Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

  “You said we have to treat them both equally—that we can’t be biased toward either of them and ill-treated the other. But what do you mean today?! Are you targeting me, or are you against Zijin?”

  Qiao Nan’s eyes widened, casting Ding Jiayi an incredulous glance. Was her mother trying to sow discord between Qiao Zijin and father?

  Qiao Nan wanted to ask her mother what she meant by saying such words.

  “Fine, since you want to be fair, let me tell you why I refuse to let Nan Nan help you with the chores. I will let you know what fairness is.” Qiao Dongliang gasped a few breaths. “Look at my room. Isn’t it clean as compared to other places in the house? Look at my bed and feel my quilt. Obviously, the quilt cover was washed and dried! Are you telling me you and Zijin did all these? Are you telling me you both cleaned this room up?”

  After hearing what Qiao Dongliang said, Ding Jiayi was all the more furious.

  There were so many rooms in the house, yet Qiao Nan only cleaned up that particular room. Had she been hoping or planning for her to quarrel with Old Qiao and prepared the room for Old Qiao in advance just in case?

  If this room was dirty, messy, wet, and dark—given Old Qiao’s physical condition—it would not be suitable for him to stay in the room even if he was willing.

  Though the couple would quarrel, they would always resolve their differences. As long as the couple shared the same bed and the same blanket, they would patch up after the quarrel.

  No matter what kind of serious mistakes she committed, Old Qiao would forgive her after a few days.

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  For Qiao Nan to do this, was she hoping for them not to patch up?

  It must be under Qiao Nan’s influences that Old Qiao was no longer as understanding and objective as he used to be.

  “Mom…… mom……” Ding Jiayi’s face was getting redder, like a kettle with boiling water. Her non-stop complaints were like the sound of boiling water. Qiao Zijin hurried to stop Ding Jiayi. “Mom, Dad is right. This room must have been cleaned by Nan Nan. Nan Nan is still young. As her elder sister, I should do more. Since Nan Nan can do it, I could as well. Both of us are your children. Mom, let’s clean up together. Dad, you should have a good rest. Mom and I will clean up the house.”

  With that, Qiao Zijin dragged Ding Jiayi away.

  “You……” Ding Jiayi was angry and discouraged. “Are you capable of helping me with the cleaning? Forget it. You don’t know how to do all these. Don’t create troubles for me.” She had spoiled this daughter of hers. She did not know how to do household chores, just like the mistress of the house.

  She hoped Zijin would not end up like her, whose husband was penniless and had a nasty temper, but be blessed with a better husband.

  “Zijin, you must bear this in mind. If you wish to lead a pampered life and do not wish to work at all, you must keep your eyes sharp when you choose your husband. You must know who to choose and who not to choose. Now that I married your dad, I guess I will not be able to enjoy life. I prepared his meals and washed his clothes, but in the end, he treats me badly because of an unfilial daughter I gave birth to. This man is really…… It’s such a waste of my life. Zijin, I have to count on you to be successful and make me proud.”

  Ding Jiayi’s eyes were red and her voice was hoarse.

  “Your dad is a good-for-nothing. He blames me for splurging while in fact, I spent the money for your future. Why is this considered splurging? Why doesn’t he admit that he is useless—that he cannot make enough money such that there is no savings at home? If we had the money, did I even need to borrow it from others? I am not asking for troubles. If it was not for you, I wouldn’t have embarrassed myself to borrow money from those people. Zijin, you must bear in mind that nothing goes well for a destitute couple.”

  “Mom, you can rest assured, I understand. In the future, I will definitely find a man who is rich and good to me. If Dad does not treat you well, I will provide for you. You can stay with me!” Qiao Zijin was agitated as well. She grabbed hold of Ding Jiayi’s shoulder. “Since Dad is biased toward Qiao Nan, we will just leave him be. In the future, I will not provide for him and will only provide for you. I refuse to take in a husband and stay with the family. If he wants to have a grandson, he can take in a husband for Qiao Nan. If my future husband is capable and successful, he will not want to have his children take our surname. I will definitely find someone who is different from Dad!”

  Qiao Zijin felt wronged and full of resentment when she was reminded of the fact that she could not enjoy good food and nice clothes like others. She also did not have any spare money to spend.

  People used to say that if one learned mathematics and sciences, one would fear nothing.

  But right now, it was better to have a good father rather than learning mathematics and sciences.

  Not only did her father lose out to other people’s fathers but also did not dote on her. She hated her father. Why was he biased toward Qiao Nan?

  If her father encountered difficulties in the future, she would not help him out. By then, her father would realize that between his two daughters, she was the more successful one.

  “Fine, you are my good daughter. Now that your dad wants to sleep in that small room, not only is he staying in a separate room from me but has also cut his ties with me. Zijin, I give up my relationship with your dad because of you. You are the only one I have now. You must make me proud. I will have to depend on you for the rest of my life.”

  Ding Jiayi was not really stupid. She might appear to be foolish, but there was always a shrewd side to her.

  Qiao Dongliang’s attitude in the hospital had already aroused Ding Jiayi’s and Qiao Zijin’s suspicions. What he said today affirmed the fact that Old Qiao was really angry with her this time. He would not forgive her easily.

  For the past year, Ding Jiayi’s relationship with Qiao Dongliang had gone from bad to worst. Among 365 days a year, the couple spent less than half the time sharing the same bed.

  As a woman, Ding Jiayi knew something was not right.

  When Qiao Dongliang came back from the hospital today, he chose to stay in the small room instead of the spacious room. Ding Jiayi knew it was unlikely for Qiao Dongliang to move back to the spacious room.

  She had never liked or wanted Qiao Nan, the younger daughter. Now that her husband had cut off ties with her, she only had her elder daughter left with her.

  Ding Jiayi only had Qiao Zijin with her. Hence, she must make sure that Qiao Zijin would stand on her side. That was why she sowed discord between Qiao Zijin and Qiao Dongliang just now.

  In addition, Ding Jiayi cried in front of Qiao Zijin so that both of them could empathize with each other. As expected, they had grown closer to each other. Qiao Zijin had eyes only for her mother, Ding Jiayi.

  It was shocking how terrible one could be when they only thought of their own interests.

  After blaming Qiao Dongliang for everything, Qiao Zijin wiped the tears off Ding Jiayi’s face. “Mom, do you know why I agreed to clean the house?”

  “I thought you wanted to help me appease your dad, was it not?”