Both had given birth to children. However, the outcome of Qiao Nan’s pregnancy was the complete opposite of hers.

  Her man lost his career after she gave birth. On the other hand, Zhai Sheng was motivated to strive for further progress after Qiao Nan gave birth.

  Without the need for Qiao Nan to speak much, Ding Jiayi’s liver was filled with anger because of this difference. Her adrenaline was madly rushing and she looked like she going to bristle with rage.

  “Mom, have some meat.” Before Ding Jiayi could speak any awful words, Qiao Zijin picked up a piece of meat with her chopsticks and placed it into Ding Jiayi’s bowl. She even held on to Ding Jiayi’s hand. “Mom, have more food. Right, didn’t you tell me last time that you’re worried about Nan Nan? She is a first-time mother and thus inexperienced and ignorant about many situations. You said that you wanted to have a good chat with Nan Nan, no? I have seen the photo in Dad’s wallet earlier. The three children are extremely good-looking. Next time, we can visit them when we have the chance.”

  After Qiao Zijin tugged at her, Ding Jiayi’s anguish turned into a dud. She said with false concern, “Isn’t that so? I am just worried that my experience is outdated and not suitable for raising kids nowadays. Nan Nan, if you’re willing to, listen to my words. If you’re not, just take it that I’m singing. I am the maternal grandmother of the three children but I don’t have much money and can’t buy anything presentable for them. At the very least, I can share with you my experience as a mother. Take it that it’s the thought that counts.”

  Ding Jiayi could choose whether to listen to Qiao Dongliang but she had to listen to Qiao Zijin.

  After all, she was still counting on Qiao Zijin to support her financially when she was old. If she angered Qiao Zijin and her elder daughter refused to support her when she was old, she would have to become subservient to the annoying wretched girl.

  Although there was only one in a million chance of this happening, Ding Jiayi also had to find ways to avoid this kind of situation.

  Even if Qiao Nan was a thousand or ten thousand times more successful than Qiao Zijin and could provide her with a more comfortable life, Ding Jiayi would rather choose the useless Qiao Zijin to support her financially. Unless she had absolutely no choice, she would rather take meat from Qiao Zijin than to take birds’ nest from Qiao Nan.

  There was no need to question her why. It was purely that ghost in Ding Jiayi’s heart playing tricks on her. She was obsessed.

  \r \r \r

  Ding Jiayi’s cooperation made Qiao Zijin look more at ease. “Nan Nan, don’t mind Mom’s words. All of us know Mom’s temper. Compared to last time, she’s much better now. Mom was right in something. It’s the thought that counts. There’s nothing more precious than well-meaning thoughts in this world.”

  Ding Jiayi’s attitude toward Qiao Nan was so terrible in the past. Today, Ding Jiayi’s manner of speech and attitude was not that good but it had improved tremendously.

  She did not expect Qiao Nan to appreciate or gratefully accept such a change in Ding Jiayi.

  At the very least, Ding Jiayi was working hard to change herself, yet Qiao Nan was still a stick in the mud, living in the past and refusing to come out of her shell. She continued to treat them as enemies. This was not something that Qiao Zijin wished for.

  “Ha.” Qiao Nan laughed. She neither agreed nor disagreed. “Brother Zhai, I am feeling tired.”

  Upon receiving Qiao Nan’s hint, Zhai Sheng looked at Qiao Dongliang. “Dad, most likely, Nan Nan has caught a little cold. I’ll bring her back to take some cold medicine first.”

  The smile on Qiao Dongliang’s face faded, and his eyes were filled with hurt. “Okay, alright. Bring Nan Nan home to have a good rest then. Zhai Sheng, Nan Nan is unwell now. I can only rely on you to take good care of her.”

  Zhai Sheng held on to Qiao Nan as they stood up. “Sure. Before we return to the capital tomorrow, Nan Nan and I will come to visit you again. Dad, Nan Nan and I will make a move first.” After informing the necessary, Zhai Sheng only gave a nod to Ding Jiayi, this mother-in-law, before the couple simply left.

  Zhai Sheng, the one with the highest ‘altitude’ in the house, stood up and was leaving. Who would dare to stop him? Who could do so?

  She had already tried her best to specially gain the favors of Qiao Nan and Zhai Sheng but they refused to give her any face. Instantly, Ding Jiayi pulled a long face. Qiao Zijin pursed the corners of her lips. She forced a smile by curling up the drooping corners of her mouth. Hence, she was smiling as she sent the couple off with her eyes when Zhai Sheng led Qiao Nan out of the house.

  The moment the door was closed behind them, Qiao Zijin looked at Qiao Dongliang coldly. Her eyes were filled with sarcasm, seemingly saying ‘You’re so good to Qiao Nan. Look. Qiao Nan treats you, this father, in this way’.

