Qiao Zijin hadn’t even rejoiced for long before Qiao Nan was about to pass over her and hand her money over to an outsider. Qiao Zijin felt miserable. “Didn’t you say that Mom doesn’t have a good temper and an average person wouldn’t be able to tolerate her? That’s why the previous caretaker ran away. I think the same situation will happen again if you find someone else. Then, you won’t even be able to find anyone to take care of Mom. I’m different. Mom won’t dare to treat me that way. I can assure you that nothing will happen if you let me take care of Mom. It’ll save you a lot of trouble. I’m really not overcharging you by asking for twenty thousand a month.”

  “You don’t have to worry about that. Do you really think I personally picked out caretakers for her? I’m graduating soon, and I don’t even have time to revise my work. It was someone else who picked out the caretaker for her. I just heard about the situation and offered a price. Even if it’s troublesome, there’ll be someone handling it for me. It won’t be any trouble for me. Thank you for your concern. I’ll just call that person to pick out another caretaker for her. Let her resign if she wants. Anyway, the one suffering without someone to take care of her won’t be me. I won’t be able to do anything if everyone refuses to take on this job either.”

  Qiao Nan’s tone sounded like she was trying to blame someone. “We’re both her daughters, and I was the only one who paid for her hospitalization bills. I even hired a caretaker for her. Go and compare our family to other families in Ping Cheng. Which other family’s children have done as much as me? My conscience is clear. On the other hand, the elderly in other families won’t even kick up such a huge fuss or throw tantrums like this. We all know who will be scolded more if this matter gets out. If you anger me, things will be even easier to settle. I’m not her only daughter, after all. I’ve done all I can. From now on, she’ll be your responsibility alone, Qiao Zijin.”

  She was in a good mood now and was still willing to fork out ten thousand yuan a month for Qiao Zijin to take care of Ding Jiayi.

  If Qiao Zijin upset her, she wouldn’t even give a single cent to Qiao Zijin. Then, Qiao Zijin would still have to look after Ding Jiayi. It all depended on Qiao Zijin’s choice. Was she going to accept the ten thousand yuan and take care of Ding Jiayi happily, or was she going to refuse everything and take care of Ding Jiayi while being resentful?

  Qiao Zijin could have her pick.

  \r \r \r

  Qiao Nan had given Qiao Zijin two options, but from Qiao Zijin’s perspective, it was no better than having no choice at all. The first was for her to accept the money and take care of Ding Jiayi. The second was to take care of Ding Jiayi as her daughter. Then, not only would she not receive any money, but she would even have to fork out her own money.

  There was no need for Qiao Zijin to even consider between the two.

  Qiao Zijin knew that Qiao Nan was not one to joke around with her. Once she had made a decision, there would be no room for discussion. Qiao Zijin was in a panic, fearing that Qiao Nan would really spend ten thousand yuan on finding another caretaker for Ding Jiayi. “Alright. We’re sisters and Mom’s sick. Since you’re not in Ping Cheng, it’s only right for me to take care of her as an elder sister. We have a deal. You’ll pay me ten thousand yuan every month to take care of Mom. Oh right, when are you going to send the money over?”

  What if Qiao Nan refused to pay her after she put in all her effort? That would be too much!

  “Alright.” Qiao Nan was clear of Qiao Zijin’s plans but was not going to take issue with it. After all, it wasn’t Qiao Zijin’s thoughts that mattered. Qiao Nan would have the final say. “We’ll start from today. We won’t go by the calendar months. I’ll transfer ten thousand over to you first.”

  “Hold on…” Ding Jiayi’s eyes widened as she realized that something was amiss. She was the patient and the one who needed someone to take care of her. Shouldn’t she have the final say as to who got to take care of her? Why had her two daughters come to a decision without having consulted her?

  As Qiao Zijin had said, she was used to being taken care of. Qiao Zijin had no experience taking care of others. Even her son, Chen Feng, had been raised by Qiao Nan. She had never even taken care of her own son. That meant that she was completely inexperienced in taking care of others!

  Although Qiao Zijin had agreed to the price of ten thousand yuan, Ding Jiayi was reluctant to have Qiao Zijin take care of her.

  The moment Qiao Zijin saw Ding Jiayi in a panic, she immediately ended the call. “Mom, you heard it too. I’ve already discussed it with Nan Nan. You can rest assured that I’ll take care of you in the future. Now, both of your daughters are being filial to you. Qiao Nan forked out the money, and I’m putting in the effort. You should be happy about it, right? I have to buy some clothes as a celebration. Tsk, Nan Nan is loaded but her temper’s still the same. It hasn’t even been a minute, but she’s already transferred the money over. I think that I shouldn’t just buy myself some clothes. I should have a good meal. Only then will I have the strength to take care of you.”

  She had not even had a proper meal because of her fight with her mom. Her clothes seemed to have gotten loose too.

  Qiao Zijin was over the moon. She stood up and strutted off to hail a cab to the shopping mall.

  Ding Jiayi’s face was completely pale. Qiao Zijin claimed that she was taking care of her with that high salary, but she hadn’t even poured her a cup of water, and yet, she had already left to spend that sum of money. Ding Jiayi could only imagine how comfortably Qiao Zijin would live with ten thousand yuan from now on. The problem was that she would be miserable.

  What would she do without anyone around to take care of her? What if she got hungry or thirsty? It was so hot. What if she needed to take a shower or go to the toilet?

  Qiao Nan had not hired Qiao Zijin to take care of her but to torture her.

  At that moment, Ding Jiayi felt regret wash over her. Why had she chased that caretaker away? She had really not known that the caretaker was so capable and had won awards in the past. But thinking about it now, it was true that the caretaker was good at her job.

  If she had known that Qiao Nan would be so heartless, she would never have…

  Ding Jiayi couldn’t help but feel hopeless about her condition. If Qiao Zijin were to take care of her, her condition would only get from bad to worse. Perhaps, it would even be better if she died right now.

  In this period, not only had Ding Jiayi and Qiao Zijin fought over food, but they had also fought over clothes. Of course, it was not a fight about whose clothes were nicer but who would do the laundry.

  Ding Jiayi had already lost all hope in Qiao Zijin making meals for her. It was good enough that Qiao Zijin was willing to prepare her own meals and not take advantage of her.