Last night, while the third concubine was still locked up in the Security Department.
Song Qiao had already finished his urgent matters and returned to Gao Meng's home.
The broken door had been repaired by Wei Feng and Chen Chen, and Xu Rou was by Gao Meng's bedside.
Seeing Song Qiao return, Xu Rou stood up and gave him a deep look.
Without saying a word, she turned and left to go home and rest.
"You're back?"
Gao Meng opened her eyes upon hearing the movement.
She shifted slightly, and the pain in her thigh made her involuntarily wince.
"Don't move, lie down quickly."
Song Qiao hurried to the bedside, helping Gao Meng slowly sit up from the bed.
"Do you want some water?"
"Yes."
Due to blood loss, Gao Meng felt very thirsty.
She hadn't lost so much blood that she needed a transfusion, so Song Qiao felt relieved letting her rest at home.
Taking the large cup of water Song Qiao handed her, she tested the temperature and then gulped it down in one go.
Only then did she feel slightly better. Leaning into Song Qiao's embrace, she asked.
"You didn't kill that guy, did you?"
Song Qiao snorted, speaking righteously.
"He dared to injure my disciple, killing him would have been too light!"
"Don't you think... Wait! Your tone… are you worried?"
"Damn! The clown is the master himself!"
At first, Gao Meng found Song Qiao's words very heartwarming and felt incredibly sweet inside.
But then she saw him lamenting as if he were heartbroken.
This made Gao Meng furious. She glared at him and said coquettishly.
"Hey, Master, what are you thinking about?"
"I was afraid if you killed him, I wouldn't be able to get revenge myself!"
"Ah? Oh, so that's how it is..." Song Qiao quickly corrected his demeanor and said earnestly.
"Then you probably won't have the chance. He's barely hanging on to life. I sent him back to Zhang Longsheng."
"Crossing the ocean like this, it's hard to say if he'll make it to his master before he gasps his last breath."
Although she felt a slight regret, Gao Meng was still beaming with happiness.
"Thank you, Master, for avenging me!"
"Why are you being so polite to your master? But if you really want to thank me, hehe..."
Song Qiao looked at Gao Meng, who was nestled in his arms, and suddenly smiled lecherously.
Gao Meng was startled and quickly closed her eyes tightly, saying.
"Master, I'm going to sleep!"
Looking at her, Song Qiao couldn't help but smile.
He held her like this, leaning into his embrace, until the next morning.
The first rays of the morning sun shone in. Gao Meng felt a warm, comfortable sensation around her body.
She couldn't help but stretch and open her eyes, only to see Song Qiao holding her.
"Master, you..."
Thinking they had been in this position all night, Gao Meng's cheeks flushed red.
Just as Song Qiao was about to tease her, his phone rang.
He looked down and saw it was Jiang Rou calling.
"Good morning, what can I do for you?"
Perhaps because she was in a good mood, Song Qiao greeted Jiang Rou with a slightly more polite and courteous tone.
Jiang Rou on the other end of the line was slightly taken aback but quickly responded.
"Good morning, helmsman. Tao Jie wants to see you. Would you like to meet him?"
"Tao Jie... I remember, Tao Fan's youngest son, right?"
Song Qiao pondered for a moment and felt that this person was worth meeting.
"Since he's the old helmsman's son, there's no harm in meeting him."
After Tao Fan's death, the entire Tao family fell into a state of intense panic and unease.
But it was precisely at this time that Song Qiao, whom everyone considered an enemy of Tao Fan, stepped forward to stabilize the situation.
Later, Jiang Rou and Li Chong investigated and learned that Song Qiao had nothing to do with their master Tao Fan's death.
And their relationship was not as life-and-death as the rumors suggested.
Even the money Song Qiao had gone to great lengths to help Jiang Rou recover, defying the third concubine,
was the Tao family's lifeline!
Under these circumstances, the Tao family was naturally extremely grateful to Song Qiao.
The moment Tao Jie saw Song Qiao, he bowed respectfully.
"Thank you, Mr. Song, for your willingness to help, guiding my Tao family through this difficult time."
"If my father's spirit in heaven could see this, he would surely..."
At this point, Tao Jie couldn't help but raise his hand to wipe away tears from his eyes.
The pillar of the family suddenly collapsed. Any family would find it hard to accept such a blow.
Not to mention that his father was the renowned helmsman of the Tong Men, Tao Fan.
Although he had a great reputation, fame fades with absence.
What was left for the Tao family was more covetousness and ulterior motives.
As for Li Chong and Jiang Rou, they had to deal with the internal chaos of the sub-helm,
and they also had to find ways to help the third concubine collect debts.
Coupled with the Tao family's situation, even if they wanted to offer more care, it was impossible to be everywhere at once.
Moreover, they both knew their limitations and felt overwhelmed.
It was conceivable how many cold shoulders and setbacks the Tao family faced in such circumstances.
Tao Jie even felt that without Song Qiao, the Tao family might have collapsed along with his father!
Therefore, words of gratitude could not fully express Tao Jie's admiration and respect.
He knelt down with a thud in front of Song Qiao and requested respectfully.
"Please, sir, do not disdain me, allow me to become your disciple!"
A disciple was like half a son. In the past, taking a master was a way to honor him.
Tao Jie held the same belief.
But Song Qiao felt this young man wanted to learn his skills!
Considering he already had a cute and sweet disciple, he saw no need to take on another.
Knowing Tao Jie's thoughts, he said, "I have long decided not to take on any more disciples."
"However, if you have time in the future, I can guide you more."
"Cultivation is actually very simple; with the right mindset, one can achieve unity of mind and body.
"As long as you cultivate diligently, you will surely be able to revitalize the Tao family."
Seeing that Song Qiao wasn't just casually dismissing him but was genuinely trying to guide Tao Jie.
Jiang Rou couldn't help but be moved, her eyes sparkling.
She gazed at Song Qiao's profile foolishly, and love surged from her heart.
*Clatter!*
Suddenly, a sound like shattering bowls and plates came from the kitchen.
Followed by a series of pained coughs.
"Cough, cough! Cough, cough..."
Song Qiao, Jiang Rou, and Tao Jie exchanged glances and hurried towards the kitchen.
They saw Tao Jie's mother slumped weakly on the ground, clutching her chest, her face full of pain.
The broken bowls and plates lay at her feet, and she had cut her palm.
Tao Jie saw this and his heart ached. He quickly stepped forward to help his mother up.
After a moment's hesitation, he asked his mother with a pained expression.
"Mom, perhaps I should just agree to their terms?"