Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

  Qiao Nan went back to the river terrace with Miao Jing’s shoes in her hands. Miao Jing cried out in a high pitch, “Do you intend to throw my shoes into the river? Fine, I will give you money to get me a pair of shoes, okay?” She could not throw the shoes away. It was……

  Qiao Nan glanced at Miao Jing. She was sure that Brother Zhai and Sister Zhai Hua were unlike Auntie Miao. Perhaps they took after the chief?

  Qiao Nan broke the left heel of Miao Jing’s shoes with her hands.

  After breaking off the heels of the shoes, Qiao Nan used her handkerchief to wipe them clean and returned them to Miao Jing. “Auntie Miao, actually, I feel that one should not be too hard on oneself. The shoes may look nice, but it is not practical. The most important thing is that shoes must be comfortable to wear. It’s normal that women like to look pretty, but no matter what, one should find a pair of shoes that are fitting.”

  Qiao Nan noticed that Miao Jing’s feet had turned red and were full of blisters from walking in her high heels.

  Luckily, she was not born in ancient times where she might have to bind her feet. She also had to thank her lucky stars that her mother never cared about her in the previous life. She had never cared for fashion, and when she had some money, she would spend them on food. She did not have the extra money to torture herself with high heels.

  Miao Jing stared at the pair of high heels blankly. It used to squeeze and cut her feet while she tiptoed in them. Now, it had turned into an ordinary pair of flats. She was lost for words.

  Qiao Nan twitched her lips. Miao Jing was the wife of the chief after all. She had an air of arrogance about her.

  Qiao Nan had no choice but to bend down and put on the shoes for Miao Jing. “Auntie Miao, it’s getting late. You must hurry back. If it is too troublesome, you can consider making a phone call to arrange for your family to pick you up. The journey back to the Zhai’s residence is quite long. If you want to walk back, you may only reach by midnight.”

  “I don’t mean that.” Miao Jing hurried to deny. She was not waiting for Qiao Nan to put on the shoes for her. She was lost in her thoughts. “Thank you.”

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  But Qiao Nan was simply too fast. Without waiting for her to react, Qiao Nan had already put on the shoes for her. “Wait here, I……” Miao Jing took out ten yuan from her bag to give it to Qiao Nan.

  “Now that you can wear your shoes and I do not need to help you to buy new shoes, I have no need for this money.” In this way, Miao Jing would not be able to say that Qiao Nan used the excuse of buying new shoes to hanker after her money.

  “No, what I mean is that your handkerchief is dirty and can’t be used anymore. This is for you to buy a handkerchief.” Miao Jing was a little embarrassed.

  Qiao Nan wiped away her beads of perspiration and put the handkerchief away. “I only need to wash the handkerchief and it will be clean. I don’t need to buy a new handkerchief. Besides, if Auntie Miao gives me ten yuan, I can buy tons of handkerchiefs and can even start selling them.”

  Her small handkerchief only cost her fifty cents.

  “Auntie Miao, I have to go to school, or else I will be late. You can find a place to make a phone call. There’s also a phone at the guardhouse near our school gate.” With that, Qiao Nan turned to rush off to Ping Cheng High School. She did not have time for Miao Jing.

  After Qiao Nan left, Miao Jing took out a small cell phone from her bag.

  Around this time, the cell phone was not as thin and light as those in the 21st century. It was heavy and thick.

  Miao Jing took a deep breath and dialed a number. “I am…… yes, come and pick me up. Okay……”

  Miao Jing had no problem reaching the Zhai family, but she did not want to do so just now. Nevertheless, it seemed like she had no other choice now. She lowered her head and looked at the high heels that had been turned into flats. They were still as tight and painful as before. She let out a long breath.

  She simply loved this pair of shoes even though they were not fitting.

  “Mom, where have you been? Why are you so late? What’s wrong with you? Have you fallen into a pit?” Zhai Hua knew that the chauffeur had gone to pick up Miao Jing. She could not help but laugh at the sorry state that Miao Jing was in.

  Miao Jing had always composed herself with dignity and decorum in front of her children. She was even more serious than Zhai Yaohui. But Miao Jing, who followed the rules strictly, ended up in such a sorry state instead. Zhai Hua could not help but laugh at her mother.

  “It’s true that I have fallen into a puddle.” Miao Jing was too tired to care about her image. She leaned back on the sofa to rest. “Hua Hua, is it right of you to break into laughter at the terrible sight of your mom? Bring me a pair of slippers. I sprained my foot when I fell down just now.”

  “Seriously? Have you seen a doctor?” Zhai Hua was anxious. She looked at Miao Jing’s feet and an exaggerated scream followed. “Oh my god! Mom, your shoes! Your shoes!”

  Zhai Hua ran over and lifted Miao Jing’s feet to take a closer look at the shoes. “Who broke off the heels of your shoes, Mom? Did you kill the person who did that?”

  “Spoiled brat, stop saying stuff like that. Killing is illegal.” Miao Jing smacked Zhai Hua’s head lightly. Why was it that her daughter was so different from the daughters of other families?

  “This pair of high heels was given to you by Dad five years ago. You always found it painful to wear and Zhai Sheng and I have advised you time and again to throw it away, but you refused to do so. There was once when the right heel broke, I wanted to throw it away, but you insisted on getting it fixed. Mom, isn’t it just a pair of shoes? If you love it, I will get Dad to give you ten more pairs of shoes.” She did not understand. She did not like to wear high heels, but why would her mother be so attached to this pair of high heels?

  If it was because of the fact that her father was the one who bought her the shoes, she could just get her father to give her mother ten more pairs of shoes.

  Her mother forbade Zhai Sheng and her to throw away the shoes. Yet, someone broke the heels of her shoes today! She did not believe that her mother would let that person get away with it.

  Who was the brave warrior? Did her mother make that person suffer for their actions right on the spot?

  Miao Jing let out a long breath. “I won’t throw the shoes away, but I won’t be wearing them either. Get someone to put them in the storeroom.”

  “Mom, are you running a fever? You have decided not to wear it but to keep it?” Was her mother willing to do that?

  “Are you a repeater for the day? Why do you keep repeating my words? Get me the safflower oil and rub it on my feet!” Miao Jing gave Zhai Hua an angry look.

  The Empress in the house was angry, so Zhai Hua dared not fool around. She abidingly brought the safflower oil and rubbed it on her feet. Zhai Hua was full of curiosity. What happened to her mother today, and what kind of person did she meet today? She felt that her mother was acting strangely.

  Qiao Nan, who was at school, had just taken out a book to read when she had a loud sneeze.

  “Xiao Qiao, the weather has been alternating between hot and cold recently, and the difference in temperature difference is huge. Did you catch a cold?” Zhu Baoguo looked at Qiao Nan, depressed. “Xiao Qiao, I am sorry. I didn’t manage to find out anything about the matter you told me to investigate. I have no idea how the school resolved your problem either.”

  “Oh, there is no need to find out any longer. If we don’t know, then just let it be. The most important thing is that everything has been solved.” Qiao Nan smiled in a relaxed manner. She rubbed at her nose. “I didn’t catch a cold. It’s just that it is itchy. By the way, what happened to Zhao Yu and Xu Tingting?”