Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

  The school had confirmed that what was prevalently spread earlier were actually false rumors.

  After what happened, Qiao Nan and Zhu Baoguo were also curious as to how the school and Teacher Liu managed to find the truth before Qiao Nan could explain to them the situation at home. They even went to the extent of providing her with free accommodation!

  At that time, when Zhu Baoguo asked Qiao Nan what she intended to do, Qiao Nan did not have any alternative and was even prepared to transfer to another school.

  Unexpectedly, before Qiao Nan could worry about such a difficult issue, before she lost a strand of hair over this, it was resolved. Happiness came too suddenly. Till now, Qiao Nan did not feel that this was real.

  “Nan Nan, is something the matter?”

  “Nothing, I was just thinking of something.” Qiao Nan smiled. She had requested Zhu Baoguo to help investigate how the matter was resolved when he was back at home.

  “We’re having a meal now. Focus on eating. Learning is important but there should be a balance too. Have more food.” Qiao Dongliang filled Qiao Nan’s bowl with a lot of vegetables.

  “Thanks, Dad.” After finishing dinner, as Qiao Nan stayed in the unfamiliar quad and covered herself with a familiar blanket, she kept feeling that this did not seem real. Was it true that the matter had been so easily resolved?

  In her previous life, she had been down on her luck all the time. After she was reborn, there was a great change in her character. Her self-worth and face value also suddenly escalated. As such, even when she encountered a major problem, she was able to avoid it and turn the misfortune into a blessing.

  Qiao Nan fell asleep peacefully. Ding Jiayi and Qiao Zijin were so angry that they nearly had a sleepless night.

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  “What kind of lousy school is that? Isn’t there a designated dismissal time? Why did they dismiss the first-year students one lesson earlier today?” Ding Jiayi continuously lamented. She stomped her feet furiously, causing the death of a few innocent ants that passed by.

  “Mom, don’t complain anymore. I’ve asked you to go earlier but you refused to listen. In the end, you didn’t get your half month’s salary and was also scolded by that boss of yours. You didn’t even manage to see Qiao Nan. Dad is so good to Qiao Nan. She should know where he has moved to. Dad will not leave Qiao Nan in the lurch.” Qiao Zijin had a stomach full of fury too.

  She did not need to go to school today, and thus she had urged her mother to go with her to Ping Cheng High School to wait for Qiao Nan so that they would not miss her.

  However, Ding Jiayi refused to do so.

  As she had been unwell, Ding Jiayi had been absent from work for three days. When she saw that Qiao Zijin was around, she wanted to pull Qiao Zijin along to muster her courage and act pitiful in front of her boss. She hoped that her boss would not take issue with her on this occasion. After all, she was sick and could be considered on medical leave. At most, they would deduct three days’ of salary from her.

  However, the boss was unwilling to relent. He fired Ding Jiayi as she did not inform the company of her absence. He could not afford to hire this kind of employee.

  Because of this matter, Ding Jiayi argued with her boss directly.

  “How would I know that it would turn out this way?” Ding Jiayi would not admit her mistake. She timed it accurately and was not even late by one minute. The school brought forward the dismissal time. This was not her fault.

  “Why do I feel that people from Ping Cheng High School have a weird look on their face when they see you, Mom? Did you go to Ping Cheng High School before? Do they all know you?” Right. Putting aside the fact that they did not manage to see Qiao Nan, was her mother able to explain the reaction of the security guards?

  Ding Jiayi exploded with anger. “I don’t wish to talk about it anymore. I was sent to the police station previously all because of those two people. I will remember them for life even if the two of them turn into a pile of bones!”

  “Is it that simple?”

  “Alright. Don’t ask anymore. It’s that simple.” Ding Jiayi was very vexed. “We didn’t manage to find Qiao Nan, so how are we going to find your dad?”

  “What’s the hurry? The monk can run away, but the temple won’t run with him. Even if we do not know where Dad is, Qiao Nan is still a student at Ping Cheng High School. If we couldn’t find Qiao Nan today, you could go to the entrance of Ping Cheng High School to wait for her again in the coming weekend. You’ve lost your job anyway. Your priority task now is to find out Dad’s whereabouts. Go earlier and don’t be late. You can’t enter Ping Cheng High School. If you’re unable to stop Qiao Nan before she enters the school, then I don’t have any other way.”

  However, if that was the case, the worse thing was that she could not personally ask Qiao Nan the reason why her father flared up so badly and tortured her mother all of a sudden. Everything seemed well initially.

  Qiao Zijin firmly believed that her father would not lose his temper without a reason. Her mother must have provoked her father. It was most terrible that her mother had no sense of self-realization. Until now, she had no idea why she had provoked her father.

  “That’s true. Zijin, it’s good that you’re back. Otherwise, I would have no one to discuss with after what happened. Clearly, I had raised two daughters, but when I was sick, you’re the only one by my side. Zijin, Mom is only left with you.” Ding Jiayi looked calmer after finding a way.

  “Alright, Mom.” She could recite these words as she had heard them umpteen times. It was just to remind her to be more filial when she grew up.

  “Okay, okay, okay, I’ll stop saying it.”

  Qiao Zijin put away the homework that she had completed. “Mom, give me the money.”

  “Didn’t I already give you the allowance for the next two weeks?” Why were you asking for money again?”

  “It’s not about the meal allowance.”

  “Then, what is it for? What did your school want you to buy again? I heard that there’re supplementary classes in senior high school. Have you also joined them? How much do you need?”

  “It’s not that!” Qiao Zijin gave a stare. “I won’t join those supplementary classes. It’s a waste of time and money. I’m talking about the fee for bailing you out last time. You were released from the police station yesterday because my form teacher, Teacher Cen, helped you pay the bail first. I need to return the money to my form teacher, don’t I?” In fact, she had nearly forgotten about this matter.

  “B-bail out fees?” At the mention of money, Ding Jiayi’s face looked distorted. “I…… I heard that the fee will be returned, though?”

  “Are you saying that we will wait for the police station to return the fee before giving them back to Teacher Cen? Do you mean we should continue to owe her money for the time being? Mom, how could you say that?” Qiao Zijin stared at Ding Jiayi. This was the first time she personally experienced Ding Jiayi’s ludicrous behavior and understood how it felt.

  “The teachers in your school are all very rich. It won’t hurt them to have a little less money. Our family’s situation is different. Anyway, it will be returned. Let that teacher of yours wait a while.” Ding Jiayi shrank her shoulders and said weakly, “Moreover, I feel that there’s a problem with this. I didn’t commit any heinous crime. Given my situation, shouldn’t I be released after signing something? Why did they need us to pay the bail?”

  The police officer should not have locked her up!

  “Mom, one word. Are you giving me the money to pay back Teacher Cen?” Qiao Zijin could not be bothered to waste her breath with Ding Jiayi. She reached out her hands and her attitude was firm, as if to say, ‘It’s best to give it to me. You have to give me the money!’