n

n

nTranslator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

nAfter she had cleared all her doubts, Qiao Zijin was at ease now. She swung her barely wet hands and was about to leave.

nQiao Zijin turned around and saw Qiao Nan standing by the kitchen doorway with a cup in her hand. She was staring directly at her. Qiao Zijin shrieked in alarm, her heart in her throat. “Nan… Nan Nan, wh-why are you here?”

nHad Nan Nan overheard the conversation that she had with Ding Jiayi? How much of the conversation did she overhear?

nDing Jiayi was also shocked at the sudden appearance of Qiao Nan, not to mention Qiao Zijin.

nDing Jiayi might be capable of ruthless and shameless acts, but she could not bring herself to say it or admit it in front of Qiao Nan, especially when she had been caught unawares by her.

n“I want to pour myself a drink.” Qiao Nan waved at the cup in her hands and shot an aloof look at Qiao Zijin, “Can’t I?”

n“Of course.” Qiao Zijin smiled awkwardly. This was not her concern at all. “Nan Nan, let me pour you a drink?”

nQiao Zijin just found out the truth from Ding Jiayi behind her father’s attitude towards she and Qiao Nan. She had a guilty conscience when she saw Qiao Nan and felt sorry for her.

n“No need, I am okay.” Qiao Nan was not the least bit happy at Qiao Zijin’s efforts to please her. In fact she had goosebumps all over her.

nHer experience from the two lifetimes told her that whenever Qiao Zijin treated her with a slightly better attitude, there must be something that she wanted from her.

nShe would rather be treated with arrogance and coldness, than to face Qiao Zijin’s smiling countenance.

nAfter Qiao Nan poured herself a drink and left the kitchen, Qiao Zijin asked Ding Jiayi, “Mom, do you think Qiao Nan overheard our conversation or not?”

n“I don’t think she has overheard our conversation. She would not have had this kind of reaction.” Ding Jiayi breathed a sigh of relief as well.

n“Luckily she didn’t.” Qiao Zijin patted her chest, she had the shock of her life at seeing Qiao Nan.

nDing Jiayi might have nothing to fear regarding Qiao Nan, but it was not the same for Qiao Zijin. She was not ready to lose this younger sister totally.

n“Alright, you should go and do your schoolwork. I will finish up the chores. Even if that wretched girl did overhear our conversation, it was nothing but the truth. Besides it was all your father’s doing. It has nothing to do with us. Good girl, go back to your room.” Ding Jiayi patted Qiao Zijin on the shoulder. She was no longer preoccupied with Qiao Nan’s attitude.

nDing Jiayi had never been affected by Qiao Nan’s attitude.

n“Okay.” Qiao Zijin returned to her room in high spirits. Even if her results were not as good as Qiao Nan’s, she was the most important person in the house. There was no way that Qiao Nan could compete with her.

nIt turned out that her father was also biased towards her. Though compared to her mother, he might be slightly fairer.

nAt the thought of this, Qiao Zijin felt cool and refreshed, as if she had a glass of spring water in the hot summer.

nWhile Qiao Zijin rolled around in happiness on her bed, Qiao Nan as usual was poring over her books, studying conscientiously.

nThe weekend flew past, Qiao Zijin went back to The High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China, while Qiao Nan stuck to her usual routine – going to school, the Zhai’s house and Qiao’s house.

nThis day, someone from the reception office informed Qiao Nan that someone had left her a parcel, notifying her to collect it.

nQiao Nan was confused. Someone sent her a parcel? Who would that be?

nThat was impossible.

nHad the staff at the reception office made a mistake? There was only one Qiao Nan in the whole school, but could there be homonyms?

nQiao Nan went to the reception office and raised her doubts. But the staff said that the person who made the delivery had gave her name and even stated the class that she was in.

nUnless there were two persons by the name of Qiao Nan in Secondary three (1) class, this delivery was meant for Qiao Nan.

nAfter hearing what the staff from the reception office said, Qiao Nan could only take the parcel with her. When she returned to the classroom, many of the classmates stole glances at her, staring at her while she walked in.

nThe end of the 20th century was unlike the 21st century where parcel delivery was very common. It was very rare that someone sent a parcel and left it at the reception office.

n“Hmph.” Zhao Yu snorted in annoyance. There was nothing to be smug about, it was just a delivery. If she wanted a parcel, she could also ask her mother to send her one.

n“What’s that?” Her desk mate Zhu Baoguo craned his neck like a swan, with his eyes fixed on Qiao Nan. He was dying to get his hand on the parcel and to see for himself what was inside.

n“I have no idea.” Unlike people her age who were impatient and fretful, Qiao Nan was calm and composed. She took her time to open the parcel.

nThe parcel was squarish and heavy. Qiao Nan surmised that it might have been books.

nAs expected, when she opened the parcel, there were books inside. In fact, there were revision books.

nThere were revision books for the sciences subjects.

nQiao Nan flipped the books open. There were simple explanations and concepts inside the revision books. These books were hard to find in the times now. Most people would not be able to buy them.

nTo Qiao Nan, these books came at an opportune time. She was thrilled to have these books.

nQiao Nan had been worrying about her weak foundation in sciences subjects. Despite revising and grasping some of the simple arithmetic concepts, she would be confused whenever she applied all of the arithmetic concepts simultaneously. It was undoubtedly a timely help to Qiao Nan.

nQiao Nan was not worried about those questions that required the application of a single concept. Her biggest worry was those complicated questions that required her to apply multiple concepts.

nIn the Celestial Empire, the exams placed a big focus on doing huge amounts of exercises and problem sums. To Qiao Nan, it would definitely be useful to do lots of practises and exercises.

n“Oh, we do not have these books here. There are very popular in the national capital as well, but there aren’t many in stock. Which of your friends is so nice to send you this as a gift?” Zhu Baoguo could tell at one glance that the books were not easily available.

nOf course, people like him could get their hands on anything they wanted.

nZhu Baoguo had a cousin who once flaunted this volume of books to him. His intention was to make him jealous. But Zhu Baoguo was unaffected, he did not even bother to take a glance at the books.

n“It was this popular?” Qiao Nan was stunned. She was unfamiliar with the consumer market here.

nBut who would have sent her these books, could it be…

nImpossible.

nA person came to her mind. But Qiao Nan shook her head, intuition told her that it could not be him. But if it was not him, Qiao Nan could not think of another person who would do this for her.

nIt was impossible that the relatives of Qiao’s family would buy these books. Her father had no relatives, as for the relatives from her mother’s side, it was all the more impossible for them to buy these books.

nAll her blood relations would not buy it for her. If her closest kin would not put in these efforts, who in the world would be so nice to her?

n“What’s on your mind?” Zhu Baoguo prodded her shoulder, “You really have no idea who bought you these books?”

n