Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

  “Why is Mom angry? You should be very clear about it. The only advice that I can give you is that if you want Mom to forgive you, stay further away from Qi Minlan in the future. It’ll be best if you don’t meet her again. Moreover, next time, don’t be involved with anyone, except Qiu Qin, from the Qiu family. Within a month, Mom will definitely forgive you.”

  The crux of the problems stemmed from Qi Minlan. His father did not need to understand. It would suffice that he knew what to do.

  “My relationship with your Auntie Qi is that of a platonic friendship. You…… What you’ve said is equivalent to not saying anything.” Moreover, he was tricked into giving information!

  Sly little fox!

  “Auntie!”

  “Chief.” The auntie walked out in trepidation. “Is something the matter?”

  “It’s almost eleven o’clock. Prepare a bowl of Miao Miao’s favorite Yang Chun noodles. Remember to not overcook it. Miao Miao loves to eat those that are cooked just right and not too salty. The soup has to be light and prepared with chicken stock. Understand?”

  “Understood. I’ve done this for a few years. I remember all this.” The auntie nodded and prepared the Yang Chun noodles with ease. She then served it to Miao Jing who was in her bedroom. “Madam, it’s your favorite Yang Chun noodles. Chief asked me to prepare this especially for you.”

  When Miao Jing, who was initially a little hungry, heard that this bowl of noodles was prepared upon the instruction of Zhai Yaohui, she burned with anger. “Not eating. I don’t wish to have noodles. I want to eat rice!”

  “That’s fine. What dishes does Madam wish to eat? How about I prepare them for you now?” The auntie’s temper was good. She asked meticulously.

  “I wish to eat…… Forget it. I’ll just eat the noodles. We can’t waste food.” Miao Jing sighed. Why was she venting her anger on auntie? Clearly, Zhai Yaohui was the culprit. As she was unable to settle her scores with Zhai Yaohui, how could she torture auntie instead?

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  “Madam, then hurry up and eat them. It will turn soggy after a while and you won’t like them anymore.” Auntie happily put down the noodles. “Madam, I don’t know what wrong did Chief Zhai do, but Chief Zhai is very concerned about you. Yesterday, when Chief came back alone and didn’t see you, he was so anxious that he did not sleep for the whole night. It was only when the chauffeur who sent you to the Qiao family told him that you were there did he feel more at ease. Yesterday, Chief Zhai just sat in the living room for the whole night.”

  “Really?” Miao Jing felt quite bad after hearing that.

  After thinking, just as what Qi Minlan thought, she felt that Zhai Yaohui was most likely concerned about her because they had been married for so many years. It was not because he truly loved her. Clearly, this was the Yang Chun noodles that she liked. However, at this moment, it tasted so bland in her mouth.

  “Nan Nan.”

  “Dad, you’re back?” On the contrary, the atmosphere in the Qiao family was more harmonious.

  “Has Madam Zhai gone back?” At the sight that Miao Jing was no longer at his house, Qiao Dongliang heaved a huge sigh of relief. In this lifetime, besides Ding Jiayi, he had never tried to stay under the same roof with another woman.

  In fact, Qiao Dongliang felt more uneasy than Qiao Nan about this.

  “She has gone back. Chief Zhai came to pick her up personally.”

  “Oh, Nan Nan, don’t misunderstand. Dad was not the one who let the matter out.” Although Qiao Dongliang felt he should inform Chief Zhai since he apparently knew that Madam Zhai was at his house and that Chief Zhai was anxious, he could not bring himself to do that as he felt that he would be betraying Madam Zhai if he were to do so.

  “Dad, don’t worry. I won’t think of it that way. I believe Auntie Miao will not as well. Yesterday, when Auntie Miao came to our house, it was the chauffeur of the Zhai family who sent her here. I believe Auntie Miao would definitely not let the chauffeur wait for her for the whole night. She must have asked the chauffeur to go home. The next day, when the chauffeur reported to the Zhai family, Chief Zhai then found out that Auntie Miao was at our house. That’s not strange.”

  “That’s good, then.” Qiao Dongliang let out a breath of relief. If this resulted in a misunderstanding, it would be difficult to clarify. “Nan Nan, are you hungry? Dad will cook a meal for you.”

  “Okay, I’m hungry.” After having her meal, she had to go back to bed to make up for the lost sleep. Fortunately, Chief Zhai and Brother Zhai came and took Auntie Miao away. Otherwise, if Auntie Miao stayed one more night at her house, she would definitely doze off during every evening self-study session when she returned to school.

  “What do you want to eat? Dad will prepare for you.”

  “Dad, I’ll eat whatever you prepare.”

  Without Ding Jiayi and Qiao Zijin, Qiao Dongliang and Qiao Nan’s life was very simple. The dietary preferences of the father and daughter were similar. Besides, Qiao Nan was not picky at all. Even if Qiao Dongliang prepared something that she did not like, she would eat them.

  At the thought that when Ding Jiayi prepared meals for Qiao Zijin, Qiao Zijin not only picked what she wanted to eat but also refused to eat this or touch that, Qiao Dongliang was very ashamed as he realized now that not every child was as difficult to bring up as Qiao Zijin. In fact, it was very easy to raise Nan Nan.

  If not for the fact that he misunderstood that Ding Jiayi had endured lots of hardships raising Qiao Zijin, Qiao Dongliang would not have given in to Ding Jiayi so much previously.

  “Ah good, Dad will prepare accordingly.” After Ding Jiayi and Qiao Zijin left, Qiao Dongliang would think of his wife and elder daughter occasionally. Nevertheless, Qiao Dongliang felt more relaxed and carefree most of the time. His life with Qiao Nan was also becoming increasingly smoother.

  “Nan Nan, eat them while they’re hot. Eat more. Judging from how you look, you definitely didn’t have a good rest when Madam Zhai was here yesterday. After you have your meal, go to bed and rest for one to two hours. Rest well and regain your energy today so that it’ll be easier for you when you go to school tomorrow.”

  “Dad, you’re so good.” As Qiao Nan ate the piping hot meal, she felt moved and happy when she heard the words of concern from Qiao Dongliang.

  He was no doubt her biological father. He actually could tell that she did not sleep well at all last night.

  If not for the fear of falling sick due to hunger, which she did in her previous life due to gastric problems, she had wanted to forgo this meal. She did not sleep well for an entire night and felt that she could bury her face in the rice bowl at any point in time.

  Qiao Nan believed that as soon as she could finish up this meal, she would be able to go back to her bed and have a comfortable nap.

  Who would have known that one minute after her meal, a visitor that would ‘perk her up’ came.

  “Who came at this hour?” Qiao Dongliang urged Qiao Nan to go to sleep quickly. He would tidy up the table. Before Qiao Nan could get up from her seat, they heard the sound of someone knocking on the door. “Don’t tell me Madam Zhai came back again?”

  Impossible. Chief Zhai was already at home. Why would Madam Zhai come again?

  “That should not be possible,” Qiao Nan said with some doubt.

  “Why don’t you go and rest first? I’ll go and open the door. Even if there’s a guest, as a father, I should be the one attending to them.” As long as the person was not from the Zhai family, Nan Nan would be able to take her nap with ease.

  “Alright.” The three family members of the Zhai family were all at home. Why would they come to her house? Most likely, the visitor was looking for her father.

  Just as Qiao Nan lay on the bed, before she could cover herself with the blanket, she heard the estranged voice of her father. “Nan Nan, come out quickly. Chief…… Chief Zhai is here!”