you have left for the Shi family’s residence. Since that wretched girl is on close terms with that young lady, I will tell that wretched girl to call the young lady so that she will treat you well. You can rest assured. I will find a way for the Chen family to treat you like the empress.”
“Will Qiao Nan listen to you?”
“She will definitely listen to me. Trust me.”
Actually, Qiao Zijin did not trust her mother. Qiao Nan no longer listened to her words.
Perhaps they had been apart for quite some time and Ding Jiayi sounded very confident. Qiao Zijin decided to believe her. In the end, she got in the car and went with the Chen family to the Shi family’s residence.
Qiao Nan, who was preparing for her wedding at the Zhai family’s residence, had no idea that she had been targeted even though she had been at home all the while.
By the time Qiao Nan vaguely heard a commotion at the entrance of the Zhai family’s residence, other people at the Zhai family’s residence were aware of the commotion as well. Miao Jing knitted her brows. “What is going on outside? Who is creating a commotion?” Who dared to create trouble for the Zhai family during the Lunar New Year?
The auntie seemed to be in a difficult position. She gave Qiao Nan an awkward glance.
Qiao Nan’s expression darkened. “Is it my dad, my mom, or Qiao Zijin? No, it should be my mom, right?”
“Yes,” the auntie replied. “She has something to talk to you. She is being stopped by the guards at the door.”
“No way!” An angry Miao Jing refused Ding Jiayi’s request on behalf of Qiao Nan. “She must be up to no good. Since she does not feel shameful, she can go ahead to create a din. Everyone in the quad knows the person she is.”
Zhai Sheng patted Qiao Nan’s hands. “It’s nothing serious.”
Qiao Nan curled the corners of her lips. Something bad would definitely come out of it.
Even if the whole world knew the person that her mother was, there were still people who wanted to watch the show. “You are right to hold the wedding banquet as soon as possible.”
After the wedding banquet, the Zhai family would go to the capital.
The Qiao family would be able to enter the quad in Ping Cheng.
But when the Zhai family was in the quad in the capital, the Qiao family would not be able to create a commotion like today.
No one in the Zhai family said anything about Ding Jiayi’s behavior. They were busy with whatever they were doing. Old Master Zhai even went out from the back door and went to look for his friends. He did not make any comments about the Qiao family. After all, he knew about the Qiao family’s situation right from the start.
His heart ached that his granddaughter-in-law had such an unreliable mother. He knew that she would be a trouble now that she was the Zhai family’s in-laws.
Ding Jiayi told Qiao Zijin with full confidence that she would make Qiao Nan listen to her. She was sure that Qiao Nan would tell Shi Qing to be nice to Qiao Zijin and Qiao Zijin would then be able to hold her head high in front of the Chen family.
She had already made the promise. However, Ding Jiayi did not expect that Qiao Nan would be so heartless and ignore her.
She thought that Qiao Nan would be mindful of keeping up appearances in front of her in-laws. She would not want things to be blown up and to embarrass herself in front of them. Not only would Qiao Nan come out to meet her, but she would even agree to all her requests.
If Qiao Nan did not agree, she would make things difficult for her so that the Zhai family would find her troublesome and call off the wedding.
Ding Jiayi’s intention was for Qiao Zijin to hold her head high in front of the Chen family, but she wanted to do it at the expense of Qiao Nan.
She might have it all planned out, but Qiao Nan could not be bothered with her. All her plans were in vain.
Ding Jiayi kept on kicking up a fuss at the entrance to the Zhai family’s residence. The soldiers who stood on guard seemed oblivious to her shouts. They gave her disdainful stares and refused her entry.
There was tight security in the quad.
The entire quad was divided into two major sections. The important figures such as the Zhai family, the Zhu family, and the Lee family stayed in the area facing the sun, while the rest of the people stayed in the northern part of the quad.
Two soldiers stood guard at the southern entrance.
There was a distance from the guard post to the Zhai family’s residence.
If Ding Jiayi did not raise her voice and create a commotion, no one in the quad would be able to make out what she was saying.
Ding Jiayi’s throat was parched and hoarse in no time. She was close to losing her voice. “That wretched girl is so heartless. How can she refuse to listen to her mom!”
Ding Jiayi knew that the Chen family might have already met the Shi family. Ding Jiayi felt all the more anxious that she had yet to talk to Qiao Nan. “I won’t make a commotion anymore. Can you pass a message to my daughter, telling her to meet me outside?”
“No.” The soldier rejected her request without another word.
Ding Jiayi rolled her eyes in anger. “Everyone in the quad knows that my younger daughter is marrying Zhai Sheng soon. She will become the Zhai family’s daughter-in-law. I am the Zhai family’s in-laws. How can you stop me from entering?”
In fact, Ding Jiayi had intended to stride into the Zhai family’s residence. She was their in-laws. She had the right to go to their house. No one could stop her from doing so.