Chapter 47: Grades Are the Achilles Heel

Ding Jiayi, who was drying the laundry, heard the elder daughter’s voice and rushed to Qiao Nan’s room. “What happened?”

“Mom, where is Qiao Nan?”

“Qiao Nan?” Ding Jiayi rolled her eyes. “It’s already 10 o’clock. Qiao Nan woke up at half past six. She washed her clothes and left. I don’t know where she went.”

A family of four but Qiao Nan only washed her own clothes. Of course, Ding Jiayi had to wash the rest of the clothes for the remaining three.

In the past, when Qiao Nan helped her everyday, Ding Jiayi did not feel that she was helping her much. Moreover, she felt that Qiao Nan was expected to help.

When Qiao Nan stopped helping with the household chores, Ding Jiayi found herself busy all day long. There was never a moment of rest.

Just the household matters alone, she wished that she was a superhuman with three heads and six arms. Ding Jiayi was skeptical – if she went out to find a job today, who would do all the housework?

“Right, Zijin, you should wake up and wash up. I need to go out to look for a job. There are some household chores – why don’t you help out?”

Ding Jiayi really had no choice. She had to find a job. If not, she would not have money for the elder daughter.

“Mom.” Zijin woke up quickly, her face of full displeasure. “I don’t even know how to do these things, wait for Qiao Nan come back and let her do it.”

Last night, she clearly intended to pester Qiao Nan continuously. Unless Qiao Nan gave her the money, she was not prepared to let Qiao Nan sleep.

But, in the end, she fell asleep herself and Qiao Nan woke up earlier than her. She was so mad!

It was almost 11 o’clock when Qiao Zijin finished her breakfast. “Mom, Qiao Nan will definitely be back later. I don’t believe she will not come home for lunch.”

“This is already not the first time.” Ding Jiayi no longer harbored any hopes for the younger daughter.

During the last few days of the summer vacation, every morning after Qiao Nan finished her breakfast, she would leave the house and only come back in the evening, when Qiao Dongliang was off work.

That wretched girl was emboldened as she had Old Qiao’s money in her pocket.

Now that Qiao Dongliang gave money to Qiao Nan directly, Ding Jiayi wondered how much her husband would give Qiao Nan each time. At the thought of this money, she could not help feeling the pinch.

“Alright, today, you’re going to be alone at home. I will be out looking for a job. Zijin, it is rare that you are alone at home. Even if you are really reluctant to do the housework, at the very least, please read up more. For your sake, I did everything. But if you still can’t catch up on your academic performance... ”

Previously, Ding Jiayi bit the bullet and was willing to take out all the family savings for Qiao Zijin to attend The High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China because Qiao Zijin said that the school’s teachers were more qualified. Hence, she would definitely be able to do well and catch up on her studies.

To allow Qiao Zijin to study in a famous high school was not the only reason why Ding Jiayi parted with so much money.

Qiao Zijin’s expression changed. She smiled thereafter. “Mom, I know, I’ll definitely not let you down. The teachers in our school are so good and I can understand all their lessons. I’ll definitely be serious in my studies. Mom, go and find a job. Since I’m home, I will do whatever chores I can. I will leave those that I can’t finish and read my books thereafter?”

Studying was the Achilles’ Heel of Qiao Zijin. In the recent months, Qiao Zijin had put all of her thoughts to the row dance. How could she remember what the teachers had taught in the past month?

There were more exams in high school than the experimental high school. She also recalled that when she went to school, the teacher mentioned about an important upcoming exam. At the thought of this, Qiao Zijin felt guilty.

At other times, Qiao Zijin would always have ways to appease Ding Jiayi. But when it came to exams, Qiao Zijin’s words would not be more convincing than her grades – which would stare directly at Ding Jiayi’s face.

Qiao Zijin saw Ding Jiayi out personally. When Ding Jiayi was further away from the house, Qiao Zijin then pulled a long face. “Damn Qiao Nan, she thwarts my plans since she was a child. If only...”

If only her parents had not given birth to another daughter – Qiao Nan. If Qiao Nan, this sister, did not exist, how good would that be?

If her parents only had her as the daughter, regardless of how bad her grades were, they parents would definitely do their utmost to nurture her. There would not be a need for her to let the grades speak for themselves.

“I don’t believe I can’t find Qiao Nan’s money.” Qiao Zijin snorted and rushed into Qiao Nan’s room angrily. She searched the entire room once, until she was sweaty and panting.

“Horrible horrible!” After much sweat, Qiao Zijin, who could not find a single cent, wanted to wreck Qiao Nan’s room.

Qiao Zijin sat on the bed and let out a breath, thinking of what to do about her future.

During that rainy night, Qiao Zijin was really the one who had removed the blanket from Qiao Nan’s body. She had also opened the windows.

Qiao Zijin had everything planned out. Qiao Nan’s grades were so much better than hers. If Qiao Nan wanted to study in a good school, the family would have to spend even more money. Her father’s income alone would not be sufficient for this. Moreover, her father’s income also had to provide for Qiao Nan’s living expenses.

If Qiao Nan went to work, the family would have fewer expenses and more income.

As such, if there were two people working in the family, she would be able to continue her studies regardless of the situation.

Most importantly, Qiao Zijin had long schemed about this – once Qiao Nan quit school, her grades in the school would no longer matter.

Qiao Nan had already quit school. If her family discontinued her studies because of her poor grades, they would never be able to lift up their heads in the quad.

To put it bluntly, Qiao Zijin wanted to be the only one. She had to be the only one.

Qiao Zijin had it all planned. However, there was a large gap between the ideal and reality.

Qiao Nan would not co-operate and stubbornly contended against her. In addition, with Qiao Dongliang’s support, Qiao Zijin’s plan was a fiasco without any success.

If not for this, she would not look so awkward and guilty when Ding Jiayi asked her about her grades.

The more she thought about it, the more anxious Qiao Zijin felt. She started rubbing her hands on her thigh.

It would be too difficult to improve her grades. The teachers in the school were good but the students were better. She was not in the same league of those who entered the school with their own abilities.

Also, as she had not built a good foundation in her studies while she was in junior high school, it would not help even if the teachers taught well in the senior high school.

If she did not do well for this month’s test again, her parents might really discontinue her studies.

Senior high school was not junior high school – it was not considered as part of the nine years of compulsory education.

Qiao Zijin had ants in her pants and she was spinning with anxiety.

She had not resolved the matter regarding the dance dress yet. Because of Ding Jiayi’s words, she now had another problem (her studies) to worry about.

She could not understand why senior high school had to be different from junior high school. There were four important examinations in senior high school instead of two.

Nevertheless, if there were no Parent-Teacher conferences after each month’s examination, she could probably find a way to keep this from her family.