Ding Jiayi hit Qiao Dongliang a few times. “That’s nonsense. Qiao Nan doesn’t even know the Zhai family. How could she possibly get married to Zhai Sheng? Those people who said that just want to embarrass our family. How could you stand on their side? Do you think that our family hasn’t gotten enough attention? How can you be so shameless to try to associate us with the Zhai family?”

  They had a treasured son-in-law like Chen Jun, who was nothing. In comparison to the Zhai family, Chen Jun was nothing more than a stalk of grass. Ordinary people like them could not even dream of getting close with the Zhai family. “Don’t be silly. Think this through carefully. We can’t let those people make fun of us anymore. We weren’t even the ones who came up with this rumor. These people really have too much free time on hand that they dare to spout such nonsense!”

  Ding Jiayi got agitated as she spoke, wanting those neighbors to appear in front of her so that she could rip all of their mouths apart right then and there.

  It was normal for their family to have a small argument every three days and a big fight every five days.

  These neighbors of hers were so evil. They dared to play such pranks on them even while knowing that their family’s situation was not good. People like that were sure to be sent to the lowest levels of hell after their deaths!

  “Let go of me.” Qiao Dongliang returned from his trance and flung Ding Jiayi away, returning to his room alone. Although it had happened a little late, Nan Nan had finally found a marriage partner, after all. Marrying one’s daughter was not just a matter of talk. He had to prepare some things for Nan Nan. He could not possibly let Nan Nan marry into the Zhai family with nothing at all, right?

  \r \r \r

  But perhaps, he should try to get in touch with Nan Nan to determine whether this matter was indeed true.

  Thinking about how he had learned about his daughter’s marriage from his neighbors, Qiao Dongliang felt sour and hurt. But he dared not put the blame on Qiao Nan because he knew that Qiao Nan had the least responsibility in how this family turned out.

  With Ding Jiayi and Qiao Zijin around, it did not matter what Qiao Nan did. As long as the two of them were around, there would never be peace or harmony in their family.

  Seeing that Qiao Dongliang had returned to his room, Qiao Zijin wiped away her tears. “Mom, what does Dad mean by this? Is he admitting to it, or is he denying it?” Qiao Zijin’s heart felt cold. Chen Jun had told her dad about Qiao Nan a long time ago, but her dad had kept that from her mom.

  She had not believed it then, but when the truth was finally exposed, it was indeed proven that her dad had been hiding it from her mom. Now, her neighbors were saying that her dad had already known that Qiao Nan was back in Ping Cheng, was living in the Zhai family’s house, and even had a close relationship with them! Her dad was not denying it. Did that mean that it was true?

  Qiao Nan really knew the Zhai family and was even getting married to that impressive and powerful Zhai Sheng?

  At the thought of this possibility, Qiao Zijin did not feel upset but despair. She had lived forty-two years of her life suppressing Qiao Nan and beating Qiao Nan in every aspect. Now that half her life was over, she was in a downward spiral. On the contrary, Qiao Nan seemed to be rising to the peak of her life.

  Qiao Zijin could not get over this stark difference.

  Especially when she thought about how so many people had agreed with her about Qiao Nan. If Qiao Nan were to get married to Zhai Sheng, all those people would unhesitatingly change their stances. How they had praised her and denigrated Qiao Nan at that time would be exactly how they would do it now, only with different subjects.

  From then on, she would become a negative example in everyone’s eyes, while Qiao Nan would be the epitome of success and ‘other people’s kids’ that everyone talked about. Qiao Zijin was anxious. She would never be able to accept such a day befalling her.

  Ding Jiayi was in a panic too. She had never even dreamed that she would have such a close relationship with the Zhai family one day. And this was all Qiao Nan’s credit. How could that be?

  How could it not be Zijin who raised the Qiao family up to become the family that everyone envied? How could it be that wretched girl, Qiao Nan? Was the Zhai family crazy? Did they not know that Qiao Nan had not even graduated from high school and had low educational qualifications? Did they not know that Qiao Nan was only semi-literate?

  Apart from that semi-literate Qiao Nan, they still had Zijin, who was a university graduate, in their family. Even a blind man would know that Zijin was a hundred, or even a thousand times, better than Qiao Nan. If they really wanted a daughter-in-law, they should at least have chosen Zijin and not that semi-literate Qiao Nan! “Zijin, don’t panic. We still aren’t sure about the situation. Even if what they’re saying is true, I have reason to believe that the Zhai family has been duped by Qiao Nan.”

  “Even if outsiders don’t know about Qiao Nan’s background, we do. Qiao Nan’s nothing more than an unmarried and unqualified old woman of forty. She’s not pretty or smart, and neither does she have a sweet mouth. Does she even have any qualifications? If we compare you and Qiao Nan, she’s so bad that I can’t even stand taking a second look. Our family’s so ordinary, and even I wouldn’t take a fancy to Qiao Nan. The Zhai family’s no fool. Would they give up good young ladies for someone like Qiao Nan? There must be a misunderstanding somewhere. We have to think of a way of letting the Zhai family know the truth. We can’t let them be taken in by Qiao Nan’s lies!”

  Once the Zhai family learned of Qiao Nan’s character and background, she would never have a chance of marrying into the Zhai family. Perhaps, she could even take this chance to let the Zhai family know about the existence of such a good young lady like Zijin in the quad. If the Zhai family had fallen for Qiao Nan’s tricks, there was no reason that they would not take a liking to such a good young lady like Zijin.

  At the thought of this, Ding Jiayi was elated. Not only would she be able to expose Qiao Nan’s lies and punish her for abandoning her family when Qiao Zijin was seriously ill, but she would also be able to secure the happiness of her elder daughter!

  If Zijin were really to get married to Zhai Sheng, Chen Jun had better run as far as he could and not have any contact with Zijin in the future. What a joke! Did they really think she was a piece of sweet cake that everyone could get a piece of if they wanted?

  “Zijin, come. Don’t you think Mom’s analysis is right? Didn’t you say that there are many people who can make fake identity cards now? And there are even so many students coming back after studying abroad. Don’t you think that Qiao Nan came up with an illustrious background for herself to dupe the Zhai family? Anyway, think about it. When Chen Feng grows older, would you let your son marry someone like Qiao Nan?”

  “Of course not!” Qiao Zijin replied without a second of hesitation.