Chapter 191: Regain Economic Authority

Qiao Dongliang gave Ding Jiayi an icy stare. “Let’s not talk about what you have done in the past. Let’s just talk about this past year. Have you forgotten about the ridiculous and unbearable things that you have done? Ding Jiayi, what is it that you want? You did everything I dislike and hate. Do you still want to stay as a couple?! Yesterday, you changed the topic and refused to hear what I wanted to say. I gave in and didn’t continue with the topic, but you went overboard. Today, you acted as if nothing happened and had the audacity to gang up with Zijin to steal the money that Nan Nan earned. Ding Jiayi, aren’t you shameful of yourself?!”

Qiao Dongliang was so furious that he gave Ding Jiayi a slap on the face. “You should have said earlier that you don’t wish to stay together. We can go our separate ways.”

Zijin had been spoiled by Ding Jiayi. He could not watch Ding Jiayi do more harm to Nan Nan and do nothing about it.

“You... what do you mean by this? You have no conscience. When you had no relatives back then, and no one was willing to marry you, I did not look down on you and chose to marry you. You have not made your mark, yet you want to divorce me. Do you have another woman outside? Are you looking down on me?!”

Ding Jiayi was shocked. She never thought that Qiao Dongliang would talk about going their separate ways and divorcing her.

The reason why Ding Jiayi knew no limits was that she was sure that Qiao Dongliang would never divorce her.

Qiao Dongliang had no relatives. In the eyes of others, he was not a good catch.

Once Qiao Dongliang divorced her, he would not be able to get another wife.

Because of this, Ding Jiayi paid no heed to Qiao Dongliang’s warnings or anger. Even though she was in the wrong, she could hold her head high in front of Qiao Dongliang. She only agreed to Qiao Dongliang’s requests to appease him for the time being. She did not really mean it deep inside her heart.

But today, Qiao Dongliang brought up divorce. Ding Jiayi was shocked and scared.

Ding Jiayi looked like an unreasonable shrew right now. Qiao Dongliang was reminded of the time when he laid on the hospital bed, waiting to go into the operating room for his surgery. Ding Jiayi had kicked up a fuss at the hospital and refused to repay the money she owed Qiao Dongliang’s comrades. At the thought of all these, Qiao Dongliang’s face turned sullen, resembling the dark clouds on stormy days. It was as if bolts of lightning would strike anytime soon.

“Do you still want a thrashing?!”

At this moment, Qiao Dongliang was not in the mood to consider the fact that his two daughters were still there. Even if things got ugly between him and Ding Jiayi in the presence of the two children, it would not change anything.

“How could you not know whether I have a woman outside? I gave every single cent I earned to you. Which woman would be willing to stick with a penniless man like me? If there is such a woman, she must be really unfortunate. Ding Jiayi, where’s your conscience? Is that something you should say? I worked my guts out and gave my entire salary to you. Yet, you spent everything behind my back, leaving us without any money that I almost died in the hospital. Ding Jiayi, is your heart made of stone? How dare you be angry and be fierce at me?!”

“Nan Nan is unlucky to have such a mom who is out of the line like you. But Nan Nan is sensible. She worked to earn money for my medical expenses. What have you been doing as her mother and as my wife? Ding Jiayi, you are so heartless to spend your daughter’s hard-earned money! Did you really think that you do not need to repay the money you borrowed? Do you think that if you play some shameful tricks and act pitiful, then there is no need for you to repay the money? Are you plain stupid?!”

Qiao Dongliang was too angry to speak. Ding Jiayi was unreasonable, ignorant, and brainless.

Could it be that after staying at home for so many years, Ding Jiayi became foolish?

Otherwise, why would she have such ridiculous ideas?

Qiao Dongliang scolded Ding Jiayi right in front of his daughters. Qiao Zijin who stood by the side dared not utter a word. Qiao Nan’s only reaction was a pregnant silence.

She kept silent for a long while before letting out a long sigh. She did not know how much her mother had suffered back at her grandma’s home when her mother was still young.

What she knew was that ever since her mother married her father, she had been spoiled by her father.

Her mother knew that one must repay the money that one borrowed. But she had the mentality that she did not need to repay the debts since her father could earn the money when he had recovered from his injuries. Thus, he would be responsible for repaying the debts. Basically, her mother thought that these things had nothing to do with her.

Therefore, when her debtors demanded that she repaid her debts, her mother never once looked at the issue from their point of view. She never considered the fact that they might be in need of money as well. She was only capable of procrastinating.

Ding Jiayi had planned to put it off until Qiao Dongliang had recovered and was able to work to repay the debts.

She did not care whether her debtors would create a din because of the money that she owed them.

To put it bluntly, her mother was downright selfish.

Besides Qiao Zijin and Qiao Dongliang, she did not care about anyone else.

To Ding Jiayi, Qiao Dongliang, Qiao Zijin and herself were people of the same circle. She did not care about those outside the circle.

Of course, Qiao Dongliang had no idea what was going through Ding Jiayi’s mind. When he saw Ding Jiayi in tears, he was even more furious. “Why are you so shameless and spent Nan Nan’s money? I... forget it. It’s useless to talk with you since you are heartless and brainless. It is just like playing the lute to a cow. Hand over all of your pay to me right now!”

One side of Ding Jiayi’s face was swollen. “What do you want to do with it?”

“Give me all the money!” Qiao Dongliang banged his palm on the table, rattling the small change Ding Jiayi left on it.

Ding Jiayi sniffed and had no other choice but to return to her room. She took out all the wages she had earned in the past six months and dared not keep any for herself.

Qiao Dongliang took the money Ding Jiayi had with her without another word. He counted them and took out fifty yuan. He placed it together with the two hundred and fifty yuan that was on the table. “Nan Nan, this is the three hundred yuan that you earned. Take it and keep them in a safe place. Don’t keep it at home. There is a huge and sneaky ‘mouse’ here, so it’s not safe.”

“Okay.” Qiao Nan nodded briskly. She kept the three hundred yuan in her pocket without another a word. Tomorrow morning, she would put the money at the Zhai’s residence.

Ding Jiayi pulled a wrinkled face when she saw how Qiao Nan reached for the money and kept it inside her pocket. She looked distressed and heartbroken as if a slice of her flesh was cleaved from her. Just one look at her face, one could feel the pain and devastation that she felt.

“Old Qiao, this won’t do. There isn’t enough for Zijin’s tuition fees.”