Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
With the Zhai family looking out for him, as long as Zhou Zheng did not commit a huge mistake, the Zhai family would simply remind the Zhou family, and Mother Zhou would help clean up after Zhou Zheng’s mess before it escalated into an even bigger problem. It was truly a joint effort between his parents and the Zhai family that Zhou Zheng was able to hold on to his position for so many years.
On the contrary, the Zhai family would no longer try to help Zhou Zheng because of Qiao Zijin. Mother and Father Zhou had initially taken Zhou Ying with them and started to live separately from Zhou Zheng. Without help from the Zhai family, even if Mother Zhou was willing to acknowledge Zhou Zheng as her son and help him, there was no way for her to clean up the mess before the problem had happened anymore.
And because of this, Zhou Zheng was dragged down from his position.
Zhou Zheng was infuriated because his life was already in a mess because of his work. At such a time, would Zhou Zheng still care about whether Qiao Zijin was dead or alive? Even after Qiao Zijin had been buried for such a long time, he had never once taken Zhou Ying to pay her respects to Qiao Zijin.
“I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you how pathetic Zhou Zheng is now that he doesn’t have Mother Zhou looking after him and now that he’s lost his job, right? I’m sure you can guess.”
“Of course!” Great! This was great! Zhou Zheng had indeed been bitten by karma and had been taught a lesson. People like Zhou Zheng should have it tougher. If it was not for his own incapability, Qiao Dongliang would really want Zhou Zheng to suffer even more so that he would regret getting a divorce from Qiao Zijin. If Zhou Zheng had not divorced Qiao Zijin, Qiao Zijin would still be alive and well in Ping Cheng. She would not have caused such a huge fuss and turned to suicide after her relationship with Qiao Nan soured.
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“Now that we’ve settled the Zhou family’s issue, let’s talk about Qiao Nan.” On the account that they were in-laws, Zhai Yaohui was giving Qiao Dongliang special treatment by wanting to talk it through politely with Qiao Dongliang before resorting to physical force. “Do you remember the order of Qiao Nan’s identities that I told you about earlier? Since you call me chief, you should understand how special our family is. The Qiao family had caused too much trouble for Qiao Nan, making her life very difficult indeed. I’m not sure if your end goal is to make Qiao Nan become as ordinary as you guys so that she won’t be able to survive in the central committee. Maybe you even intend for her to offend the Zhai family and get divorced from Zhai Sheng…”
1
“No, chief. You’re mistaken. You’re really mistaken. How could I have such a terrible thought? I know I’m not a good father, especially to Nan Nan, and I’m clear about how well your family treats Nan Nan. I also know that Nan Nan only knows how it feels like to have a family because she married into your family. How could I wish that Nan Nan would get divorced from Zhai Sheng? Zhai Sheng treats Nan Nan so well. If Nan Nan were really to get divorced from Zhai Sheng, she would never find a better man!”
If a person was not afraid of losing something, it was because he knew there would be something even better ahead.
But since there was no better choice than Zhai Sheng, Qiao Dongliang would never have such a thought. Even if Zhai Sheng was not so good, as long as the couple could lead a peaceful life, Qiao Dongliang would never rationally ask his daughter and son-in-law to get a divorce.
Zhai Yaohui smiled once again, but this was a cold one. “Are you sure you’ve never thought this way? If it’s true, then I apologize for having misunderstood you. I misunderstood your opinions toward Nan Nan and Zhai Sheng’s marriage. Don’t mind me. It’s really your family’s actions that are misleading me. Who doesn’t want to have a simple and peaceful life after getting married? But your family has not only caused so much trouble for Qiao Nan, but you guys have also made the Zhai family an easier target. Do you know that every single incident that you guys create can become an excuse for our enemies to use against the Zhai family? How do you think the Zhai family would view Qiao Nan if that were really to happen?”
At the time when Qiao Nan had first married into the Zhai family, many bystanders had wondered if the Zhai family was doing charity by taking in a young lady of such poor family background. Was it because they pitied her?
At that time, Qiao Dongliang had felt eternally grateful to the Zhai family for not rejecting Qiao Nan as a daughter-in-law just because of her family background.
“In ancient times, people were particular about whether a married couple comes from equal family background and social status. Our family was already unbothered by Zhai Sheng marrying a wife who would not be able to help the Zhai family. I felt that Zhai Sheng was very ambitious in his career and should continue to climb up the ranks based on his own efforts to support his own family. That would be a real man. We can put aside nepotism in our family. The problem is that even after the Zhai family has looked past how his wife cannot help our family, her family is constantly trying to pull us down. What do you think about your family’s actions, Qiao Dongliang?”
“While you guys were fussing around, did you really not stop to think about Qiao Nan and whether the Zhai family would turn against her because of these matters? Didn’t you ever think that there would come a day when we would finally explode after all those of years of accumulating our troubles and the couple would get a divorce?”
“No, you guys would never do that,” Qiao Dongliang said ‘no’, but his face was pale, and cold sweat dripped continuously from his head. “Zhai Sheng and Nan Nan have a good relationship, and they already have three children. The triplets can’t go without their mom!” If Nan Nan were really to get divorced from Zhai Sheng, there was no question that the custody of the three children would be awarded to the Zhai family. At that time, Nan Nan would have nothing.
“You see, you know for yourself that we won’t do such a thing, and not that we won’t have such thoughts. So, you should be clear that whatever the Qiao family does will eventually affect our views toward Qiao Nan. Knowing is one thing, but it’s obvious that you don’t care. You’re betting on my son’s deep relationship with Qiao Nan. You know that Nan Nan is a good kid who’s filial and can never say no to her father. And because of that, you’re always trying to squeeze Nan Nan dry, and you’re even making the entire Zhai family work for you. Qiao Dongliang, let me ask you something. If Zhai Sheng were really to get divorced from Nan Nan, how would you ever make it up to Nan Nan? I’m afraid you’d never be able to make it up to her even until you die!”
Zhai Yaohui’s hawk-like stare pierced through Qiao Dongliang’s gaze. Everyone had thought that Qiao Dongliang was a useless man who could not even handle a woman like Ding Jiayi. But Zhai Yaohui had seen through the darker side of Qiao Dongliang.
Qiao Dongliang, who was seemingly inept, had unknowingly become the person who was above even the Zhai family. It could be said that Qiao Dongliang was not just another incapable person. Quite on the contrary, he was at the top of the food chain.
Initially, as long as the Qiao family kept their place, Qiao Nan’s temper was already quite good, and she let it go too.