Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

  Qiao Nan was keeping the place from them so well. She believed Qiao Nan hid good stuff in that place.

  “Zijin, what exactly are you trying to do?” The puzzled Ding Jiayi looked at Qiao Zijin. “What’s the use of knowing where the place is? Qiao Nan, that wretched girl, has been so bizarre since the beginning of last year. I think we should not stir up anything again. Every time we did something, not only did we not manage to do her in but also got ourselves into trouble instead.”

  Qiao Zijin was not afraid, but Ding Jiayi was.

  She had been married to Qiao Dongliang for so many years. Although they quarreled at times, it was nothing like what happened a few days ago. They argued till tears, and Qiao Dongliang even gave her a slap directly.

  In comparison to the husbands of other families who hit their spouse when they were in a bad mood, Qiao Dongliang was considered a good husband.

  If Ding Jiayi had not cornered Qiao Dongliang on this occasion, Qiao Dongliang would never have lifted a finger on her.

  Because of this, Ding Jiayi was frightened.

  The man who never hit a woman started to do so all of a sudden. Ding Jiayi could not forget how she felt at that instance.

  “If the two of us continue to work hard for two more weeks and take on more handiwork every day, we’ll be able to come up with your tuition fees. Don’t stir up any more trouble. Zijin, be obedient and listen to Mom. Mom will not lie to you.” Ding Jiayi patted Qiao Zijin’s head. She really did not want to plot against Qiao Nan anymore.

  Anyway, the mother-daughter pair could settle it themselves. Why would they need to drag Qiao Nan in and complicate such a simple matter? What was the rationale? Weren’t they courting trouble by doing that?

  After saying that, Ding Jiayi left to prepare dinner without waiting for Qiao Zijin’s response.

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  Qiao Zijin snorted as Ding Jiayi left. She was so furious that she stomped her feet ceaselessly. Her mother used to support her in whatever she said. What was wrong with her mother today?

  After all, Qiao Zijin was not the one being slapped. Hence, Qiao Zijin had no idea how much influence Qiao Dongliang’s slap had on Ding Jiayi.

  However, Qiao Zijin was not someone who would give up so easily. She did not have much confidence in other matters, but cajoling Ding Jiayi was the only thing she knew how to do best. If she did not succeed today, she would try again tomorrow. She did not believe that she could not find an opportunity to make her mother agree to this.

  According to Qiao Zijin’s sixth sense, if Ding Jiayi discovered the place where Qiao Nan had been hiding the books and money, Ding Jiayi would definitely stir up some trouble.

  Most importantly, to Qiao Zijin, there would not be another place safer than home to put away the money. Qiao Nan found another place. Hence, to Qiao Nan, this must be a place safer than home, a place she felt very assured with.

  The corners of Qiao Zijin’s mouth curled into a smile. Qiao Nan, Qiao Nan, do not let me get a handle of you. Otherwise, I would certainly not let you off!

  Being held back by Ding Jiayi, Qiao Zijin had no choice but to painstakingly work for another two weeks despite feeling unjustified. Both her hands were full of calluses from the handiwork. She was in so much pain that she could not sleep well at night.

  Even so, the money that Qiao Zijin and Ding Jiayi earned was just enough to pay for her tuition fees.

  Now, with the exception of Qiao Nan, the whole family’s earnings were with Qiao Dongliang. Both Ding Jiayi and Qiao Dongliang’s earnings were managed tightly by the latter. Ding Jiayi only had the two yuan given to her by Qiao Dongliang.

  Ding Jiayi could use these two yuan but had to explain clearly what she spent them on. If she used it appropriately, Qiao Dongliang would give her another two yuan. If she did not spend it wisely, Qiao Dongliang would let Ding Jiayi go hungry and not bother about whether she had enough to spend.

  With this attitude of Qiao Dongliang, Ding Jiayi no longer dared to subsidize Qiao Zijin.

  Ding Jiayi was controlled tightly by Qiao Dongliang. Hence, Qiao Zijin’s situation was not any better.

  After Qiao Dongliang found out about the price of the food in Qiao Zijin’s school, he counted the amount of money required for Qiao Zijin’s two weeks of meals. In addition to this amount of money, he gave one more yuan as a buffer to Qiao Zijin.

  At that time, one pencil only cost two or three cents, and ballpoint pen cost five cents.

  Hence, this one yuan was enough for Qiao Zijin to buy two pens to use interchangeably.

  As for Qiao Zijin’s meals, three meals per day, Qiao Dongliang only provided enough for one meal with protein dish.

  Regarding this, Qiao Zijin was dissatisfied. Even if she could not have meat for every meal, at the very least, she should have it for two of the meals per day. One meal with meat per day was too little.

  Qiao Dongliang simply told Qiao Zijin directly that if she felt that it was fine for Qiao Dongliang and Ding Jiayi not to have a single piece of meat for an entire week, then he would be able to provide Qiao Zijin with meat for every meal.

  Qiao Dongliang already made himself clear. Unless Qiao Zijin wanted Qiao Dongliang to feel that she was an unfilial daughter, she had no choice but to pretend to agree.

  Hence, Qiao Zijin did not have any extra pocket money. The money for her meals was also reduced by one-third.

  Looking at the miserly amount of money in her hands, Qiao Zijin nearly cried. If her classmates knew about her situation, how would they view her in the future? They would definitely say that she was in dire straits.

  Qiao Dongliang had set the ground rules in a resolute and sweeping manner, and Ding Jiayi obeyed them without any hesitation. Qiao Zijin was unconvinced but had to follow suit.

  In the blink of an eye, two weeks had passed. Qiao Dongliang was still working from home with odd jobs from the factory. Ding Jiayi continued to go to work and Qiao Nan and Qiao Zijin had resumed their schooling days.

  “I’m finally in high school.” Looking at Ping Cheng High School, Zhao Yu had great ambitions at heart, and she was overwhelmed with emotions.

  After Zhao Yu ‘flunked’ the middle school examination, she did not step out of the house for most of the vacation period, shutting herself in the bedroom. The Zhao family nearly made a police report to request the police officer to forcefully pull Zhao Yu out of her room.

  In the end, the Zhao family said something that managed to enlighten Zhao Yu. She opened the bedroom door and walked out herself. She picked herself up and decided to start over again.

  At the sight of the high school that was much bigger than the secondary school, Zhao Yu was full of aspirations. This was the Ping Cheng High School, not her junior high school. Hence, there was no Qiao Nan.

  Previously, she had been stifled so badly by Qiao Nan that she nearly broke down. The more anxious she was, the more mistakes she did.

  As long as she adopted a normal attitude, given her ability, she would be able to regain her initial learning attitude and become one of the top-notched students in Ping Cheng High School. When the high school examination came, she would definitely be able to perform well and become a college student at a renowned university.

  That’s right. Without Qiao Nan, her life would be beautiful, her future bright.

  As for Qiao Nan, she would forget about this person from this semester onward.

  “Excuse me, you are blocking the way.” As Zhao Yu was immersed in the bright hopes for the future, a familiar and annoying voice rang behind her. Zhao Yu’s entire body turned stiff. “Don’t tell me it’s such a coincidence……”