The expensive rent was already half a month of Ding Jiayi’s living allowance. “Don’t compare Ping Cheng with the capital. I’ve said before that with the same 1,000 yuan living allowance, the quality of life you had in Ping Cheng couldn’t be compared to the capital at all.”
“Five, five times?” Ding Jiayi was completely speechless. She had only worked a few years in her life when she just got a divorce with Qiao Dongliang and needed to provide for Qiao Zijin’s education. After that, she returned to her home and led a casual life, especially since the year Qiao Nan started to provide her living allowance.
Ding Jiayi, who had little work experience, knew that if she didn’t have Qiao Nan as a daughter, she wouldn’t have been able to afford such a house in the capital even if she worked herself. The monthly rent was more than five hundred yuan. When she had worked in the past, she only earned at most two to three hundred yuan a month.
In other words, she couldn’t even afford the monthly rent with her salary, let alone food and drinks.
“It’s good that you’re clear. If there are no other questions, I’ll give you this month’s living allowance now in your face. I don’t have to care about you anymore, right?” Qiao Nan placed a thousand yuan in cash on the table, handing it to Ding Jiayi. After doing this, Qiao Nan prepared to leave.
Qiao Nan had completely neglected Qiao Zijin, who was sizing up the house. It was as if she didn’t see her at all.
After sizing up the house, Qiao Zijin looked at the money on the table and her eyes shone. “Mom…” Qiao Zijin wanted to say that she was a bit cash-strapped recently and if she could lend her the one thousand yuan first. She would return it later.
It was a pity there was no relationship to talk about in front of money. Ding Jiayi was a step faster than Qiao Zijin and kept the money. “Okay. I have received this month’s living allowance. I won’t ask you for more.”
In Ping Cheng, she could save most of her money in a month. It was afraid that she wouldn’t be able to save so much from the one thousand yuan after being in the capital.
Ding Jiayi didn’t let Qiao Zijin touch the money she had saved in the past. This one thousand yuan was more important to Ding Jiayi now, and it was even less likely that she would let Qiao Zijin touch it. “All is good. You can head back. You’re so busy at work. I don’t want to disturb you. However, can I ask where your father is staying at? Is he in this community as well? Actually…”
Even if she got a divorce with Old Qiao, they were still husband and wife initially. They could talk about patching back later. Rather than letting Qiao Nan rent two houses, why didn’t she live with Old Qiao so that Qiao Nan could still save the rent of a house? If she stayed with Old Qiao, Qiao Nan should be able to provide them with a bigger house instead, right?
She was used to staying in bigger spaces. Ding Jiayi felt a little suffocated for having to stay in such a small place suddenly.
“Dad doesn’t know you are here. This is his number. If you can’t wait, you can contact him first.” Other than this, she didn’t meddle in any of his other affairs.
“Okay.” Ding Jiayi grabbed Qiao Dongliang’s number in her hands once again and didn’t let Qiao Zijin take a look. She was worried that if Qiao Zijin wasn’t able to get any money from her, she would use this number to contact Qiao Dongliang and try all kinds of methods to coax Qiao Dongliang to hand over his money to her.
It wasn’t only the money in her hands. Even the money in Old Qiao’s hands shouldn’t be given to Zijin anymore.
Qiao Zijin was already in her thirties, but she had never received a dime of Qiao Zijin’s filial piety. Instead, when Qiao Zijin stayed with her for the past two months, she had paid for all her expenses. In these two months, Qiao Zijin didn’t even have the thought to provide some form of living allowance to her. The more Qiao Zijin was like this, the more Ding Jiayi became concerned about money.
She had to have her meals. It was nothing to spare some food for Qiao Zijin. After all, she had given birth to her. However, Ding Jiayi wasn’t that generous to give her own money to Qiao Zijin.
Otherwise, based on Qiao Zijin’s character, Qiao Zijin would have long coaxed the money out of Ding Jiayi to buy a house.
Not only did Ding Jiayi keep a tight rein on her money, but she also did the same to Qiao Dongliang’s money. She understood that in their family of four, only Qiao Zijin’s heart was the coldest and hardest. If something happened in the future and she needed money, Qiao Nan would fork out half the amount, Qiao Zijin wouldn’t be willing to take any out, and Qiao Dongliang would definitely not look on if he knew her situation.
To put it bluntly, Ding Jiayi wasn’t afraid that Qiao Dongliang would be coaxed by Qiao Zijin to give her money. She was worried that if she needed it, Qiao Dongliang’s money would have been used up by Qiao Zijin and he couldn’t give any to her.
In Ding Jiayi’s eyes, Qiao Dongliang’s money was no different from hers. Thus, she had to take care of both aspects and not give Qiao Zijin any opportunity to take advantage of them.
Qiao Zijin was angered by how Ding Jiayi was guarding against her like she was against a thief. Didn’t they say that older people were more confused? Why did she feel that her mother was getting smarter?
When she was young, it was pretty easy to coax her mother. In recent years, aside from eating and drinking at her mother’s place, she didn’t receive a single cent from her before. How stingy. She really didn’t understand. Her mother didn’t earn this money. Qiao Nan had given it to her. She was taking advantage of Qiao Nan. On what basis that only her mother could take advantage of her but she couldn’t?!
“Okay, I’m leaving. When we came over, I’ve already pointed to you the direction of the market. I’ll let you decide what to do next.” Qiao Nan didn’t even look at Qiao Zijin and Ding Jiayi as they competed. She picked up her bag and left.
Qiao Zijin stomped her feet and chased after Qiao Nan. “Nan Nan, I would like to discuss something with you. I left in a hurry this time around and I’m about to finish spending all my money. Can I borrow some from you? I don’t need too much. Just a few thousands will do. I’ll have money when I’m back and I’ll return it to you. Is that okay?”
“No.” Qiao Nan rejected. “Number one, you don’t have a job. Number two, Zhou Zheng is about to get a divorce with you. Once you divorce, you will only get a small living allowance from Zhou Zheng. You’re borrowing money from me? How are you going to return it to me? You’re not borrowing money here. You’re demanding it. Don’t treat yourself as a high-class beggar. Also, don’t think people’s money, especially my money, come easily.”
After rejecting Qiao Zijin mercilessly, Qiao Nan left satisfied. She returned to the ministry and continued the work on her hands.
Li Dawei looked at the clock in the office. “Minister Qiao took a longer lunch break today. It’s half an hour later than usual.” As the minister, was it good to take the lead in being late and leaving early? Could they learn by example in the future?