As a result, there was no way the people waiting outside could not be anxious.

  “It’s been three hours.” Qiao Dongliang’s voice quivered. “Nan Nan, could something have happened to Zijin?”

  “I don’t know. You’ll have to ask the doctor about that.” Qiao Nan took a deep breath. “If not, we’ll ask a nurse if a nurse happens to come out.” Now, even Qiao Nan was a little worried. She was worried that Qiao Zijin would be uncooperative and this routine surgery would end with a death.

  Finally, the light of the operating theatre was switched off and the door was opened. The doctor walked out with fatigue written all over his face, his gaze filled with anger and somberness. “I’m extremely sorry. We’ve tried our best. In a time like this, the patient’s will to live is crucial……”

  The doctor had the urge to curse and swear after going through such a three-hour-long surgery. The patient had been alive and kicking but had turned a regular routine surgery into such a disaster!

  During the surgery, the doctor had asked the nurse to exit the operation theatre and bring the patient’s family in so as to arouse the patient’s will to live. But no one had expected that the patient, who had not entirely lost consciousness, suddenly became more agitated at the mention of her family. Her waves of emotion intensified the bleeding from her wounds.

  One could only imagine how much the main surgeon was on the verge of falling apart in the face of such an abnormal surgery. This was just like a person who was about to jump off a building, with one foot in the air. Bystanders would say, “Don’t jump! I’ll get your family here. Have you forgotten? You still have a family?” No one would expect that the mention of family would cause the person to lift up her other foot and immediately jump off the building without hesitation. And with a thud, her life would end.

  \r \r \r

  In the moment, the main surgeon wanted to curse and swear.

  The doctor expressed that he would definitely die an early death if he were to do a few more of such surgeries.

  The doctor was too tired to speak, and the nurse explained the situation inside the operation theatre to the patient’s family members. “It’s unfortunate that it turned out this way. We were unable to save the patient in the end. But before the patient took her last breath, she said something. Ding Jiayi won’t be allowed at her funeral. You guys should know who Ding Jiayi is, right? This is the patient’s last wish. The family members should ultimately decide on what to do.”

  How deep her hatred must have been for her to say such a thing in her last moments. Besides, she made no mention of her loved ones. The nurse wondered if Ding Jiayi was the woman who snatched the patient’s husband. Otherwise, how could she hold such a grudge against her?

  “.……”

  “.……”

  Those who knew whom Ding Jiayi was fell into silence and turned their gazes toward Ding Jiayi. Qiao Nan could not help but think about how the last name that Qiao Zijin mentioned before her death and how her last act of rejection had not been toward herself! Did that mean that at the time of Qiao Zijin’s death, the one she bore the greatest grudge against was not herself but Ding Jiayi?

  Ding Jiayi blew her nose and her eyes were bloodshot. “That’s impossible. Zijin was still fine when she called me. How can you say that she’s gone just like that? I don’t believe you. Zijin is still alive. I don’t believe that Zijin is gone. Are you guys lying to me? Are you trying to kidnap my daughter from me?”

  Ding Jiayi had not even completed her sentence when Qiao Zijin was wheeled out on a stretcher with a white sheet covering her body. The nurse did not take issue with what Ding Jiayi said. After all, she had just lost a daughter and had to send her own child off. “Go take one last look at her.” In the future, she would no longer have a chance to see her in person. Photographs would be all she would have.

  “Zijin? Zijin!” Ding Jiayi’s hand trembled badly, and she hesitated for a long while before pulling the white cloth down a little to reveal Qiao Zijin’s ghostly pale face. “Zijin, don’t scare your mom! Hurry and get up! No matter what you want in the future, Mom will definitely be on your side to help you! The big villa that you want and the money that you want, Mom will help you get it. Qiao Nan has agreed to it. Hurry and get up! If you don’t believe it, you can ask Qiao Nan yourself. Isn’t that so, Qiao Nan?”

  “.……”

  “Zijin, mom was wrong. You’re mom’s most beloved little girl. How am I supposed to live without you now? You’re really breaking my heart! Why don’t you just bring me along with you? Without you around, what’s the point of me staying alive? Zijin, don’t leave your mom behind! Mom has a lot of money. How about I give everything to you? Zijin, hurry and open your eyes and look at me……”

  As Ding Jiayi rambled on, she began to weep pitifully. Upon hearing that tragic wail, the nurse almost shed tears herself.

  “Take care of yourselves.” Other than this, the nurse did not know what to say to comfort the family members.

  Seeing Ding Jiayi kneel by Qiao Zijin’s body, crying her heart out, Qiao Nan thought that it was rather ironic. Qiao Zijin’s last words probably meant that she would never want to meet her again in this life. Only now that Qiao Zijin was already dead was Ding Jiayi willing to fork out her money to satisfy Qiao Zijin. That’s right. What a noble maternal love.

  Qiao Dongliang could not help but turn around and use his sleeve to wipe the corners of his eyes. No matter how unfilial this daughter of theirs was, this was the heart of a parent. She was still his first child after all, and so, Qiao Dongliang had deep feelings for Qiao Zijin. How could someone who had been alive and well pass away just like that? Especially when her injuries were not very serious. Now that everything had ended in this manner, Qiao Dongliang did not know how to react to this.

  Then, he thought of what the nurse had said about Qiao Zijin’s last words. It was then that Qiao Dongliang came to his senses. It was because Zijin had a mother like Ding Jiayi that she lost the will to live. Thinking about how Ding Jiayi had not only brought her own daughter up in a wayward manner but had even forced her to the point where she had lost all will to live and had instead chosen to die, Qiao Dongliang grabbed Ding Jiayi’s hair and pulled her away from Qiao Zijin’s body. Then, he landed a tight slap on Ding Jiayi’s face. “It’s your fault. It’s all your fault. You were the one who forced Zijin to go down this path and forced her to lose the will to live! You were the one who killed Zijin! Why? Why do you have to harm both my daughters?”

  “Did I owe you something in my previous life that I have to repay you in this life? Are you here to chase me for payment? Why did you have to touch my daughter? You’d better scram, and scram far away. Don’t ever appear in front of me ever again. Otherwise, it won’t just be a slap. Zijin already said that she doesn’t want to see you!”

  With that said, Qiao Dongliang aggressively kicked Ding Jiayi.

  If he had known that such a day would come, he would much rather not have had these two daughters than marry a woman like Ding Jiayi.

  Zhai Sheng had been protecting Qiao Nan, in fear that Qiao Nan would be dragged into the equation when Qiao Dongliang and Ding Jiayi started fighting. But who would have expected Qiao Dongliang to stop and directly ask Ding Jiayi to scram after just a few powerful slaps that caused Ding Jiayi’s face to swell up?