1038 The Elder Son-In-Law’s Visi
Qiao Dongliang did not express much emotion. “I’m not going.”
“Did she invite you?”
“Yes, but it’s not appropriate for me to go.”
After the divorce, Nan Nan was still Ding Jiayi’s daughter. The problem was that Qiao Dongliang could not accept sitting together with his former wife in a gathering on the first day of Lunar New Year. It was as if they were still relatives.
He had declined the invitation but he did not do so for Qiao Nan. He brought the news home for Qiao Nan to decide for herself.
“I’m not going either.” Qiao Dongliang was not even going. It was thus easier for Qiao Nan to express her inner thoughts. “It is impossible for Mom and me to get along in my entire life. I’m afraid I will suffer from indigestion after having that meal. Soon after, I may have to pay it back to her with interests.”
Her mother was treating her to a meal. There could only be one situation—meal in disguise of some plot.
“If you don’t wish to go, that’s fine.” After thinking, Qiao Dongliang agreed.
Previously, Ding Jiayi pestered Qiao Dongliang about giving her Nan Nan’s contact number. In the beginning, Qiao Dongliang felt glad that Ding Jiayi was finally behaving like a mother. She had become more sensible and knew how to show concern for Qiao Nan.
After a while, he felt that something was not right. As such, he did not give it to her.
Sigh, since that rejection, Ding Jiayi did not appear again. She also did not request for his younger daughter’s contact number. It was as if that sincere face that day did not belong to her.
Given such behavior of Ding Jiayi, Qiao Dongliang really could not allow his younger daughter to meet Ding Jiayi. “Last month, soon after you left, your mom came to me and requested for your contact number. I didn’t give it to her. Thereafter, she did not look for me anymore.”
Recalling the initial happiness that he felt, Qiao Dongliang was afraid that Qiao Nan would be as easily taken in as him. He thus reminded her.
Qiao Nan raised her brows. Her father did not give her mother her cell phone number. Who was the one who gave it to her mother then?
“Since you told me about this, I am going to let you know about something. The day before I left, Mom came to look for me. She insisted that I become the mediator for Sister Zhai Hua and Wei De and help them reconcile. I didn’t agree.” She was then criticized and hit by her mother.
“She’s sick!” Qiao Dongliang slammed the cup of water on the table hard with a bang. “Next time, don’t bother about your mom. No matter what excuse she uses to meet you, reject all of them. If it’s hard for you to do so, just blame it all on me. Tell her that you are acting according to my instructions.”
“Okay.” Qiao Nan had the same thoughts too.
She could only blame it on the fact that Ding Jiayi was her mother. It was not good for her to argue with her mother. If she were too much, she would attract blame and gossip easily.
Nevertheless, if her father was the one who agreed to this, it would become a matter of conflict between her parents. It did not have anything to do with her anymore.
After Qiao Dongliang and Qiao Nan decided on the tactic, the father-daughter pair then diverted their attention to what to have for dinner and also what dishes to prepare for the Lunar New Year.
Finally, the factory that Qiao Dongliang was working at was closed and the employees could take a break. Qiao Dongliang wanted to wake up early to go marketing for fresh groceries. Early in the morning, he was held up by two people.
Qiao Dongliang, who opened the door, saw a couple standing at his doorstep. That man was lifting his hand, obviously wanting to knock on the main entrance of their house. His other hand was holding onto a woman. They looked very intimate.
At the sight of this, Qiao Dongliang’s face turned sullen. “Is there any matter?”
“Dad, I came to see you. This is Chen Jun, my boyfriend. He has been to our house once. You have met him before.” Qiao Zijin was sporting short hair now. She was smiling brightly.
Qiao Dongliang knitted his brows in disdain. “Zijin, didn’t you use to like long hair in the past? Your haircut is a tad too short. Don’t tell me you like the guy’s hairstyle now?”
Qiao Dongliang was exaggerating a little.
It was true that Qiao Zijin’s hair was not long. It could not even cover her ears. This was the shortest hair that she ever had in history, besides the time when she was born.
The bright smile of Qiao Zijin nearly crumbled when she heard Qiao Dongliang’s words.
Qiao Dongliang had touched the soft spot.
When Qiao Zijin thought about Chen Jun’s reaction when he first saw her after the examination, Qiao Zijin felt pain in her liver.
At that time, Chen Jun’s thoughts were obvious from his expression: Had your hair been eaten by a dog?
“Forget it. There’s a saying that a generation gap exists with an age difference of three years. I am already an old man. I really can’t understand the taste of current youngsters like you. It’s fine as long as you are happy.” After provoking Qiao Zijin’s anger, Qiao Dongliang very irresponsibly expressed that he no longer wished to carry on with the topic. “Why are the two of you here?”
“Uncle, Zijin and I came here to wish you a happy new year,” Chen Jun said politely. Qiao Zijin, who was standing beside him, quickly lifted up the gifts that she was carrying in her hands. She looked very smug.
These were the things that Chen Jun had prepared.
There was something that he wanted from the Qiao family. As such, the gifts that he prepared would certainly not be cheap.
Due to that, Qiao Zijin lifted her chin highly today. In the Qiao family, Qiao Nan was not the only capable one who had found a successful fiancé. She was not worse than Qiao Nan. She also picked one of the best men!
At the sight of the cigarettes and wine that looked expensive in the bag, Qiao Dongliang waved his hands. “No need. I don’t smoke. I don’t like to drink either. I don’t need all these. Zijin, take them back and give them to your mom.”
Zijin was now under Ding Jiayi’s custody. Even if the son-in-law really came to visit, these things prepared by Chen Jun should belong to Ding Jiayi. He would not touch any of them.
“Dad, this is Chen Jun’s way of expressing his filial piety. Mom has them too.” Qiao Zijin was not pleased. She insisted that Qiao Dongliang accept them. “Dad, don’t tell me you’re unhappy because I found a boyfriend before I graduate from diploma studies?”
Qiao Zijin was directing at someone with her words.
Regardless of this quad or the former quad that Qiao Nan was staying at, who was not aware that, immediately after the college entrance examination, Qiao Nan not only had a boyfriend but he was also promoted to her fiancé immediately?
The younger daughter could have a fiancé. Couldn’t the elder daughter get a boyfriend?
Knowing that Qiao Zijin was indirectly questioning him if he was biased, Qiao Dongliang simply made himself clear. “You are under your mom’s care now. Whether you have a boyfriend or are getting married, that will be up to you and your mom. Send these things to your mom. It’s not appropriate to give them to me. I’m afraid of trouble.”
If Ding Jiayi were to create a ruckus and said that he had received a huge bargain by taking these items although Qiao Zijin was under her custody, who could he seek justice from then?
He had a younger son-in-law too. His younger son-in-law was willing to give him anything. There were times whereby he refused to accept them. He really did not care about such meager things from Chen Jun.
Qiao Dongliang felt most proud of this in his heart.
Zijin brought a person like Chen Jun to flaunt her prowess. Qiao Dongliang did not buy that. Qiao Zijin had been overthinking if she wanted to make use of this matter to turn the tables.