Chapter 4: Favoritism

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

“Dad,” Qiao Nan chased up a few steps, and called.

Qiao Dongliang was distracted for a moment. When he looked back, he saw his younger daughter. Due to her cold and fever, her younger daughter looked downhearted and lifeless. The blood on her collar made Qiao Dongliang jump. “How did you get this?”

Before Qiao Nan could reply, Qiao Dongliang said.”Let’s go home first and wash up. We will talk later.”

Having said that, Qiao Dongliang carried Qiao Nan on his bicycle and rode home.

“Dongliang, you are back. Oh, Nan Nan, what happened?” In the small quad of Qiao’s home, a 40 to 50-year-old woman was holding a basket of eggs in her hand. Her eyes widened when she saw Qiao Nan. “Have you been bullied? Why are you covered in blood?”

“Aunt Li.” Qiao Nan’s hands and feet were wobbly as she jumped and alighted from the bicycle. Fortunately, her father held on to her and she did not fall.

Ding Jiayi, who was taking out the money for the eggs, saw this scene and her expression turned black. “Aunt Li, this is the money for the eggs, please take it.”

Aunt Li took the money, counted it, and said, “Good, your family’s Nan Nan is pretty but unfortunately a little skinny. You have to give her some supplements.”

Qiao Dongliang touched Qiao Nan’s forehead and found that the fever condition was better than in the morning (before he left for work), but the forehead was still a little hot. He was not pleased when he looked at Ding Jiayi. “Nan Nan is still sick, why did you let her go out?!”

Aunt Li had not left. Faced with the accusation by Qiao Dongliang, Ding Jiayi was embarrassed. “What do you mean by this? It’s the wretched girl. She was mischievous and insisted on going out. How could I control this “lord”?!”

When Qiao Nan heard this, she cried, “Dad, I had a high fever and was in a daze. But Mom and Sister did not care, they were sitting outside and eating watermelon. I got up myself and wanted to take some fever medicine but Mom said there was none left. I wanted to look for it but Mom refused to let me. She pulled my hair and gave me a slap. All the blood from my nose-bleeding was caused by the slap.”

Aunt Li’s expression was shocked as she looked at Ding Jiayi in disbelief. She was not sure whether to stay or leave.

Qiao Dongliang’s expression changed. “Nan Nan, have you taken any medicine?”

“Of course she has!” Ding Jiayi raised her voice.

Qiao Nan, without looking at Ding Jiayi, shook her head with certainty. “No, I have been lying in bed, nobody cares about me. I haven’t taken any medicine or drunk any water.”

Qiao Dongliang was anxious that his younger daughter had not even taken medicine. He wanted to quickly take her to the hospital. “Nan Nan, do you have any strength to take the bicycle? I will take you to the hospital.”

In the morning, when Qiao Dongliang saw that his usually diligent younger daughter had not gotten up, he went to her room and found that she had a fever.

But his wife said that she would take care of her, so Qiao Dongliang was not too worried. He did not expect to hear this from his daughter when he was back.

Ding Jiayi reached out and grabbed the front of the bicycle. “Which hospital are you going to? Don’t spend money!”

Qiao Dongliang sneered. “I don’t make much money, but I still have money for my daughter to see a doctor.”

Ding Jiayi’s face was stunned.”Old Qiao, I don’t mean that.”

She did not look down on Qiao Dongliang or resent that he did not earn much money. It was because she was not willing to spend money on the wretched girl. Furthermore, Qiao Zijin would need a big sum of money for her studies.

Soon, Ding Jiayi’s attitude softened, but she still refused to let Qiao Dongliang send Qiao Nan to the hospital.

“I mean, I really gave her the medicine. She was in such a daze that she couldn’t remember it. It may be that the medicine has not taken effect. She will be fine after a while. You don’t need to go to the hospital to spend money unnecessarily.”

“Dongliang, I am leaving,” Aunt Li finally said. She quickly said goodbye. But before she left, she said, “Dongliang, both are your daughters and there should not be favoritism. Nan Nan is a grown up. You do not hit a person’s face. Furthermore, Nan Nan was sick; how could Jiayi do this to Nan Nan?”

At the thought of the blood from the nosebleed on Qiao Nan’s collar, Aunt Li looked at Ding Jiayi with disapproval. Ding Jiayi was mad and wanted to tell Aunt Li to scram.

“Aunt Li, you can rest assured. This will not happen.” Qiao Dongliang shot a look of blame to Ding Jiayi before sending Aunt Li away courteously.

Qiao Dongliang took his daughter back to the room and sat down, gave her a basin of hot water for her to wash up and change her dirty clothes.

When Qiao Zijin, who was hiding in the house, heard and saw the situation, she gave Qiao Dongliang a sensible smile. She then helped Qiao Dongliang to take care of Qiao Nan.

Seeing that the elder daughter was so sensible, the anger of Qiao Dongliang was lessened greatly.

When Qiao Nan was changing her clothes, Qiao Dongliang looked at Ding Jiayi and said, “Nan Nan’s fever has not completely subsided. Where is the medicine? Give her another round.”

Qiao Nan had just finished changing her clothes. Without a word, she stared straight at Ding Jiayi and wanted to find out what she would say.

Ding Jiayi was so angry that she looked at Qiao Nan and felt that he had given birth to a white-eyed wolf. When she saw her parents quarreling, not only did she not help, but she also wished that Qiao Dongliang would give her a scolding. “We have finished it. There is no more medicine left.”

Ding Jiayi had not forgotten what she had said to Qiao Nan at noon. The words must tally with that in the afternoon.

“Has all of it been consumed?” Qiao Dongliang raised his eyebrows and said in a disbelieving tone,”I clearly remember that there was still half of the medicine left. You said it was gone?”

When she heard Ding Jiayi say this, Qiao Nan was very sure that she had not had any. Where had the other half gone? The reason why her fever was better was due to the goodwill of Zhai Sheng.

However, she looked for the medicine and could not find it.

Qiao Nan pursed her beautiful little mouth, blinked her bright eyes, and suddenly thought of a possibility. She headed towards the kitchen of the house.

“Nan Nan, what’s wrong with you?” Qiao Zijin felt that Qiao Nan was behaving oddly and wanted to stop her.

When Qiao Zijin saw Qiao Nan going to the kitchen, she was at a loss. She felt that something was amiss and quickly pulled Qiao Nan’s hand. “Nan Nan, you are sick now, you need to rest in bed and take medicine. No, there is no medicine left. Let’s wait for dad to buy you some. After you take it, you will be fine tomorrow.”

Qiao Nan firmly halted her steps and stared at Qiao Zijin with her deep and dark eyes. Her look made Qiao Zijin felt guilty, to the extent that Qiao Zijin’s hairs stood up.

Seeing Qiao Nan’s attitude towards Qiao Zijin, her parents could not help but frown.

Without waiting for Ding Jiayi to open her mouth to discipline her, Qiao Nan pushed away Qiao Zijin’s hand and ran into the kitchen. She then dumped all the trash in the dustbin on the floor.

Qiao Zijin screamed. Impossible. Qiao Nan could not have known.

At the thought of something, Ding Jiayi’s expression changed. She wanted to hold Qiao Nan back.