“I have to get used to it even if I don’t want to.” Shi Qing smiled bitterly. She had a cunning father and Uncle Qiao had the shrewdest future son-in-law ever. They were in the same boat.

  Not used to it?

  It would not do!

  “Aren’t you angry?” Shi Qing had to follow Nan Nan’s decision in opting for a college. This was not fair to Shi Qing. He doubted what kind of father Shi Peng was.

  Shi Qing shrugged. “Not really.”

  Shi Qing was still receptive to this. She was not going to major in some niche areas. Her grades would enable her to get into the same college as Qiao Nan. Moreover, she would certainly be able to choose a major that was suitable for her.

  If Qiao Nan was to attend some unknown college, of course, she would not be so agreeable then.

  “It’s tough on you.” Qiao Dongliang felt unjustified for Shi Qing. The selection of college was such an important matter. How could he let his own daughter go with the expectations of someone else’s daughter?

  “Uncle Qiao, if you feel that I’m shortchanged, prepare more nice food for me. Most probably, I would have starved to death if I just mixed around with my dad.” Shi Qing took the opportunity to put up her request to Qiao Dongliang. Qiao Nan needed to nourish her health, and so did she.

  Qiao Dongliang quietly took a glance at Shi Qing whose tummy had apparently become rounder after spending her Lunar New Year at Mo Du. “Shi Qing, if you have a need for it, I can do that too.”

  However, he had been hearing from others recently that women loved to look pretty and always wanted to lose weight. Compared to last year, Shi Qing seemed to have put on a round of weight. Did she really want to have more nourishment?

  “Uncle Qiao, let’s bring the dishes out. It’s almost time. I’ll ask Qiao Nan to come out for dinner.”

  Shi Qing expressed that if they were to allow those two to continue chatting, more shocking topics might come out of the conversation. “Qiao Nan, the dishes are ready. Can Auntie Miao and you come out to have your meal?”

  Miao Jing, who had been interrupted, did not look too happy. After having a long chat with Qiao Nan, Miao Jing increasingly could not understand why her own daughter was so outstanding yet so blind and took a liking to someone like Wei De.

  Even when she was farming in the countryside in the past, she would not accept someone like Wei De as well.

  \r \r \r

  Miao Jing had repeated to Qiao Nan many times that she felt uneasy all over at the sight of Wei De. She did not feel assured and could not feel the sense of integrity that a soldier should have from Wei De.

  If not for the fact that she was an ‘outsider’, and it was not appropriate for her to speak too much about this, Qiao Nan wanted to express that, she felt the same way as Miao Jing when she was with Wei De. Wei De did not even seem to possess the sense of integrity of an ordinary man, let alone the sense of righteousness belonging to a soldier.

  Just based on what happened six months ago, when Wei De caused a platoon leader who had a bright future to lose one of his legs because of Wei De’s own selfishness, it was sufficient to tell his selfish nature. He would utilize all means and tricks to achieve his objective and had no qualms about sacrificing the interests of others at all.

  “Auntie Miao, even if you’re not hungry, should we get some water? It’s my fault that I have not hosted you properly. After you came in for so long, I didn’t even get you a cup of water.” Actually, it was not that Qiao Nan did not want to get Miao Jing some water. Hearing so much from Miao Jing, she had wanted to get up a few times to get Miao Jing some water.

  It was just that Miao Jing had been holding Qiao Nan back and did not allow her to leave as she was anxious to confide in Qiao Nan about Zhai Hua and Wei De’s matter.

  “That’s true.” Miao Jing smacked her mouth and felt that it was very dry. Moreover, if she was not leaving the room, the hosts might feel embarrassed to start eating even if they were hungry. “Fine, let’s go out.”

  “Madam Zhai.” When he saw Miao Jing, Shi Peng smiled and greeted her.

  “Director Shi.” Miao Jing was very polite and respectful toward Shi Peng. She was well aware how Shi Peng took care of and nurtured Zhai Sheng

  Two years ago, Shi Peng was an important factor why Miao Jing would acknowledge Qiu Chenxi as her daughter-in-law.

  Initially, when the agreement between the two families was called off, Miao Jing was even worried that Shi Peng would pay a visit to the Zhai family and reprimand the Zhai family for repaying kindness with injustice. She was afraid that he would accuse them of kicking someone to the curb after they’d outlived their usefulness or that he would stack the deck against Zhai Sheng in the army in the future.

  SO

  Fortunately, none of these things happened. Hence, Miao Jing appeared more natural when she met Shi Peng again.

  At the sight of Miao Jing sitting down, Shi Peng smiled. “The meals in the Qiao family are very delicious, right?”

  “It’s not bad.” Miao Jing did not deny. The two of them understood in their hearts that they were not referring to the taste but the atmosphere.

  Of course, this kind of atmosphere would only be present when Ding Jiayi and Qiao Zijin were not around.

  “Auntie Miao, Brother Zhai, have your meal.” Qiao Nan had taken out the bowls of rice and placed them before the respective individuals.

  The phone in the house of the Qiao family rang.

  At this juncture, everyone was looking at the phone. Besides Qiao Dongliang, everyone else, especially Miao Jing, was wearing a strange expression on their faces.

  SV

  When everyone’s gaze was still and focused on the phone, Qiao Nan calmly stood up. She walked over and picked up the phone. “Hello, good day. This is the Qiao family.”

  “Qiao Nan, it’s me. Zhai Hua.”

  “Sister Zhai Hua.”

  “Are my mom and Zhai Sheng at your house?”

  “Yes.”

  “Wei De is driving and is on his way to fetch them. I hope you can let Zhai Sheng and my mom come home.”

  “.……” Qiao Nan raised her brows. “Sister Zhai Hua, I didn’t stop Auntie Miao and Brother Zhai.”

  “.……” Zhai Hua took a deep breath. She was confused by fury today. She had forgotten that although Qiao Nan looked soft and tender, she was never a lump of flour that would not retaliate if she were bullied or rolled around by others. “Sorry, I didn’t make myself clear. No, there’s something wrong with the way I expressed myself. Qiao Nan, can you do me a favor? Can you help persuade my mom and Zhai Sheng to come back?”

  nom

  This was the first time that Wei De came to her house and had a meal.

  When lunch commenced, her mother and Zhai Sheng did not eat anything. One hour after lunch, Wei De had wanted to greet her mother and pass her some gifts to show his appreciation, but her mother immediately shouted for Zhai Sheng to send her to the house of their relatives, saying that it was a prearranged date.

  The Zhai family did not have so many relatives in Ping Cheng. Wasn’t her mother going to the house of the Qiao family?

  This was the first time Wei De visited them for a meal, yet her mother and Zhai Sheng left for the house of the Qiao family. Wasn’t it clear that they did not wish to see Wei De and did not accept Wei De?

  When Miao Jing and Zhai Sheng left, Zhai Hua felt extremely embarrassed. She was really afraid that Wei De would simply leave out of anger.

  Fortunately, Wei De was not angry. He even sat down and chatted with her father in a harmonious manner. He even stayed for dinner so that ‘everyone’ could have a meal together.

  Seeing that it was almost dinner time and Miao Jing and Zhai Sheng did not seem to be coming back, Zhai Hua quickly gave Qiao Nan a call. Moreover, Wei De was already driving the four-wheeled car that he had bought on his own to fetch Miao Jing and Zhai Sheng. “This is the first meal that Wei De will be having with our family. You…… Can you do me a favor and give me some face?”