Shi Qing stared at Qiao Nan, looking bizarre. “Are you serious?”

  “Of course!”

  “Woo! With this figure and face of yours, Brother Zhai could actually hold himself back. Is it because he can’t?”

  “You’re the one who can’t!”

  “Brother Zhai can, yet he has so little physical contact with you…… I’m confused by the two of you.” Shi Qing flung her head. “Is Brother Zhai Liu Xiahui?[1] It can’t be. Each time he looks for you, his eyes are on fire. It is as if he can’t wait to open his mouth widely and devour you. Otherwise, he wouldn’t find me such an eyesore and try ways and means to make me stay away from the two of you. He shuns me being the light bulb.”

  With the way Brother Zhai looked at Qiao Nan, she had been worried that the two would cause ‘a human life to be at stake’ before Qiao Nan’s college entrance examination if they were not careful. It would be so embarrassing if that were to happen.

  “I think you wish to be slapped.” Qiao Nan, who felt the urge to slap someone, had wanted to place her hands on Shi Qing’s face. What kind of lousy description was that?

  Shi Qing was unconvinced. “If you think I’m wrong, don’t blush!”

  “You’re quarreling?” Qiao Dongliang, who heard the commotion, stopped cooking and ran out to take a look. True enough, it was Shi Qing and his daughter.

  These two young ladies had been getting along very well with each other. It was as if they were biological sisters. This was the first time Qiao Dongliang saw the two of them bickering.

  OU

  \r \r \r

  “Uncle Qiao, don’t misunderstand. I was just discussing a math question with Qiao Nan. Our answers and thoughts about this question are different. There’s no teacher around and the two of us were just discussing between ourselves. We have our own views and couldn’t help debating a little. It may seem like we’re quarreling but we’re not. You have not seen it. When those scientists from the science centers debated and discussed with one another, all of them were flushed with excitement. They were fiercer than the typical people who were quarreling.”

  Qiao Dongliang looked at Qiao Nan. “Was that the case?”

  “Yes, that’s the case.” Qiao Nan nodded.

  Qiao Dongliang felt assured. “Then, alright, a discussion is a discussion. Don’t be so loud. I have even misunderstood. Others must have felt the same. Even if you’re discussing a question, you should be more polite with each other. Both of you, sit down, drink some tea, and have some fruits. There’s still a while to go before you can have your meal. Right, Shi Qing, call your dad and ask him what time he is coming home for dinner.”

  The foodstuff of both the Shi family and Qiao family were stored at the same place. For lunch, both Qiao Dongliang and Shi Peng would not eat at home.

  Shi Peng often gave Qiao Dongliang money for the foodstuff. Initially, Qiao Dongliang declined but did not do so later on.

  It was not just two more bowls of rice when two more people had meals with them.

  Given Shi Peng and Shi Qing’s health, Qiao Dongliang could not possibly prepare simple meals like he did in the past, or rather, he could not only change the menu during the two days that Qiao Nan was at home.

  It was fine for one or two days, but in the long run, given the financial situation of the Qiao family, the Qiao family would have to spend all his earnings on three meals per day.

  Hence, he could not choose not to accept the living allowances from Shi Peng.

  With the sum of money from Shi Peng, Qiao Dongliang’s finances had improved. Hence, he even prepared fresh fruits at home to let Shi Peng and the two children eat more.

  “Fine, I’ll call my dad and ask him.” Shi Qing picked an apple and took a loud bite on it. The juice filled Shi Qing’s mouth and livened up her mood: It was obvious that the apple was an imported good. It seemed like a welfare item from her father’s office.

  “Dad, I’m already home. When are you coming back? Uncle Qiao is almost done with preparing the food. You can’t possibly let your precious daughter go hungry and wait for you to come home, right?” Shi Qing took another huge bite. “You know that I’m at my puberty stage and can’t tolerate hunger. Dad, quickly come back.”

  When Shi Peng, who was at the other end of the phone, heard this, he did not know whether to laugh or cry. With the sound of Shi Qing gnawing on an apple, Shi Peng could not choose not to believe that Shi Qing was really hungry. “Okay, I know. I’ll be back in about half an hour’s time.”

  “Okay, we’ll wait for you to come back.” Upon receiving a reply, Shi Qing swiftly hung up the phone. With a few loud bites, she used the fastest speed to finish off the apple that was even bigger than the size of a grown-up man’s fist until only the apple’s core was left. She then threw it into the dustbin. It was a clean shot!

  In Shi Peng’s office, the secretary smiled when he saw Shi Qing packing up and leaving. “Shi Qing is back today?”

  “Yes. My daughter gave orders for me to go home before she will have her meal. I can’t stay any longer.” Shi Peng revealed a proud yet burdened smile. He did not slow down on his packing. “Go home earlier as well today. Keep your wife and children company. Don’t work too much.”

  “Okay, Director Shi.” There was no reason for the secretary to decline. He wished more than Shi Peng to go home earlier.

  However, at the thought of what Shi Peng had just said, the secretary hesitated for a moment.

  Having worked with Director Shi for a few months, he was aware that Director Shi had a spouse. However, it had been such a long time and he had never seen this person. Wouldn’t Director Shi need to keep his spouse company?

  Nevertheless, he could not care too much either. It was rare that he could leave work earlier, just like today. Certainly, it was important to keep his wife and son company. As for other matters, he could think about it at work tomorrow.

  When Shi Peng arrived home, he heard from Shi Qing about Xu Tingting’s situation. “Those abilities that I imparted to him last time, he’s so capable to use it on a female high school student. Nevertheless, the Zhai family is known for siding with the weaker ones. This student should feel lucky that she’s just a high school student. If not, this matter will not end as such.”

  The Zhai family would not use detestable means to deliberately conjure something to destroy someone.

  Nevertheless, if the objective truth was present, the Zhai family would not hesitate to spill the beans and use the truth to deal with and destroy the person.

  No one is perfect. Hence, it was not difficult for the Zhai family to use the second method to finish off someone at all.

  “Dad, don’t be angry. That student really deserved it. On one hand, she reaped benefits from Qiao Nan. On the other hand, she stirred up troubles for Qiao Nan after making use of the latter. This kind of person is sick in the mind. She doesn’t deserve our sympathy.” She even felt that Brother Zhai was not harsh enough. If Xu Tingting were to transfer to another school just like Qiao Zijin, it would be great as they would not have to see each other in the future.

  “Why would I be angry? The two who were bullied are not my daughters. On the contrary, my daughter was the one that bullied. I’m not angry. I even feel pleased.” Qing Qing’s tendency to retaliate was much higher than that of Qiao Nan. In this society, females still needed to have a tough side at appropriate times.

  “Dad, you made it sound as if I’m as fierce as a tigress.” Shi Qing did not feel the happiness of having received praises at all. On the contrary, she was pulling a long face.

  Was her father praising her from his heart?

  [1] Liu Xiahui was an ancient Chinese politician. He was a man of eminent virtue, and is said on one occasion to have held a lady in his lap without the slightest imputation on his moral character.