Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

  Hence, it was no use even if Qiao Nan went back home. That sum of money would not slip away.

  However, it would be different if her father went home. Once her father was back, she would definitely not be able to get the money if her mother had not taken it by then.

  “I’m not taking a stroll anymore! Help me back!”

  “I’m not going back. Go back yourself if you want to. I…… I still want to continue strolling!” Qiao Zijin was playing rogue and refused to help Qiao Dongliang up.

  Qiao Dongliang was so furious that he turned pale. He initially believed that Zijin was really concerned about him today—that she was not truly that heartless and still had her parents in mind. Looking at the current situation, it was only wishful thinking on his part.

  Piecing the puzzle together with the questions from Qiao Nan earlier, Qiao Nan took a deep breath. His eyes were gloomy as he asked coldly, “You specially brought me out today for a walk because you wanted to trick Nan Nan into leaving the house, didn’t you? What are your mom and you trying to do?”

  Had a fall? The elder daughter must have used his ‘fall’ as a lie to trick Nan Nan out!

  All the concern expressed by his elder daughter today was all fake. On the contrary, she even made use of the younger daughter’s care and concern for him to trick the latter into leaving the house. He did not know what his wife and the elder daughter were up to. At these thoughts, Qiao Dongliang was so furious that his heart was about to explode.

  When Qiao Dongliang recalled how he helped Qiao Zijin put in good words in front of Qiao Nan and the expression on Qiao Nan’s face, Qiao Dongliang was so furious that he wanted to give Qiao Zijin a slap. “You’re not going back, right? I don’t need you to help me. I will walk back myself! Even if I need to crawl, I can crawl back on my own!”

  The earlier question posed by Qiao Dongliang made Qiao Zijin dumbfounded.

  Seeing that Qiao Dongliang was so insistent on going home, Qiao Zijin was so scared that she did not know what to do. She completely could not cope with the current situation.

  Qiao Dongliang stuck to his words. Not waiting for Qiao Zijin to help him up, he walked toward his house step by step and tried his best to rush home as fast as he could.

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  Qiao Zijin was fearful that Qiao Dongliang would be home too early and thwart Ding Jiayi’s ‘good plan’. Hence, she only dared to timidly follow behind Qiao Dongliang. Although she could see that Qiao Dongliang was walking with difficulty and sweating profusely, she refused to catch up with Qiao Dongliang and offer him any help.

  “Nan Nan, what happened to you?” When he reached home, Qiao Dongliang heard Qiao Nan’s cries.

  Qiao Nan was sixteen years old this year. Qiao Dongliang heard Qiao Nan’s cried the most when she was a one-year-old baby who knew nothing besides drinking milk. Since Qiao Nan was three years old, Qiao Dongliang had never heard her cry again.

  Qiao Dongliang’s heart could not help twinging with pain. What kind of matter would force Nan Nan to this extent and make her cry so miserably?

  “Nan Nan, don’t cry. Dad is back. Tell Dad what happened. Who bullied you?”

  When Qiao Dongliang entered Qiao Nan’s room, he saw her room being turned upside down as if there had been a burglary.

  On the contrary to Qiao Dongliang’s concern, Qiao Zijin felt assured and smiled when she heard Qiao Nan’s cries. That meant that her mother managed to take the money!

  Qiao Nan, who was wiping her tears, looked up and saw the conspicuous smile on Qiao Zijin’s face. She jumped up in anger and rushed straight to Qiao Zijin. She wanted to hit her. “You’re happy! You’re complacent now!”

  “What are you doing?” She had just been bitten earlier. Without thinking, Qiao Zijin raised both her hands up to protect her own face. Even so, Qiao Nan’s slaps crackled down on her, hitting her on both arms. Qiao Zijin was in so much pain that she breathlessly grimaced in agony.

  “Dad, Dad! Look at Qiao Nan. She’s turning crazy!”

  “Nan Nan, don’t be angry. Tell Dad, what is going on exactly?” Qiao Dongliang who sat down to rest gave Qiao Zijin a stare. “You have to let Dad figure out what happened.”

  Qiao Zijin was yelling loudly as Qiao Nan was hitting her. Qiao Nan’s hands were red when she stopped but her breathing was still irregular. “Dad, I want to report to the police.”

  When Qiao Nan was saying this, both her fists were clenched and her teeth gave out a creaking sound.

  “Report to the police?”

  “Report to the police?”

  Both Qiao Dongliang and Qiao Zijin were shocked by her words, especially Qiao Zijin. “You’re mad. Why are you reporting to the police when nothing happened? You’ll land in jail if you call the police without an apparent reason. You’ll have to stay there for a few days!” In the end, Qiao Zijin simply used the jail to frighten Qiao Nan.

  Qiao Nan sneered. Did they think that she was a three-year-old kid who was easy to bluff?

  Qiao Nan meditated and exhaled three long breaths to calm herself down. Then, she poured Qiao Dongliang and herself a cup of water each. After drinking the water, she said in a hoarse voice. “Dad, I want to report to the police. Something has been stolen from our house. My money had been stolen.”

  She had said it before. She did not want to be an idiot in this lifetime.

  How doting her mother was on Qiao Zijin was her parents’ business. She did not care and would not interfere. She would not bring away a speck of dust from his family. All belonged to Qiao Zijin, and she was fine with it.

  However, whatever she earned from her own hard work, efforts, and sweat, her mother could forget about taking any single cent to subsidize Qiao Zijin!

  In this lifetime, her money was not only difficult to get, but would also burn those who stole it!!!

  “Your money has been stolen? How much has been stolen?!” Qiao Dongliang’s face was straight and he became serious. There had actually been a burglary in his house?!

  “What do you mean by your money has been stolen? Qiao Nan, are you talking in your dreams in broad daylight? You’re a student. Where did your money come from? Dad and Mom have no money, so how can you have any?!” Qiao Zijin had thought about it thoroughly last night. It was impossible for Qiao Nan to have borrowed from someone. Qiao Nan would not have the ability to borrow so much money again and again.

  Qiao Nan clearly had a sum of money but refused to tell the family about it. She even secretly hid the money. Perhaps this sum of money did not come from legitimate sources. Either that, or Qiao Nan was building up her personal savings behind the family’s back.

  Whether it was the former or the latter reasoning, Qiao Nan should feel guilty about it.

  When that time came, her mother would take the money away anyway. If Qiao Nan did not have a good reason in the first place, she could only keep her grievances to herself. Even if the money was lost, Qiao Nan could not say anything since she was secretly hiding it to avoid letting others find out about it.

  Hence, Qiao Zijin had never expected Qiao Nan to tell Qiao Dongliang outright that she had lost the money and wanted to call the police.

  As soon she heard the four words ‘report to the police’, Qiao Zijin was scared terribly.

  “Dad, do you still remember about that day—the day when you were still hospitalized, and I took some documents to the hospital, working on it for a long time?” Qiao Nan refused to waste her breath on Qiao Zijin. She was speaking directly to Qiao Dongliang.

  Qiao Dongliang nodded to acknowledge that there was indeed such a matter.

  “The money that was stolen was the remuneration for that job. Our family owed a lot of money. This, you are aware of, Dad. I originally intended to save up this sum of money. After paying for my school expenses, the remaining would be saved up. When we have enough money, we will eventually need to return the money borrowed for your hospitalization and surgical expenses. Now the money is lost. Dad, tell me, should we report to the police?”