“Mother, listen to me, it’s true! Sister Ganli showed me a letter written by the Eldest Princess herself…”
As Gan Tao spoke, she picked up the letter to show her mother, but Gan Tao's mother suddenly took a step back, as if avoiding something dirty.
"What are you looking at! I can't read! Who knows if what you're saying is true or false?"
Gan Tao Niang said in a shrill voice, her tone trembling almost imperceptibly:
"What kind of place is the capital? Is that a place you should be going? Don't tell me they're trying to trick you into selling you to that filthy place!"
Gan Tao was taken aback, but still felt that her mother was worried that she was being deceived, so she patiently explained:
"Mother, what are you saying? How could the shopkeeper lie to me? Before, the county magistrate personally came to deliver the imperial plaque to her. Everyone in the town knows about that!"
Besides, her business is so big now, while I'm just a penniless country girl. What do I have that's worth being fooled about?
Gan Tao's mother opened her mouth, but couldn't refute it, because what Gan Tao said was indeed true. What could a poor girl like Gan Tao have that would make someone want to lie to her?
Is it really as she said, that she was cheated and sold?
Gan Li now runs such a big restaurant, and he pays the villagers several taels of silver a day. Why would he risk his life for a few taels of silver?
Could it really be... that the eldest princess has summoned him?
This thought terrified her even more, as if she had fallen into an ice cave. She shook her head violently and screamed hysterically:
"No, no! You just can't go!"
Looking at her mother's appearance, Gan Tao suddenly had a flash of inspiration:
"Are you worried that if I leave, no one will take care of you and your brothers? The shopkeeper has already said that she will try to find a way to take care of you while I'm gone!"
Besides, I'll be back in a year at most! Mom, this is a good thing, it's good for our family..."
"A good thing? I think it's only good for you!"
Gan Tao's mother suddenly erupted, snatching the letter from Gan Tao's hand, crumpling it into a ball, and throwing it to the ground. Her eyes were bloodshot, and she gritted her teeth, saying:
"You've wanted to get rid of us for a long time, haven't you! Now that you've left, will you come back? Ganli taking care of us? Who does she think she is to us!"
"Once you leave, if she abandons us, what can we do about it! Let me tell you, you better stay home obediently! You have five younger brothers to support! Want to go to Beijing? Dream on!"
Gan Tao looked at the letter that her mother had crumpled into a ball, and felt as if her heart had been crushed as well.
She looked up at her mother, her eyes filled with sorrow, but her tone was calm, and she asked blankly:
"So, you're not actually worried that I'll be scammed, but that I'll leave and never come back, abandoning you all?"
Gan Tao Niang turned her head away, refusing to look at her daughter's expression, her tone cold and hard:
"Don't forget the vow you made at your father's grave: as long as you live, you can't abandon your brothers! Don't even think about getting rid of us and living a carefree life!"
Gan Tao could no longer hold back her tears, which welled up in her eyes.
She couldn't believe that her mother could be so heartless, never considering her future from beginning to end, only thinking about making her continue to work like a slave to support the whole family.
Her lips trembled as she choked out, "Mother, are you really... not happy for me at all?"
Gan Taoniang sneered and said sarcastically, "You're going to leave us behind to enjoy your life, how can I be happy?"
Every word and phrase was like a sharp knife, piercing Gan Tao's heart.
Gan Tao staggered back a few steps, feeling as if a huge rock was pressing on her chest, making it hard to breathe. She took one last look at her mother's harsh face, then turned and ran out of the house.
Back at Ganji Restaurant, Gan Tao, her eyes red and swollen, handed the crumpled letter to Gan Li: "Manager, I've decided... I... I still won't go to the capital."
Gan Li took the letter, unfolded it, and smoothed it out. The Princess's seal was clearly stamped on it. She looked up at Gan Tao, her tone calm: "Have you thought this through? This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
Gan Tao bit her lower lip and nodded vigorously: "I've thought it through, I'm not going."
After saying that, without waiting for Gan Li's reply, she turned and ran, as if some ferocious beast was chasing her.
She hid in a deserted corner of the restaurant's backyard, squatted down, covered her face, and wept bitterly. Feelings of injustice, sadness, and despair mingled together, nearly causing her to break down.
"Tao'er?" A familiar voice rang out in front of her.
Gan Tao looked up and, through her teary eyes, saw Gan Quan standing in front of her, his face full of worry.
"You... how did you get here?" Gan Tao asked, choking back tears. She tried hard to hold back her sobs, but the tears flowed even more freely.
Seeing her crying so hard, Gan Quan felt a dull ache in his heart.
He knelt down beside her, holding a clean handkerchief in his hand, and awkwardly wiped away her tears.
“I know everything. My aunt told me about the situation in the capital…” He paused, then said cautiously, “If you really want to go, then go ahead. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of your family…”
Gan Tao shook her head desperately.
Seeing this, Gan Quan became anxious and asked urgently, "You don't believe me?"
Gan Tao shook her head again.
How could she not believe it? This fool, after her mother did such a thing, after the family tragedy, he still secretly helped her so much. How could she not know?
Gan Tao cried even harder:
“I believe you, but my mother doesn’t believe me! I’ve done so much for my family. I’d rather work non-stop to earn money to support them!”
But they don't appreciate it; they think I'm going to abandon them! I've done so much for this family, how could she think of me like that…”
Gan Quan fell silent. He knew how much Gan Tao had sacrificed for the family, and he also knew that the conflict between Gan Tao and her mother had a long history.
But after all, she was Gan Tao's mother. What could an outsider like him say?
He raised his hand, then lowered it again. He simply stayed by her side silently, comforting her like he was soothing a child.
"I know, you've done so well. Don't cry, Gan Tao, everything will be alright..."
After a long while, Gan Tao's emotions gradually calmed down.
She looked up into Gan Quan's eyes and smiled shyly, "You... thank you for staying with me for so long, I'm much better now."
Gan Quan also smiled. The usually silent boy suddenly smiled, and his smile was even more vibrant than usual.
He nodded: "Okay, that's good. Well... I'll be going now."
He then stood up, turned around, and left.
Gan Tao watched his retreating figure, feeling incredibly guilty—such a good person only appeared when she needed him, and when she no longer needed him, he would voluntarily distance himself, never causing her any trouble.
Such a good person deserves someone better.
Gan Tao gave a self-deprecating laugh, a wave of bitterness washing over her.
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