Chapter 11: Hate Them All

The times now were unlike the times before Qiao Nan’s rebirth where people usually paid with hundred yuan big bills. Looking at the stash of money in her hands, the smallest denomination was only one cent, and even the largest denomination was only one yuan.

Qiao Nan counted the bills, it actually added up to a little more than ten yuan.

In the late 80s to early 90s, the value of money was much higher, this ten yuan was worth so much more than one hundred yuan in the 21st century.

In her previous life, she had used this ten yuan to buy a pair of black leather western style shoes for Qiao Zijin, matched with a dress.

Qiao Zijin wore this outfit that she spent ten yuan on to the new high school.

In this life, she would not spend a single cent on Qiao Zijin anymore!

Qiao Nan went out with that “large amount of money”; Qiao Zijin could not stop her no matter what she did.

By the time Ding Jiayi reached home, Qiao Nan had already been away for more than an hour. Ding Jiayi wiped her hands and asked, “Where is Qiao Nan?”

Qiao Zijin had a look of worry on her face. “Mom, Nan Nan was looking for her secondary one and two textbooks today.”

Ding Jiayi was lost for words.

“Nan Nan seemed to have guessed that you sold her textbooks. When she left just now, I wanted to stop her but I couldn’t. Mom, do you think Nan Nan would go to look for Dad?”

This was very nerve racking for Qiao Zijin. Qiao Nan used to hate it when Dad and Mom quarreled because of her. But now why would she go to Dad for the most trivial things and cause them to get into an argument?

“I must have owed her in my previous life, and I had to pay the debts in this life!” Ding Jiayi took off the apron that she just put on and threw it on the floor out of spite. “In order to have her, your Dad and I lost our cradle-to-grave jobs. Your Dad used to be a company commander in the army and was about to be promoted to battalion commander, But all because of her, your Dad has nothing now! She ruined your Dad’s career, and now she still wants to ruin your life?!”

Ding Jiayi really regretted having a second child.

If she had not had a second child, Old Qiao would definitely be a battalion commander by now, and she would be the wife of a battalion commander. As for her government job, although it was just simple chores, it was leisurely work.

Though without the second child, their family would not be the eye of envy of others, at least she would be able to hold her head up high in the quad.

The Qiao couple’s future was completely ruined because of the second child. It was not wrong of her to say that she owed her younger daughter in her previous life!

She spent all those years bringing up the younger daughter, yet she was of no help at all. All she could do was to splurge and create troubles, causing a strain to her relationship with Old Qiao.

What sins had she committed to give birth to such a daughter?!

Qiao Zijin listened while Ding Jiayi raked up the old stories. It was a surprise that she kept quiet all along.

Actually deep down inside, Qiao Zijin hated Qiao Nan as much as Ding Jiayi. However, unlike Ding Jiayi, while she hated Qiao Nan for taking away her chance to be the daughter of a battalion commander, she also hated her parents Qiao Dongliang and Ding Jiayi.

Why did they need a second child? Why did they need a boy? Weren’t they happy with her?

If Qiao Nan had been a boy, her mother would definitely do everything for him, including spending all the money, not to mention losing her cradle-to-grave job.

When the time came, instead of Qiao Nan, the elder daughter would be the one to bear the wrath of her mother’s anger.

Qiao Zijin knew that there was nothing wrong with the birth of Qiao Nan; the problem lay with the fact that Qiao Nan was a daughter. She was not the son that her parents were willing to sacrifice their cradle-to-grave jobs for.

Lost in thought, Qiao Zijin dug at a scar on her palm.

She was two years old then and her mother was pregnant. All she wanted was to hug her mother’s leg. But her mother pushed her off to a side, for fear that she would knock into her protruding stomach. She fell and hurt her hand then.

More than ten years had passed, the wound had healed but it left a scar forever.

Qiao Nan was totally unaware of what happened while she was away from home. She knew little of the complicated feelings that Qiao Zijin had.

She took the money and went to a thrift shop.

“Young lady, do you have scrap to sell?” The uncle at the thrift shop wore an old blue cotton hat. His face and hands looked clean and his clothes did not seem to be dirty.

Qiao Nan shook her head, “Uncle, I am not here to sell things, instead I would like to buy some stuff.”

The uncle found it weird, “Why would you come to my place to buy stuff? What do you intend to buy?”

Qiao Nan took a glance and said, “Uncle, do you have textbooks here, I would like to take a look at secondary three books.”

The uncle blinked a few times but did not probe, “If you don’t find it dirty, just go ahead and look for the books you want. We can decide on the price based on whatever you find.”

“Alright, thank you, uncle.”

The slight smell and messiness of the thrift shop did not bother Qiao Nan at all, she started to search conscientiously.

Every year there would be a batch of junior high school graduates. And just like Ding Jiayi, there were quite a lot of people who would sell the textbooks.

So it only took Qiao Nan a while to find the junior high school textbooks.

Qiao Nan must have been lucky. Not only did she find the textbooks she wanted, the notes were neat and tidy, with detailed solutions to the problems.

At one glance, Qiao Nan could tell which books belonged to the same owner of the textbooks she found. She took out all the books with the similar handwritings, including some exercise books.

After some picking and choosing, aside from the main subjects, Qiao Nan also managed to find a few workbooks from the same owner.

Judging from the paper quality, Qiao Nan surmised that the workbooks were not cheap and seemed to be foreign goods.

“Oh, you have managed to pick a pile of books?” The uncle walked over and saw the big pile of books stacked nicely besides Qiao Nan. He knew that these must be the books Qiao Nan wanted.

“Yes.” Qiao Nan’s face was wet with sweat, she casually wiped it off with the back of her hand, leaving a few streaks of dirt on her fair and pretty small face.

At the sight of the delicate pretty young lady with a dirty looking face, the uncle laughed, “That’s quite a few books, will you be able to carry them back?”

The uncle’s question made Qiao Nan stumped for words. The books she picked were pretty heavy. She could made a few trips to bring them back, but where could she keep them at home?

If her mother saw the books, she would definitely throw the books away as soon as she bought the books home.

Furthermore there was no point telling her father. He had to work and could not stay at home everyday. Once he leave for work, her mother would not let her keep the books.

Qiao Nan had painstakingly found the books she wanted, this was a chance she did not want to miss. What she could do now was to ask the uncle for help.

“Uncle, I am buying these books. Could you put them aside for me, I will just be away for a short while? If you are worried, I can pay first?”

The uncle waved his hands, “It’s alright, I’ll keep the books for you.”

Aside from this young lady who came to the thrift shop to buy books, everyone came with the intention to sell things.

“Thank you, uncle.” Qiao Nan smiled gratefully at the uncle and took off at a run.

Over at Zhai’s house, Zhai Hua who just woke up was brushing her teeth with a cup in her hands. She saw a young lady pacing outside the doorway, contemplating to go inside the house or not.

Zhai Hua spitted out the toothpaste foam and rinsed her mouth. She did not know who exactly this young lady was.