Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

  By the time Qiao Nan tidied up the house, boiled a pot of plain porridge and brought it with her to the hospital, it was already night time.

  Qiao Nan stepped into the ward and saw Qiao Zijin bent over Qiao Dongliang’s bedside in a deep sleep. She did not see Ding Jiayi in the ward.

  Qiao Nan put down the porridge and walked to Qiao Dongliang’s bedside. She had yet to say a word before she was startled by a figure suddenly appearing behind her.

  “Don’t be scared, it is me.” Zhai Sheng put one hand around Qiao Nan’s waist while the other covered her mouth lest she let out a sound out of shock and woke others up.

  “Brother Zhai?” Qiao Nan put her heart at rest when she heard the familiar sound of Brother Zhai. “Didn’t you mention that you have something on?”

  “I have completed the mission,” Zhai Sheng said calmly. “How is Uncle Qiao now?”

  “The doctor said he has to be under observation for twenty-four hours.”

  “Just the two of you?” Zhai Sheng frowned when he noticed that other than the two teenagers, there were no adults around to take care of the injured Qiao Dongliang.

  Qiao Nan pulled the corner of her lips. “My mom might have been held up by some matters. But Brother Zhai, you finally have some time off from the army, why don’t you go back home to rest? I have to thank you for helping me today. If not for you, my dad would not be able to go for the surgery.”

  Qiao Nan was very grateful for Zhai Sheng’s help and sending someone to give her the money in time.

  Zhai Sheng practically helped save her father’s life.

  “Uncle Qiao does not look too good.” Zhai Sheng’s eyes darkened. He let go of Qiao Nan and walked to Qiao Dongliang’s bedside. “Call for the nurses and doctors now.”

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  Qiao Nan was in a panic. She did not have the time to look at her father. She quickly dashed out to call for help.

  The doctor and nurses came right away. The doctor checked on Qiao Dongliang and exclaimed. “Why is the patient’s blood pressure so high? Didn’t I instruct the family members to look after the patient and that they should notify us immediately if anything happens to the patient? Hurry, send him to the operating room!”

  When the doctor and nurses were about to push Qiao Dongliang out of the ward, Qiao Zijin fell off the bed and woke up. “What happened?”

  “What happened? Didn’t Mom ask you to look after Dad? Why didn’t you know that something is wrong with Dad? And you even fell asleep!” Qiao Nan stared at Qiao Zijin coldly, exasperated at her.

  “What’s wrong with Dad?!” Qiao Zijin was wide awake when she heard there was something wrong with Qiao Dongliang. “Where is Dad?”

  “He was just being pushed into the operating room.” Qiao Nan was angry and frustrated at Qiao Zijin.

  Because of her mother’s attitude toward Qiao Zijin and her, Qiao Nan did not wish to think about those pointless problems they had. However, Qiao Zijin’s behavior today just tipped her over the edge. She felt indignant and wronged. She did not understand why she would have to bear all these sufferings!

  In terms of results, she had better results than Qiao Zijin since a young age; in terms of abilities, she had been helping her mother with the household chores since young. On the other hand, Qiao Zijin had been leading a pampered life similar to that of a young lady’s from an influential family in ancient times.

  As for her, she had been helping her mother with the housework, cared for her mother, and wanted to share her burden.

  She was better than Qiao Zijin in every aspect, yet her mother only liked Qiao Zijin and was biased toward her. Why was her fate worse than someone whom they had taken in from the streets?!

  What was so good about Qiao Zijin that her mother only had eyes for Qiao Zijin and disregarded her totally?! Her mother even gave all the simple, good and easy tasks to Qiao Zijin!

  Ding Jiayi sent Qiao Nan home to rest while Qiao Zijin stayed at the hospital to take care of their father. Qiao Zijin only knew of the reason behind her mother’s actions after Ding Jiayi told her about it. On the contrary, Qiao Nan had already known why her mother would make such arrangements.

  If not for the fact that Qiao Nan had been tired to the bones and could not be bothered to argue with Ding Jiayi, she would not have been so submissive to her.

  Her father was her biological father after all. No matter how she disliked her mother and Qiao Zijin, she could not change the fact that they were related by blood. It was just her luck to have such a mother. What choice did she have?!

  Nevertheless, Qiao Dongliang was still in critical condition this time, yet Qiao Zijin behaved so irresponsibly and fell asleep. She did not notice his condition and notify the doctor right away. Qiao Nan was enraged by her behavior. “Let me tell you, if anything happens to Dad, I will never let you off!”

  “Why would you be angry at me? It was unintentional. You must be having a good time going back to sleep. I was being treated as free labor here. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to Dad as well, I…… I……” Qiao Zijin was angry and scared. Her father was fine minutes ago. She only took a short nap. Why would he be unwell all of a sudden?

  Right then, Qiao Zijin’s stomach gave a loud and abrupt grumble.

  Qiao Zijin blushed. “I am hungry. Do you have anything to eat?”

  “You still have the mood to eat?” Qiao Nan laughed mockingly. She took the porridge she brought and pushed it toward Zhai Sheng. “Brother Zhai, since you rushed all the way here, you must not have eaten anything. Don’t stand on ceremony with me. It is just plain porridge. Please make do with it and have some.”

  Qiao Nan had prepared the porridge for Qiao Dongliang and Qiao Zijin.

  But now that all these happened, Qiao Nan would rather throw it away than give it to Qiao Zijin. As her father just went into the operating room, he would not be able to take in any food for a while.

  “You……” Qiao Zijin was starved. She was angry at Qiao Nan and had almost wanted to reach out to snatch the porridge. It was then did she realize that there was another person in the ward, a stranger.

  Qiao Zijin lifted her head and looked at Zhai Sheng. Though he had a cold expression on his face, he was very good-looking. Qiao Zijin looked at the chiseled face and blushed.

  The man standing in front of her was very tall. Qiao Zijin thought to herself that she could only reach up to his shoulder.

  Most importantly, Zhai Sheng had an aura of righteousness about him, making people felt safe around him. This quality made women felt a sense of security and wanted to depend on him.

  Seeing the besotted look on Qiao Zijin’s face, Qiao Nan and Zhai Sheng pulled a long face, carrying the same expression on their faces.

  Zhai Sheng kept his silence. Still, he was being very cooperative and opened the vacuum flask, gulping down the porridge in it.

  In fact, Zhai Sheng was really hungry.

  After receiving Qiao Nan’s phone call, he had wanted to bring her the money himself. But at that time, he had a mission to complete. He had to instruct his subordinate to pass the money to Qiao Nan.

  He knew Qiao Nan’s mother was not dependable. Thus, he completed his mission as soon as possible and rushed off to the hospital in Ping Cheng where Qiao Dongliang stayed in. He did not even have the time to have a sip of water.

  If this happened to other people, they would have been exhausted. But Zhai Sheng was a soldier; he had an iron will. He did not display any hint of discomfort, and no one could tell that he had not had any meals or water for the whole day. On top of that, he had just completed an intensive mission.

  When Zhai Sheng found out what kind of person Qiao Zijin was, he also did not wish for Qiao Nan to waste her efforts on Qiao Zijin, so he gladly finished all the porridge.

  Besides, Qiao Nan might be young, but the porridge was very tasty. She would make a good wife when she grew up.