Chapter 137 Threat
Seeing her daughter's resistance, a rare hint of anger appeared on Tao's face, but she said helplessly:
"I'm doing this for your own good. Why do you have to work so hard?"
"Mom, I'm not suffering. I really enjoy my life now and I'm happy and carefree. If you really care about me, please don't bring this up again. I will not agree to it."
After saying that, she turned around and left without looking back.
As Tao's mother watched her retreating figure, she narrowed her eyes slightly, her expression inscrutable, as if she were pondering and wondering about something.
Tao Tao, who came out of the room, looked a little unwell. Leng Qiao glanced at her out of the corner of her eye and naturally heard the arguing that had been coming from inside.
We traveled by carriage all the way to the Privy Council.
Just as she entered, someone came out, and Tao Tao brushed past that person.
The Prince of Yingzhou looked at the woman walking by with a hint of surprise, lost in thought.
In a brief two seconds, Tao Tao's figure quickly disappeared into the courtyard.
The servants on the road stopped when they saw the woman walking towards them, bowed to her, and whispered "Miss".
She stood in front of the study door and gently knocked. After waiting for a while, no one answered.
"Master, are you there?"
Leng Qiao stepped forward and reminded her, "Miss, the master may be in a private prison."
A private jail?
Tao Tao felt uneasy thinking about the scenes she had encountered inside.
"It's okay, let's wait here for a while."
So she sat down on the stone bench in the courtyard and waited for about half an hour. Just as she was dozing off at the table, she suddenly felt as if someone had come.
The man raised an eyebrow in slight surprise when he saw the girl appear in the courtyard.
"You're not angry anymore?"
He pushed open the door and went inside, followed closely by Tao Tao.
Hearing his words, she chuckled, a hint of flattery and ingratiation appearing on her soft, fair face, as she ran over, carrying her things in her arms.
"Master, I'm sorry, it's all my fault."
"I misunderstood you. I never expected you to save my life again."
"So you see, I specially made pear soup for you today to apologize. I hope you will be magnanimous and not hold it against me."
Seeing him sitting at the table, she placed the things on the table and opened them.
Duan Gan looked down at the refreshingly colored and fragrant pear soup in front of him, rested his chin on the handrail, and looked at her with amusement.
"Do you think I'm so easily fooled?"
"Then what else do you want?"
After saying that, she placed the brocade box in front of him and continued, "Also, here's this back for you."
Suddenly, a cold glint flashed across his face. He lowered his eyes and stared at the object in front of him, speaking softly.
Don't you like it?
I thought she would like it.
"It's not that I don't like it, it's just that I think it's too expensive."
"Once I give something away, there's no reason to take it back."
He looked up at her, his eyes cold.
"But…"
For a moment, she didn't know what to say.
"But what?"
Seeing his unwavering expression, she shook her head and said, "It's nothing," before putting the item away.
Duan Gan picked up a spoon and gently stirred the pear soup in the bowl, his voice soft: "I plan to have the Prince of Yingzhou adopt you as his goddaughter."
These words were like a thunderclap from a clear sky, instantly stunning her and leaving her completely disoriented.
"What?! Master, what did you say?"
She thought she had misheard and asked again in doubt.
He countered, "Is what I'm saying so hard to understand?"
"My father isn't dead, he's just missing. Why would I need to find a godfather out of nowhere?"
Tao Tao crossed her arms, somewhat speechless.
“Listen to me, it will do you good.”
She looked at him suspiciously: "What's in it for me?"
"Now that your business is growing, do you think others will tolerate you, as an ordinary person from humble beginnings?"
"Funerals shouldn't be extravagant or ostentatious, yet you've acted so recklessly, and no one has bothered to cause trouble. Do you think that's due to your abilities?"
He spoke without any mercy, but there was not a trace of sarcasm on his face.
It's just stating the facts in a straightforward manner.
She pursed her lips, her body stiffening slightly. She had indeed considered what he said; things had gone too smoothly. He could open a branch store just like that, and open a school just like that.
Even if she personally paid for it, it shouldn't have gone so smoothly.
"There's another point: you contacted Qi Heng without informing me, and I'd like to ask you why."
"But I'm still waiting for you to take the initiative to talk to me, but unfortunately, you didn't."
She suddenly looked up at him, startled.
"He and I are just friends, nothing more."
"friend?"
He chuckled mockingly, stood up, and approached her step by step.
"The Crown Prince and the commoners are friends. This is the funniest joke I have ever heard."
"You say things that even you yourself probably don't believe, so why do you think I would believe them?!"
He stood before her, too close, his tall and imposing figure looming over her, his deep eyes reflecting her flustered expression, exuding an overwhelming sense of pressure.
She stared blankly, her heart trembling slightly, and she couldn't help but take a step back.
"I don't care what you want from me, but you can't get it from a second man."
His gaze was sinister as he reached out and grabbed her wrist.
"I...I didn't..."
Her rebuttal sounded somewhat weak.
"Little girl, do you really think I'm a fool?"
He scoffed lightly, dismissing her words.
"It doesn't matter anymore. As long as you behave well now, I can pretend nothing happened."
She frowned, puzzled, and asked, "Obey? What do you mean?"
Why should she obey?
"We'll pick an auspicious day and hold a family reunion banquet for you."
Duan Gan reached out and tucked a strand of hair that had fallen beside her cheek behind her ear. His dark eyes looked down at her, his expression indifferent, but his tone left no room for argument. He had clearly made up his mind.
He was just informing her when he said that.
"You've worked so hard to achieve what you have today, do you really want it all to vanish?"
She froze, her eyes wide with disbelief.
He was threatening her.
"I see."
She lowered her eyes, her thick eyelashes trembling slightly, like a butterfly about to take flight, revealing the turmoil in her heart.
She had a vague feeling that she had gone too far.
Seeing her so obedient, he was moved and leaned down to gently kiss her forehead.
Feeling a cool touch on her forehead, she looked up in shock, only to fall into a dark and thick abyss.
It was as if something invisible was tightly binding her, making it difficult for her to breathe.
"Little girl, as long as you behave well, I can give you anything the Crown Prince can and cannot give you."
I wish you would stay away from me! Can you?
Tao Tao silently complained in her heart, but dared not say it out loud at this moment.
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