Chapter 2277: Afraid of a Misunderstanding

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

In the end, Ding Jiayi wasn’t even sure about how she had returned to Qiao Zijin’s rented apartment. Looking at the narrow and cramped s.p.a.ce, Ding Jiayi felt claustrophobic and short of breath. She couldn’t help but grasp at her chest so much so that there was an angry red scratch mark across her chest until that suffocating feeling dissipated.

The coldest of winter had pa.s.sed and the warm spring had finally arrived. In fact, summer was not that far away. But the moment Ding Jiayi thought about how Qiao Zijin had s.n.a.t.c.hed her money and ident.i.ty card from her while smiling, Ding Jiayi couldn’t help but s.h.i.+ver. She could feel a chill down her spine.

Especially when she thought about how Qiao Zijin had compared her to Qiao Dongliang losing his ident.i.ty card, saying that it was easy for old people to get muddleheaded and lose their belongings, Ding Jiayi couldn’t help but cry. Had Old Qiao lost his ident.i.ty card because he had been muddleheaded? Why had she even taken his ident.i.ty card? How could Zijin say such heartless words?

Before marrying Qiao Dongliang, Ding Jiayi had indeed suffered for almost twenty years. But ever since getting married to Qiao Dongliang, Ding Jiayi’s life had undergone a drastic change. Ever since then, this was Ding Jiayi’s first being cramped up in such a tiny room. Even though Ding Jiayi had stayed in that suffocating room that Qiao Nan had once lived in for a few days, it had still been much better than this rented apartment.

Ding Jiayi had thought about it the whole night without any sleep. In fact, she had cried through the night. Ding Jiayi had neither love nor pity for her daughter, Qiao Zijin, anymore. She was only filled with fear. She always said that Qiao Nan was a debt collector and an unfilial wretched girl. But after seeing Qiao Zijin’s other side, Ding Jiayi realized just how scary and difficult a child who was truly a debt collector was.

People were often like that. In the past, Ding Jiayi had spoken so badly of Qiao Nan. But now that she had learned of Qiao Zijin’s true nature, Ding Jiayi had almost been scared to death. No matter how much she hated Qiao Nan, it couldn’t compete with her fear of Qiao Zijin now.

“h.e.l.lo…”

There was no doubt that Ding Jiayi had been detained by Qiao Zijin and Ding Jiayi had no choice but to get Qiao Nan’s help to return to Ping Cheng.

“Beep…” Just like before, the moment the display showed Ding Jiayi’s mobile phone number, both Miao Jing and the auntie would simply pick up without speaking so as to waste Ding Jiayi’s money.

It was true that they couldn’t do much by doing so, and in fact, Qiao Nan might even end up footing the bill. But that didn’t matter. Ding Jiayi was used to having her way in the Qiao family and had always treated Qiao Nan so poorly. Ding Jiayi would definitely be furious in the face of such a situation.

Ding Jiayi had always been the one disgusting Qiao Nan. Now that they had the opportunity, it was Qiao Nan’s chance to disgust Ding Jiayi instead. It was just a couple hundred yuan worth of phone calls. They could afford to waste that. They would simply take it as though they were buying themselves some happiness.

With that consensus, both Miao Jing and the auntie got through it smoothly. Initially, Ding Jiayi had called over ten times the previous day. But upon learning of Miao Jing’s intentions, she had given up trying to reach Qiao Nan. Miao Jing had thought that she would enjoy some peace and quiet for some time, but Ding Jiayi had started calling them again after just a night!

Because of that, the Zhai family’s hatred toward Ding Jiayi only intensified.

Now, Ding Jiayi no longer had the time to be upset about the Zhai family’s att.i.tude toward her, or whether Qiao Nan was behind their att.i.tudes toward her. Having cried for an entire night, Ding Jiayi felt as though her eyes were so swollen that she couldn’t even open them. Now, she had no other desire than to have Qiao Nan help her leave the capital and Qiao Zijin so that she could peacefully return to Ping Cheng.

Only Qiao Nan would be able to help her out with that. “h.e.l.lo, please don’t hang up. I’m not trying to cause any trouble.”

The moment she got through, Ding Jiayi didn’t care about whether the other party would be able to hear her and begged for a chance as quickly as she could.

Unfortunately, the call ended just a second later.

Qiao Nan was Ding Jiayi’s only way out of the capital. As such, Ding Jiayi couldn’t even stop to worry about the cost of the calls. The moment the other party hung up, Ding Jiayi immediately redialed the number yet again. “Please pick up. It’s really nothing too troublesome…”

“I’m looking for Qiao Nan…”

“I have an urgent matter…”

“This has nothing to do with Qiao Zijin…”

Ding Jiayi had no idea how many times she had tried calling them or how many times she had repeated herself. What she knew was that her phone was now heating up and she had already gone through half of her phone card’s credit.

Just as she thought that there was no chance of her succeeding today and that she would have to suffer in the hands of Qiao Zijin in the capital, Ding Jiayi’s phone rang.

In that moment, Ding Jiayi thought that Qiao Zijin felt hungry or uncomfortable in the hospital and was asking her to visit. As a result, Ding Jiayi had been so scared that she had nearly tossed her phone out. It was only when she confirmed that the number was not Qiao Zijin’s that Ding Jiayi dared to pick up the call. “h.e.l.lo?”

“It’s me.” She could tell that the other party sounded rather tired.

In the past, Ding Jiayi had hated this voice so much so that her brows would be furrowed into a deep frown the moment she heard it. But now, Ding Jiayi felt that this voice was the most beautiful and moving sound she had ever heard.

Qiao Nan knew nothing of Ding Jiayi’s joy and excitement at this moment. “What’s up? If you don’t go overboard with your request, I might agree to it. Let me remind you that Qiao Zijin’s just my biological sister. There’s nothing more than that. Chen Jun doesn’t even want to support her. I won’t agree to any requests to support her.”

Qiao Zijin’s illness truly had nothing to do with her. Now that Ding Jiayi was here, was it possible for Qiao Zijin not to recover? They had better not expect her to fork out any money for Qiao Zijin’s treatment or anything related to her illness. What was in these people’s minds? Had she not made herself clear when Qiao Zijin had contracted uremia?

“No, no. You’re mistaken. I’m not calling you for Qiao Zijin. I’m sorry that I was in too much of a rush and couldn’t explain myself earlier. I’m finding you because of my own problem. Qiao Nan, you have to help me. This really has nothing to do with Qiao Zijin.”

1

Ding Jiayi was in a panic, afraid that Qiao Nan would misunderstand her and the situation would come to a standstill again if she delayed her explanation.