Chapter 34 - You Must Be Nan Nan
“You aren’t going to fetch it, right?” Qiao Dongliang did not want to waste time with Ding Jiayi. He always handed all the money to Ding Jiayi. She was not the type to squander the family fortune. And so their savings had grown bit by bit.
Qiao Dongliang entrusted everything under Ding Jiayi’s charge, but that did not mean he was unaware of what was happening.
He searched for the key, and went to the room to open the drawer. He took out the entire drawer and saw the passbook lying deep inside.
“Old Qiao, what are you doing?” Ding Jiayi had a guilty look on her face. She feared that Qiao Dongliang would find out that there was nothing left in the passbook. At that thought she lunged at him, in a bid to take the passbook from him.
Standing at 1.8 meters tall, if Qiao Dongliang did not give in, there was no way Ding Jiayi could have snatched it from him.
Qiao Dongliang opened the passbook and had a look at the contents. Boiling with anger he bellowed, “Where’s all the money?!”
Qiao Dongliang’s roar could be heard from outside. Qiao Zijin turned a shade whiter, she was scared stiff.
She was done for this time, there was no way to keep it under wraps anymore.
“Qiao Nan, what do you mean by this? That’s our Mom, how could you do this to her!” Qiao Zijin pointed at Qiao Nan and started scolding her.
If it had not been for Qiao Nan, father and mother would never quarrel. Father had always listened to mother.
If father was to know that the money was spent on her, how would he think of her?
“That’s right, she is my Mom. She spent all the savings on you so as to enroll you in a good high school, but she wanted me to quit school and start working. That’s really what a Mom would do!” Qiao Nan laughed sarcastically.
“How did you know… you did it on purpose!” Qiao Nan had set this up to bring her mother and her down.
“The best way to hide a misdeed is not to commit it. The teachers at our school all knew your standard. Besides, they are all in the education sector. What do you think went through their mind when they heard that you went to The High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China?”
Qiao Zijin stomped her foot, the teachers at junior high school were such blabbermouths.
This was their family matter, it had nothing to do with others, why did they have to mention it in front of Qiao Nan?
No wonder no amount of cajoling could get Qiao Nan to quit school and start working. Qiao Nan had known all along that her mother had spent such a huge sum of money on her.
“Dong Liang, are you at home? Just then, an elder’s voice could be heard coming from outside Qiao’s house.
Qiao Nan paused, ” Grandpa Lee?”
Qiao Zijin’s countenance fell. This prominent elder rarely accepted their invitation to visit, why would he come at such an inopportune time today?
Qiao Zijin was not worried that Qiao Dongliang and Ding Jiayi would disregard the situation and quarrel in front of Grandpa Lee. It was that her mother had sought Grandpa Lee’s help to pull strings for Qiao Zijin to enroll in The High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China.
Her mother was lost for words when her father found out that she had spent all the savings.
If her father was to know that mother asked Grandpa Lee for help, he would be mad with anger!
Qiao Dongliang’s father passed away at an early age. It was Elder Lee who brought him up. If not for Elder Lee who supported and guided Qiao Dongliang because of his friendship with Qiao Dongliang’s father, it would have been even more difficult for him.
In order to have a second child, Qiao Dongliang gave up on the path that Elder Lee paved for him. He could have had a bright future. He had also let his late father down.
Ever since then, Qiao Dongliang had felt too ashamed to face Elder Lee.
Given his situation now, he could only lead a simple life. There was no way that he could repay the debt of gratitude that he owed Elder Lee.
Whenever Qiao Dongliang thought of Elder Lee, he felt ashamed of himself. Yet Ding Jiayi asked Elder Lee to help her to pull strings on the account that her late father-in-law once entrusted to his son under his care.
Once Qiao Dongliang knew of this, Ding Jiayi would be in deep trouble. She would not be able to hold her head up high in front of him.
Qiao Nan decided to set aside her quarrel with Ding Jiayi for now. Since her father had known about the passbook, he would definitely not allow Qiao Nan to quit school.
Qiao Nan ran into their room and said, “Dad, let’s stop quarreling, Grandpa Lee is here.”
“Uncle Lee?” Qiao Dongliang tensed demeanor slightly relaxed. In front of Qiao Nan, Ding Jiayi always looked as if someone had ruffled her feathers. But right now, she seemed to be like a quail who was scared stiff, cowering in fear.
It was Ding Jiayi’s who had squandered their savings.
Just like Qiao Zijin, when Ding Jiayi heard that Elder Lee was here, she was so frightened that she could not wait to find a hiding place.
“I will settle scores with you later on!” Qiao Dongliang was so mad that he did not bother minding his words in front of their younger daughter.
To think that Ding Jiayi had kept quiet about it after spending such a huge sum of money. He only found out about it after about a month.
How daring was this woman?!
Qiao Dongliang patted the younger daughter on her head and without another look at Ding Jiayi, he led her out to welcome Elder Lee.
After seeing the passbook, Qiao Dongliang finally realized why his wife insisted that the younger daughter quit school and start working. Poor results? Led astray by the bad guys? All these were lies!
She had spent all the savings on the elder daughter, yet she wanted the younger daughter to work in order to cover the loss. His wife was too biased towards his elder daughter.
Qiao Zijin saw Qiao Dongliang walked out of the room, but she did not dare to walk up to him. She quickly went into the room to take a look at Ding Jiayi. “Mom, it’s really Grandpa Lee who is here. What shall we do? If Dad knows about that matter, he would surely beat me, and made me quit The High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China.”
“No, he won’t.” Ding Jiayi was just as scared but she was reluctant to admit. “I know Elder Lee’s character. Elder Lee knows how Old Qiao’s temper is, and that I hide the fact that I have been to see him from Old Qiao. He won’t speak of a word about this to your Dad and affect our relationship.”
When Qiao Dongliang discharged from the army in order to have a second child, though Elder Lee was disappointed, he had never scolded Qiao Dongliang.
Ding Jiayi was fearless as she was confident that Elder Lee would not want to affect the couple’s relationship because of such a small matter.
And judging from Elder Lee’s temper, if he has no inclination to help, he would reject her up front. But he would not mention this to Qiao Dongliang, regardless of whether it was a success or failure, lest the couple ended up in a quarrel.
“Uncle Lee, what brings you here? Qiao Dongliang was very agitated when he saw Elder Lee.
He was ashamed to face Elder Lee, but he also missed him dearly.
“Grandpa Lee.” Qiao Nan who was right besides Qiao Dongliang addressed Elder Lee as well.
“Grandpa Lee, have some tea.” Qiao Zijin was more assured by her mother’s words. Without another word, she came out with a cup of tea in her hand, hoping to perform well in front of Elder Lee.
Elder Lee knew that Qiao Dongliang had two daughters, and they were not too far apart in age. Elder Lee paused for a moment when he saw the two pretty young ladies. “Xiao Qiao, you are really fortunate to have two daughters.”
“Oh.” Qiao Dongliang gave a vague smile. He used to think that way as well, but now he was not too sure.
“Grandpa Lee, please have some tea. Dad has always wanted to visit you, but felt sorry towards you. We never thought that Grandpa Lee would visit us. Dad, you are the junior, you should take the first step.” Qiao Zijin knew of the situation between the two of them, and was clever with her words, painting a nice picture.
Elder Lee looked at Qiao Zijin with satisfaction. “You are Nan Nan?”