Chapter 358: He Who Understood the Times Was a Wise Man
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“Alright, your mom is still waiting for you at home. She will be worried if you are late.” Qiao Dongliang felt bitter at the words that he said to Qiao Zijin. She was his elder daughter, the daughter that he intended to keep by his side.
Qiao Dongliang had not expected that there would be a day where he would mock his elder daughter. In fact, what he said just now was what Qiao Zijin had once said.
“Fine, I will go back!” She was not willing to stay a minute longer!
“Don’t you want the snacks?” Qiao Zijin turned and was about to leave. Qiao Dongliang sighed and gave her a gentle reminder. “This is your last chance. If you don’t take them, it will be gone.”
“I…”
Qiao Zijin bit on her lips and stared at the two kilograms of snacks on the table, her face flushed red in anger. Finally, she stomped her feet, grabbed the bags, and dashed out of the small quad.
“…”
“…”
Qiao Dongliang and Qiao Nan were lost for words.
In the end, it was Qiao Nan who came out of her shock first. As the saying goes, ‘He who understands the times is a wise man’. This was indeed Qiao Zijin’s style of handling things.
Qiao Dongliang rubbed his temple. Maybe what Nan Nan said was right. He could no longer say that Qiao Zijin was still young and insensible. Her temperament and personality… Was it true that when Ding Jiayi was pregnant with the second child, they had neglected her and hence she bore grudges against him?
If that was the case, she must have harbored grudges against Ding Jiayi as well.
Qiao Dongliang, who could not understand, looked at Qiao Nan. “Nan Nan, you said that your sister harbors grudges against me because we neglected her. Then, why did she treat your mom… Your mom favors sons more than daughters. She was the one who suggested that we should have a second child.”
“My sister is not genuine to mom,” Qiao Nan said coldly. “Back then, Mom used to have the economic authority at home and you respected her opinions. My sister only had to please Mom and she would have the whole family in the palm of her hand. Unless she is capable enough and no longer needs to rely on Mom, she has to maintain a good relationship with Mom no matter how she really feels about Mom. If she falls out with Mom, nobody in this house will support her and help her get everything that she wants.”
Qiao Dongliang patted his forehead, feeling uncomfortable all of a sudden. “I… I need to take a rest.”
They were one family. He and Ding Jiayi gave the best to the two daughters, particularly Qiao Zijin, the elder daughter. He had doted on her and pampered her. He had not mistreated her in any way. Why would she harbor grudges against her parents?
Could this still be considered a family?
Did Zijin treat them as her parents, or was she bidding for time to take revenge on them?
“Dad, you should have a rest. I will wash these bowls.” She was telling the truth. She would rather her father found out the truth earlier than for him to realize it after he had given Zijin all his money, just like what happened in the previous lifetime.
Qiao Dongliang who had already stood up took the bowls back from Qiao Nan. “Forget it. I will do the dishes. You should have a rest. I will rest after I am done washing them.”
“Okay.” Qiao Nan, who was dealt with a lot of blows today, felt weak and needed to rest.
The Chinese physician had said that she was particularly sensitive today. As long as she had mood swings, it would affect her menses.
Given the high menstrual flow today, Qiao Nan was worried that she might go into shock due to loss of blood in the future.
People would usually feel sleepy after a meal. Moreover, given Qiao Nan’s condition, she fell asleep as soon as she laid down on the bed.
After washing the bowls, Qiao Dongliang went into Qiao Nan’s room to check on her. She was sleeping very soundly. He sighed at the sight of her. Nan Nan must have felt terrible. Otherwise, she would not have been so weary. However, Nan Nan liked to keep things to herself. She would not tell anyone about her grievances or feelings.
Nan Nan must have been cornered by Zijin, hence she told him so many things about Zijin.
This proved that Zijin had gone way overboard. Nan Nan, who usually kept quiet about whatever Zijin had done, must have been so angry that she told him about her wrongdoings.
Qiao Dongliang felt her forehead to make sure that she was alright. He then went back to his room and let his thoughts drift to what Qiao Nan told him previously.
Take what happened today as an example. As a father, when he saw Zhai Sheng bring two sacks of food to their house, he had the intention of giving half of them to Zijin. But in fact, he should not do so.
What was ironic was that it was Qiao Zijin who made him realize his mistakes.
Qiao Zijin had a very strong sense of ownership toward whatever that was hers. She felt that since Qiao Dongliang bought the dried food for her, she did not have to care about Qiao Nan, who was his daughter, having the right to have the food as well. Instead, she told Qiao Dongliang firmly that since those were hers, she had the right to decide how much she wanted to give Qiao Nan.
When reversed, it should be the same as well.
Since the two sacks of dried food belonged to Qiao Nan, Qiao Dongliang did not have the right to decide how much should be given to Qiao Zijin. Qiao Nan should have the final say.
Today, the subject concerned was merely two sacks of dried food. In the future, if Nan Nan made it big and earned a lot of money, while Zijin was struggling with life, he could not possibly insist that Nan Nan gave Zijin a certain amount of money monthly.
He could not ask Nan Nan to be responsible for Zijin for her entire life.
Even though they were siblings, whatever belonged to Nan Nan was hers alone. He did not have the right to make any decisions for her.
The same logic applied to Zijin. If Zijin did better than Nan Nan in the future, he believed she would never help Nan Nan.
Qiao Dongliang could not help but sigh as these thoughts drifted through his mind.
He seemed to have aged because of his two daughters, particularly his elder daughter, Qiao Zijin.
He was getting on years. Both of his daughters had a mind of their own. He could no longer make them listen, and he should not meddle too much as well. He should allow them to walk a path of their own.