Ding's mother also sighed and shook her head.

Suddenly, Mr. Ding didn't feel so tired anymore. He straightened his upper body and said, "The kindness of raising is greater than the kindness of giving birth. After all, she has called us Mom and Dad for so many years. We, as the elders, should take a step back for now. See when it's appropriate to give her a way out and let her come back for a meal."

Having a daughter studying at Yenching University immediately boosted Mr. Ding's vanity, and he felt that Bai Jiaojiao's success today was all thanks to his painstaking efforts in cultivating her.

“That’s what I think too. We’re still family, after all. We can’t just abandon her.”

"Let's go downstairs for dinner."

Upon hearing this news, Mr. Ding felt less tired and went downstairs to eat with Mrs. Ding.

Seeing the two of them come down, Ding Shifang quickly stood up: "Dad, Mom, let's eat. I'll go ladle the soup out of the pot."

The three sat down, and Mr. Ding couldn't help but say, "I heard from your mother that Jiaojiao has already been admitted to university. Your academic level isn't good enough, and your parents support you in wanting to sing, but we're all sisters in the same family. You have to work hard and not fall too far behind Jiaojiao, understand?"

Ding Shifang almost pricked her palm with her fingernails before she could hold back and said, "Dad, I will try my best. Teacher Zheng praised me yesterday."

Upon hearing this, Mr. Ding nodded.

When Ding Shifang saw that as soon as her father returned home, her mother told him the news so eagerly, and judging from his reaction, he didn't seem to reject Bai Jiaojiao, the breath she had finally been able to breathe a sigh of relief over the past few years was lifted up again.

"Dad, didn't Mom tell you how we met Jiaojiao?"

"They didn't say. How did you run into them?"

Mr. Ding was interested in listening.

Ding Shifang then said, "She started dating a hoodlum, and then somehow she got involved with a guy named Wu She, who was also a good-for-nothing. Then Wu She went to Jiaojiao's school and spread some bad things about her, so she went to the police station. Somehow Wu She found out about our family's relationship and framed me, saying that I had instructed him to do it. That's why the police came to our house and asked me to come over, which is how we met."

Mr. Ding was completely confused: "What exactly happened?"

"These scoundrels only know these tricks all day long. Maybe that hoodlum is with Jiaojiao just because you're the factory manager, Dad, and he wants to curry favor with our family."

Ding Shifang was exceptionally good at distorting the truth, and Ding's mother was very anxious when she heard this: "How come I didn't know about this? Why didn't you tell me?"

“Mom, didn’t the police officer ask me to go in for a private questioning? That’s what they told me. I saw how worried you were about Jiaojiao, so I didn’t know how to tell you. Dad came back today, so I gritted my teeth and just told him what was on my mind.”

“A hoodlum boyfriend,” Mr. Ding frowned. “She really is a handful. How could a college student like her date a hoodlum?”

“Dad, Jiaojiao always likes to play with people like that. Didn’t she even have someone scare me before?” Ding Shifang looked at her father, bringing up the past with a hidden meaning.

When Mr. Ding recalled the reason why he had driven Bai Jiaojiao away, his old anger resurfaced: "We raised her to be a proper lady since she was little, how could she like to hang out with those kinds of people! Next time you see her, tell her that if she wants to come back to this family, she should break up with those scumbag men right away! Our Ding family is a respectable family!"

Mr. Ding was very concerned about his reputation. He liked his outstanding daughter, but he couldn't accept his good-for-nothing son-in-law.

Ding Shifang achieved her goal. Looking at her father's furrowed brows, she knew that her words had offended Shen Heng.

Although she didn't know how Bai Jiaojiao got involved with Shen Heng, based on her understanding of Shen Heng from their many years of living in the same village, she knew that Shen Heng was definitely not a good person.

It's likely that Bai Jiaojiao caught the eye of this bully in the village, and even if she gets into university, she won't be able to shake him off. That's for the best. With Shen Heng causing trouble, she'll have a way to make her parents treat Bai Jiaojiao like trash, just like they did back then.

Ding's mother became anxious after hearing Ding Shifang's words, as did Ding's father. That night before going to bed, they urged her to break up with Bai Jiaojiao and that scoundrel as soon as possible. Such an excellent daughter could marry into a respectable family with status and position.

The next day, Ding's mother went to Yenching University.

Fortunately, Bai Jiaojiao was a celebrity, so Ding's mother didn't have to ask many people before she found out Bai Jiaojiao's college and class.

Ding's mother stood at the entrance of the teaching building, waiting for Bai Jiaojiao to come out.

After Bai Jiaojiao finished her class, she went to have lunch with Shen Heng. As soon as they left the teaching building, they saw Ding's mother, who had obviously dressed up, standing out from the group of students.

Bai Jiaojiao frowned, not expecting that Ding's mother would find this place.

She didn't want to go over, but Ding's mother came closer: "Jiaojiao, who is this? Why are you getting so close to him?"

Shen Heng's face darkened: "Who are you?"

His tone was not pleasant, which further confirmed Ding Shifang's fabrication.

Ding's mother glared at the swaggering Shen Heng and said angrily, "Let me tell you, stay away from our Jiaojiao! I'm her mother! If you dare to bully her, our family will not let you get away with it!"

"Ha," Shen Heng said, feigning shock and amusement, "My mother-in-law has been buried on the mountain for years. Did I see a ghost in broad daylight?"

Ding's mother had heard Ding Shifang say that her original adoptive mother passed away after giving birth to Bai Jiaojiao, and she immediately realized who Shen Heng was talking about.

Her face flushed red, and she was furious at Shen Heng's abrupt address.

"I'm not talking to you! Jiaojiao, come with me!"

Ding's mother stepped forward and grabbed Bai Jiaojiao's arm, but Bai Jiaojiao shook her off.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!