  Qiao Nan, who looked listless in the Qiao family’s residence, reverted to her energetic and lively self once she stepped out of the doors. “I really don’t understand what the point of continuing with such a family is.”

  She had lived in the small courtyard of the Qiao family for two lifetimes. Qiao Nan could tell clearly what was happening in the house just with one glance.

  Her father had returned to the small courtyard of the Qiao family to stay. However, like in the past, he did not sleep on the same bed as Ding Jiayi. They were still in a ‘separation mode’.

  As for Qiao Zijin……

  True enough, Qiao Zijin was still Qiao Zijin. Although the situation was different, Qiao Zijin’s nature did not change at all. She had changed to someone who knew how to hide their true feelings better. She had become more realistic and sinister.

  “You have to put on a better act.” Zhai Sheng held on to Qiao Nan without any reservation and let Qiao Nan lean on to him as they walked. “Many people are secretly watching us.”

  The younger daughter of the Qiao family brought her wealthy husband home to visit relatives. This was big news in the quad.

  Everyone was quite curious about Qiao Nan’s attitude toward Ding Jiayi, such a sinful mother. It was seldom—only once in a year—that she came home. However, the time spent in the small courtyard of the Qiao family did not exceed two hours. Given this duration, what would the people in the quad think?

  Fine.

  Qiao Nan gave in and leaned onto Zhai Sheng, allowing the latter to hold onto her as they left.

  The small courtyard of the Qiao family was not big. There were only a few bedrooms. Qiao Nan looked as if she was feeling very unwell. They had to return to the house of the Zhai family as the small courtyard of the Qiao family did not have a suitable bedroom for both Qiao Nan and Zhai Sheng to rest.

  Hence, Zhai Sheng bringing Qiao Nan out of the house early was an acceptable explanation to others.

  The owners of the Zhai family’s residence in Ping Cheng had been away for almost a year. Although someone would clean up the place occasionally, the already once not-so-lively Zhai family’s residence felt even more isolated now.

  Thankfully, the quad was filled with the presence of many others. At the sight of the situation, an extremely funny thought came to Qiao Nan’s mind: After some time, the house of the Zhai family might become a haunted mansion if it continued to be so deserted.

  “We don’t lack blankets or anything in the house. They should have been dried in the sun before the Lunar New Year. It’s not moist and still quite comfortable to sleep with.” Qiao Nan might have been affected by her mood. She really did feel a little unwell. Zhai Sheng asked Qiao Nan to sit down and rest. He used his fastest speed and the most effective way to prepare the bed while waiting for the water to boil so that Qiao Nan could lie down on it to rest.

  Upon touching the warm bed, Qiao Nan heaved a sigh of relief. “Let me make a call home. Don’t know if the triplets had thrown any tantrums or kicked up any fuss.”

  Zhai Sheng took out the clothes said calmly, “Make the call then.”


  1228 To Dine with Mama’s Photograph

  Without this phone call, they would certainly feel so upset that they would not be able to sleep tonight. Zhai Sheng even took the initiative to dial the number for Qiao Nan. “Turn on the speaker.” His mother would definitely get the triplets to speak on the phone.

  They were only away from home for less than a day. However, Qiao Nan, this mother, was not the only one who missed the triplets. As the biological father, Zhai Sheng also missed the three chubby babies in the Zhai’s residence.

  Miao Jing picked up the call as soon as Zhai Sheng made it. “You have finally called home.” In the past, the triplets slept a lot when Nan Nan was at home every day. Miao Jing did not feel very different. Nan Nan was not home the entire day today and was not even coming back tonight. After some time, she felt that things were different.

  The four-month-old triplets were awake for longer hours than before. Not seeing their biological mother for a long time, they had been kicking up a great fuss and crying loudly. They could not be appeased no matter what.

  Initially, Miao Jing thought that the triplets would fall asleep after their energies were drained from all the crying.

  However, the triplets had been awake for so long. Seeing them cry in this manner, Miao Jing’s heart ached. The triplets’ tiny faces turned red due to crying. Miao Jing was very anxious and upset. “You will definitely come home tomorrow, right?”

  “The triplets are crying?” She could hear the sounds of children crying from the other end of the phone. As the biological mother, she could tell whose families’ babies were crying. “Mom, why don’t you turn on the speaker? In this way, the triplets can hear my voice too. Let me try to coax them?”

  She could tell from Miao Jing’s tone that the latter was quite anxious. Qiao Nan guessed that the triplets must have been crying for some time. The triplets were still young and could only use crying to communicate whenever they were hungry or had peed. The Zhai family members had long been used to their cries. Her mother-in-law would not feel so nervous about them.

  “Okay.” Miao Jing wiped the sweat on her forehead and turned on the speaker. “Da Bao, Er Bao, San Bao, listen. Is that your mom’s voice?”

  “Da Bao, Er Bao, San Bao, did you take your meals obediently? Did you listen to grandma?” Qiao Nan held onto the phone as she quickly spoke.

