Haste makes waste. Knowing that Qiao Dongliang wouldn’t change his mind temporarily, Qiao Zijin could only temporarily give up and walk out of Qiao Dongliang’s room. She even obediently helped Qiao Dongliang close the door so that Ding Jiayi, who was watching TV, wouldn’t disturb Qiao Dongliang’s rest.

  Ding Jiayi drank a sip of water. As she had been eating too many melon seeds lately, Ding Jiayi felt that she was getting heaty. “You and your dad have chatted for a long time. What were you chatting about? Is he no longer angry at you? Did he tell you about Qiao Nan’s recent situation?”

  “Don’t talk about it anymore.” Qiao Zijin waved her hand unhappily. “The money I spent previously wasn’t in vain. Indeed, Qiao Nan isn’t in a good situation. I heard Dad say that she’s already in the hospital to protect her children. Dad has already packed his luggage and wants to go to the capital to see his younger daughter. I told him it would be tough on him and that I could go on behalf of him. He became unhappy and wasn’t willing to promise me. Mom, we can’t let Dad go to the capital this time. Help me think of something to keep him here. After he stays here, I can go to the capital to visit Qiao Nan.”

  “Qiao Nan is really admitted?” In the past two years, Ding Jiayi had been frustrated. Whatever she wished for didn’t come true. It was as if she was on a spate of bad luck. It was rare for something to come true now. How could Ding Jiayi not be happy? “How is Qiao Nan now? Did your dad tell you when she’s dying?” If Qiao Nan died, the days that she and Zijin wished for would arrive sooner.

  “No.” Qiao Zijin shook her head. “Qiao Nan is Zhai Sheng’s wife, basically the wife of the chief. Even if Qiao Nan couldn’t be saved, as long as she’s still breathing, who would dare to say that she’s dying? No matter how democratic, in the face of someone like Zhai Sheng, the doctors wouldn’t utter nonsense. Dad only told me that Qiao Nan is in the hospital to protect her children. He didn’t say anything else.”

  However, there wasn’t a huge difference between what was said and what wasn’t. She understood the general meaning of the situation.

  \r \r \r

  “Is that so?” Ding Jiayi drank all the remaining water in the cup. “Alright, I understand. Don’t worry. I can’t achieve big things. To prevent your dad from getting on the train tomorrow and make it impossible for your dad to visit Qiao Nan in the capital in the near future is easy for me. Wait and see if your dad can get on the train tomorrow.”

  “Mom, are you sure?” Preventing her dad from getting on the train was the first step for her to successfully go to the capital.

  Ding Jiayi didn’t say anything else and just lightly patted Qiao Zijin’s shoulder. She told Qiao Zijin to have a good night’s sleep and replenish her energy. Only if she replenished her energy could she go to the capital to visit Qiao Nan and her three children on behalf of Qiao Dongliang tomorrow.

  Qiao Zijin curved her lips and smiled. She could feel that her mother was really quite confident this time. “Mom, thank you. I’ll head to bed first. I’ll wait for your good news tomorrow.” This time, her mother was finally able to help her and make her feel at ease.

  The mother-daughter pair seemed to have some tacit understanding. Qiao Zijin didn’t ask Ding Jiayi what she planned to do. She only needed a result, which was for Qiao Dongliang not to get on the train tomorrow and go to the capital to see Qiao Nan.

  This time, Ding Jiayi really succeeded. Compared to the past, it wasn’t that convenient to take the train now. One had to have their identity card checked and approved by the machine before being allowed to board the train.

  As Qiao Dongliang had already prepared everything the night before, he took his luggage and went to the train station early the next morning. The problem was that he was stuck when trying to enter the station. “Sorry, can you produce your ID card?”

  “Alright.” Qiao Dongliang took out his wallet and tried to dig out his identity card. Who knew that the train ticket was still in his wallet but the identity card used to purchase the train ticket yesterday wasn’t? As there were quite a lot of people waiting behind, Qiao Dongliang laughed in embarrassment. “Let the people behind go first. I’ll find my identity card. I bought the train ticket yesterday and might have forgotten to place my identity card in my wallet.”

  “Alright.” The station security personnel had no reason to disagree. Qiao Dongliang was willing to give up his position and move to the side to find his identity card. That was the best thing that could happen.

  Not only did Qiao Dongliang turn his wallet over, but he even turned his luggage over. However, he still couldn’t find his identity card. It was strange. “Could it be that I left my identity card at home?” Qiao Dongliang was confused. He remembered that after he bought his train ticket, he immediately placed the small change, ticket, and identity card in his wallet. Now, the ticket and small change were in his wallet but the ticket wasn’t.

  Without his identity card, he wouldn’t be allowed to board the train.

  He had no other choice. Qiao Dongliang hurriedly hailed a taxi at the station and rushed home. Thankfully, Qiao Dongliang knew that he was going to board the train today. All along, there were only people waiting for the train, not the other way round. As such, he went to the station especially early today. Even if he had to make another trip home to get his identity card, Qiao Dongliang calculated that there was just enough time.

  Qiao Dongliang even calculated the time well. However, the reality was a blow to him. Qiao Dongliang rummaged through boxes and cabinets and was about to finish searching his entire room. However, he still couldn’t find his identity card. Qiao Dongliang usually didn’t go anywhere. After buying the train ticket yesterday, he returned home immediately and didn’t go anywhere else. As such, how could his identity card disappear?

  “Old Qiao, what are you doing? Oh, right. There’s a taxi parked outside. The driver asked when you are leaving. By asking him to stop in front of our house, the meter is still jumping at this moment. We would have to pay for it.” Ding Jiayi walked into Qiao Dongliang’s room with an ignorant expression. “The driver is still rushing to do business. Are you done? If yes, hurry back to the train station so that you won’t miss the train. Also, what are you looking for?”

  “My identity card.” Qiao Dongliang started to sweat. “Old Ding, did you see my identity card yesterday?” So be it that the meter was jumping. He wasn’t lacking that amount of money. He would just let the driver wait at the door for a while longer.

  “Your identity card?” Ding Jiayi shrugged her shoulders and smiled. “How long has it been since the two of us haven’t been staying in the same room? I can’t even enter your room, so how would I know where you placed your identity card? You can’t board the train if you can’t find your identity card?”

  “Dad, your identity card is missing? How could this be? Try to find it again.” Qiao Zijin’s eyes shone when she walked over and listened to this conversation. However, she reacted very quickly and made her tone sound not as cheerful. However, it was inevitable that she looked at Ding Jiayi with appreciation. Actually, her mother was pretty reliable most of the time.

  #