Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

  As long as her father had not brought Qiao Nan home, her mother and she had to continue to hide their tails.

  Qiao Zijin was not afraid of anything else. She was only afraid that, given Ding Jiayi’s character, she might do something shameful and create trouble for Qiao Nan. In the end, Qiao Nan might not even be embarrassed, but her father would leave for the sake of Qiao Nan nevertheless.

  “Why would I?” Ding Jiayi replied, sounding a little guilty. “I think tomorrow is a good day. I’ve thought about it. I’ll take the blanket and mattress pad from Qiao Nan’s room to wash and dry in the sun. At the same time, we can clean away the dust in the room. That wretched girl is so scheming. I’ve not provoked her, but she’s been talking bad about me in front of your dad. If I do anything in particular, she’ll most likely smear my name in front of your dad. I…… I’ll not give her the chance!”

  Qiao Zijin smiled satisfactorily, but then she knitted her brows. “Mom, it’s good that you can think in this way. However, Mom, don’t tell me what you said earlier are the opposite of your thoughts?”

  “It’s almost twelve. I’m so tired after a long day. Zijin, quickly go to sleep. I’m going to sleep too.” Ding Jiayi nearly could not respond to the question.

  Ding Jiayi had already thought about what she had just said before but did not wish to do it at all.

  She was unhappy that Qiao Nan kept asking Old Qiao to move house. If the latter wanted a dry and warm blanket, she could prepare it herself. When she harmed her, did she think of her as her biological mother? When she needed her, Qiao Nan treated her like a servant. How could she be willing to serve Qiao Nan? Wishful thinking!

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  Ding Jiayi only had such small thoughts and a little brain. She could not create anything spectacular.

  “This is really……” At the sight of Ding Jiayi’s evasive attitude, Qiao Zijin was speechless. After all, her mother was really speaking words that were contrary to her thoughts. She wanted to ignore Qiao Nan and let Qiao Nan tidy up her own room when she was back.

  Fortunately, Qiao Zijin poked her nose and asked her mother the question. Otherwise, her mother would have made a mistake again and gave Qiao Nan an excuse to make trouble.

  “Old Qiao, you’re back with Qiao Nan. Quickly come into the house. I’ll pour the two of you some tea. I’ve just boiled the water.” On Lunar New Year’s Eve, Qiao Dongliang brought Qiao Nan to the house and arrived at one o’clock in the afternoon. At the sight of Qiao Dongliang, Ding Jiayi was overjoyed and greeted him warmly.

  Qiao Nan, who was initially walking beside Qiao Dongliang, was pushed to the side with this action of Ding Jiayi.

  Qiao Nan, who was caught off-guard by this action, nearly fell down.

  “Nan Nan, are you alright?” Qiao Zijin saw this and quickly reached out to hold Qiao Nan. She then lowered her voice, held on to Qiao Nan, and slowed down the latter by a few steps to prevent Qiao Dongliang from seeing what happened. “Nan Nan, I have something to ask you. Can we chat?”

  “I don’t wish to chat with you.” Qiao Zijin shook her hands away. Her parents were far and her father would not be able to see what happened earlier. So, there was no need for Qiao Zijin to do that.

  “Nan Nan, listen to me. I’d like to ask you about something serious.” Qiao Zijin felt helpless. “Nan Nan, you’re now like a hedgehog. I’m your biological sister. We’re one family. The usual minor arguments and fuss, bickering and fights, which family does not have them? However, can I harm you? Why do you have to guard against me like I’m a thief? I didn’t do anything that let you down, did I?”

  “You really didn’t?” Qiao Nan halted her steps, her black eyes turned gloomy as she looked deeply at Qiao Zijin. “During the summer vacation when I was in the second year of junior high school, yes, that rainy night, who was the one who opened my window and caused me to have a fever?”

  She was certain that she had closed the window. Her father had never entered her bedroom. Hence, the person who opened her windows and removed her blanket was either her mother or Qiao Zijin.

  To put it bluntly, Qiao Zijin was definitely capable of doing such a thing for her own sake.

  If it was not Qiao Zijin, then it was her mother. Her mother would only do this for the sake of Qiao Zijin. If Qiao Zijin had never said anything to her mother and encouraged the latter to do that, Qiao Nan dared to chop her head down and let Qiao Zijin use it as a stool!

  “Why are you still talking about that matter? You have definitely remembered it wrong. Nan Nan, are you suspecting me? Suspecting Mom? What kind of people do you take us for? Mom is your biological mother and I’m your biological sister. We’re all in one family. Have I gone overboard in anything that I’ve done to you? If you don’t believe me, then…… let’s confront each other in front of Dad and Mom?” This happened two years ago. Qiao Nan did not have any evidence. She would not be afraid even if Qiao Nan brought this matter up.

  The more Qiao Nan talked about this matter, the more she did not feel guilty about it.

  “Nan Nan, let’s go and clear up this matter in front of Dad and Mom now so that you won’t keep feeling paranoid. Don’t tell me that, for the past year, you’ve been angry with Mom because of this misunderstanding? Nan Nan, you…… you’re really…… I don’t know what to say about you. It’s been two years. How are you so certain that you did not remember it wrong and that it’s not your illusion since you were sick? To dispel your suspicion, let’s go and talk before Mom and Dad. You keep thinking that Mom will side with me, but it’s impossible that Dad will help me, right?”

  With the sound of a bang, Qiao Nan slapped away Qiao Zijin’s hands that were grabbing her. “No need.”

  “Why not? If we don’t clear this matter up, you’ll certainly distrust me in the future. If you didn’t bring this up, I would never know about your suspicion. But since you’ve mentioned it, I definitely have to clarify this matter and clear up my name. Otherwise, I’ll be wronged although I didn’t do it. What an injustice.” Seeing that Qiao Nan did not want to pursue the matter, Qiao Zijin became more enthusiastic and would not let go of Qiao Nan as she grabbed her hands.

  “You have been wronged?” Qiao Nan was both amused and angry. In the past two years, Qiao Zijin did not improve in other things but her skin had become thicker than before. “Sister, I know what you’re thinking of. I only suspected initially. But judging by this attitude of yours, I’m very certain that I did not remember it wrong. That window was not opened by Mom. It was you. If you have a reason and really don’t do anything wrong, you will usually not reason it out with people.” Qiao Zijin would only kick up a fuss.

  Now, the fact that Qiao Zijin insisted to clear up this matter fully in such a serious and logical manner could only be because she had a guilty conscience.

  “You’ve wronged me. I’ve already said that I didn’t do it. Nan Nan, how will it benefit you to wrong me like this?”

  “Precisely. Since I won’t have any benefit if I wrong you, then why should I waste any effort on this? On the contrary, when I was sick at that time, I nearly missed the school enrollment deadline. Would you benefit from that? Do you dare to tell me?” Qiao Nan halted her steps and looked at Qiao Zijin coldly. “Qiao Zijin, this is a house. You’re only a family member in the house. You’re not the judge in the court. You can’t request for proof for all the witnesses’ statements. If I can’t provide any evidence, you can’t say that I’m certainly wrong and you’re right. This tactic doesn’t work on me. Don’t treat me like a fool that I was in the past!”