Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

  “Isn’t Madam Zhai at our house? Didn’t Chief Zhai know?” Feeling puzzled, Qiao Dongliang lowered his voice and asked.

  Having worked for the whole day, Qiao Dongliang was tired too.

  When he returned to the small courtyard of the Qiao family where things remained but people were no longer present, Qiao Dongliang did not feel much. He just packed, washed up, and went to bed.

  At night, Qiao Dongliang vaguely heard traffic in and out of the quad but he did not bother. It was only this morning that he heard Chief Zhai had been sending people to look for Miao Jing. At that juncture, Qiao Dongliang was stunned. Madam Zhai was at his house. Was there a need to search for her?

  Qiao Dongliang, who was puzzled, did not dare to say anything. He first made a call home to ask Qiao Nan about the situation.

  “Ah, Chief Zhai is back?” Qiao Nan covered the phone’s receiver and asked. According to what Auntie Miao said yesterday, she came back alone. Hence, she did not wish to return to the house of the Zhai family, as she would be the only one at home if she did.

  “Isn’t that so? Moreover, I just heard that Chief Zhai came back yesterday. He was back not much later than Madam Zhai. Nan Nan, what exactly is happening? Chief Zhai is still sending people to search for her. Do you think we should tell him?” Clearly, Madam Zhai was at his house. Qiao Dongliang would feel guilty if he did not reveal this.

  “Dad, don’t be anxious. I’ll check with Auntie Miao about what she thinks first. That, Dad, you know…… The relationship between a couple…… It’s not convenient for us to interfere too much. I think Auntie Miao did not know that Chief Zhai came back yesterday.”

  “Sure, then hurry. When I see Chief Zhai still continuing with the search, I……”

  “Understand, understand, I fully understand.”

  “What’s the matter?” Miao Jing, who just brushed her teeth and washed her face, had changed into the clothes that she had washed yesterday. “I’m hungry. Where’s the rice in your house? I’ll go and cook porridge.”

  “Yo, Auntie Miao, you’re cooking porridge. Not waiting for me to do so?” Qiao Nan was not so appreciative. Regardless of whether Auntie Miao’s previous status was high or not before marriage, in the past, Auntie Miao always propped her legs and waited to be served each time she visited.

  “I’ve eaten a few of your meals. This time, I’ll let you look at my skills.” Miao Jing sprang into action. Although she had not used the stove for a long time, after a while, she seemed to have regained her touch.

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  It was only when Miao Jing finished cooking that Qiao Nan raised her eyebrows at the rich and fragrant porridge. “Not bad.”

  “That is of course. Hurry up and eat.” Miao Jing smiled complacently.

  After finishing breakfast, Qiao Nan felt that it was time for her to speak out. “Auntie Miao, my dad called me just now and told me that Chief Zhai came back yesterday. He has been sending people to look for you. Are you going back?”

  Ring! Ring! Ring!

  Before Miao Jing could reply, the phone in the Qiao family rang again.

  Qiao Nan sighed. She was destined for a hard life. She supported herself and stood up. “Hello?”

  “Nan Nan, my dad just contacted me and told me that my mom is missing. She’s already not young and still ran away from home. Have you seen my mom?” Zhai Sheng’s voice was a little sullen. At the mention of Chief Zhai, his tone was more unfriendly.

  It was not for other reasons. Zhai Sheng heard that Qi Minlan came to look for his father at the camp on the pretext of Qiu Chenxi’s matter yesterday.

  It was because of this meeting that her mother simply left the camp without a word, leaving his father behind.

  Upon hearing this news, Zhai Hua, who just returned to the camp, was so furious that she nearly gave Qi Minlan a round of bashing directly.

  Her mother cared so much for her father. For the sake of her father, she could even bear to forsake Zhai Sheng and her. If Qi Minlan and her father had not done anything wrong, why would her mother leave in anger?

  Because of this, both Zhai Hua and Zhai Sheng could not see eye to eye with Zhai Yaohui now.

  “Auntie Miao, it’s Brother Zhai. Do you want to come and listen to what he has to say?” Great. Now, she had to supervise Brother Zhai’s mother on his behalf.

  “Not listening!” Even if it was her own son, he also bore the Zhai surname. She did not wish to bother about any of those who bore the Zhai surname. Zhai Yaohui’s heart was always with Qi Minlan. She gave birth to and raised Zhai Sheng. In the end, in Zhai Sheng’s heart, she was not more important than a young lady outside.

  None of the men in the Zhai family was good!

  “My mom is at your house? All this while?” Zhai Sheng heard Miao Jing’s voice.

  “Yes. Yesterday, Auntie Miao came to fetch me after school. She then spent the night here.”

  “That’s fine,” Zhai Sheng replied and didn’t chat further. “I’ll tell Zhai Hua in case she’s worried. I’ll leave my mom in your care then.” Having said that, feeling much more assured, Zhai Sheng hung up the phone. Qiao Nan was so embarrassed.

  What did he mean by ‘leave my mom in your care’? Was this appropriate?

  Most importantly, wasn’t Chief Zhai looking for Auntie Miao? Did Brother Zhai mean to let Auntie Miao continue to stay at her house and not let Chief Zhai know?

  However, the truth of Miao Jing’s presence in the house of the Qiao family did not hold out for long. Within ten minutes, Zhai Yaohui arrived at the entrance to fetch Miao Jing. “Good day. Is anyone at home?”

  Miao Jing, who was sitting on the chair and watching television, stood up forcefully. Qiao Nan was stupefied and speechless at the sight.

  Miao Jing tugged her dress and pursed her lips. She then sat down properly again. She shouted back, “No one is at home!”

  “.……” Zhai Yaohui heard his wife’s voice. He looked at the entrance of the house and fell silent. “Qiao Nan, are you at home? Can you help me open the door?”

  “No!”

  “Miao Miao, don’t be willful. Come home with me.”

  “Not going home!”

  “Miao Miao, don’t cause disturbance to others. If you have anything to talk about, tell me when you’re back. You can voice your views. If I’m in the wrong, I’ll change.” Zhai Yaohui coaxed Miao Jing with patience.

  “You’ll change?” Miao Jing sneered. “In my entire life, I’ve never hoped for you to change.” Qi Minlan was Zhai Yaohui’s life. If she wanted Zhai Yaohui to change this habit, it would be akin to wanting his life. It was so sad. Zhai Yaohui loved another woman. Unfortunately, she could not bear to let Zhai Yaohui go and die.

  “.……” Qiao Nan, who maintained her silence all this while, was like a wall picture sitting by the side. She only dared to stare at the television as her ears stood up, trying hard to listen only to the sounds from the television. She felt so awkward.

  The couple was having an argument. Could she find an excuse to stay away from it?

  The face of Zhai Yaohui, who was standing at the entrance like he was suffering from a punishment, turned black. At the sight of the height of the wall of the courtyard, he secretly assessed if he was able to flip over the wall and enter the place. At this juncture, Zhai Sheng appeared.

  Zhai Sheng gave Zhai Yaohui a sideways glance. “My mom refused to open the door for you and now both of you are making things difficult for Nan Nan, right? You’re already so old. How you want to argue is your problem. Don’t cause inconvenience to Nan Nan. Nan Nan is still studying in senior high school. It’s the critical three-year period of her studies. You all can’t afford to affect Nan Nan’s future.”

  Zhai Yaohui turned pale with fury. He and Miao Jing were Zhai Sheng’s biological parents, yet Zhai Sheng did not show any concern for the couple the moment he opened his mouth. Why was he only concerned about an outsider?

  As their son, should such words come from Zhai Sheng?