Chapter 163: Differential Treatment

Facing the situation where Ding Jiayi only selectively listened to what she wanted to hear without understanding the meaning in others’ words, Qiao Dongliang wondered for the first time why he previously felt that Ding Jiayi was quite good as a potential wife. “Sorry about the embarrassing behavior.”

“No, no.”

“No worries,” The Zhou Bing couple replied at the same time.

The corners of Ding Jiayi’s mouth became stiff. What did that mean?

At the sight of the decent-looking Zhou Jun, Ding Jiayi’s thoughts were back to him again. “Zijin, the weather is so hot. There are not many suitable things to buy. Why don’t you go and buy some fruits such as watermelon or something?”

Ding Jiayi took out some money from her pocket and tucked it in Qiao Zijin’s hands. “Remember to ask the boss to pick a good one.”

“Oh.” Qiao Zijin was quite happy to take the money. However, at the thought of the big and heavy watermelon which she had to carry back by herself, she felt that it was too hard on her. “Mom, why don’t we let Nan Nan come with me? The watermelon is too heavy. I can’t carry it. Nan Nan is quite strong. If she accompanies me, she can help carry the watermelon.”

“...”

“...”

“...”

Qiao Zijin’s words made the Zhou family of three had the same expression. This expression was exactly the same as when they just heard Ding Jiayi’s earlier words.

Zhou Jun inconspicuously knitted his brows. None of them were blind. The elder sister obviously looked stronger than her younger sister. In what way did the younger sister seem to have more strength than the older one?

Although in the recent year, Qiao Nan ate much better than before, she was born to be slim. Regardless of how much she ate, her body still looked slender.

The difference was that Qiao Zijin resembled Ding Jiayi, and she would become fat if she ate too much. Hence, she had to control her diet.

In comparison to Qiao Nan, Qiao Zijin was not considered fat but she was as round as a pearl.

“Silly child! What a remark to make! I know that you are very close to Nan Nan and wanted Nan Nan to go along with you, but Nan Nan is your younger sister. It’s not possible for her to have more strength than you.” Ding Jiayi realized that Qiao Zijin’s words were inappropriate. Most importantly, with this, she could say the words that followed, “Zhou Jun, why don’t we do this? Can you accompany Zijin to buy the watermelon?”

When it came to carrying the watermelon, there was no one more suitable than Zhou Jun for the task.

Zhou Jun’s mother’s face turned black. She immediately pulled Zhou Jun’s hand and said, “Jun-er, you must have rushed here when you heard that your dad is in hospital. Look at all your sweat. You must be tired. Take a good rest.”

Zhou Jun blinked his eyes and replied smilingly, “I am really quite tired. Before I came to see my dad, I was in the midst of a mission and just returned to the camp. So I came late.”

Zhou Jun was not lying. He was indeed carrying out a mission before he rushed to the hospital.

Nevertheless, this little amount of exercise was nothing to him.

Qiao Zijin’s face turned pale and she gritted her teeth angrily. What did the Zhou mother and son mean? It was just a small matter to accompany her to buy a watermelon. They would not lose anything by helping her carry the watermelon. Moreover, when she brought it back, the Zhou family would also eat it. During this period of time, the Zhou family also drank a lot of stuff from the Qiao family!

Qiao Zijin, who was used to being admired by the guys in the school, was not pleased. She, in fact, did not like Zhou Jun much. It was all her mother’s doing.

It was obvious that Zhou Jun was unwilling. Qiao Zijin could not pretend that she did not understand.

Qiao Zijin’s pouted her lips and returned the money to her mother. “Mom, I accidentally twisted my ankle on the way here. Let Nan Nan help you buy the watermelon.” She was not going to be as foolish as Qiao Nan. The food that Qiao Nan painstakingly prepared always went into someone else’s mouth and stomach.

“Zijin.” Ding Jiayi was angry but she was even more embarrassed.

She did not mind Zhou Jun being older in age and was willing to let Qiao Zijin interact more with him. But what kind of attitude was the Zhou family displaying? They looked down on Qiao Zijin instead!

However, Qiao Zijin’s attitude was indeed inappropriate. Ding Jiayi did not want Qiao Zijin to embarrass herself in front of the Zhou family who already looked down on her.

“Forget it. I’ll go and buy it.” Qiao Nan stood up. Without a word, she took the money from Ding Jiayi’s hands.

Qiao Nan was expressing that her eyes would turn blind soon from the various scenes acted by her mother and Qiao Zijin if she continued to stay in the ward.

“I will go with you!”

The moment Qiao Nan took the money from Ding Jiayi’s hands, Zhou Jun stood up forcefully from his chair, causing his own mother to jump in surprise.

Zhou Jun’s mother’s face seemed to be trembling because of the words ‘I will accompany you’ from Zhou Jun earlier. It was so sudden and loud, just like what he did during a march in the army. The shout was loud and deafening. “That’s... That’s good too since it’s late and thus unsafe for Nan Nan to go shopping alone. You have to protect Nan Nan properly. Don’t let anyone bully her.”

“Don’t worry, Mom. I assure you that I will accomplish the mission!” Zhou Jun was so excited that he gave his mother a bow directly.

“Silly boy.” Zhou Jun’s mother did not know whether to laugh or cry. She had guessed that Jun-er would definitely like Nan Nan, but she did not expect that he would have such a big reaction and be so enthusiastic. There was no sign of his previous attitudes such as ‘I am still young’ or ‘I don’t wish to get married now’.

With Zhou Jun’s attitude, the Zhou Bing couple was extremely pleased. Most probably, this young daughter-in-law would be theirs and have no escape route!

“!” The Zhou Bing couple was happy. Qiao Zijin’s face turned pale with anger on the spot.

What accompanying her to buy watermelon?! One said her son was tired, the other said he just came back after completing a mission. Why was it that when Qiao Nan said she was getting the watermelon, Zhou Jun appeared as if he had been injected with chicken blood and did not seem tired anymore?

Qiao Zijin was most displeased with the Zhou Bing couple’s attitude. In front of others, Qiao Zijin was always the one who was most well-liked and often received praises from the elder ones.

But before the Zhou family, she was unable to bring out any of these merits. She did not know which nerve was wrong with the Zhou Bing couple’s brains that they actually preferred Qiao Nan to her. How blind!

“Sure, you can go ahead.” Ding Jiayi’s face became solemn and her tone was colder. “Zijin, you come with me to get some hot water. Your dad still needs to take his medicine later.”

Silently following behind Ding Jiayi, Qiao Zijin started to complain when she was out of the ward. “Mom, what did you mean by that?! If not for you, I would not have embarrassed myself. I was even disliked by others. Qiao Nan is climbing all over my head and stepping several times on me. Mom, did you do it on purpose?!”

“Your words pained Mom’s heart. Why would Mom help Qiao Nan instead of you?” Ding Jiayi said angrily but did not take issue with Qiao Zijin.

She knew that the Zhou Bing couple’s attitude had affected Qiao Zijin. Qiao Zijin only said that to her without reservation because she was too furious. “Mom’s initial thoughts are that since Zhou Jun is already a company commander, he will most probably rise to the role of a battalion commander before he reaches forty years old if he works for another seven or eight years. When the time comes, you will be the wife of a battalion commander.”