  The triplets found Qiao Nan’s voice familiar. After hearing it, they turned their heads, looking around for their mama.

  \r \r \r

  “They finally stop crying.” Miao Jing let out a sigh of relief. “However, the triplets are turning their necks and looking for you. What should we do next?”

  Miao Jing really did not have other ways. She could only ask Qiao Nan for a suggestion.

  After thinking, Qiao Nan said, “Mom, do you think we can place one of my photographs by the triplets’ side? Do you think they will remember my face? This won’t do. This method most probably won’t work.” They were just four months old. At this age, they were still mainly relying on their sense of smell to identify people.

  “Heck. I’ll try first.” Miao Jing was making a Hail Mary effort. She would give it a try first.

  Qiao Nan did not have many photographs. However, she and Zhai Sheng took a set of wedding photos before their marriage. Both were people who liked convenience. As such, they had taken more photographs with negatives. The photography studio would let their customers pick and choose until they met the minimum quantity of photographs. The customers could pick more if they had more photographs that they liked. Anyway, the customers would have to pay for them.

  The photography studio was good at their work. Be it the wedding or the daily life series, the couple looked very compatible in the photographs.

  As such, Zhai Sheng and Qiao Nan developed more photographs than required.

  At this moment, the triplets were throwing tantrums. At least, Qiao Nan still had some individual photos that could be used to try appeasing the triplets.

  Miao Jing generously took out three photographs. She was not biased, and each child would have one each.

  At the sound of their mama’s voice, the triplets were not crying as badly as before. Miao Jing first placed the photograph before the triplets. The triplet’s eyeballs swirled, and they stared at the woman in the photograph. Finally, the sounds of their cries completely disappeared.

  The triplets, who were not crying, even opened their tiny mouths slightly, looking like they were about to smile.

  The chubby, round, and stout little hands reached out as they tried to grab their mama’s photographs.

  “The three ancestors finally stop kicking a fuss.” One by one, the Zhai family members, who had already been tortured until the men and horses were thrown off their feet, heaved out sighs of relief.

  Zhai Hua, who was still a little angry, held on to Qiao Nan’s photograph and patted gently on Er Bao’s nose. “These three heartless little baddies, during the two months when your mom was studying, your grandma and I took care of you. Once your biological mother is not by your side, you have no qualms about torturing us and insist on seeing your biological mother’s photograph before you finally stop crying. Little heartless ones!”

  They had not heard before that four-month-old children would begin to recognize people.

  They felt that their family’s triplets were too smart and eccentric. Nevertheless, Zhai Hua knew that, thankfully, they could appease the triplets now as they were still young.

  When they were older and understood the difference between the photograph and the real person, what should she do when Qiao Nan was not around again? If she could not appease the triplets with Qiao Nan’s photograph, was she supposed to transform into the triplets’ mother then?

  “Be good, triplets. Have your meal.” After wiping the sweat on her face, Miao Jing took out three milk bottles for the triplets.

  After crying for so long, the adults were tired, and the babies were even more tired and hungry. They held onto the milk bottles and deliciously suckled the teats. Their half-closed eyes were still looking at their mama’s photographs from time to time.

  Looking at the triplets’ expressions, Zhai Hua was both angry and amused. “Since when did Qiao Nan’s photograph become a dish that goes so well with the staple?”

  Given the triplet’s behavior, she suspected whether the milk in the triplets’ mouth would taste better each time they looked at Qiao Nan’s photograph. The effect was so powerful.

  After knowing that the triplets had been appeased, Qiao Nan revealed a smile. “After throwing tantrums for so long, the triplets will definitely feel tired after finishing their milk. After they are coaxed to sleep, they will probably sleep for a longer time. Brother Zhai and I will be back tomorrow. We will try to be home before the triplets kick up another fuss.”

  There was no place more relaxed and comfortable than at home.

  The triplets missed her, and she missed them too.

  “Okay.” Miao Jing was overjoyed. The triplets had created such a din. Miao Jing could not wait for her son and daughter-in-law to install wings and fly home immediately, let alone tomorrow.

  However, her son brought her daughter-in-law back to her maternal family in Ping Cheng to visit relatives. She had to give the two children one night to stay in Ping Cheng and provide an explanation to the Qiao family. “Try to come back as early as possible tomorrow. I feel that the triplets will definitely be harder to coax tomorrow.” All these three children were mama’s boys and girl.

  “Okay, Mom. I won’t disturb you then, in case our noise distracts the triplets from sleeping. Besides, the triplets threw tantrums when I am away today. It must have been tough on all of you.” Qiao Nan felt very embarrassed. The triplets had really given the in-laws a lot of trouble with their tantrums today.

  Miao Jing felt consoled as she smiled. “What are you talking about? The triplets are my biological grandchildren. For their sake, it’s worth it no matter how tough it is.”