“I’ll rent the house for you and continue giving you a thousand yuan for your living expenses every month.”
“That’s impossible. Things are so much more expensive in the capital as compared to Ping Cheng! A thousand isn’t enough. I want two thousand.”
“Only a thousand.” Qiao Nan shook her head. “In Ping Cheng, a thousand yuan can give you a luxurious lifestyle that is better than the average working class. You’re clearer about that than I am. A thousand may not be as much in the capital as Ping Cheng, but for retirement, at least you won’t go hungry. If you don’t buy off-season and expensive vegetables, you can still eat nutritiously. As for clothing, I’ll pay for new clothes every season.”
Ding Jiayi only needed to take care of her meals with one thousand yuan.
With Ding Jiayi’s stingy nature, she would probably still be able to squeeze out some money to save in the bank.
“My advice to you is to lower your expectations. If you get on my nerves, we might just cut all ties. I have to remind you of this. I’m not your only child. If you really want two thousand, that’s all right. Only I have to provide for you? How about Qiao Zijin? We’re both your daughters, so it’s only right that your living expenses should be footed by the both of us.”
When Qiao Nan was asked to provide for their retirement, she had never refused. And she did not even ask Qiao Zijin to chip in.
There was no reason for Qiao Nan to be providing for her retirement alone, while Qiao Zijin did not. After all, they were both Ding Jiayi’s children. If Ding Jiayi dared to say that she would ask for two thousand yuan from Qiao Zijin, in addition to the two thousand yuan from Qiao Nan, she would definitely be scolded to the grave.
Even in the capital, the average worker’s salary had not been high before 2010.
If Ding Jiayi alone could receive a living allowance of four thousand yuan, then other children would never survive. Exceptional old people like Ding Jiayi were not all that uncommon. If biological parents were like that, then how about step-parents? In that case, everyone would learn from Ding Jiayi and open their mouths as wide as a lion.
If that were really to happen, society would be in a mess.
The only thing that Ding Jiayi had against Qiao Nan was that she had given birth to Qiao Nan. And for that, Qiao Nan had obligations toward her. She knew that she held the upper hand since it was part of societal expectations. Qiao Nan had no other choice.
But if public opinions were to support Qiao Nan and turn against Ding Jiayi, then Ding Jiayi would not be able to continue playing this game. Then, she would not only lose her status but also be ridiculed by the public.
After hearing Qiao Nan’s words, Ding Jiayi knew that a thousand yuan was Qiao Nan’s limit. If she asked for any more, Qiao Nan would drag Qiao Zijin into this and divide her requested allowance by half. Then, the money that she got from Qiao Nan would be a thousand yuan less.
Although Ding Jiayi had often said that Qiao Zijin would be successful in the future, ever since Qiao Zijin graduated and found a job, she had never given Ding Jiayi a single cent. At most, she would buy some vegetables home. Ding Jiayi knew that it was almost impossible for her elder daughter to be ‘filial’ to her.
So when it came to her living allowance, Ding Jiayi did not even include Qiao Zijin in her plan.
“This is for normal living expenses. If you agree, then I’ll continue giving you a thousand every month and go ahead with the plan we talked about earlier. If you don’t, then whatever amount you want, I’ll split it in half with Qiao Zijin. If you expect too much, that’s all right too. I’ll just not give you anything. You can do whatever you want as long as you have confidence that you won’t be the one getting into trouble instead of me.”
She was in a sensitive position, and the person she married was rather special. Even if it was just to preserve the reputation of her husband’s family, Qiao Nan had no choice but to give Ding Jiayi a thousand yuan a month.