Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

  “Don’t call again. The phone keeps ringing and it’s very noisy. Besides, can’t you see what time it is now? Do you wish to wake everyone in our house up?”

  Toward the end of the conversation, upon receiving a hint from Wang Yang, the auntie simply pulled off the telephone’s wire.

  In that case, even if Qiao Zijin was determined to call the Wang family, she would not be able to do so.

  “Hello? Hello?” When she heard a beeping sound, Qiao Zijin’s face turned pale. She shouted into the phone that was hung up. “You’re just a nanny that the Wang family spent money to hire! Are you fit to be so snobbish in front of me? Wang Yang calls me his elder sister! When I have the ability in the future, I will definitely fire you from the Wang family!”

  Qiao Zijin refused to give up and continued to dial the same number. She used all her strength each time she dialed as if she was trying to break the buttons. “Hello? Hello? Why can’t it go through now?”

  The sound between a phone call that was not picked up and a line that was cut off was different. Of course, Qiao Zijin realized it and she nearly smashed the public phone upon the realization.

  “Zijin, it’s already so late. Let’s go back. It’s almost ten o’clock. The Wang family must have gone to sleep. Didn’t the nanny in the Wang family say that Wang Yang has gone to the school? Why don’t we look for Wang Yang at his school tomorrow? But then again, will Wang Yang help you in this matter?”

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  Ding Jiayi had been accompanying Qiao Zijin all this while when she was making the phone calls.

  The money Qiao Zijin used to make the calls were all from Ding Jiayi’s pocket.

  “Is Wang Yang’s school one that I can enter as I wish?” Qiao Zijin was so frustrated that she slammed and hung up the phone. “Mom, tell me honestly. Before this happened, did you go to Ping Cheng High School? What did you do there?!”

  “I didn’t do much. At most, I spoke some truth.” Ding Jiayi felt a little guilty.

  This topic had been raised up several times this evening. Although Ding Jiayi still failed to realize how her previous words had offended the principal of Ping Cheng High School, Ding Jiayi dared not bring this matter up when Qiao Zijin asked about it.

  “Mom, do you know that you’ll cause me trouble by doing that?” Qiao Zijin cried uncontrollably. “The principal of my school has always been at odds with that Principal Meng, particularly because of Qiao Nan. You don’t know that my form teacher has been giving me cold looks. In every examination, Qiao Nan scored better than the students in our first-year cohort. The principal and teachers in my school were certain that Qiao Nan did not come to my school because of me. I…… I’ve been so wronged!”

  “This time, our Principal Wei was so embarrassed in front of Principal Meng. Won’t he detest me even more? Mom, do you wish to see me die? You actually created such huge trouble at Ping Cheng High School. If you didn’t do that, would Principal Meng catch the chance to step on Principal Wei? Because of what you did, Principal Meng grabbed this chance to sneer at us all! When Principal Wei is angry, he will put all the responsibility and blame on me. You! Tell me what I should do!”

  “Is…… is it really so serious?” Ding Jiayi was stunned. “I…… I really did not say much. Whatever I said was the truth. If not for Qiao Nan, would your dad be separated from me? Given our family’s situation, it’s not possible to support two college students. Qiao Nan insisted to continue her studies. Wasn’t she tiring us to death? Zijin, tell me. Which of my words were untrue? Which parts of it were false?”

  At the very most, when she said all those on that day, she had exaggerated a notch. Nevertheless, this would not change the fact of the matter.

  “Mom, tell me honestly. Was it during that period that Dad moved out for the second time all of a sudden?”

  “Yes, yes. Your dad was too petty. I only voiced out some gossip in Ping Cheng High School. He brought Qiao Nan and moved house without informing me. I even caught a cold because of this. If your dad did not do all these and broke my heart, why would I agree to divorce with him in two years?”

  In Old Qiao’s heart, there was only the wretched girl now. He had already forgotten his wife long ago.

  She married a husband that did not dote on her at all. There was no happiness even if they were to continue with such a marriage.

  “Mom, you’re truly my good mother!” Qiao Zijin continuously stomped her feet hard. “I’ve asked you a few times before and you wouldn’t tell me. If I had known about this matter earlier, I certainly would not have let this evening’s matter escalate!”

  After giving Ding Jiayi a scolding, Qiao Zijin then ran home and locked herself in her bedroom. She refused to let Ding Jiayi enter her room.

  “Zijin, don’t cry, don’t cry. What wrong did Mom do? Tell me. Won’t it do if Mom changes? Mom really doesn’t know what Mom did wrong.” Ping Cheng High School mocked her. Qiao Dongliang moved house heartlessly. Now, Qiao Zijin also wanted to blame her.

  Ding Jiayi, who was at a loss of what to do, grabbed her hair and squatted down, looking extremely miserable. Even if Ping Cheng High School’s principal wished to protect his student, he could not do it in that way. She did not even have the right to voice out her opinions?

  Qiao Zijin cried for an entire night in her bedroom. Ding Jiayi was so scared that she dared not leave Qiao Zijin. She squatted by the door of Qiao Zijin’s bedroom for the whole night.

  The next morning, the small retail stall with a public phone in the quad shouted at the small courtyard of the Qiao family’s house. “Is Ding Jiayi at home? Your daughter’s school called. Quickly come and pick up the phone.”

  When Ding Jiayi heard of it, she had a big fright.

  Ding Jiayi, who just woke up, was completely confused. She had forgotten that she had squatted for the entire night. She wanted to go and receive the phone call but her legs were already numb beyond her control. Ding Jiayi, who was not prepared, fell onto the floor with a loud bang. Her teeth even bit onto her bottom lip when she fell. There was blood all over her mouth and she looked terrible.

  Ding Jiayi was in so much pain that tears started rolling down from her eyes. “Zijin, quickly come and help me up.”

  Qiao Zijin, who had a shock at the same time, jumped at the sight of blood on Ding Jiayi’s mouth. “Mom, what happened to you?”

  However, at the thought of the phone call from the school, Qiao Zijin withdrew the hand that she reached out to Ding Jiayi. “Mom, stand up yourself and wash your wound with water. I’m going to take the call.” Having that said, Qiao Zijin put on a jacket and ran out with nary a care about Ding Jiayi’s condition. “Thank you, Auntie.”