“You made a mess and hope that I will clean it up for you? Do you know that I didn’t step out for your own good? If I appeared in such an awkward moment, wouldn’t you feel embarrassed? Those present that day were all my elders and I’m just a junior. If I shouted at the group, would I be able to overcome them? I would be badly bullied too, no?”

  Stepping out? She would be a real fool if she were to appear before others on that day.

  “.……” Once Qiao Zijin was fierce, Ding Jiayi fell silent. This was because she knew that Qiao Zijin’s appearance certainly would not change anything. At most, there would only be one person to keep her company by her side.

  “Mom, I say, why are you standing there in a daze?” Qiao Zijin looked at Ding Jiayi unhappily.

  “What else can I do?” Ding Jiayi lifted her half-crippled body. “With my current state, what else can I do if I don’t stay in the hospital abidingly?” Ding Jiayi had a car accident. She had been knocked by a four-wheeled car and not a two-wheeled bicycle. Her injuries were not light and she should not have been discharged at all.

  That day, she left the hospital on her own accord. With that round of torture, Ding Jiayi’s injuries simply deteriorated and she had to lie in bed for a few days before she could get up.

  “Your daughter is getting engaged today. You’re the mother but you’re not going to appear?” Those guests who would be attending the event at the Zhai family would not be ordinary folks. Some were prominent figures whom she could only see on television. At the thought of this, Qiao Zijin felt tempted again.

  Qiao Nan was going to be engaged with Zhai Sheng. That meant that she would have a brother-in-law who was a regiment commander.

  If Qiao Nan could show more concern on her matters, it was, in fact, not difficult for her to become the wife of a regiment commander. At most, she would not be as blessed as Qiao Nan who would eventually become the wife of a chief.

  “Mom, Qiao Nan is getting engaged today. You’re her mother and I’m her sister. As her next-of-kin, we certainly have to be present to give our blessings. You dote on her so much all this while. She has found a man who can take care of her now, so shouldn’t you feel glad and relieved?” Snatch? She would not be able to snatch over a man like Zhai Sheng.

  Hence, she could only plead with this brother-in-law to take good care of her, this sister-in-law. At the very least, she could enjoy her remaining lifetime.

  \r \r \r

  Obviously, Qiao Nan was not as good as her but she could marry so well—so well that she had far exceeded her. Now, she even had to bask in Qiao Nan’s glory and seek her help to find a good marriage partner. At the thought of this, Qiao Zijin did not feel too happy.

  Qiao Zijin kept having the feeling that Qiao Nan’s and her life had been reversed.

  She should be the one leading a life that others would be envious of, and Qiao Nan was the one that had to be looked down upon by others and live a shabby life.

  “She caused your dad and me to have a divorce. Why should I feel glad and relieved that she has someone to take care of her now! In addition, given my current condition, can I leave the hospital? Not going! Today, Qiao Nan is going to be engaged with Zhai Sheng. Last time, your dad treated me that way and caused me to stay in the hospital for a longer time. If I really dare to go today, your dad may chop me with a knife before I can even say anything. He is bent on raising this daughter. Now, your dad only has Qiao Nan, this daughter, in his heart. He doesn’t have you or me, his wife, in his heart. I don’t want to go.”

  During the last incident, Ding Jiayi already had a feeling that Qiao Dongliang could not wait to kill her.

  Until now, whenever Ding Jiayi recalled the look in Qiao Dongliang’s eyes at that time, she could still feel fear and trepidation.

  They had said that a marriage might be short-lived but the couple’s affection might continue to run deep. She had been a couple with Qiao Dongliang for twenty years but Qiao Dongliang now had thoughts about killing her because of one Qiao Nan. Ding Jiayi felt very disheartened.

  She was the one who accompanied Qiao Dongliang through the most difficult times of his life.

  “He won’t.” Qiao Zijin refused to give up. The people that she could meet today were those that she might not have the chance to see again for the rest of her life. If she were to miss this opportunity, she would have to wait a few years later when Qiao Nan and Zhai Sheng got married and after Qiao Nan graduated from college.

  If she did not attend this event this time, when Qiao Nan was going to be married next time, was she certain that she could attend the event?

  At this moment, the most important thing to her was to salvage the relationship between Qiao Nan and her.

  After the engagement, when Qiao Nan said one word, it would be more effective than her doing a hundred things.

  “If you feel that it won’t happen, you can go by yourself. Anyway, no matter what, I won’t attend her engagement event. I want to see…… I’m not dead yet. If someone asks her where her biological mother is during the engagement, how is she going to respond? Just wait and see. Without me, she will be laughed at. If I go now, I will really be saving the face of that wretched girl.”

  If she did not appear, the Zhai family would definitely not be pleased with Qiao Nan. They would feel that Qiao Nan did not respect the Zhai family.

  Who had asked the Zhai family to be so blind to take a liking to Qiao Nan? She would not give the Zhai family any face. The Zhai family could just wait to become a laughingstock.

  “Mom……” Why was it, no matter what she said, that she could not make her mother understand?

  “Alright, I know what you want to say. Regardless of whether I turn up or not, I’m still that wretched girl’s mother. As long as I’m alive, she can forget about dumping me. She has to give me a good life. Since that is the case, why should I make myself suffer? Alright, I am tired and want to sleep.” Ding Jiayi turned her body and refused to continue this conversation with Qiao Zijin. She then fell into a slumber.

  As the mother, she was certain that Qiao Nan would have to yield to her for life.

  “.……” Qiao Zijin stomped her feet in fury.

  She had heard of a child supporting their parents for life. However, she had not heard of people supporting and caring for their biological sister for life.

  Qiao Nan could not shut her mother off from her life but she could do so to her.

  This would not do. She had to think of more ways to make her mother listen to her. She must not let Qiao Nan off. She could not let her off in the past; the more she could not let her off now.

  Ding Jiayi insisted that she would not go. Qiao Zijin felt very unfair. She thus quietly returned to the quad. She had to be involved in such a bubbly occasion.

  However, it was Zhai Sheng’s engagement today and the event would be held at home. They only invited people who were close to them. The simpler the arrangement was, the harder it was to enter the place.

  Qiao Zijin was not on the guest list at all. Although Qiao Zijin said that she was the biological elder sister of one of the couple, Qiao Nan, the guard did not listen to her. He just told her that he did not receive any instructions about her.

  The security guard even had a gun. He was looking tall and impressive at the entrance. In particular, that formal and serious expression on his face, which warned one not to offend, made Qiao Zijin, this kind of scheming people, feel frightened. She dared not go near him.

  This was similar to when a thief saw a policeman in his uniform. He would definitely avoid him like a mouse that saw a cat. Otherwise, he would be courting his own death.

  The other party had made himself very clear. He would not let Qiao Zijin enter the place. This was the quad and there were people around who knew her. Qiao Zijin really could not bring herself to kick up a big fuss to embarrass Qiao Nan and insist that she be invited to the event.