Qiao Nan really could not bring herself to call such a woman ‘mom’.
Zhai Sheng held onto Qiao Nan and patted her back gently. “Let us take more care of dad in the future.” When Zhai Sheng said the word ‘dad’, he was referring to Qiao Dongliang and not Zhai Yaohui.
Qiao Dongliang refused to give up on Qiao Zijin, and this was understandable. Most parents loved their children unconditionally and selflessly. Qiao Dongliang’s behavior was not uncommon. However, he had inevitably hurt his other daughter in the process.
Now that he had realized that Qiao Zijin had no way of turning back due to Ding Jiayi’s teaching, one really felt that he was very pitiful to have persisted until today.
Certainly, Qiao Dongliang had been negligent in the concern for his children. He did not discover in time that Ding Jiayi was teaching his daughter in such malicious ways. However, Qiao Dongliang’s behavior was, in fact, very common in many Chinese families. Everyone led such lives.
The only difference was that Qiao Dongliang was very unfortunate to have met a wife like Ding Jiayi. As for the other men, they also led such lives. However, they married a wife who was better than Ding Jiayi. Hence, the lives in these families were peaceful and they felt contented as long as they could make ends meet.
“What is the matter? Nan Nan doesn’t look good. Is she feeling unwell?” When Miao Jing, with the triplets by her side, saw her son and daughter-in-law, she was sharp to notice that Qiao Nan did not look well. “Is it because…”
Miao Jing had not arrived for a long time but she had already heard many comments about the Qiao family from others. “Nan Nan, your mom’s character… It’s not the first time. We know about it long ago. There’s nothing surprising. Don’t let this worry you. No one is perfect. Don’t bother too much about those people’s criticisms.”
Qiao Nan forced a smile. “Mom, don’t worry. I won’t.” How could words of outsiders affect her? After knowing the actual situation of her family, typical matters could not impact her at all. “I might have caught a little cold on the way here. As long as I rest well tonight, I should be fine tomorrow.”
“Mom, not feeling well? Take medicine, injection!” San Bao walked over, reached out, and held on to Qiao Nan’s fingers with her little hands, showing her concern. At the mention of taking medicine and injection, San Bao’s face, which looked like a little bun, grimaced. “Painful, so bitter.”
The triplets had been very healthy since they were babies. It was seldom that they felt unwell or had a fever. However, they had to take immunization jabs. When the triplets were teething, they had also thrown fits due to feeling unwell. It was not true that children did not know anything. When the triplets occasionally went to the hospital for immunization jabs, they saw other children throwing tantrums, crying, screaming, and refusing to take injections and medicine. As such, they were well aware that taking injections and medicine were painful matters. However, as long as one did that, one would recover from their illness and pain.
“San Bao is so sensible. She even knows that one needs to take medicine and jabs when one is unwell.” Touching San Bao’s head, Miao Jing was smiling like a blooming flower. “San Bao, grandma will bring you to auntie, okay?”
“Auntie, where?” San Bao nodded enthusiastically, looking around for Zhai Hua. Miao Jing waved at San Bao to ask her to come over to her side. She also brought Da Bao and Er Bao, all the three little ones, to Zhai Hua. At this moment, Miao Jing could sense that Qiao Nan did not look well due to psychological and not physiological reasons.
If Qiao Nan was truly feeling unwell, her son would have sent her to the hospital long ago.
On the contrary, Zhai Sheng did not look too good either and there was no sight of the Qiao family of three anywhere. Miao Jing pieced the puzzle and roughly understood what was going on.
Qiao Nan might feel worse if the triplets were by her side. As such, Miao Jing might as well bring them somewhere else and let Zhai Sheng have a chance to console Qiao Nan well.
However, at this juncture, Qiao Nan did not need anyone to console her. She just wished for some time to quiet down.
Zhai Sheng understood Qiao Nan. Hence, he hugged Qiao Nan and let her lean in his arms. He silently consoled her and kept her company.
Facing a person like Ding Jiayi, even a formidable figure such as Zhai Sheng could only sigh and exclaim with pity that it was illegal to kill someone in a lawful society and times as such. In particular, this hateful person whom he could not wait to get rid of was his biological mother-in-law.
To anyone, this relationship was very torturing.
It was Zhai Hua’s day of marriage today. Qiao Nan had finally livened up her mood to watch Zhai Hua marry in glory.
After the bride finished the toasting, Zhai Sheng ‘reported’ the situation to Zhai Yaohui and Miao Jing. He also informed Tian Shouyi before making a move first with his wife and children.
Tian Shouyi had heard about the situation of the Qiao family of three.
Initially, he was not so warm toward Qiao Nan precisely because of Qiao Nan’s background. Fortunately, there was no problem with Qiao Nan. The problematic one was Qiao Nan’s maternal family. In such a situation, the problem would not be huge as long as Qiao Nan and the Zhai family were not muddleheaded.
Under the condition that his family’s interests would not be adversely affected, and on the account that the Zhai family had a worrisome in-law family and Qiao Nan was feeling unwell, Tian Shouyi did not take issue that Zhai Sheng and all had to leave earlier.
His son was married and he had a daughter-in-law now. Soon after, he was also someone who would be carrying grandchildren.
Facing these changes, Tian Shouyi was in such a good mood that he could not wait to light up firecrackers and celebrate openly. However, there were environmental pollution issues nowadays and the air in the capital was not good. As such, they could only do away with such celebration methods as much as they could.
As soon as they arrived at the Zhai family’s residence, Qiao Nan washed up and fell asleep soon after.
The triplets knew that their mother was not feeling well. They were thus very obedient and did not bother Qiao Nan. Under the care of their father, Zhai Sheng, they obediently brushed their teeth, washed their faces and hands, soaked their feet, and crawled onto the beds happily thereafter.
Especially San Bao, she was overconfident. She lifted the blanket from the side and propped up her chubby legs, wanting to climb up the bed on her own accord. In order to save his chubby daughter’s face, Zhai Sheng reached out his hands and gave his daughter’s flour-like and chubby buttock a push. As such, Miss San Bao could of course climb up the bed, opened the blanket, and wriggle into the little hole created.
Next, Zhai Sheng saw a little bump appearing under the blanket and crawling toward Qiao Nan. It was only until she reached Qiao Nan that San Bao wriggled out from the blanket, giggling happily.