Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
As soon as Qiao Dongliang made that statement, both Qiao Zijin’s and Ding Jiayi’s faces lit up instantly. They could see a ray of hope.
“Dongliang, we have been husband and wife for so many years. I know that you won’t be so heartless. You have always favored and pampered Zijin. You will not abandon us.” Ding Jiayi quickly wiped the tears on her face. “Dongliang, Nan Nan has been taken away by that person just now. The four of us need to be together to make a complete family. Let’s fetch Nan Nan now.”
Ding Jiayi knew that Qiao Dongliang decided to leave this house because of Qiao Nan.
Therefore, as long as Qiao Nan lived alone by herself, Qiao Dongliang would move out to stay with her.
In order to keep Qiao Dongliang with her, no matter how much she disliked Qiao Nan, she must fetch Qiao Nan home and treat her well in the future. Otherwise, Qiao Nan would move out by herself and Qiao Dongliang would follow suit, leaving her husbandless, and Zijin fatherless.
“That’s right, Dad. Let’s bring Nan Nan back now.” Qiao Zijin said while trying to muster a smile.
Although she complained to her mother that her father was useless and could not provide a good life for his daughters, the moment Qiao Dongliang decided to move out of the house, she realized that Qiao Dongliang was very important to her. At the very least, she could not bear to lose her father at this point in time.
“Yes, let’s bring Nan Nan back. Dongliang, you can rest assured. I will take good care of Nan Nan. I… I will not be willful or self-centered. I will love and take care of Nan Nan. I will not do anything that will upset you in the future.”
Ding Jiayi had tried all means and ways to keep the family together. She would agree to do anything as long as the family could stay together.
Ding Jiayi consoled herself. After all, Qiao Nan was sixteen years old and was already a high school student.
Qiao Nan had to stay in the school dormitory and would only come back once every fortnight. When she attended college, she would probably come back twice a year only.
Ding Jiayi could endure for a few more years until Qiao Nan graduated from school. Afterward, she would find her a good husband and marry her off. By then, she would no longer need to stay under the same roof as Qiao Nan.
Initially, Ding Jiayi had thought that with Qiao Dongliang’s firm attitude, she would have to kneel and beg for his forgiveness. Otherwise, Qiao Dongliang might not have a change of heart. But since he had agreed to give them another chance, she would accede to any requests he made, even if it meant she had to fetch Qiao Nan personally.
“No need for that.” Qiao Dongliang stopped Ding Jiayi. “Judging from what you have done today, I don’t understand why you still have the cheek to face Nan Nan. Given your attitude, even though both of you say that you will change, I have doubts about it. ”
“I…” Ding Jiayi clenched her clothes tightly. She felt helpless and at a loss. “What do you want us to do then?”
No matter what outrageous acts she did, Ding Jiayi had never felt that she was in the wrong. She had no self-awareness.
Today, Qiao Dongliang was very firm in his attitude, pushing Ding Jiayi to her wit’s end. Ding Jiayi had meant to soften her attitude so that Qiao Dongliang would be soft-hearted on them. However, no matter what she said or did, Qiao Dongliang was not appeased at all.
Ding Jiayi, who was already in her fifties, felt so helpless and clueless.
“Nan Nan will not come back. She is still young, and I can’t leave her by herself. I have to take care of her.”
“So you still intend to abandon Zijin and me?” Ding Jiayi growled. “You said that you would give me another chance! Did you lie to me?!!”
“Mom…” Qiao Zijin wanted to stop her mother from shouting at her father. Her father was already in anger, yet her mother lost her temper at him. Did she want to drive him away? Was she out of her mind?
“I meant it when I said that I would give you another chance. You can rest assured that I am different from you. I will keep my promise, but that doesn’t mean I am not leaving. Both of you should reflect on yourself as to how you have been treating Nan Nan. It’s no use to insist that you will change your behavior. Actions speak louder than words. If Zijin and you really change for the better, I will come back with Nan Nan.”
“What if we can’t meet your expectations?” Ding Jiayi could not help but ask.
“Mom!!!” Qiao Zijin wished that she could stop her mother from shooting off her mouth. Her mother seemed to be telling her father that she had never been in the wrong or let Nan Nan down, and that she would not change in the future.
Even if her mother really thought this way, she should not have said it out loud.
Did her mother want Qiao Dongliang to stay with them and bring back Qiao Nan or not?
Sure enough, Qiao Dongliang sneered. “If that’s all you could say, then I will have to tell you that Nan Nan and I will never move back in this life. I have already said my piece. It’s up to you as to what will become of our family in the future.” With that, Qiao Dongliang shrugged off Ding Jiayi’s hands, took the bicycle out of the house, and cycled off.
In the end, Ding Jiayi could not make Qiao Dongliang stay. Qiao Zijin knew that her father would not listen to her pleas as well.
Both of them could only watch helplessly as Qiao Dongliang left the house. Right then, Ding Jiayi flared up at Zijin. “Zijin, I have told you long ago that the wretched girl is very evil. Whoever is close to her will be unlucky. We may have gotten the three hundred yuan back, but look at the mess we have gotten ourselves into! Now that your dad has moved out with Qiao Nan, what are we going to do? Ever since I married your dad, I have always been devoted to him and intended to be with him till I grow old. Now, I can’t even keep my husband by my side…”
Ding Jiayi cried when she thought of her mother’s curse on her.
Back when her mother arranged a marriage for Ding Jiayi, her mother took the bride price and spent one-third of the money on her son.
Even so, Ding Jiayi came up with ways to marry Qiao Dongliang with the help of Elder Lee.
One could tell that the Ding family was not well-to-do since they spent one-third of the bride price as soon as they received it. Since there was no way that Ding Jiayi could marry the man, her parents had to return the amount of money they had spent.
In order to return the money, it caused a strain to the already dire situation in the Ding family.
Her mother who hated Ding Jiayi to the core scolded Ding Jiayi that since she could disregard her parents for Qiao Dongliang, there would come a day when he would abandon her for his own reasons.
By that time, the Ding family would not offer her any help!
It had almost been twenty years. Ding Jiayi had led a happy life holding the purse strings in the Qiao family and ordering Qiao Nan around. She had long forgotten about the curse her mother said. She had lived as if she was the queen of the Qiao family.