Chapter 230: The Appearance of ‘Qiao Nan’
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“It’s rare to have a capable child in our family. I’m afraid that Nan Nan will go astray. All of you watched Nan Nan grow up. You have to join me in helping Nan Nan this time. If I have been over thinking, that’ll be great. But if it’s true, I…”
“The combined exam scores of the children in your families can’t be compared to my Nan Nan’s. If Nan Nan becomes successful in the future, she may be able to help your children. Nan Nan calls all of you aunties. You have to help her, please.”
When Ding Jiayi said this, she easily garnered many votes of hate for Qiao Nan.
In the eyes of a woman, the husband of other people may be better, but her own child will always be the best.
Even if Qiao Nan was different from the rest and set a good example for their children, who would be happy to hear other parents talk bad about their child in such a way? What did Ding Jiayi mean when she said that the combined scores of their children could not be compared to that of Qiao Nan?
What’s so great about that!
Qiao Nan was a girl and would be married off in the future. Their children were all boys!
They wanted to see if Qiao Nan was really that outstanding or if it was just a pretense! Perhaps she was, in actual fact, a messy and lousy person.
“Hahaha, what Ding Jiayi said is right. Qiao Nan calls us aunties. If it’s a misunderstanding, we will not take it to heart. However, if this matter is true, we can’t just watch Qiao Nan go astray. One must know that a child who steals a needle will eventually become a grown-up that steals money. We have to start teaching children strictly from a young age. It doesn’t matter if they don’t do well in their studies. Most importantly, they need to be a morally upright person. If my child only has good grades but pilfers or does unethical things, I’ll kill her!”
“Yes, yes. Ding Jiayi, if this is true, don’t hesitate to teach Qiao Nan a proper lesson just because she is good in her studies. As her biological mother, you have to discipline her. Let her experience pain and fear now so that she won’t dare to do such disgraceful things again. If you indulge her today, you don’t know what Qiao Nan will become in the future.”
“Yes, it’s useless to do well in one’s studies only. One needs to know how to be an upright person as well!”
Because of Ding Jiayi’s words, the three neighbors now changed their minds and wanted Ding Jiayi to teach Qiao Nan a painful lesson.
It was for the sake of their children. If they were to compare their children’s academic performance with Qiao Nan’s, the combined scores of their children were indeed worse than that of Qiao Nan. Nevertheless, character-wise, their children were definitely more outstanding. It would be worth it then!
“Don’t worry. Nan Nan is like a piece of meat from my body. I’m afraid that I will soften my stance and can’t bring myself to discipline her. That’s why I wanted you to come along to stop her from going astray. First, if I’m being paranoid, you have to be my witness to prove that Nan Nan is actually a good child. Second, if Nan Nan has really gone astray, you have to remind me not to be soft on her.” Ding Jiayi sneered. These three women were so mean. Their children were not capable, yet they yearned for the same for other people’s children so that they would look better. Shameless.
“Don’t worry. We will definitely remind you!”
“Okay, we’re all neighbors and stay in the same quad. Don’t mention it.”
“Most importantly, we’re doing this for Nan Nan’s sake. Nan Nan will be very embarra.s.sed today. But when she changes for the better, she’ll understand why we did it. She’ll know that we have her good intentions at heart.”
Although Ding Jiayi was the one who invited them, upon hearing their words, one had to admit that these three women were too shameless. They had the cheek to say all that.
On the surface, Ding Jiayi’s face was filled with smiles of grat.i.tude. “Of course that’s right. Nan Nan will definitely remember the three of you and will be grateful to you in the future.”
“Uh, Ding Jiayi. Isn’t that your elder daughter, Qiao Zijin? It’s not Nan Nan, though?” One of the women who bore the surname Ma, Mrs. Ma, saw the young lady who appeared in the small alley. As she fixed her eyes on the lady, she saw that this was the elder daughter of the Qiao family, not the younger one. “Ding Jiayi, have you been mistaken? Is Qiao Zijin the one you’re referring to and not Nan Nan?”
Everyone in the quad knew that Ding Jiayi favored the elder daughter. She treated Qiao Zijin like a treasure but treated Nan Nan like a piece of gra.s.s.
It was possible that Ding Jiayi put all the blame of the elder daughter’s wrongdoings on the younger one.
“I won’t be mistaken.” Ding Jiayi’s expression changed. Why did Zijin come over instead of staying at home? It didn’t matter that Zijin came, but where was Qiao Nan, that wretched girl?
Thereafter, Ding Jiayi did not need to explain further. Qiao Zijin appeared again and even found a place to hide. At the sight of this, Mrs. Ma and the rest felt ridiculous. “Ding Jiayi, Qiao Zijin is…”
“…” Ding Jiayi sighed. Zijin was too anxious. She had already told her that she would handle the matter, but Zijin just had to be so anxious to see it herself. “Zijin is the elder sister. Naturally, she is concerned about Nan Nan and also takes good care of her. I guess she must have found out about Nan Nan’s situation and was worried, so…”
“Oh, I see.”
“Shh, don’t talk. Someone is here.”
It was early in the morning and the back alley was very quiet. Hence, the sound of the approaching footsteps was particularly clear.
Upon hearing the footsteps, the five women in the alley had their eyes wide open. They were staring at the direction where the sound was coming from, following which the five of them saw a young lady in a dress and a straw hat.
The straw hat was oversized and the hat hole was gigantic. The young lady had her head down. Therefore, they could not see clearly how she looked like. However, her slim and tender figure resembled that of Qiao Nan. Moreover, the dress the young lady was wearing was the one that Ding Jiayi bought for Qiao Zijin. How could Ding Jiayi and Qiao Zijin not recognize this dress?
She had finally appeared!
Qiao Zijin, who was hiding by the side, knitted her brows. When Qiao Nan left the house today, she did not wear this straw hat.
Could it be that after she left, Qiao Nan went back home and took the hat as she was afraid of the heat from the sun?
Looking at the time, Qiao Nan did reach here a little later than expected. This explanation thus made sense.
“This is Nan Nan?” Mrs. Ma asked suspiciously.
“Yes, it must be her. I bought this dress for Zi… for Nan Nan. I won’t get it wrong!” She would still recognize Qiao Nan even if she was wearing a hat. She gave birth to Qiao Nan. Even if Qiao Nan changed her skin, she would still recognize her, not to mention that she was only wearing a hat at the moment.
“See for yourself. This wretched… Nan Nan actually walked toward the Zhai’s residence!”