Chapter 46 -No One Sleeps
When they no longer hear a sound in the room, Qiao Dongliang and Ding Jiayi stopped eavesdropping.
Two adults, who had a combined age of almost 100, had to resort to such a way to eavesdrop on their daughters’ conversation. Both of their faces were a little flustered.
However, at the thought of the elder daughter’s words, Ding Jiayi was extremely proud. “See, I told you before that Zijin is an obedient and sensible child. She is so good at heart. Today’s matter about Qiao Nan, she was certainly too anxious but her intentions were good. She doesn’t want her own sister to go astray.”
“She is the elder daughter in the family and should have such a heart and realization.” There was a look of satisfaction in Qiao Dongliang’s eyes.
Qiao Zijin’s words earlier had reflected her feelings towards her parents and concern and also expressed her concern and warning for her sister.
As an elder sister, she should discipline the younger one.
Qiao Dongliang, who was brainwashed by Ding Jiayi, did not realize that although Qiao Zijin was the elder daughter, she just knew how to talk and assign everything to Qiao Nan to do.
The elder daughter should not only pay lip service. Why could she not prove it with her actions too?
To put it bluntly, she was all talk and no action.
“Okay, we should sleep.” As he heard that the daughters were asleep, Qiao Dongliang patted Ding Jiayi’s shoulders and they returned to the room together.
When both were lying on the same bed, Ding Jiayi suddenly asked. “Old Qiao, I did not bear you a son. Do you really not mind?”
The words from Ding Jiayi’s mother in the past had become an issue that weighed heavily on her heart.
But what Qiao Zijin did not know was the magnitude of the impact of Ding Jiayi’s mother words on her.
Ding Jiayi’s mother laughed at Ding Jiayi and said that she could not bear a son as she did not do good. She would be a source of trouble to the family that she was married to. A few months after giving birth to Qiao Nan, Ding Jiayi decided to stop breastfeeding and was prepared to bear a third child for Qiao Dongliang.
At the most, they would pay a fine. No matter what, she wanted a son to prove that she was a fortunate person and not one who did not do good.
Qiao Dongliang objected and said that after they raised up the daughters, they could take in a son-in-law that bore the Qiao family name, and who would move into the Qiao family after marriage. It would be the same and there was no need to have a son.
“I don’t mind. I have said before. Let’s take in a son-in-law for Zijin. Don’t think about this matter anymore.” Qiao Dongliang sighed. His wife was unfortunate to have come from such a family.
“Old Qiao, it’s so good to have married you in my life.” Ding Jiayi leaned on Qiao Dongliang’s shoulders and said emotionally.
Qiao Dongliang did not say anything. He slept as he placed one of his arms around Ding Jiayi.
To Ding Jiayi, this action was more comforting than a thousand words.
In Qiao Nan’s room, when Qiao Zijin confirmed that she heard the footsteps leaving, she revealed a smug smile on her face.
When Qiao Zijin was washing up, Qiao Zijin had already told Ding Jiayi that she was sleeping in with Qiao Nan. Thereafter, she told Ding Jiayi that she was afraid that Qiao Nan would be furious, drive her out or quarrel with her. It would be bad if they ended up in a fight.
Ding Jiayi was afraid that Qiao Zijin would be at a disadvantage, so she dragged Qiao Dongliang from the bed and insisted on finding out about the situation of the two daughters.
Thereafter, when Qiao Zijin closed the room of the door, she saw a beam of light emanating from the bottom the door of the Qiao couple’s bedroom. She was thus certain that her mother would drag her father to eavesdrop on them.
Qiao Zijin, who was lying sidewards and looking at Qiao Nan sleeping, laughed. “Qiao Nan, Oh Qiao Nan, you’re still too green to fight with me!”
Upon thinking, Qiao Zijin’s face turned white and she gave Qiao Nan a hard push. “Why are you sleeping. I have not fallen asleep. Wake up and chat with me.”
Qiao Nan, who was in already in a daze, was soon awakened by this push of Qiao Zijin. Frowning and sleepy-eyed, she sounded fatigued. “What do you want to chat about?” Hadn’t their conversation already ended?
“Anything. I can’t sleep anyway.” Qiao Zijin said shamelessly.
Qiao Nan pursed her lips and did not say a word.
When Qiao Nan was falling asleep again, she was again jolted awake by Qiao Zijin.
Qiao Nan, who was in the fit of an anger, unhappily shot a look at Qiao Zijin and realized that Qiao Zijin’s face was full of gloating.
Seeing that, Qiao Nan wanted to scold her. Sick, and seriously sick!
“Nan Nan, do you want to sleep? Do you know why I can’t sleep? Sigh, I’ve been really short of money lately and I have to buy something. Dad and Mom spent so much money on me and I was too embarrassed to ask them for it. Nan Nan, can you help me? As long as my troubles are resolved, I’m sure I’ll be able to sleep and then I won’t disturb you.”
Once she got hold of the money, of course, she would not continue to stay in Qiao Nan’s room. She would definitely return to her own room to sleep.
“If my troubles are not resolved, I feel frustrated. I can’t sleep when I feel the frustration. Nan Nan, what do you say?”
If Qiao Nan was a man, she might have crumbled under the spell of Qiao Zijin’s questions, but she was a woman who did not have any good feeling towards Qiao Zijin.
Qiao Zijin had made herself clear and Qiao Nan fully understood what she wanted.
From the moment that she was reborn, Qiao Nan had told herself that in this life – she would not let Qiao Zijin take a single cent away from her again.
As for her mother, she would still fulfill her duty as a daughter, but damn, she would rather buy her mother things than give her money. The latter would only benefit Qiao Zijin.
Qiao Zijin wishfully wanted to get some money from her. There was no way!
“I don’t have money. I can’t help you.” Qiao Nan rejected her flatly.
Since Qiao Zijin would not let her sleep, she might as well not sleep. She could silently recite in her mind what she had revised today.
Not knowing that Qiao Nan was reciting the knowledge in her mind, when Qiao Zijin saw Qiao Nan closing her eyes, she counted the time and started to nudge Qiao Nan again.
“What?” This time, Qiao Nan’s voice was very clear. There was no sign of fatigue.
Qiao Zijin put her hands back resentfully and ground her teeth. “Nothing. I just can’t sleep. You have to keep me company. If not, I feel so lonely.”
“Okay, keeping you company.” After Qiao Zijin finished revising her maths knowledge, she also recited in her mind a section of the secondary one’s syllabus that required memorization. She almost fell asleep but was nudged by Qiao Zijin again.
This time, Qiao Nan simply opened her mouth and said. “Don’t worry, I didn’t sleep. Still keeping you company.”
“Oh… ” Qiao Zijin replied briefly as she was feeling down. Most importantly, this word of Qiao Zijin was faint and she seemed to have some difficulty saying it.
After Qiao Nan finished memorizing the last page of the syllabus, she heard that Qiao Zijin, who was beside her, was already snoring.
Qiao Nan gave a long yawn and finally went to sleep with ease.
The next day, when Qiao Zijin woke up, it was already daytime and Qiao Nan was nowhere to be seen.
Qiao Zijin gave a stare and jumped up from the bed anxiously. “Mom, where is Nan Nan?”